Fares will stabilize in a week: Praful
Union civil aviation minister Praful Patel said on Saturday that airfares that had risen astronomically in the last month would stabilize in a week.Steel majors eye huge returns in retail
With the infrastructure sector gaining momentum on the back of an economic revival, steel majors are looking to cash-in on the opportunity through enhancing their retailing initiatives in the country.Sarkozy backs India’s permanency in UNSC, civil nuclear programme
India that represents one sixth of the world’s population deserves a permanent seat in the Security Council, says French President
Tata plans hiring spree in Detroit
Tata Technologies, a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has said it plans to hire 400 engineers by the end of the year at its technical centre near Detroit to help with projects for car makers in North America.Honda to exit Hero Honda; to sell entire 26% stake
The Japanese firm will offload its entire stake by as early as March next year and will no longer provide technical support to Hero Honda
I regret being in telecom business: Ratan Tata
Severely criticising the inconsistencies in government policies, industrialist Ratan Tata said India was going against former leaders Nehru and Indira Gandhi’s idea of being self-sufficient.
He said the Tata group had been disadvantaged repeatedly because of conditions becoming a little vague, implemented funnily and eligibility of capability being abused at the time of awarding major contracts.Asked if he was seeing increasing unpredictability in the government policies from the investors’ point of view, Tata said in an interview to NDTV:
“Yes, I think so, I’ve always felt and said this openly that behind it is not government policy, what’s behind it is the vested interests.” He replied in the affirmative on if he ever regretted being in telecom business and said: “Yes, because of inconsistencies in the policy… Because of the bias that exists… Yes, sometimes I do, but it is a great area.”
To a different query, he said that telecom was an example where the government policy was not implemented in the manner and spirit it was intended to be. “It has been modified several times to suit individuals. Initially, it may have been public sector incumbencies. Then, it was one segment or the other…
“Usually behind any change, behind any deviation, it is a vested interest,” Tata added.
He, however, said that nobody had asked for money from the group in the telecom sector.
He also denied reports that the group had paid a sizable amount of money to former chief minister of Jharkhand Madhu Koda for acquisition of mining concessions.
“It is absolutely untrue. As the Chairman of Tata steel, I can say, we have not done any such thing — directly or indirectly… Actually we have got no leases in his (Koda’s) time which should in itself be an indication of the veracity, or the lack of veracity, of the stories being circulated.”
Admitting that he had heard about such charges, Tata said Tata Steel had even been called and asked those questions by the enforcement agencies and gave the same response.
Tata expressed dismay that contrary to greater adherence to policies earlier, today the interpretation of the policy had become very vague.
“So, eventually you find that you are arguing on something that the other side interprets in a manner that is so vague that you come away of that meeting thinking that I am never going to be able to do so,” he said.
From January 2011, all telemarketers’ mobile numbers wil start with the same three digits: 700. This means you will be able to identify a telemarketing call the moment the number starts flashing on your mobile screen. It’s then up to you whether to cancel, ignore or take it.
This is part of the ‘Customer Call Preference Regulation’ on curbing unsolicited marketing calls and SMS messages that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will announce on Tuesday.
To a different query, he said that telecom was an example where the government policy was not implemented in the manner and spirit it was intended to be. “It has been modified several times to suit individuals. Initially, it may have been public sector incumbencies. Then, it was one segment or the other…
“Usually behind any change, behind any deviation, it is a vested interest,” Tata added.
He, however, said that nobody had asked for money from the group in the telecom sector.
He also denied reports that the group had paid a sizable amount of money to former chief minister of Jharkhand Madhu Koda for acquisition of mining concessions.
“It is absolutely untrue. As the Chairman of Tata steel, I can say, we have not done any such thing — directly or indirectly… Actually we have got no leases in his (Koda’s) time which should in itself be an indication of the veracity, or the lack of veracity, of the stories being circulated.”
Admitting that he had heard about such charges, Tata said Tata Steel had even been called and asked those questions by the enforcement agencies and gave the same response.
Tata expressed dismay that contrary to greater adherence to policies earlier, today the interpretation of the policy had become very vague.
“So, eventually you find that you are arguing on something that the other side interprets in a manner that is so vague that you come away of that meeting thinking that I am never going to be able to do so,” he said.
All telemarketers’ nos to start with ’700′ from Jan
From January 2011, all telemarketers’ mobile numbers wil start with the same three digits: 700. This means you will be able to identify a telemarketing call the moment the number starts flashing on your mobile screen. It’s then up to you whether to cancel, ignore or take it.
This is part of the ‘Customer Call Preference Regulation’ on curbing unsolicited marketing calls and SMS messages that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will announce on Tuesday.
China launches electronic passports
China has launched its first ever electronic passports that would contain information in microchips.
The adoption of electronic passports complies with international trends and plays an important role in international travel for officials, Huang Ping, director-general of the department of consular affairs of China’s foreign ministry, said at the launch ceremony in Shanghai Friday.
