Category: Business & Economy

** Legal Aid Cenre for Korean investors launched

The centre will help in dealing with legal issues for the next nine months

The Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chennai has launched a legal aid centre for the benefit of Korean investors in South India.

The centre will troubleshoot diverse legal issues encountered by Korean investors for the next nine months. A lawyer and business analysts have been hired for this purpose. 

The centre can be contacted by e-mail at Chennai@mofa.go.kr, jshwang22@mofa.go.kr and on telephone on 044-40615500.

There are approximately 150 Korean companies in Tamil Nadu and 250 in South India, which employ three lakh Indians and support 1.5 million jobs indirectly.

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** NITC develops smart solar stove 

Researchers at the Department of Electrical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology-Calicut (NITC) have designed and developed an eco-friendly smart solar stove with zero operating cost for domestic and roadside eateries (thattukadas).

An excellent alternative cooking system, especially when prices of domestic cooking gas are rising, the smart solar stove with multiple versions has been tested for practical feasibility and is ready to be launched in the market at an affordable price, a press release said here on Tuesday.

The Department of Biotechnology of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology had funded the project.

NITC Director Prasad Krishna launched the product on the campus. One of the product versions that can be used directly under the sun has a single and double stove suitable for domestic cooking.

Another model, which can be employed for all types of cooking purposes, has a provision to connect an LED lamp. The sufficient illumination will help vendors to extend their business operating hours during night hours.

Another model has a battery with a control unit for extending the cooking time during overcast weather.

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** New book traces journey of Manipuri cinema

Work by Meghachandra Kongbam is an authoritative account

Nobody would imagine that Manipur, whose territory is much smaller than any district of Assam or U.P. and with a population of hardly 20 lakh in those days, brought laurels for the country at several national and international film events.

The first Manipuri feature film Matamgi Manipur directed by Debkumar Bose was released on April 9, 1972, and won the national award. This film won the President’s silver medal at the 20th National Film awards.

In 1982, Imagi Ningthem directed by A. Shyam Sharma won the Grand Prix award at the festival of three continents held in Nantes, France, to become the first Indian film to win the prestigious award.

It was the only Indian film invited to the festival. Ishanou (The Chosen One) produced in 1990 and directed by Shyam Sharma was the only official selection for the Cannes Film Festival of 1991.

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** Manipal HealthMap acquires Hyderabad firm

Manipal Group entity and diagnostic service provider Manipal HealthMap has acquired a majority stake in Hyderabad-based MedcisPathlabs, in an all-cash deal.

MedcisPathlabs currently operates 17 labs across the southern, western and northern parts of the country.

The central lab in Hyderabad is NABL-accredited and caters to the molecular and cytogenetics segments. All other labs cater to an exhaustive service for biochemistry, haematology and immunology tests, Manipal HealthMap said in a release on Tuesday.

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** Jubilee Mission celebrates 70th anniversary

Free OP, cleft lip surgeries, treatment for the differently abled

Jubilee Mission Hospital under the Thrissur Archdiocese (Syro-Malabar) is celebrating its 70th anniversary.

Started as a dispensary in 1951, the hospital has developed into a multispecialty hospital with 48 departments, 13 specialty and 27 superspecialty wings. It has a full-fledged research centre too.

In connection with the 70th anniversary celebrations, the hospital has initiated seven major projects, said hospital director Fr. Renny Mundankurian here on Wednesday.

The hospital will start a free outpatient (OP) wing at its Public Health Centre at Nadathara. The project will be inaugurated by Revenue Minister K. Rajan on April 13.

A special clinic, St. Giles Clinic, for the differently abled with free service of ENT, paediatrics, psychology and psychiatry departments will be opened in connection with the anniversary.

Jubilee Mission is one of the few hospitals in central Kerala that offers specialised treatment for severe burn injuries. The intensive care unit (ICU) of the burn clinic has been modernised with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) facility.

A health-care Missionary Award has been instituted in the name of Mon. Mathew Muringatheri, founder of the hospital.

A memorial oration will be held in the name of eminent cleft lip surgeon Hijri Sorab Adenwalla, popularly known as Smile Maker.

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** HAL-Israel sign MoU for conversion civil aircraft into Multi Mission Tanker Transport Aircraft

In a move aimed at bolstering the ‘Make in India’ campaign, HAL has entered into a MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to convert Civil (Passenger) aircraft to Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) aircraft in India.

The move will provide India’s defence ecosystem with new capabilities and cost effective solutions in the market. The MoU will facilitate HAL and IAI’s decades’ long expertise in developing, manufacturing and producing leading defence platforms.

The scope of MoU also covers “passenger to freighter aircraft” conversion along with MMTT conversions.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Delhi by D Maiti, CEO (MiG Complex), HAL and Yaacov Berkovitz, Vice President and General Manager, Aviation Group, IAI in the presence of Chandraker Bharati, JS (Aero), Ministry of Defence, Goveernment of India.

“We are glad to join hands with our long standing partner IAI in this venture of MMTT conversion business which is one of the strategic diversification avenues identified by HAL”, said R Madhavan, CMD, HAL.

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** Use of atom for peace to increase manifold, says BARC scientist

GITAM School of Science hosts 102nd DAE BRNS-IANCAS workshop on ‘Radiochemistry and Applications of Radioisotopes’

The peaceful use of atom (atomic energy) is going to increase manifold in the coming years in areas such as power, medicine, food, agriculture, sludge hygienisation and sterilisation, said S. Kannan, director, Radiochemistry and Isotope Group at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)-Mumbai.

He was delivering a keynote address on ‘DAE at a glance’ as part of the inaugural ceremony of 102nd DAE BRNS-IANCAS National Workshop on ‘Radiochemistry and Applications of Radioisotopes’ at GITAM School of Science (SoS) on Monday.

Participating as chief guest, Mr. Kannan said 22 nuclear power plants are currently operating in the country with a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW and 10 more are under construction. In addition, there are research reactors operating at Trombay and Kalpakkam which are used for basic and applied research, radioisotope production and testing of materials. The radio-isotopes produced from these research and power reactors are used for radiation sterilisation of medical products, production of radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine and cancer treatment.

Participating as chief guest, Mr. Kannan said 22 nuclear power plants are currently operating in the country with a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW and 10 more are under construction. In addition, there are research reactors operating at Trombay and Kalpakkam which are used for basic and applied research, radioisotope production and testing of materials. The radio-isotopes produced from these research and power reactors are used for radiation sterilisation of medical products, production of radiopharmaceuticals, nuclear medicine and cancer treatment.

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** Governor inaugurates Indian Art History Congress

Governor R.N. Ravi on Monday inaugurated the 29th session of the annual Indian Art History Congress (IAHC) on “Indian Iconography with Special Emphasis on Regional Developments” jointly organised by the Indian Art History Congress, Guwahati, and the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Institute of Indological Research (CPRIIR) at the C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation, Alwarpet.

** Portal launched for ease of doing business in broadcast

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday launched the “Broadcast Seva Portal”, an online portal aimed at improving ease of doing business in the broadcast industry.

This will be an online portal solution for speedy filing and processing of applications of broadcasters for various kinds of licences, permissions, registrations and so on, the Ministry said.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur said the government had harnessed technology to bring transparency in the system. “The Broadcast Seva Portal will reduce the turnaround time of applications and at the same time will help applicants track their progress. This portal will reduce the human interface that was required earlier and thus add to capacity building of the Ministry and will be a major step towards ease of doing business,” he said.

Thakur said it would facilitate stakeholders in seeking permissions, applying for registration, tracking applications, calculating fee and executing payments.

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** Inc’s biggest merger: Merged HDFC entity to overtake TCS, second only to RIL

In the biggest merger in the history of India Inc, mortgage firm HDFC Ltd will merge with HDFC Bank, creating a banking behemoth with a market capitalisation of Rs 14 lakh crore.

After the merger, HDFC Bank will be 100 per cent owned by public shareholders, and existing shareholders of HDFC Ltd will own 41 per cent of HDFC Bank. Shareholders of HDFC Ltd will receive 42 shares of HDFC Bank (face value of Re 1 each) for 25 shares of HDFC Ltd of Rs 2 each — a ratio of 1:1.68.

Following the announcement by HDFC chairman Deepak Parekh, HDFC Bank shares shot up by 9.97 per cent to Rs 1,656.45 on the BSE Monday. HDFC Ltd shares rose by 9.30 per cent to close at 2,678.90.

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