Power-generating stations in State demanded Help sought to get nod for Kalasa-Banduri nala Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said here on Wednesday that the State Government would present a budget for 2008-09, and sought the intervention of the Planning Commission to enhance the State's Plan size.

Infrastructure sector growth declined to 3.6% in April against 5.9% in the year-ago month. Core sector growth for April 2008 declined to 3.6 per cent from 5.9 per cent in the same month last year on account of a huge fall in production of petroleum refinery products and electricity. The index comprises production data of six sectors.

Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Mani Shankar Aiyar on Wednesday termed the second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommendation to abolish his ministry as unfortunate and said the Centre should instead increase its budget. The ARC, headed by former Karnataka Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily, had recommended abolition of the ministry and suggested that responsibility for development of the region be restored to the Home Ministry.

MANOJ PANT

Documents on SEZs (special economic zones) reveal that altogether 19 companies had applied to the Goa government for setting up SEZs in the State. Of these, the Pratapsing Rane-headed coalition government had made recommendation to Board of Approvals, Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, in 15 cases. These included two government SEZs promoted by Dayanand Narvekar-headed Information Technology (InfoTech) Corporation, namely IT Habitat in Dona Paula and IT Park in Socorro.

The development agenda of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development has undergone modifications that are unfavourable for developing nations. Can the recent Accra Accord change this? How can UNCTAD be better enabled to address critical development issues?

At long last, we have direct action from the government on the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) that neither the Goan people nor the Goa government want, but the Union Commerce Ministry seems to want to impose on the people of Goa. By cancelling in one stroke the land given to the SEZs for gross irregularities in its allotment, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has gladdened the heart of every Goan.

SEZ tale in Goa has been of favouritism, irregularities, procedural impropriety, and totally anti-Goa. Since it was first discussed in December 2004 during the BJP regime, SEZ story took a monsterous form in 2006. Pratapsing Rane was the chief minister and Luizinho Faleiro the Industries Minister.

A GLIMMER OF HOPE

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