Bp october 2013

Contents...

Situated at the foothills of the great Himalayan Range, the place has been amysterious attraction for travellers since time immemorial. She is blessed withunspoiled natural beauty, teeming wildlife, immaculate tea gardens, stupendousbiodiversity, rich culture and warm, beautiful people. Assam has enormous potentialand prospect to attract tourists at a large number. Undeniably, tourism has thepotential to boost up the economy of the State alone.

With the passage of time, trend in tourism has changed and now a days,tourists do not confine their travelling experience merely to the traditional visitsof Historical and Natural destinations. Some of the modern types of tourismwhich tourists these days opt for are- Health Tourism, Sports Tourism, AdventureTourism, Business Tourism(MICE), Rural Tourism, Farm Tourism, Tourism relatedto Fairs and Festivals and most recently Monsoon Tourism, Gastronomy Tourism,Polar Tourism, Space Tourism etc. No doubt, Assam Tourism has to go a longway to reach this level but she has every potential (if not all). Here, Tea Tourismcould be one another added feature to the State tourism.

Tourism is a State subject; it is the duty and responsibility of the governmentto transform the Potential into Productivity, which could have an enduring impacton the positive socio-cultural-economical change of the State. Ironically, wehave been witnessing a quite contrary picture. It is really our misfortune that weare still unable to foresee the outcome if the State could properly be projected astourists’ destination; we are blessed but we are not sensed. Most importantly, thecommoners would have been greatly benefited had things properly been done.Home-stay is one example through which they can generate income; this conceptis successfully implemented in Orcchaa, Madhya Pradesh.

Today tourism is the largest service industry in India with a contributionof more than 6.23% to the national GDP and providing about 9% of the totalemployment. India witness more than 6 million annual foreign tourist arrivalsand about 600 million domestic tourist visits. It is expected to generate US$275.5billion by 2018 from this sector.

Some States are there in India, economy of which is mostly dependantupon Tourism. Himachal Pradesh is one such State; Kerala is gradually becomingone of the most sought destinations by tourists, Gujrat is being succesfully promotedgetting associated Megastar Amitabh Bachan as its brand ambassador. On thecontrary, inspite of the fact that this part (Norteast) of the country has much morepotential and resources to attract tourists, no proper inititiative is taken yet.

All the hurdles negating the execution of plan into action can effectively beovercome if the government shows a noble intention and take proper action; andyes, we the People have to show our bonafide interest upholding our rich andadoring social and cultural heritage irrespective of cast, creed, religion, sex,community etc. Then only we shall be able to create an Investment friendly andTourists affable environment.

On 27th September, the World Tourism Day was observed worlwide butfew people were aware of this. What there is in Assam for tourists is nowhere inthe world. We are going to celebrate the Durga Puja in this Month; preparations areall ready. Likewise, plenty of other Fairs and Festivals of unique nature are celebratedin Assam round the year, which could be one another attraction for tourists.

The Paradise Unexplored

Bureau Chief- Kalyan Gogoi ! Chief Co-ordinator ( Delhi ): Arup Jyoti Gogoi ! Co-ordinator (Kolkata): Rudra PratapChoudhury ! Special co-ordinators : Jasho Rabi (Shillong), Lithung Tungsha (Kohima), Madhurjya Saikia (Duliajan), TanmoySaikia(Mizoram), L.M.Sarkar(Agartala) ! Finance and Planing : Dipayan Borah ! Advisor : Pranjal Dutta (Legal) ! Design &

Grapics : Nitul Kr. Dutta

Address : Guwahati Office– Bhangagarh, Anil Nagar, by lane no2, House no-1, Pin-781003, Guwahati (Assam) !!!!! DelhiOffice– A-12, 2nd floor, Kalkaji, New Delhi- 110019

e-mail : [email protected] Mobile : 9954223870, 9508708837

Executive Editor: Madhurjya D. KonwarEditor: Bikramaditya Dutta Kakoti

Editorial

Kickstarting the growthtrajectory

–1

The Land AcquisitionAct, 2013

–3

9, 000 rural youths inAssam to be trained andemployed

–5

Exim bank organizedround table on “Promotinghorticultural sector in theNE”

–6

NRL 144 cr., OIL 3589.34cr. & Assam Govt. earn2368.23 cr.

–9

BD’s shortest ever insulinsyringe needle launched inIndia

–18

Datanet India launchesGeospatial ElectionAnalysis

–18

1 BUSINESS POSITIVE October-2013

he economy of Assam has shownan improved performance over the last10 years, thanks largely to the exemplarygrowth seen in Agriculture, coupled withthe growth in Industry. The growth inthese sectors resulted in a consequentgrowth of the services sector. Theresurgence of the Industrial sector wasdriven largely by the policy initiativesof the Central and state government, andimprovement in Law and orderperception. The agricultural growth it hasbeen seen historically has its limitationsin growth and additional employmentgeneration. Service sector, Industries andEntrepreneurship activity can only drivebeneficial job creation in the state. Anenabling environment has to be createdto make entrepreneurship successful, andthat should encourage more and more

people from the state in becoming jobcreators rather than Job seekers.

Over the last couple of yearsfollowing a global recessionary trend, aslowdown has been witnessed in theIndian Economy, which was partly as aresult of global factors and also largely asa result of Policy delays and inaction,effecting investor confidence andEntrepreneurial success. The trend hasbeen witnessed in Assam too, even thoughthe state has one of the most attractiveCentral and state policies in vogue, whichshould, normally, drive a substantial partof fresh investment into the state.

Industrial Policy A perusal of the data and on goingthrough the reasons thereof we can

illustrate the issues as underThe North East industrial investmentpromotion policy 2007, and IndustrialPolicy of Assam 2008 have been effectivein attracting investments and promotingentrepreneurship in the state. The efficacythereof however has ebbed, because ofissues, disused later. Currently only theNorth east, in addition to Jammu andKashmir have such a attractive Industrialpolicy support from the Centralgovernment in the country, which shouldhave naturally opened the floodgates forflow of Investment in the region.

The NEIIPP 07 will expire inMarch 2017, and the Assam Industrialpolicy of Assam shall expire inSeptember 2013. While we are given tounderstand that the state has religiouslyset out to announced a fresh policy, theneed for extension of NEIIP 07, is

KICKSTARTINGTHE GROWTH TRAJECTORY

ENABLING ENTREPRENEURSHIP

T Mr R S JOSHIChairman, FINER

BUSINESS POSITIVE October-2013 2

already being felt. It was the efforts ofour Chief Minister and Members ofparliament of the region, that the NEIP1997 was extended in 2007. We requestthe CM and the MP’s to initiate effortsso that the extention of the same is donebeyond 2017 also.

ISSUES IMPEDINGENTREPRENUERSHIP AND

INDUSTRIALISATIONFINER feels that The economy of the statecontinues to depend much on agriculture.FINER feels that farmer’s interest mustbe given TOP PRIORITY and their wellbeing must be ensured. Land which is usedfor Agriculture should not be diverted toother purposes, until and unless majorpublic interest is involved. Enterprises,Industries concern particularly MSME alsoneed to be given due consideration.

The single largest issue impedinginvestments is, non availability of Landfor Industries and entrepreneurship.

(a) The classification of Land andupdating of Land records had been donedecades earlier, and not much workthereon has been done in the last manyyears. A large chunk of Land that hasbeen classified as Agriculture hashistorically been land on whichcultivation has never been possible.

(b) There is a restriction imposedof transfer of private patta Landsclassified as Agriculture, even though itis otherwise unsuitable for any

agricultural activity, impacting thefundamental right of people in the stateto own / Sell / Purchase and transferpersonal property. This restrictions havebeen imposed not based on anylegislation to the effect but based onBureaucratic orders.

(c) Land not suitable forAgricultural Activities, barren land,denudated and degraded lands, have tobe converted to Land for any NonAgricultural entrepreneurship activity.This is essential not only as per the landlaws, but also under the Securitisationand Reconstruction of Financial Assetsand Enforcement of SecurityInterest Act, 2002 (SARFEISI), withoutwhich banks are unable to lend anymoney for any entrepreneurial activity.The banks have of late beenimplementing the provisions very rigidly,and in absence of conversion of land fromAgricultural (under which lands notsuitable for Agriculture also have beenclassified), to Non agricultural (be it forsetting up of Educational institutions,Hospitals, or rest houses, warehouses forAgricultural produce, Agro basedIndustries, small scale or tiny Industrialactivities, medium scale Industries,commercial establishment or evendevelopment of residential townships etc.

(d) Governmental Industrial estatesin areas where Industries / entrepreneurialactivity can come up have no space, and

have long waiting list. This has jacked upthe prices of private converted lands, assupply has been artificially restricted.These private converted land prices havebecome so high that any Industry orEntrepreneurial activity automaticallybecomes either unviable or unable tolocate. Creation of governmentalinfrastructure for Industrial estates iswelcome but it takes times. Till that thegovernment should enable setting up ofprivate entrepreneurship on self acquired,private patta land. In this land that is notamiable for agriculture and has remaineduncultivated for a period of time needs tobe allowed for sale and class conversion.

(e) The State has an opportunitywhich is present till March 2017, whenthe NEIIPP 07 shall expire, as there areall chances that the NEIIPP 07 policy maynot be renewed at all. Our fears emanatefrom the fact that the “Freight subsidyscheme 2013” has been notified for aperiod of 5 years with a sunset clause,wherein it has been mentioned that thescheme which is on from 1971 in differentforms shall necessarily end on the expiryof 5 years. Further, similar policies akinto the NEIIP 07 have not been extendedfor Bhuj, Uttaranchal and HimachalPradesh after expiry of their term. We thusneed to take the advantage of NEIIPP 07for the states entrepreneurs and forenabling gainful activity. Political effortsshould also be initiated so as to create anconducive atmosphere for the furtherextension of the period of NEIIPP 07.

(f) While on the subject ofImportance of Land for economicactivity, our attention is also drawn tothe writings of Nobel Laureate Dr.Amartya Sen, who had said that“prohibiting the use of even very fertileagricultural land for industries isultimately self- defeating. Industry isbased near cities, rivers, coast lines,expressways and other places for logisticalnecessities, quality of life for workers, costof operations and various reasons. hesuggested that that even though the landmay be very fertile, industrial productiongenerates many times more than thevalue of the product produced byagriculture. (Continued on page 13)


Right to Fair Compensation andTransparency in Land Acquisition,Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill,2013 or the land acquisition bill hasbecome a law after President PranabMukharjee gives his assent to it on 28th

September, 2013. The Bill was passed on29 August 2013 in the Lok Sabha and on4 September 2013 in Rajya Sabha. TheBill has provisions to provide faircompensation to those whose land is takenaway, brings transparency to the processof acquisition of land to set up factoriesor buildings, infrastructural projects andassures rehabilitation of those affected.This legislation has been eagerly soughtby both industry and those whoselivelihood is dependent on land. Out ofthe 235 members who voted on the bill,216 backed it while 19 voted against it.The Bill will replace the Land AcquisitionAct, 1894, a nearly 120-year-old lawenacted during British rule.

The bill establishes regulations forland acquisition as a part of India’smassive industrialisation drive driven by

public-private partnership. The bill wasintroduced in Lok Sabha in India on 7September 2011.The bill will be centrallegislation in India for the rehabilitationand resettlement of families affected byland acquisitions. The Bill has 115 clauses.

Purpose and scopeThe Bill aims to establish the law on landacquisition, as well as the rehabilitationand resettlement of those directly affectedby the land acquisition in India. The scopeof LARR 2011 includes all landacquisition whether it is done by theCentral Government of India, or any StateGovernment of India, except the state ofJammu & Kashmir.

The Bill is applicable when:""""" Government acquires land for its ownuse, hold and control, including land forPublic sector undertakings.""""" Government acquires land with theultimate purpose to transfer it for the useof private companies for stated publicpurpose. The purpose of LARR 2011includes public-private-partnershipprojects, but excludes land acquired for

state or national highway projects.""""" Government acquires land forimmediate and declared use by privatecompanies for public purpose.

BackgroundThe Government of India claims there isheightened public concern on landacquisition issues in India. Of particularconcern is that despite many amendments,over the years, to India’s Land AcquisitionAct of 1894, there is an absence of acohesive national law that addresses :""""" fair compensation when private land isacquired for public use, and""""" fair rehabilitation of land owners andthose directly affected from loss oflivelihoods.

The Government of India believesthat a combined law is necessary, one thatlegally requires rehabilitation andresettlement necessarily andsimultaneously follow governmentacquisition of land for public purposes.

Definition of ‘land owner’The Act defines the following as landowner:""""" person whose name is recorded in theregister of the concerned authority""""" person who was assigned land by thegovernment under any of its socialdevelopment initiatives

The LandAcquisition Act - 2013

The LandAcquisition Act - 2013


""""" person who hold rights under India’sThe Scheduled Tribes and OtherTraditional Forest Dwellers (Recognitionof Forest Rights) Act, 2006""""" person who has been granted such rightby an order of the Court

Limits on acquisitionLARR Bill 2011 forbids land acquisitionwhen such acquisition would:""""" cumulatively exceed 5% of multi-cropirrigated area in any district in any stateof India, or""""" cumulatively exceed 10% of single-crop net sown area in any district in anystate of India, if the net sown area in thatdistrict was less than 50% of the total areaof the district

Even below these threshold,LARR 2011 requires that wherever multicrop irrigated land is acquired anequivalent area of culturable wastelandshall be developed by the state foragricultural purposes. These limits shallnot apply to linear projects. LARR 2011illustrates linear projects with examplessuch as railways, highways, majordistrict roads, power lines, and irrigationcanals.

Highlights of the ActFollowing are the highlights of the LandAcquisition Bill:""""" Payment of compensations that is upto 4 times the market value in rural areasand 2 times the market value in urbanareas.""""" To address historical injustice the Billapplies retrospectively to cases where noland acquisition award hasbeen made.""""" No law can be acquired inScheduled Areas without theconsent of the Gram Sabhas.""""" No one shall bedispossessed until and unlessall payments are made andalternative sites for theresettlement andrehabilitation have beenprepared.""""" Compensation to thosewho are dependent on theland being acquired for theirlivelihood.

""""" In cases where PPP projects areinvolved or acquisition is taking place forprivate companies, the Bill requires theconsent of no less than 70 per cent and 80per cent respectively (in both cases) ofthose whose land is sought to be acquired.""""" To safeguard food security and toprevent arbitrary acquisition, the Billdirects States to impose limits on the areaunder agricultural cultivation that can beacquired.

CompensationClause 26 of LARR 2011 defines themethod by which market value of the landshall be computed under the proposed law.Schedule I outlines the proposed minimumcompensation based on a multiple ofmarket value. Schedule II through VI

outline the resettlement and rehabilitationentitlements to land owners and livelihoodlosers, which shall be in addition to theminimum compensation per Schedule I.

The market value of the proposedland to be acquired, shall be set as thehigher of:""""" the minimum land value, if any,specified in the Indian Stamp Act, 1899for the registration of sale deeds in thearea, where the land is situated; or

""""" the average of the sale price for similartype of land being acquired, ascertainedfrom the highest fifty per cent of the saledeeds registered during the preceding threeyears in the nearest village or nearestvicinity of the land being acquired

LARR 2011 bill proposes that theminimum compensation bea multiple of the total ofabove ascertained marketvalue plus a solatium.Specifically, the currentversion of the Bill proposesthe total minimumcompensation be:""""" At least four times themarket value for landacquired in rural areas;""""" At least two times themarket value for landacquired in urban areas.

– Business Positive Bureau


ASIX Academy for Building Lifelong EmployabilityLimited (B-ABLE), one of the most respected namesin the skill building sector and the EmploymentGeneration Mission Assam (EGM), an autonomousbody which provides self- employment to theunemployed and additional work for the under-employed,signed a decisive Memorandum of Agreement (MoU)recently in Guwahati, Assam. Under this partnership,B-ABLE will identify and train 9,000 students belongingto rural areas within a period of three years and provideopportunities of employment in the retail and businessprocessing outsourcing (BPO) sectors. With Assamattracting new investment and business interests, skill

development undoubtedly becomes important so thatthe local population is able to realize their aspirations interms of sustainable livelihood.

Sushil Ramola, Managing Director and CEO ofB-ABLE, and a social entrepreneur at heart, says,“B-ABLE today is playing a vital role in skilltraining to bottom of pyramid population, therebyproviding a real time connect between the jobproviders and job seekers. We aim to impart skillsthat lead to lifelong and gainful employment anda profitable entrepreneurial venture, in variousindustries and service sectors across India.”

B-ABLE plans to open eight centerswhich would be fully residential in naturewith state-of-the-art infrastructure inSonitpur, Kamrup, Nagaon, andKarbiAnglong districts. As of now, twocenters have already started beingoperational in Nagaon and the city of Tezpur,and 200 students have already been enrolledinto the program. B-ABLE is currently onlook out for infrastructure and other facilitiesto open the centres in Kamrup andKarbiAnglong. Under the project, B-ABLEwill provide free boarding and lodgingfacilities to the students under this program.

The duration of the course is three months and theminimum eligibility criterion has been kept as 10th standardpass and above to be able to enroll for the trainingprogram. In addition to the courses of retail marketingand BPO, the students will also be exposed to basicspoken English, computer, and soft skills to enhance theirprofessional competence and match market requirements.The batch has been kept within 30-35 students, so thatproper attention and care can be given to the learningand coping requirements of each of the students. Afterthe successful completion of the training, the studentswill be provided placement assistance in retail outlets andBPOs within and outside Assam. B-ABLE has the visionthat every youth should be able to earn Rs. 60,000 perannum. In 2012, B-ABLE successfully piloted a similarprogram wherein 100 unemployed youths of the NorthEastern Region including Assam were trained on retailand sales marketing. The initiative was run under YouthEmployment Scheme of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan,an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Youthand Sports, Government of India, placed more than 80%students with average salary of 60,000 per annum.

MirnalKurmi from Sonitpur district was sittingunemployed in his remote village. He belongs to a poorfarming family with an annual income of less than20,000, because of which he and his brother could notstudy beyond high school. He heard about B-ABLEfrom a close friend and registered for the program. Afterthree months of training, he was placed with SSNlogistics. Currently, he is working as a junior supervisorand earning INR 11,800 per month. “I have twoassistants working under me. I am very happy that Ihave been able to save INR 25,000 which I want tospend judiciously for my family members back home,”shares a beaming Mrinal.B-ABLE has touched manylives and has helped youths like Mrinal aspire foremployment and a chance to be financially independent.


9,000 rural youths inAssam to be trained andemployed in the retail

and BPO sectors

B


Exim Bank, in collaborationwith National HorticultureBoard, organised a RoundTable Meet at NEDFi HouseConference Hall onSeptember 2, 2013, on“Promoting Horticultural

sector in the “North Eastern Region”. India is the second largest producer ofboth fruits and vegetables globally, after China, accounting for 14% and 12%,respectively, of global production. However, despite the large production base,India’s share in global exports of horticulture products (fruits, vegetables, andprocessed fruits & vegetables) is low. India’s export of horticulture is US$ 2.7billion (1.3% of global exports) as compared to China’s exports of US$ 18 billion(9% of global exports). With the strong production that India has, we need tostrategise towards doubling India’s exports to around US$ 5 billion in the next 2/3 years. This would call for measures to enhance the external orientation of thesector, reduce production losses and improve price realization for Indian farmers.

According to the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Exim Bank,Mr TCA Ranganathan, with the potential of the North East Region in horticultureproducts, the objective of the Round Table is to facilitate detailed discussionsbetween reputed large Indian corporates active in the agri and horticulturalsector and the stakeholders in the North East region. This, in turn, would facilitatedrawing up a roadmap for sustainable production while also identifying avenuesto create markets and linkages for farmers and entrepreneurs from the region.Eminent experts and speakers who participated in the Round Table include:Prof. Ashoke K.Dutta, member of Governing Board, North Eastern Council,and former Director, IIM Shillong, and Mr L B Sinate, member of the NationalHorticulture Board. Resource persons from reputed Indian companies includingJain Irrigation, Godrej Agrovet, ITC- Agro Business Division and Emami Group,participated in the Round Table and shared their expertise and suggestionswith the stakeholders. The Roundtable involved detailed discussion on issuesand topics including: cluster cultivation; linkages between production, processing,value addition and markets; infrastructure requirements, among others, whichwould contribute to the overall development of the horticultural sector in theregion. Exim Bank, through its comprehensive range of finance and advisoryservices, endeavours to enhance productive capacity and entrepreneurialdevelopment in the North East Region, while also facilitating and financingexport activities in the region. The Round Table on Horticultural sector is partof the Bank’s overall endeavours in the Region.

Maruti Suzuki, the leadingautomobile manufacturer company ofIndia has entered into a preferredfinancier tie up agreement for car loanwith Assam Gramin Vikash Bank, thelargest rural bank of North East. Amemorandum of Understanding hasbeen signed on 18th September, 2013between both the organizations,here, in Guwahati. Mr Anyndya Dutta,Regional Manager of Maruti Suzukiand Mr S. Sankar Singh, Chairmanof AGVB have signed theagreement on behalf of both theorganizations. Other dignitariespresent on the occasion were, MrsSharmistha Chatterjee, GM, AGVB,Mr Satya Narayan Sahu,GM,UBI,Regional Managers and branchManagers of AGVB, Maruti Dealerowners of Assam.

With this tie up, the AGVB whichhas the highest numbers of branchpresence in Assam and is known forrural development & commercialfunding has entered into passengercar finance in Assam. This will helpthe Maruti customers in Assam ingetting car loan in attractive rate withlow down payment from the rural bankat almost all the nook and corner ofAssam. Currently, Maruti is having26 sales outlets and 131 serviceworkshops in Assam. AlthoughMaruti is tied up with manynationalized public sector banks andprivate sector banks, 40% of its salesis coming only from rural market.

Maruti Suzuki joinshand with AGVB

Exim bank organized round table on

“PROMOTINGHORTICULTURALSECTOR IN THE NE”



In the past, the transitionfrom homemakerto sophisticatedbusinesswoman was notthat easy. But gone arethose days, women acrossthe globe are now comingforth to the business arenawith ideas and thereby notonly starts business butcarries it on successfully.Meenakshi Mahanta, anAssamese LadyEntrepreneur paved herway into a great successstory braving awayall the obstacles andblockages, whichare so common inindustrial sphere. In2004, Mrs.Mahanta, alongwith a few energeticPartners ventured into manufacturingbusiness. The new venture waschristened as “North East PowerlineIndustries” which has beenmanufacturing Kirloskar GreenAcoustic Generator within the rangeof 5 KVA to 625 KVA since the dayof its inception. The manufacturingbusiness was started at 8th mile, GSRoad, Baridua, Ri-bhoi Dist.,Meghalaya. The Kirloskar Oil EngineLtd., Pune had granted the license andstatus of original Equipmentmanufacturer on compliance with thenorms of the Central Pollution ControlBoard, Ministry of Environment ofForest, Govt .of India. It gained

positive response from the Customersgradually and earned goodwill withina very short span of time. Alongside,the company received supportfrom govt. public undertakingsand semi govt. organizations.

In the initial year i.e. 2004-05, the industry manufacturedand sold 228 nos. of KirloskarGreen Diesel Generator(KGDG) sets. Theoverwhelming response pavedthe way to establish one anothernew manufacturing unit atNaltali, Nagaon district at theinventiveness of Mrs. Mahanta andstarted manufacturing product in

2009-10. In the meantime, thefirm had been renamed as“Powerline Group ofIndustries” with its salesoffice at Khanapara. During2012-13, it sold a record nos.of 927 generator sets and theCompany now sets a hightarget to achieve during thecurrent fiscal. With the kindof support it gained andpopularity of the brandachieved, the industry under

the deft command ofMeenakshi Mahanta willcertainly be able toachieve the target and infact, even more in thefuture. The firm,“Powerlin Group ofIndustries” manufacturingand selling KirloskarGreen Diesel Generatorwithin the range of 5 KVAto 625 KVA is an eco-friendly generator withconstant guidance fromKirloskar Oil Engine

Limited, Pune andCentral PollutionControl Board.Being assisted byan excellenttechnical team andhaving a goodnetwork of dealers

and business groups, it has been ableto satisfy the customers; Post SalesCustomer Care Service through nine

nos. of service Dealers in the North-East India has made the service farbetter. It is worth mentioning that theindustry has opened employmentopportunities to more than 200 localpeople directly and about 300 peopleindirectly. Apart from this, thecompany undertakes many CorporateSocial Responsibilty Programmessuch as medical check up, consumerstore that provides uniform, shoes andother necessary items, taking initiativein organizing Puja and otheroccasional and yearly events in agrand style etc.

Kirloskar, Illuminatingpower predicament Northeast

–the person behind this



The Employees Provident Fund Organization is constantly makingefforts to bring better service, transparency and enforce provisions ofthe Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1952and the schemes framed there under. Taking one step further towardsonline settlement of the claims, the Organization has also started onlineregistration of digital signature of the authorized signatories for onlinesubmission of transfer claims for transferring the Provident FundAccumulation of the employees when they change jobs. Detailsinstructions are provided in at Online Transfer Portal (OTP) through

EPFO website www.epfindia.gov.in. Ahelpdesk number 18001-18005 (toll free) hasalso been provided to respond to the queriesof the employees\employers. Employees cannow register themselves in the “MEMBERSPORTAL” and view or download memberpassbook which shows the contributionsdeposited by the employers. They can alsoview the status of the claims through the‘KNOW YOUR CLAIM’ status provided inthe website. But what the heartening fact isthat most of the establishments of North-Eastare not willing to provide this constitutionalright of the employees i.e. Provident Fund.According to S K Sangma, Regional P.F.Commissioner, North-East Region fromApril 2013 to July 2013 show cause notices

were served to 239 establishments for non deposit of Contribution.Another 100 establishment too served with show cause notice for nonproduction of Records. For non deposit of contribution and nonproduction of records employers can be punished with imprisonmentextending up to one year. Within the same period EFPO, Guwahati hasissued 50 notices under Section 7A for assessment of dues. Majorestablishment against whom the notices were issued are 1.Assam StateTransport Corporation, 2. Rhino InfoTech Pvt ltd, Guwahati, 3.Desting HR Solutions, 4. Seven Security Force, Imphal, 5.OzoneAyurvedic, Guwahati, 6. Horizon Security Service, Guwahati,7.Imphal Municipal Council, Imphal,8. Dimapur Municipal Council,Dimapur 9. Loktak Development Authority, Manipur, 10. BGS, SGS-Soma JV, L akhimpur etc.

he first thing that goes to anempty room is furniture. However,for the city dwellers who live insmall spaces, first there has to bemade emphasis on planning,functional design and effective useof space. Millions of furniture stylesavailable in the market puthomemakers in a baffling state inmaking a right choice that will suither home perfectly. At the time wheneverybody is conscious about usingfurniture which is ecologicallyfriendly, durable and of superiorquality, city’s new addition offurniture showroom, “Woodies”could be a trustworthy destinationfor city dwellers since it offersfurniture 90 percent of which ismade of quality materials, such aswood, metal, glass or itscombination. To add more feature,they provide imported decorativeitems, centre tables, etc. too, thoughit is only 10 percent of their totalcollections. In their own factory,they also make customized designsaccording to customers’ demand.

Within a short period, Woodieshas been able to set new benchmarksin the industry by offeringcontemporary designs for corporateoffices, commercial complexes,hotels, farmhouses, residentialcomplexes and guesthouses. Sofasets of all kinds, dining sets, centretables, side tables, wardrobes, multiutility cabinets, bookshelves, andeven workstations for offices areavailable there. Furnishing items likewallpapers, mattresses are also canbe found in the same shed. It providesfurniture that suits every pocket. Withits huge collection starting frombudget to highly luxurious furniture,“Woodies” is committed to fulfil therequirements of every customer. Italso offers furniture on EquatedMonthly Instalment (EMI) basis,

which makes their products easilyaccessible for a wide range ofcustomers giving them relief at thetime of financial pressure, mostly atthe time of marriages, when peopleare often, get overburdened.

“Woodies” believes in offeringquality not only in products, butmaintains quality in management,service and all linked chain that

contribute to their success. It ensurescustomers with consistent productionof high quality furniture andguarantees a reliable, efficientservice always. One can rely on thisshowroom as it provides perfectfinish, customised furniture thatreflects rich heritage, traditional andcontemporary designs, and plentyof alternates to choose.

Wooddies, Furnishing HomesWooddies, Furnishing HomesT

Thesorry

Tale ofProvidentFund in

NE



Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL)hasregistered a net profit of Rs 144 crorewith a total sales turnover of Rs 8,753crore for financial year 2012-13.

Addressing the AnnualGeneral Meeting held on 6th septeber,here , in Guwahati NRL chairmanand managing director of BharatPetroleum Corporation Limited(BPCL), RK Singh said the refinery’snet worth has risen to Rs 2,757 croreas on 31 March 2013. The totaldividend to be paid by NRL for lastfinancial year to its shareholders—BPCL, Oil India Ltd and Assamgovernment—was 10 percent,amounting to Rs 73.56 crore. Assamgovernment shall receive Rs 9.08crore as dividend for its equity of12.35 percent in NRL. The companyhas contributed Rs 748 crore to theCentral exchequer, while itscontribution to the state exchequerwas Rs 280 crore.

On the physical front, evenwithin prevailingconstraints oflower crudeavailability, crudeoil processingwas maximised tothe extent

NRL 144 cr., OIL 3589.34 cr. &Smile soars in oil...

possible and by the end of the year,2,478 TMT (thousand metric tonnes)crude throughput was achieved, hesaid. NRL went on to record 91.11percent distillate yield, which was thehighest amongst PSU oil refineries inthe country, while specific energyconsumption—a mark of energyefficiency in operations—was limitedto the level of 59.7 MBN. On thesafety front, the refinery hascompleted over 11 years ofoperations without any loss timeaccident and for its safetymanagement systems, NRL has beenawarded the Shrestha SurakshaPuraskar 2012 by the National SafetyCouncil, Singh added. On marketingfront, Singh said, out of 2,410 TMT

of petroleum productsmarketed by thecompany, 22 per centwere sold within NorthEastern region whilebalance 78 per cent wassold outside, with the

bulk, aggregating to 85 per cent,being sold to BPCL.

In order to sustain profitableoperations on a long term basis, thecompany is actively pursuing itsrefinery expansion plans to increaseits capacity from 3.0 MMTPA to 9.0MMTPA.

Simultaneously, sourcing andtransportation of imported crude oilthrough a pipeline from Dhamra Portin Odisha is being arduouslypursued, he said. The capacityexpansion of the refinery is expectedto address the challenges that NRLfaces such as sub-economic size ofthe refinery and inadequateavailability of crude oil in the NorthEast, Singh said. The estimatedinvestment in the refinery expansionand the associated crude oil pipelineproject would be about Rs 14,000crore. Expenditure on plan projectsduring the year was Rs 161 crorewith the Wax Project, involving a costof Rs 577 crore under

Numaligarh RefineryFY13 net profit at Rs 144 cr.

Numaligarh RefineryFY13 net profit at Rs 144 cr.


implementation and scheduled forcompletion during the currentfinancial year. In order to supplypetrochemical grade Naphtha toAssam Gas Cracker Project, aNaphtha Splitter project at a cost ofRs 87 crore under the non-plan headhas been completed.

NRL has invested a sum of Rs127 crore towards 10 percent equityin Brahmaputra Cracker andPolymer Limited, which isimplementing the prestigious AssamGas Cracker project. The meetingwas attended by NRL managingdirector Dipak Chakravarty andother members of the Board.

OIL earns3589.34 crore

Oil India Limited, country’s secondlargest national oil and Gas Companyin terms of total proved plus probable

Assam Govt. earn 2368.23 crore

oil and natural gas reserves, held its 54thAnnual General Body meeting at itsField Headquarters, Duliajan.

In his address to theshareholders, Chairman and ManagingDirector, Shri S K Srivastava said thatfiscal 2012-13 was a year of significantachievements for the Company as itsannual gas production achieved highestever total production at 2639.21

MMSCM. Production ofCrude oil andCondensate(including JVShare) was 3.701 MMT. Mainreason of shortfall in crude oilproduction during FY13 wasdirect, indirect andconsequential losses arising outof a number of unforeseenproblems many of which werebeyond the control of theCompany.

The turnover of theCompany was the highest sofar and stood at Rs 9947.57crore as against Rs9863.23 in the last fiscal, whilethe Profit after Tax touched anew peak of Rs 3589.34 crore- an increase of 4.13% percent

over the previous year. As a result, theCompany declared dividend at 300%,Shri Srivastava said. Improved financialperformance has helped OIL toincrease its net worth to Rs 19212 croreas against 17721 crore during theprevious fiscal.

The CMD also pointed out thatthis achievement was in spite of havingprovided subsidy discounts to the tuneof Rs 7892.17 crore as compared to7351.77 crore during correspondingperiod of 2011-12 to Oil MarketingCompanies to compensate for theirunder recoveries in line withGovernment policy. The subsidy hasaffected the PAT of the Company forthe year under review by Rs 4481.74crore.

Speaking on OIL’s successfuleffort in maintaining an increasing trendin crude oil and gas production over thelast few years, he identified the followingmeasures as the reasons to OIL’ssuccess: Prioritization of development /infill drilling; debottlenecking ofproduction infrastructure and flow lines;work over of wells / well stimulation andservicing; Improved Oil Recovery(IOR)/Enhanced OIL Recovery (EOR)

OIL AGM held in Duliajan. Photo : Surajit Gogoi


and new discoveries brought onproduction early. Speaking about OIL’shighest ever production and sale ofnatural gas of 2639.21 MMSCM and2080.23 MMSCM respectively duringthe year, Shri Srivastava informed thatthe Company is working towardsbuilding up its gas production potentialfrom current 7.2 MMSCMD to a levelof 10 MMSCMD in the North East bydrilling of non-associated gas wells andworkover of shut-in gas wells andadoption of the new well completiontechnology. The Gas produced from theCompany’s Jaisalmer field is suppliedto RRVUNL through GAIL (India)Limited’s pipeline for generation ofelectricity. The existing gas supplyagreement to the customer is 0.7MMSCUMD and actions are in handto revise the same for additional supply.

Shale/non-conventional oil /gashas emerged as an area of interest.Shale Gas Policy is being formulated bythe Government of India and as andwhen the bidding rounds are announcedOIL will actively participate in the same.The Company shall also continue topursue Shale oil / Gas opportunitiesoverseas. OIL also has one CBM blockin the North East with M/s Dart EnergyLtd, who will act as the operator. Workis in progress in the block as per workprogramme. LNG is another areawhere the Company is actively trying

to enter into.Giving a review

of the overseasactivities of the OilIndia Limited, ShriSrivastava said that theCompany now hasoverseas presence ineight countries, withacreage of 33657 Sqkms expansion plansfor developingdiscovered fields there.

Sri Srivastavainformed that OILalong with Indian OilCorporation Limited(IOCL) have jointlyacquired 20% and 10%respectively in CarrizoOil & Gas Inc’s (“Carrizo”) liquid richshale assets in the Denver – Julesburg( D-J) Basin in Colorado, USA. Theacquisition became effective from 1stOctober, 2012. OIL has formed 100%wholly owned subsidiaries in Texas,USA in the name of Oil India (USA)Inc. OIL acquired approx 12,300 netacres of the asset and subsequentlyadded additional area of 1953.067 acresduring current year.

In Areas 95/96 in Libya(comprising of 5 Blocks), whereSonatrach is the operator, and theCompany has 25% Participating

Interest (PI) Well No 1 was spudded inDecember 2012 and discovery wasmade with the well producing 3050 bopdof light oil(44.5 API). In the third wellalso we have encountered over 400 ftof gas pay in tight sand. 3D seismic isalso being carried out in the 3rd phaseof the MWP and over 1000 Sq Km dataacquired.

In Gabon, in Shakthi Block, whereOIL is the operator, a discovery has beenmade in the third well that we drilled.This well encountered two prospectivezones. On testing the 2nd sand, the wellproduced oil and gas. This is the firstdiscovery of OIL in an overseas ventureas an operator and we have reasons tocelebrate. In Yemen, physical activitiesin the block area had been badlyaffected due to political crisis in Yemen.With improvement in the ground situation,Work programme has been resumed bythe operator. 2D Seismic acquisition of350 line km and 3D of 245 Km2 and itsprocessing has also been completed inBlock 83. The operator M/s MedcoEnergy has initiated preparation forSeismic acquisition in Block 82. InNigeria the JV the block license has beenconverted to mining lease OML 142.After conversion to OML, OPL area hasbeen reduced to 1,295 Sq km.

(Cont. on page 17)


yntra.com, India’s leading online fashion portal,conducted a study recently that highlighted thegrowing prominence of online shopping among theyouth in Guwahati. This study ranked Guwahati 11th

among the top 15 cities in India for online shopping.The other cities were Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai,Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad,Jaipur,Goa etc.

Ashutosh Lawania, co-founder, Myntra, said,“Youngsters today are extremely fashion consciousand tech savvy. In Guwahati we have seen thesame sentiment. Online shopping gives them aplatform to access the best international and Indianbrands at affordable prices with the convenience ofshopping from anywhere. Guwahati and Assamhave always been known to be loyal markets andwe are seeing them quickly emerge as a strongretail market for Myntra.com” The growingpopularity of online shopping has been catching upin other cities of Assam as well. There has been asteady increase in the number of online shoppersfrom Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Sivasagar and Tinsukia in

the past few months. The study alsoreveals that Myntra.com receivesaround 350-400 orders per dayfrom Assam. Ashotushfurther added, “In Assam

a man prefers toshop for smart

in online shopping

casuals and footwear while womenprefers to shop for western and ethnicwear online. Brands like Puma, Nike,Duke, Shree and Myntra.com’s inhouse brands Roadster,Dressberryand Anouk are preferred by shoppers here.”

The study further stated that over 68%of shopperson Myntra.com are men while women account for32%.The average age of these shoppers is 25 years, whichis similar to national average age of shoppers onMyntra.com. Catering to the growing demand from thisregion, Myntra also opened its delivery centre in Guwahatiand offers services to over 50 different locations usingthird party couriers .Other states covered in this regionsare Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh.

Myntra has been constantly striving towardsenhancing its customer experience while shopping online.According to the recent ComScore report , Myntra rankedfirst for having the highest percentage reach of 17.1% in

India for the last month.The portal offers a wide rangeof prominent brands from across the globes that areexclusively available for Myntra customers. Theportal also offers innovative features such as

product exchange facilitywhere its logistics team

delivers the new itemand takes back thereturned product in asingle, hassle freeprocess.

M


Guwahati ranked 11thGuwahati ranked 11th


KICKSTARTING THE GROWTHHe goes on to add that the history of industrialization and globaldistribution of industry hubs, show that the location of greatindustry, be it Manchester, London, Munich, Paris, Pittsburgh,Shanghai or Lancashire, these were all on heavily fertile land.

In Assam, there is a vast potential to even develop Landwhich is not otherwise suitable for Agriculture forEntrepreneurial activity and enterprise. That is being inhibited,and that needs to be rectified.

(g) FINER had collected from its members and contactsa list of Industries and enterprises which are awaiting Landpurchase - sale permission / Land conversion to start activity.

Some of these units had works started which were impededbecause of the inability of Banks to disburse loans. Some hadstarted with own funds, but are unable to expand. Investmentpotential of more than Rs. 2000 crs involving a potentialemployment of more than 5500 direct and 16000 indirect hasbeen collected.

h) Finer requests the government to enable creation ofIndustrial hubs in and around major cities of the state. As perthe Industrial Intentions filed with the government more than80% of the IEM’s filed has been in the district of undividedKamrup. Another hub can be created in upper Assam aroundthe cities of Dibrugarh, Tinsukia based on the oil and gas assetspresent there. Major investments have come around the cityowing to its presence of social infrastructure and connectivity.This should be leveraged and the issues that impede thedevelopment of this area,

FINER LAUDS THE STATE GOVERNENT FORENABLING LAND CONVERSION FOR MEGA

INDUSTRIEDAs per the Department of Revenue and D.M. officeMemorandum No. REGN.85/2009/189 dated 5th of August2013, the state government has in public interest decided thatland which has not been cultivated for last 10 years may betransferred for Non - Agricultural purposes after reclassificationby the deputy Commissioner. This has been allowed for

Industries classified as MEGA INDUSTRIES project by thestate government. As per the Industrial policy of Assam 2008,A MEGA INDUSTRY is a industry which has capitalinvestment in excess of Rs. 100 Crs, or generates a minimumof 1000 regular employment.

While welcoming the state governments move, we wouldalso like to add that the small and the MSME sector hasgenerated the maximum employment in the state and theseIndustries have the maximum potential in the state. Our chiefMinister has also accepted the role of the small and MSMEsector in the economy of the state and in creation of employment

and Entrepreneurship. State governments initiation inremoving the bottlenecks for this sector is required andshall be heartily welcome.

RECENT INCREASE IN VAT RATE - Aretrograde step

After introduction of VAT in Assam, the VAT rate forFIFTH SCHEDULE ITEMS was first increased from12.5 % to 13.5% w.e.f. 31-10-2009, now further suddenincrease of rate from 13.5% to 14.5% w.e.f. 13-09-2013appears to be unjust in the situation that there is economicslow down and the market is already fighting with pricerise. This increase will add to cost and price rise andadditional burden of tax will make bigger hole in thepocket of general public.""""" Tax rates normally should be revised in the statebudgets. Mid term revision is not understandable.

""""" Govt. should concentrate and focus on widening of tax net,revenue leakage and better tax administration, which will helpincrease revenue substantially.""""" Revision from mid of any month increases lot of accountingand compliance problems.""""" Moderate Tax regime results in better compliance.""""" Inspite of slowdown, there is a reasonable growth in VATcollection hence no need for knee jerk reactions.

ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETYFINER emphasises the role of Civil society and wishes to engagewith it in promotion of the cause of Entrepreneurship andemployment creation, particularly for first generationentrepreneurs, and women’s entrepreneurs. One such issuethat impacts the cause of Entrepreneurship and employmentcreation, particularly for first generation entrepreneurs, andwomen’s entrepreneurs is the Menace of Bandh.

RESTORING PRIDE IN ENTREPRENUERSHIPEntrepreneurship activity must be supported. Entrepreneurialactivity must be seen in positive light. If any wrong doing hasbeen done by any enterprise, the perpetrators need to be punishedas per Law. It’s important that any wrong doing of any isolatedindividual is not seem as an generic activity, and efforts ofentrepreneurs need to be acknowledged.

Banking Issues""""" Banking Issues remain intertwined with the issue of

Cont. from 2


Entrepreneurships and gainful activity. Banks in the countryhave been going through a difficult phase, with risingdelinquencies and rise in level of NPA’s. The banks focushad been drawn to the North East, on the back of the successof the Central and state government Industrial policies. Wefeel however, that, the momentum and ebbed and there hasbeen a Credit squeeze in place. A Major bank in the regionhas put funding to MSME sectors, which earlier was underthe delegated power of local, regional and Zonal offices inthe state on hold and has subject it to prior approval ofCorporate office, thereby almost fully restricting fundingfor the last couple of months. While we understand thebanks all India policy in light of extraordinary times, wefeel that exemption should be made for the North East,where the MSME sector was just about germinating. Anysuch bank action, if prolonged shall hamper enterprises inthe region.""""" In view of the difficult business environment, more soin the North east, rise in restructured Loans and NPA’s isan inevitability. We appeal for relaxed norms forrestructured Assets and NPA’s for the North East.""""" More and More banks should be encouraged to post theirbest officers for short periods of one or two years to have astint in the North East, so that the enterprises in the regionget the advantage of trained and understanding staff whohave credibility and Importance in their respectiveorganisation. the region should not be made an avenue forPunishment postings.Chief Minister’s Economic Advisory Council : On lineof PM’s Economic Advisory Council, State of Assam musthave CM’s economic advisory council having representationfrom stakeholders and FINER.Tourism Policy of Assam : Expires on 30.09.2013.Needto have a more attractive policy in place.Need of the Hour : Stimulus measures, removal of thelarge impediments in form of land, short term and longterm economic reforms, Big ticket PSU, Investment ,Developing Infrastructure, monitoring mechanism need tobe in place.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE NUMBER OFUNITS GONE INTO PRODUCTION, INVESTMENTIN PLANT & MACHINERY AND EMPLOYMENT

GENERATION AFTER DECLARATIONN.E.I.I.P.P.2007

MICRO SMALL MEDIUM TOTAL MICRO SMALL MEDIUM TOTAL MICRO SMALL MEDIUM TOTAL MICRO SMALL MEDIU TOTAL

2007-08 1611 202 18 1831 4772.66 24300.6 12573.01 41646.27 1106 2653 7740 11499 442 2206 5517 8165

2008-09 1506 188 17 1711 3061.25 15586.7 8064.48 26712.43 1312 3146 9180 13638 524 2616 6543 9683

2009-10 1477 184 17 1678 3426.73 17447.63 9027.32 29901.68 1230 2950 8607 12787 692 3455 8570 12717

2010-11 1168 146 13 1327 2929.51 14915.99 7717.46 25562.96 930 2229 6505 9664 491 2453 6135 9079

2011-12 1130 141 13 1284 3181.14 16197.17 8380.33 27758.64 1334 3199 9335 13868 533 2660 6653 9846

2012-13 1058 132 12 1202 2630.25 13392.25 6929.08 22951.58 838 2008 5860 8706 334 1670 4177 6181

TOTAL 7950 993 90 9033 20001.54 101840.3 52691.68 174533.56 6750 16185 47227 70162 3016 15060 37595 55671

EMPLOYMENT GENERATION

(IN-DIRECT)

YEAR NUMBER OF UNITS GONE INTO PRODUCTION

INVESTMENT IN PLANT & MACHINERY

(RS. IN LAKH)

EMPLOYMENT GENERATION

(DIRECT)

(Presented this in an interactive session with media held in Guwahati)

Assam ranks fourth inimplementation of

investment projects.Assam has surpassedGujrat inimplementation ofinvestment projects!Assam has the fourthhighest rate among allthe states of India withregard toimplementation ofinvestment projects.This is revealed by an analysis of investment carried outby the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industryof India(ASSOCHAM).ASSOCHAM said in a press release that Assam hasrecorded the fourth highest rate of implementation ofinvestments at 72 percent. The press release mentioned-With over 82 percent of investment projects under

implementation, Haryanahas recorded the highestrate of implementation ofinvestments amongindustrialized statesthroughout India. Jammuand Kashmir(81.4percent), Punjab ( 79percent ), Assam ( 72percent ) and Chhattisgarh(69 percent ) are among

the top five states that are currently witnessing a highrate of implementing investment projects.It said that investments worth over 69.5 lakh crore orabout 57 percent of the total investment of over 122 lakhcrore attracted from various private and public sourcesare under implementation stage as on March 2013.The study said that inadequate addressal of projects

induced displacement, failure ofimplementation of resettlementand rehabilitation policies,environmental clearances,bureaucratic delays, lack of clearcut policies among other factors,have contributed to lowerimplementation rates ofinvestment policies in India.


The State Agriculture Department and the Assam Gramin Vikash Bank(AGVB) have signed an MoU for expediting the ambitious farm mechanisationdrive in the State recently. The MoU is expected to go a long way in bringingthe farmers from poor economic backgrounds under the ambit of the farm

mechanisation drive.The MoU was signedin the AgricultureMinister’s conferencehall in presence ofAgriculture MinisterNilamani Sen Deka,Agriculture DirectorDr Kabindra Barkakatiand AGVB Chairman

Sivshankar Singh, among others. The signatories were Amlan Baruah,Secretary, Agriculture, Assam, and Sivshankar Singh. Minister Deka saidthat the collaborative endeavour would benefit poor farmers who had notbeen in a position to avail subsidised tractors or power-tillers, by bearing thenon-subsidised component of the cost. The Agriculture Department and AGVBhave agreed to work jointly for implementing the various schemes relating tofarm mechanisation. The poor farmers will now get loan from the AGVB tobear the cost of the non-subsidised portion.

Pact to expeditefarm mechanisation drive

USA based Swipe Telecom, the fastest growing TabletPC brand in India has entered into the Eastern region.Tollywood superstarParno Mitra has launchedit recently. SwipeTelecom is headquarteredin Palo Alto, California.Within a short span ofover a year, Swipe Telecom has become the number1 brand in many States of Western and Northern India.The entry of Swipe Telecom in the region wasmarked by Parno Mitra’s cameo at the launch ofMTV Slate by Swipe, India’s first Quad Core 3Gcalling 7.85 inch Tablet PC. Priced at Rs 14,999the MTV Slate by Swipe is the latest innovationfrom Swipe Telecom and it is meant for theconnoisseurs looking out for high-performancecomputing-on-the-go. Speaking on the occasion,Shripal Gandhi, Founder & CEO, Swipe Telecom,said: “It gives me immense pleasure to come hereand launch the operations at the hands of none otherthan ParnoMitra. Consumers have deeplyappreciated Swipe innovations till date starting fromIndia’s first 3D to first calling Tablet to Swipe MTV

Arise India Ltd. which is one of theleading electronics and technologymanufacturers in the country,understands the need of uninterruptedpower in the impending power outrageof the summer season, and hasintroduced its ‘Milestone’ range ofHome UPS Solutions to address theneed of the Home UPS consumers inthe country. Available in ratingscapacity of 250VA-12V, 475VA-12V,700VA-12V, 900VA-12V & 1500VA-24V; the Milestone Range of HomeUPS is a value-for-money deviceproviding rugged, reliable, customerfriendly & feature full solution to theconsumers. Pertinent to the needs ofthe upcoming summer season withimpending power outrage, theMilestone range delivers completebattery charging solution whilehelping in saving energy whilecharging which is an industry firstfeature, unmatched by any othercompetitive UPS in the market.

Now say goodbyeto long power-cuts

series of innovations. I would say: East India, here wecome”. Commenting on the launch, the “Ranjana Ami

ArAshbona” and“Bedroom” star ParnoMitra said: “I amprivileged to be a part ofthis wonderful journeyfilled with innovations.

Tablets are increasingly becoming all-pervasive in ourday-to-day life and I personally can’t live without one.”

Swipe Telecom entersinto the Eastern region



Indian automaker, Tata Motors had staged a megaevent back in June 2013 called ‘Horizonext’ whereeight new models were simultaneously, eithershowcased or launched.One among them was a specialedition model of the company’s flagship SUV, theSafari Storme that got its first public premiere. Dubbed,Tata Safari Explorer Edition, the special edition modelhas today been officially launched in the country at astarting price of Rs 10.90 lakh (ex-showroom,Guwahati). The Special Ediiton model was presentedby Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor. On the outside, the

Special Edition model is seenwearing ‘Explorer Edition’signature decals, a front nudgeguard, Touchscreen AudioSystem, new chrome garnish forthe projector headlamps and taillamps and new Explorer Editiondoor visors. Furthermore, theStorme Explorer Edition can alsobe had with otter outdoor gearoptions such as cycle carrier,cargo basket and roof-mountedcanopy. The front is re-designed

for a more sharper face with a prominent mesh grille.The bonnet is flatter and the edges sharper. Interiorsare spacious as usual. The large glass area adding tothe roominess of the cabin. The 2.2 Dicor engine hasbeen modified for efficiency and is now called Varicor.Power and torque rating remain the same, it feels morerefined at idling and cruising revs. The Safari Stormeis much lighter now so is quicker picking up the pace.Under braking it feels more capable but the inherentlyhigh centre of gravity doesn’t help the stopping causein panic situations. But the real gem part of this car isits off-road ability. The 4x4 system is a real one in thiscar and can make little work of most tricky situation.There is a 4H which you can shift on the fly and evena 4L for really horrible off-road situations.


Lenovo, the leading PC brand in India, has recently launchedan exciting ‘Durga Puja offer’ in the regions of West Bengal,North East and Odisha.On the purchase of select Notebooks,Desktops and All-In-Ones, customers get a ‘scratch and win’card. This card allows them to win Big Bazar gift voucherupto Rs.3,000/-. On purchase of select Tablets, customer getsan USB OTG cable free. We are running a parallel ‘Back toCollege’ offer where customers can avail multiple benefits.On thepurchase of select Tablets, customer gets a 1 yearwarranty worth Rs. 1000/-, absolutely free. What’s more?Buying a Yoga (13") machine entitles customers for an e-voucherfrom Thedostore.com worth Rs. 10,000/- and a Big Bazaar giftvoucher worth Rs. 3,000/- (as per Durga Puja offer).The specialscheme, which is valid till 10th October 2013, is available acrossall retail outlets in West Bengal, North East and Odisha. DurgaPuja is the most awaited and auspicious festival in the easternregions and to add to the joy of the festive season, Lenovo isoffering plethora of gifts, so that customers canexperiencethewhoopingrange of products that Lenovo prides in.

Mr. Sarat Kr. Jain, CMD of SM Groupreceived the Achiever Award, 2013 inthe Busines Category from the formerhonorable Governor of Meghalaya, Mr.Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary. The Awardwas conferred to him in an auspiciousevent held at NEC auditorium, Shillong

on 13th April, 2013 on the occasionof the Eastern Panorama.

Aw

ard

and

Reco

gnit

ion

LENOVO CELEBRATESDURGA PUJA WITH

EXCITING OFFERS INEASTERN INDIA

Win gift vouchers worth upto Rs. 3000/-

Newentryintothe

market


NRL144 cr., OIL 3589.34 cr.A work program comprising acquisition of 2D and 3D seismic data, drilling of

three wells and establishment of production facilities have been planned up to March,2014. Mobilisation of seismic crew and equipment has been completed. Line survey andshot hole drilling works are in progress. Operator has finalized schedule for Seismic datarecoding. In Egypt the PSC signing for blocks is further delayed due to adverse geo-political situation of the country. Civil unrest in the MENA region has affected operationalactivities in some of the overseas assets of the Company. In the Project Carabobo – 1,Venezuela consisting of Carabobo 1 North and Carabobo 1 Central blocks, the developmentactivities in the field are under progress. First oil production from the project has startedon 27th December 2012 from well CGO-005. Currently, average production from theproject stands at 1800 BOPD. In its endeavour to harness Unconventional Energy, OILcommissioned a 13.6MW Wind Turbine plant at Ludhureva in Jaisalmer District in Rajasthanin 2011-12. The Company successfully commissioned additional 54 MW Wind power inRajasthan during the financial year 2012-13. During the year OIL commissioned a 100KW solar energy power project at Duliajan, Assam and one at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan also.The Company has plans to take up larger projects in the ensuing financial year in bothWind Power and Solar Power. OIL made a total of nine hydrocarbon discoveries in theUpper Assam basin during the year. Seven discoveries were made in the same basin in theprevious financial year. Hydrocarbon reserve accretion during the year 2012-13 was 9.78MMSKL (O+OEG) of oil and gas as against 9.54 MMSKL in the year 2011-12. TheCompany has a strong oil and gas reserves base and as of March 31, 2013. The Company’s3P reserves stands at approximately 1.35 billion barrels of Oil + OEG. The Company alsomade its first discovery in an NELP Block as operator in Rajasthan. Heavy oil was discoveredin Block: RJ ONN 2004/2, Punam-1 well located to the North East of Baghewala structurewithin the Bikaner Nagaur Basin. These discoveries have opened up new avenues whichreflect a significant growth potential.

As per government guidelines, OIL earmarks 2% of its net profit for CSR activities,he said. Some ongoing CSR projects include Project Sparsh- mobile dispensary servicesin OIL operational areas, Project Rupantar for creation and training of SHGs for livelihoodgeneration, Project Dikhya for improvement of computer literacy amongst school childrenand improvement of adult literacy and Project IMR for reduction in Infant Mortality rate.Plans are also on to take up a Dairy Project Kamdhenu in Dibrugarh district to provideemployment opportunities to youth of OIL’s operational districts of Dibrugarh, Tinsukiaand Sibasagar. Srivastava also informed that OIL was honoured with the “E&P Companyof the Year” by Petrofed in recognition of leadership in performance and production forOil and Gas in India and the Dalal Street award for Best Managed Navratna PSU, 2013.

Assam earns Rs 2,368.23 crore from oilAssam has earned Rs 2,368.23 crore through royalty, Sales Tax and duties from ONGCand OIL in the last fiscal year. In addition to this, Cess paid to the government of Indiaby ONGC and OIL on crude oil production of Assam was 2,241.36 crore.This isrevealed by Minister for Petroleum and Natural gas, Dr M Veerappa Moily in LokSabha. Replying to a question by MP Joseph Toppo the Union Minister further informed-‘In order to supplement exploration and production activities in Assam, the Centre hasawarded 19 exploration blocks, one discovered field and one coal bed Methane(CBM)block through international bidding process. So far, cumulative investments to the tuneof USD 283 million have been made for exploration and development activities underthe Petroleum Sharing Contract (PSC) regime.’

The Minister also informed that the Numaligarh Refinery Limited has planned arefinery expansion from 3 to 8-9 million metric tones per annum, which is envisagedfor processing of imported crude oil. Feasibility studies are in progress. Based onpreliminary estimates, investment in NRL’s refinery expansion and associated pipelinefor transporting imported crude oil is expected to be about Rs. 15,000crore.

DiveDiveDiveDiveDiveintoSonata’sintoSonata’sintoSonata’sintoSonata’sintoSonata’snew Oceannew Oceannew Oceannew Oceannew Ocean

Series 2Series 2Series 2Series 2Series 2CollectionCollectionCollectionCollectionCollection

In radical style, Sonata,India’s largest selling watchbrand, from the stable ofTATA, has launched theirlatest collection ofOcean Series 2watches.Thisseriesis acollection ofwatches that isinspired by watersports and reflects allthe facets of the same.Incompliance with that notion,Sonata has launched thesetimepiecesto meet the needsof all adrenalinelovers andadventure seekers across thecountry. This collectioncomprisesbigger, chunkierand bolder watches andispriced from Rs. 1299onwards. The watches comewith higher water resistanceup to 10ATMpacked withfeatures likeELback light,stopwatch, dual time, pacerand comprises of 14 digitaland 6 analogwatches.Thesetime pieces are available atWorld of Titan stores,Shoppers Stop and leadingmulti-brand outlets. Like allother Sonata Super Fibrewatches, this watch is madewith Acrylonitrile ButadieneStyrene (ABS) andPolyurethane (PU) – materialsknown for their highdurability. Each watch carriesa one year warranty and thetrust of the TATA Group.

Cont. from 11

– Business Positive Bureau, Guwahati-Delhi


BD’s shortest ever insulinsyringe needle launched in India

The new shortest ever BD InsulinSyringe 6mm Needle preferred by80% of patients worldwide To help patients adhere to insulintherapy, Becton, Dickinson andCompany (BD), a leading globalmedical technology company, haslaunched BD Glide™ 6mm Needlewith TBLTM technology, BD’ssmallest ever insulin syringe needlein India.1,2 The needle has beendesigned to improve patient comfortand was preferred by 80% of patientscompared to current needle sizes. Theneedle is 25% shorter than thecontemporary needles available in themarket. Clinical studies demonstratethat shorter needles like the BD 6mmsyringe needles can effectively deliverinsulin to subcutaneous tissue (thelayer of fat below the skin)—therecommended site for insulininjections—while reducing the risk ofinjecting into muscle3,4 (which canincrease the risk of hypoglycemia).Speaking on the launch, Dr. ManasBaruah, Director and ConsultantEndocrinologist, Excel Center said,“Every day, I find my patients hesitantto go for insulin treatment as theyneedles & are intimidated by dailyinjections; and patients whoexperience injection-related pain orembarrassment intentionally skipinsulin injections. This newinnovation of a shorter needle will

help people to overcome their fearand hence would ensure adherence& compliance to their insulininjecting treatment.”Earlier this year, The Forum forInjection Techniques India (FITIndia) recommended that there is nomedical reason to recommendneedles longer than 6 mm for

appropriate insulin delivery topatients.5 This is due to the fact thatlonger needles (8mm) have a higherprobability (15%) of causing anintramuscular injection compared toshorter needles (6mm reducesprobability to 6%) which can increasethe risk of hypoglycemia, apotentially life-threatening situation.

Datanet India, which is over a decade oldITeS company, has revamped and re-launchedits web portal www.electionsinindia.com in asmall ceremony. This web portal now offersfree access to summary results of all theparliamentary and assembly constituencies inIndia, since independence. Besides, the majorservice now added is to provide geospatialanalysis of election results with the help of GISmaps. Speaking on the occasion, Director ofthe portal Dr. R.K. Thukral said, “In January2013 we have established our in-house GIS Laband started analyzing election results up tovillage and polling station level with the helpof GIS maps. Geographical Information

System or commonly called as GIS has traditionally been used as a tool inseveral fields and one of these is location-based analysis of election results.The GIS based analysis, on one hand, provides a relevant technology to analysisthe outcomes of elections so far as post-election analysis is concerned and, onthe other, provides the essential inputs for pre-electioneering processes &strategic planning etc. The utility of GIS technology based election analysiscan also help monitoring various administrative management in elections.However, this is very tedious and manpower-centric job but with our pastexperience of data collection and its analysis, we have successfully preparedcertain reports which are unique in nature and perhaps the first of its kind inIndia.” Dr. Thukral further briefed the media that ElectionsinIndia.com offerseasy to understand analysis reports with the features like, proper Mapping ofvillages and towns under a parliamentary or state legislative assembly, forpost delimitation period 2008; Demographic Profile of a particular constituency;Village and town–wise thematic maps showing various demographic attributes.Electoral Profile of a particular constituency with time-series graphicalpresentations; Village and town–wise thematic maps for various electoralattributes., for example : distribution of winning, runner and parties at 3rdposition, estimated religion, schedule caste and schedule tribe dominated locationsand party-position therein, distribution of winning and runner parties inlocations showing above and below average polling percentage; Village andtown-wise, two-point vote difference and swing analysis supported with mapsand graphs; Polling station (Booth) level analysis, supported with graphs;Supporting data sheets; Report in print and digital formats.

DatanetIndia

launchesGeospatial

ElectionAnalysis


In a significant move, Titan Company Limitedwidened its footprint in the personal lifestyle

segment with the launch of the SKINNTitan range of fine fragrances. The launch ofSKINNrange of perfumes follows the recent announcement of the company’s newidentity as Titan Company Limited. The selection of six scintillating perfumes bearsthe hallmark of Titan, with the assurance of the TATA group. The combination ofthe best fragrance expertise with one of India’s most trusted brands with productsmanufactured in France,SKINN will redefine the Indian fragrance industry with itsproduct offering. Designed in-house and created by six world renowned MasterPerfumers including Harry Fremont , MichelGirard , Fabrice Pellegrin , NadegeLeGarlantezecand the celebrated Alberto Morillas and Olivier Pescheux, these French-made perfumes are the international interpretation of HIM and HER. It portraysa young Woman’s sensuality in SKINNIMERA; herwarm seduction emittedbyViolets, Roses and Venezuelan Tonka Bean oils inSKINNNUDE;the womanlycharms and complexity defined by the Orange flower and Jasmine drizzledinSKINNCELESTE. Made from Vanilla sourced from Madagascar,SKINNEXTREME celebrates the sporty vitalityof a man whilst SKINNRAWdefines raw masculinity lend by the citrusy Bergamot & Mandarin and SKINNSTEELE is a Power trip of complex spices Pink Pepper, Pimento and Nutmeg.

TitanlaunchesSKINNPerfumes

TitanlaunchesSKINNPerfumes

Celebration Time!!With Durga Puja around thecorner it’s time to shop and treatyourself with fashionable andcolourful outfits. WOODS (theformal, fashion brand from themakers of Woodland) brings toyou a whole new collection offootwear and accessories for thisfestive season to give you abranded makeover.The latest designer red hot stilettosare a great option to team up withboth your contemporary and

classy outfit. Toenhance yourfashion quotientfurther garb anextraordinaryhandmade bagfrom Woods.This Durga Puja

shop and celebrate in style withWoods! The Product Price rangesfrom Rs 2000 onwards and isavailable at all Woodland stores.About Woods: Woods, the formalwear range from Woodland bringsan array of some of the finestdesigns in semi-formal and formalfootwear for men and women.Each of those has been designed insync with international fashiontrends and comes with theWoodland promise of quality andfinesse. The bags have beenmeticulously crafted from genuineleather and every stitch has beencarefully put in place to ensureflawlessness. The collectioncomprises of specializedhandcrafted formalshoes like theVintageBrogues,OxfordsandDerbys.

Nokia Lumia1020 to rock

Indian marketNokia has launched its new flagshipsmartphone, the Nokia Lumia 1020,in India. The Lumia 1020 will beavailable with retailers across thecountry starting October 11, and Nokiawill only be revealing thecameraphone’s price a day before that,on October 10. The new Lumia 1020comes in three colour variants: Black,White and Yellow. Two accessories ofthe Lumia 1020 have also beenannounced for India, for which Nokiahas revealed the prices. The NokiaCamera Grip will be available for Rs.

7,500, while the Wireless ChargingShell will be available for Rs. 3,200.The Finnish handset makerhad unveiled the phone at an event inNew York, in July. The Nokia Lumia1020 comes equipped with a 4.5-inchdisplay which is almost the same sizeas the one on the Lumia 920 and Lumia925. The Lumia 1020’s display boastsof a pixel density of 332 PPI. TheNokia Lumia 1020 is powered by a1.5GHz dual-core Snapdragonprocessor with 2GB of RAM and runsWindows Phone 8. The USP of thephone is its 41-megapixel PureViewcamera sensor which offers OpticalImage Stabilization (OIS).

Bp october 2013

Business

Transcript of Bp october 2013