Source: The Economic Times, May 05, 2012
MANILA: India needs to raise infrastructure spending to 10 per cent of GDP to achieve and sustain economic growth target of 9 per cent in the coming years.
“In order to sustain growth targets, this (investment in infrastructure) would need to increase further to over 10 per cent of GDP by 2017,” IDFC Projects Ltd Managing Director Pradeep Singh said in a presentation at the annual meeting of Asian Development Bank here.
Source: The Economic Times, May 02, 2012
NEW DELHI: Japan is keen on technology transfer with India for developing expressways, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said today.
Japanese Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Senior Vice Minister Me Ken Okuda, along with delegates, called on Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways Jitin Prasada yesterday, an official release said.
Source: The Economic Times, Apr 19, 2012
NEW DELHI: India has allowed its road and highway companies to raise overseas debt and also relaxed norms for power companies to refinance their rupee loans through cheaper external commercial borrowings, giving a push to these capital-intensive sector that have struggled under the weight of their borrowings.
Power companies will now be able to raise overseas debt to refinance their rupee loans up to a maximum limit of 40%, provided the remaining 60% of the ECB is used for investment in a new project.
Source: The Economic Times, Apr 12, 2012
NEW DELHI: The government has decided to rework its highway construction strategy that will see lower private sector participation.
This fiscal, the government has decided to directly fund at least one-third of the highway projects, a sharp contrast to last year when subsidy was provided to a handful of projects.
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Source: The Economic Times, Apr 04, 2012
NEW DELHI: The infrastructure sector could soon have a steady supply of long-term funds if the finance ministry is successful in its bid to get a part of the retirement savings of workers invested in dedicated sector funds.
The finance ministry has written to the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, or EPFO, that manages over Rs 3 lakh crore of retirement savings of organized sector workers to consider investments in the infrastructure development fund (IDF) that were proposed in the budget for 2011-12.
Source: The Economic Times, Apr 02, 2012
MUMBAI: Riding high on India’s growth story in the infrastructure sector, German engineering and services provider Bilfinger Berger plans to invest nearly Rs 600 crore in the next few years and is eyeing strategic acquisitions to expand its business in the country.
“We have set up ambitious strategic development goals over the coming years by expanding presence through acquisitions,” company’s Chairman Roland Koch said, adding, “We intend to invest about Rs 600 crore over the next couple of years.”
The acquisition of Neo Structo Construction and Spetech Plant Equipments (“Neo Structo”) represents an initial milestone in the German company’s objective of strengthening its commitment in Asia, he said.
Source: The Economic Times, Mar 26, 2012
NEW DELHI: World Bank has said it will extend full financial support to India to help enhance the abysmal level of infrastructural development in the country in the 12th Five Year Plan that begins next fiscal.
The World Bank president Robert B Zoellick, who begins his fifth and last official visit to India on Monday, has expressed intent to discuss innovative methods of financing with Indian leaders during his stay.
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Source: The Economic Times, Mar 20, 2012
NEW DELHI:Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in Indian road projects.
“Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in road projects in India,” Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Jitin Prasada said in Lok Sabha on Monday.
He added that highway projects are awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding in which companies from all countries, including China can participate.
Source: Business standard, Mar 19, 2012
New Delhi: If you could not get a share of Rs 10,000-crore bond issue of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) this financial year, you will have to wait for the fourth quarter of 2012-13 for a second chance, as the highways authority plans to again hit the bond market around that time.
Source: The Hindu Business Line, Mar 06, 2012
Chennai: The healthcare industry has urged the Government to provide the required stimulus that will make the industry attractive to investors.
Dr Prathap Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals said: “There is a huge demand-supply gap in healthcare services. Around Rs 60,000 crore has to be invested each year for the next 10 years to expand bed strength. We also need more hospitals, labs and operation theatres. We are not asking funds or grants but we need no-strings-attached stimulus to attract long-term investments in the form of equity or debt.”
