Karnataka
to launch first biotech VCF
Karnataka is to
launch India's first state sponsored biotech venture capital fund in the
area of life sciences for entrepreneurs. The fund is likely to have an
initial seed capital of Rs.10 crore to be operated through Karnataka State
Industrial Investment & Development Corporation (KSIIDC) and Karnataka
State Financial Corporation (KSFC).
The proposal
is expected to be incorporated in the new industrial policy. Karnataka
is one of the first states to float a fund to support subjects like bio-technology,
genetic engineering and pharmaceuticals.
The State plans
to mobilise additional funds for the bio-tech corpus from other domestic
and global FIs and multilateral agencies. A joint R&D Venture between
Institute of Bio-infomatics by Professor Sarat Chandra in Bangalore and
Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Bangalore, and two top Singapore
agencies namely Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Institute
of Agribiology is also to be set up.
An ultra modern
Centre for Human Genetics at the Agriculture University campus in Bangalore
in a 20 acre plot is already being set up. It has also engaged Arthur Andersen
to prepare a biotech strategy paper spelling out the infrastructrue and
policy framework required to boost its growth and to extract optimum advantage
from this stream of new economy business. ICICI is partnering the Institute
for Bioinfomatics at the International Tech Park in Bangalore, right next
to the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIT-B).
Tamil Nadu
sets up TNTM
The government
of Tamil Nadu has set up the Tamil Nadu Technology Mission (TNTM) to be
a focal point of scientific and technology information services. Its prime
endeavour is to assist SMEs in Tamil Nadu to upgrade their technology through
acquisition, adoption and transfer, apart from research. TNTM faces the
gargantuan task of exposing the 3.5 lakh plus SSI Units in TN (employing
3.2 million people) to the new technologies in their industry.
The main objectives
of the mission are :
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To promote technology
transfer and develop collaborative ventures between enterprises in the
state and enterprises elsewhere (both national and international);
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To provide assistance
to finance the tech transfer and upgradation;
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To act as a repository
of literature and clearing house of information on technology transfer,
quality control, manpower training, managerial practices and international
trade;
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To advise the
state government in tech policies;
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To arrange seminars
and workshops for bringing awareness among SMEs on the latest technologies;
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To sponsor visits
for promoting collaborations.
TNTM, which has
been in operation for just under seven months, targets select sectors every
year to enable better focus. In the first year, auto components and electronic
goods have been included as priority sectors.
"We act as
a catalyst and bring the technology user and provider together by means
of providing information and assistance, arranging seminars and visits
apart from advising the government on tech policies", said Mr. Vivek Harinarain,
IAS, CEO, TNTM.
TNTM has partnered
with SIDBI and companies like Spic Biotech (for focusing on the growing
biotech sector). It has allied with Anna University for development of
an online database for technical and technological details for SMEs through
www.intechnology mission.com.
TNTM shortly
expects to receive the Centre's approval for accredition as a focal point
for Technology Bureau for International Industrial Partnership (TBIIP)
- a Unido division. This will act as a shot in the arm, as the mission
will gain access to huge funding from TBIIP for its tech upgradation and
WTO sensitisation activities.
"Not just WTO,
but sheer economic sense has to make the SSIs opt for technology upgradation",
Mr. Vivek added. As a preliminary step, the mission had a seminar early
this year on "IT for SMEs" to discuss the application of IT in improving
their efficiencies apart from providing details on opportnities in IT and
enabled services.
Tamil Nadu
Technology Mission is expected to shortly create a corpus with a minimum
size of Rs.2 crore for funding its technology upgradation activities and
is holding talks with banks and FIs like SBI, Indian Bank, PNB, IDBI, ICICI,
SIDBI for becoming their partners and contribute to their corpus".
The state government
is also expected to chip in with a major chunk. These institutions will
be able to identify the right borrowers among SSIs to utilise TNTM's expertise.
Bengal
announces scheme for industrial revival
The West Bengal
government on January 14, 2001 announced Rs.100 crore worth new incentives
for industries. The scheme to be effective from January 01, 2000, encompasses
large, medium and small scale industries.
The move follows
the Centre's decision to have uniform sales tax, elimination of incentives
and shift of modvat. Announcing the scheme, finance minister, Shri Ashim
Dasgupta said it had provision for direct annual grant to new units for
a definite period besides various incentives for existing ones.
Highlights
of the new scheme included capital investment subsidy, remission of stamp
duty and registration fee and waiver of electricity duty. There were also
additional incentives for information technology, electronics, agro and
food processing and Haldia petrochemical down-stream projects.
Rajasthan
plans 2 more energy parks
Ministry of
non-conventional energy sources and Rajasthan Energy Development Agency
(REDA) will jointly install energy parks in Kota and Pilani to promote
generation of green power.
"The two energy
parks in Rajasthan are being set up at Engineering College, Kota, and Birla
Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, REDA Chief Executive and Director,
Shri Sudhansh Pant said. So far, three energy parks have been installed
in the State at Science Park, Jaipur, Malviya Regional Engineering
College, Jaipur,
and MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur, he said, adding installation of an
energy park is also under progress at CTAE, Udaipur.
In order to
encourage use of non-conventional energy in domestic sector, Jaipur Development
Authority (JDA) has included the installation of Solar Water Heating Systems
in its new building bylaws, under which hospitals, nursing homes, hotels,
guest houses, rest houses, lodges, government residential buildings, all
type of hostels and residential buildings in plot sizes over 500 square
meter will have provision for installation of solar water heating system.
All armed forces,
para-military forces, police cantonments, community centres, places of
community use and all other such buildings will also have similar facility
for solar water heating on their roof stops. The modified bylaws will have
provision for solar water heating systems whose capacity will be calculated
on the basis of number of users.
Rajasthan
gives incentives for relocating of Delhi Units
To facilitate
the relocation of industries out of Delhi, the Rajasthan government would
provide infrastructure and financial support to these units. The State
government has also proposed to exempt these units from sales tax on a
one-time inter-state transfer of goods into the state.
Rajasthan Financial
Corporation (RFC) and Rajasthan Housing Board (RHB) are conducting a special
industrial promotion compaign in New Delhi for the units planning to shift
to the State. RFC plans to sell about 135 units under its possession in
the bordering areas like Bhiwadi, Behror, Shajahapur, Neemrana and Alwar
to entrepreneurs from Delhi. RFC wants to sell these units on deferred
payment/easy instalments basis and is also offering rebate on cash payments.
RFC also plans to offer new plots.
Bhiwadi Industrial
Development Association has been authorised to clear and approve all the
applications received relating to purchase of land. Time limits have been
set for procedural clearances from various departments.
RHB will be
providing housing facilities to workers in the units by constructing low
cost housing. It is offering 500 houses and about 200 acres of space in
Bhiwadi area. The units wanting to shift would have to comply with the
Rajasthan Pollution Control norms.
Punjab
plans to divest PSDC stake
The Punjab
government has decided to disinvest its majority shareholding in Punjab
State Development Corporation (PSDC). A state disinvestment commission
has also been constituted for privatisation of state public undertakings.
The state government
has also decided to restructure the District Industries Centres as Micro
Enterprises Development Centre for providing advisory services for self-employment
in the area of finance, production, marketing, organising training programmes
and consultancy support.
Punjab Small
Industries and Exports Corporation (PSIEC) has decided to offer land on
priority basis for relocation of industry from Delhi. Provision shall also
be made for allotting small plots to the service industries.
UP govt.
bid to attract investment in agro-based industry
In a bid to
attract investment in agro-based industries in Uttar Pradesh and enhance
its export potential in fruits and vegetables, the State government organised
a four-day `agri expo' in Lucknow from February 17 this year.
"Our idea is
to present Uttar Pradesh to industrialists for attracting investment mainly
in the food processing sector besides showcasing latest technologies before
farmers of the state", the State's agriculture and agro export minister
Diwakar Vikram Singh said.
Agri Expo-2001
is being organised by the Centre for Agriculture and Rural Development,
in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FICCI) and Uttar Pradesh government and would apprise the farmers, industries
and investors about the challenges of WTO regime.
About 200 industries
and one lakh individual participants including over 60,000 progressive
farmers are likely to take part in the event, which would create awareness
about agricultural potential of the State and its business opportunities
and scope for investment.
Orissa
seeks RBI nod for one-time settlement scheme
The Orissa
government is going to introduce for the first time in the country a one-time
settlement scheme in the co-operative sector to recover bad debts and has
sought the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the National
Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to introduce it.
The State co-operative
minister Shri Arabinda Dhali said that the NPAs of co-operative banks in
the State are about Rs.350 crores. The state expects to recover at least
Rs.125 crore by implementing the scheme. Nearly 22 lakh poor and marginal
farmers and artisans who have defaulted are expected to benefit from this
scheme.
The government
would give an opportunity to the defaulters to pay back the amount and
would also waive a portion of the interest.
The State government
has suggested to NABARD to directly finance the primary agriculture co-operative
societies, instead of channelising the fund through the Orissa State Co-operative
banks, which only increases the lending rate. Even though the NABARD is
providing funds at 6.5 per cent interest, the beneficiaries are getting
it at 18 per cent rate because of the three-tier system.
This would
involve huge administrative work to deal with lakhs of primary agriculture
co-operative societies in the country. There are about 3,000 such societies
working in Orissa.
Himachal
to streamline PSUs
The Himachal
Pradesh government is setting up a software technology park (STP) at Shimla.
A proposal
of Rs.7 crore has been prepared as initial investment required for setting
up the facilities. The Central government has already sanctioned a sum
of Rs.6 crore to fund the project.
So far the
government has acquired 20,000 square feet of built up space at Shimla.
It also plans to install an earth station for high-speed data connectivity
at Kamna Devi, near Shimla at a projected cost of Rs.3.28 crore.
Nagaland
Plan fixed at Rs.405 crore
A core plan
size of Rs.405 crore has been approved for Nagaland for the year 2001-2002
at a meeting between Chief Minister Shri S.C. Jamir and Planning Commission,
Deputy Chairman Shri K.C. Pant.
While appreciating
the State's efforts towards increasing role and responsibilities of village
councils, raising tax and non-tax revenues and rationalising and redeploying
manpower, Shri Pant said that efforts for additional resource mobilisation
and reduction of non-plan expenditure needed to be intensified.
Rs. 560
crore Tripura plan approved
Annual Plan
size of Tripura has been fixed at Rs.560 crore for the next fiscal. But
the State has been asked to cut administrative size and mop up additional
resources to utilize the full central plan allocation.
The plan was
finalised at a meeting between the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission,
Shri K.C. Pant and Tripura Chief Minister, Shri Manik Sarkar. The State
has asked for more central assistance to obtain externally aided projects.
Tripura has also introduced a perspective plan to attain self-sufficiency
in food.
The plan panel
asked the state government to prepare an action plan for growing bamboo
and rubber in the degraded forest areas. Tripura has recently revised power
tariff and set about imprving its transmission network to reduce state
electricity department losses.
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