Mar 25: In Tamil Nadu, women voters out number men. A comparative study of the electorate in the State indicates that out of a total of 4,71,07,178 voters, 2,39,18,206 are women and 2,31,88,972 are men. Of the total 39 parliamentary constituencies in the State, women voters exceed men voters in as many as 35 constituencies.
The widest margin where women voters out number men is the Perambalur (SC) parliamentary constituency where women voters constitute 5,19,617 nos. as against the male voters who constitute 4,79,548 nos, thus outnumbering men by 40,069 nos. The smallest margin where the women out number men i.e, just by 319 nos. is the Madras South parliamentary constituency. The total number of electorate in the constituency stands at 18,78,521 out of which women voters are 9,39,420 nos. as against men who constitute 9,39,101 nos.
The maximum number of women voters in a single parliamentary constituency in Tamil Nadu is Madras North (9,84,075), followed by Madras South (9,39,420) and Coimbatore (7,87,124).
Parliamentary constituencies in the State where men out number women are Madras North, Coimbatore, Nagercoil and Madras Central. In Madras North, the total electorate stands at 19,97,524 out of which men voters constitute 10,13,449 as against women who constitute 9,84,075 voters, thus outnumbering women by 29,374 nos. Similarly, Coimbatore has a total electorate of 15,83,359 out of which male voters constitute 7,96,235 as against women who constitute 7,87,124, thus exceeding women voters by 9,111 nos. In Nagercoil parliamentary constituency, the total electorate stands at 11,06,394 where men voters constitute 5,54,596 as against women who constitute 5,51,798, thus outnumbering women by 2,798 nos. and in Madras Central parliamentary constituency also men outnumber women by 751 nos. where out of the total electorate of 10,40,365, men constitute 5,20,558 as against women voters who constitute 5,19,807. -Keralamonitor.com
C-DOT and BSNL sign MoU for upgradation of telephone exchanges
Mar 25: The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the maintenance and upgradation of the telephone exchanges installed in the BSNL network. The MoU was signed between the Registrar, C-DOT, Dr. Sunil Abrol and the Company Secretary of BSNL, Shri H.C. Pant, here yesterday.
As a result of the MoU, C-DOT will provide technical support to over 250 lakh lines of C-DOT technology based switching equipment and other technologies deployed in the BSNL network all over the country.
The MoU opens up new opportunities between the two organisations to work together for the upgradation of BSNL network to provide state-of-the-art technologies featuring greater customer satisfaction by the largest Indian telecom operator. -Keralamonitor.com
Further indigenisation of 3-Phase electric locomotives
Mar 25: Indian Railways have indigenised 90 per cent of converter control electronics in A.C. 3-Phase electric locomotive now being manufactured at the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW).
This follows development of 15 types of cards indigenously for converter control electronics of 3-phase locomotives. Most of these cards are complex and imported.
Based on successful completion of prototype tests, Research Designs and Standards Organisation’s (RDSO) approval has been granted for use in electric locomotive.
Earlier in 1993, Indian Railways signed an agreement with M/s. Asea Brown Boverie (ABB) for import of A.C. 3-phase 6000 high horse power microprocessor based electric locomotives in both the complete knocked down and semi knocked down conditions with a package of technology transfer over a period of ten years for their indigenous manufacture at the CLW. -Keralamonitor.com
DOT and TCIL enter into MoU
Mar 25: The Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), setting out targets for the PSU for the year 2004-05. The MoU was signed between the Chairman, Telecom Commission, Shri Nripendra Misra and the Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) of TCIL, Shri G.D. Gaiha, here yesterday.
The MoU provides for a turnover target of Rs.840 crore which is 36% higher than the provisional figures of 2003-04. The company has projected exports target of US $139 million for the year. TCIL has been consistenly obtaining “Excellent” rating in the past 12 years under the MoU system of performance evaluation.
TCIL has secured prestigious projects which include: e-Governance projects in Jharkhand; fibre to the home broadband network (fibre net) in Kuwait; setting up of cyber city – study and design for Sudan electronic city; and architecture consultancy to Algeria for setting up of Cyber Parks. The company is also executing Optical Power Ground Wire (OPGW) based network project in Algeria valued at Rs.186 crore, East-West Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) optical fibre cable project in Nepal valued at Rs.79 crore and cable access network project in Ghana valued at Rs.279 crore amongst others. It has also undertaken recently a project for emergency restoration of telecom in Afghanistan valued at Rs.59 crore.
TCIL has so far worked in 55 countries. Present operations are continuing in 20 countries. -Keralamonitor.com
Stainless steel LPG cylinders
Mar 25: Stainless steel domestic LPG cylinders are being popularized in India as a step to increase the consumption of steel. An empty stainless LPG cylinder weighs about 50 per cent less than an empty carbon steel cylinder of the same capacity. These cylinders will be easier to handle and will be a boon to housewives and cylinder distributors in the hilly regions. Stainless steel auto LPG cylinders, which are covered separately under IS 14899, are being manufactured in Baroda.
There was no separate Indian standard for stainless LPG cylinders. However, due to stainless steel's better corrosion resistance and mechanical properties including strength-to-weight ratio, stainless steel cylinders have become viable. Stainless steel cylinders are used in Australia, New Zealand and Spain. The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) has made a draft standard for circulation for stainless steel cylinders for storing and transporting. This standard when approved will be listed in IS 3196. -Keralamonitor.com
Alumina and aluminium production by NALCO
Mar 25: The total production of calcined alumina by the National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), a public sector unit of the Mines Ministry, during April 2003-February 2004, has been 14,03,800 tonnes against the target of 14,30,000 tonnes. This excludes direct sale of 8,021 tonnes of hydrate to domestic consumers and 1,724 tonnes utilized for special grade alumina. During the period, aluminium production has been 2,72,338 tonnes against the target of 2,62,200 tonnes. The transportation of bauxite during the period has been 4,341,680 tonnes exceeding the target of 4,235,000 tonnes.
During February 2004, calcined alumina production by the company has been 1,35,500 tonnes exceeding the target of 1,28,000 tonnes. Aluminium cast metal production during the month has been 23,738 tonnes against the target of 24,300 tonnes. NALCO produced 586 tonnes of special hydrate and 55 tonnes of zeolite during the month. Bauxite transportation during the month has been 4,12,651 tonnes against the target of 4,30,000 tonnes. -Keralamonitor.com
Import of sensitive items : Edible oils major contributor to import growth - Press Note
Mar 25: The total of 300 sensitive tariff lines for the period April-December 2003 has been Rs 13,541 crore as compared to Rs 10,329 crore during the corresponding period of last year thereby showing a growth of 31%. The gross import of all commodity during same period of current year was Rs 2,55,397 crore as compared to Rs 2,14,262 crore during the same period of last year. Thus import of 300 sensitive items constitute only 4.8% and 5.3% of the gross imports during last year and current year respectively. The major item that has contributed significantly to the growth is crude palm oil and its fractions.
Import of spices and tea & coffee have shown a decline at broad group level during the period. Import of edible oil, cotton & silk, fruits & vegetables, automobiles, rubber, milk & milk products, Alcholic Beverages, SSI and other products have shown increase during the period under reference.
In the edible oil section, the import has increased from Rs 6,459 crores last year to Rs 8,954 crores for the corresponding period of this year. However, significant feature of edible oil import is that although import of crude oil have gone up by 30%, that of refined palm oil & palmolein have increased by 89% but percentage share of crude to the total edible oil remains as high as 80% indicating a better utilization of the processing capacity in the country. Imports of soya bean crude oil, kernail / Babasu crude oil and sunflower crude oil have also gone up marginally.
Imports of sensitive items from Indonesia, Malaysia, Argentina, USA, Egypt, Thailand, Mali, Greece, Guinea Bisu, Cote D’ Ivoire, Benin & Korea RP etc. have gone up while those from Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, Switzerland & Australia etc. have shown some decrease. -Keralamonitor.com
India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group on Trade held
Revised Bilateral Trade Agreement soon
Mar 25: The second meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group on Trade was held here on 23-24 March, 2004. The Indian side was led by Shri S. Ramasundaram, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Govt. of India and the Bangladesh side was led by Mr. Elias Ahmed, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of Bangladesh.
The following were the main decisions of this meeting:
Road map for testing requirements for food products, etc.: Both sides agreed on a time bound programme to recognise each other's testing labs for commodities such as, food products, agro products, textiles, leather, etc.
Road map for BIS certification of Bangladesh products: This issue which came up in the last meeting with specific reference to Bangladesh Cement exports to India, has progressed significantly. BIS is in the process of inspecting the Bangladesh Cement plant in mid-April, 2004. At this time, the Indian High Commission would arrange a round table meeting with potential Bangladesh applicants of products in the mandatory certification list of 109 products notified by BIS, to clarify their doubts on the spot.
Revised Bilateral Trade Agreement: Both sides agreed on a common text on the revised trade agreement, which has been under discussion for nearly one year. Both sides agreed to have the revised agreement signed at a high level at a mutually convenient date.
Bilateral Free Trade Agreement: Both sides agreed to continue their discussions on the possibility of a bilateral FTA between India and Bangladesh. The recent signing of the SAFTA by all SAARC countries and BIMSTEC by India was also noted by both the sides.
Both sides noted with satisfaction the resolution of the long pending Sun Pharma issue by the Bangladesh Health Ministry. Both sides also expressed satisfaction at the successful conduct of the SAARC Trade Fair in Bangladesh in December 2003.
Both sides noted the proposal of FICCI to organise a 'Made in Bangladesh' Exhibition in Kolkata sometime in early September 2004.
The meeting was held in a cordial and friendly atmosphere and marked by frank exchange of views on both sides.-Keralamonitor.com