West Bengal gets only half its vaccine requirement

New Delhi (PTI): Following the closure of three key vaccine manufacturing facilities, the Centre is finding it difficult to meet the requirement of states like West Bengal which are receiving only 50 per cent of the some requisite vaccines needed under Universal Immunisation Programme.

The state is facing acute shortage of essential vaccines, which protect children against several life-threatening diseases, resulting from irregular and inadequate supply from the Centre.

Last year, 1,19,66,436 DPT vaccines, which protects Dyptheria, Pertusis and Tetanus, were needed in West Bengal, but it received only 80,12,020 -- a shortage of about 33 per cent. During current financial year, only about five lakh DPT vaccines were received by the state.

In the first six months of this fiscal the state has received only 7,10,750 measles vaccines as against the demand of 14,96,000 during the period. The TT-PW vaccine requirement was 32,91,000 but only 16,99,400 were received showing a shortage of about 50 per cent.

The condition is similar with other key vaccines like BCG and DT which are also facing short supply.

The issue was raised by State Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra during a meeting with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Tuesday.

"The licenses of Central Research Institute of Kasauli, Pasteur Institute Coonur and BCG Vaccine Laboratory, Chennai have been suspended without making alternative arrangements for ensuring supply of vaccines," Mishra told Ramadoss.

West Bengal gets first Centre for Perishable Cargo

Kolkata, West Bengal, India, 2008-09-27, 01:45:03 (IndiaPRwire.com):

West Bengal Friday got its first Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport here. It was inaugurated by Minister of State for Commerce, Industry and Power Jairam Ramesh.

The CPC has an annual storage capacity of 12,000 million tonnes, 10 times higher than the present export of perishable goods from the Kolkata airport.

'Its installed capacity should be utilised to the maximum potential,' Ramesh told reporters on the occasion.

The 742.5 square metres CPC, built and operationalised with a 100 percent grant-in-aid of Rs.67.5 million by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) of the commerce ministry, was under trial operation from June 2008.

Kolkata being the gateway for exports to Southeast Asia, the commissioning of this CPC would prove beneficial for West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Jharkhand and all the northeast states.

At present, seasonal fruits, vegetables and chilled fish of perishable category are exported from Kolkata by air.

West Bengal's second CPC is under construction at Bagdogra and will be operational by March 2009, Ramesh said.

APEDA would also finance a Rs.55 million Export Cargo Complex at Haldia. It would be constructed within one year after the state government selected a contractor for the project, Ramesh added.
Indo Asian News Service

Land for Pantnagar plant has come from govt: Tata Motors

NEW DELHI: Country's leading car maker Tata Motors on Saturday said that the Uttarakhand government had given its own 1,000 acre land to the company, on which it has already set up manufacturing facilities along with that of vendors. Reacting to reports that a group of farmers was planning agitation if more land is given to the company in case it sets up Nano car project, which is facing uncertainty in West Bengal, a Tata Motors spokesperson said : "All our land has come from the government and the plant exist on the government land." A group of farmers in Uttarakhand's Pantnagar area, under the banner of 'Kisan Kisani Abhiyan', had taken up cudgels against the state government's purported plan to allot more land to the company with its leader Hanif Gandhi threatening an agitation. The government had agreed to offer 1,100 acre of land in the area, of which the company has already set up a mother plant and vendor park on 1,000 acres. The government is yet to give the rest 100 acre for setting up residential colonies, the spokesperson said. He said that since no part of the land for the existing facilities, from where its rolling out commercial vehicle Ace, has come from the farmers and hence there is no ground for any agitation. On whether the company had decided to shift the Nano project from West Bengal to Uttarakhand, he said that the company had earlier said in a statement that it could explore options at other existing facilities.

No proposal from Tata for Nano roll out so far: Uttarakhand CM

28 Sep, 2008, 1206 hrs IST, PTI

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri has said the government has not yet received any proposal from the Tatas to roll out Nano from the state. The CM's statement comes in the wake of speculation that the company might shift production of the world's cheapest car to the state following the stalemate in Singur. If the company proposes for to roll out the Nano from Uttarakhand, the state government would provide necessary facilities, Khanduri said. Tata Motors officials who visited the state on September 25 to settle issues related to its Pantnagar plant, told the government the company had not yet taken any decision on Nano production from there. Earlier, Tata Motors, reacting to reports that a group of farmers was planning agitation if more land is given to the company in case it sets up Nano car project, said : "All our land has come from the government and the plant exists on the government land." A group of farmers in Uttarakhand's Pantnagar area, under the banner of 'Kisan Kisani Abhiyan', had taken up cudgels against the state government's purported plan to allot more land to the company with its leader Hanif Gandhi threatening an agitation. The government had agreed to offer 1,100 acre of land in the area, of which the company has already set up a mother plant and vendor park on 1,000 acres. The state has already allotted 56 acres of the 100 acres additional land sought by Tata for residential purposes. On whether the company had decided to shift the Nano project from West Bengal to Uttarakhand, he said that the company had earlier said in a statement that it could explore options at other existing facilities.

CEOs blame land acquisition for delays in infra projects: CII survey

New Delhi, Sept 28: With the row in Singur, land acquisition has emerged as a big impediment for industrial projects, particularly for those in the infrastructure sector, an overwhelming 81 percent CEOs said in a CII survey.

These CEOs of infrastructure developers and financiers felt land acquisition was the biggest hurdle in implementation of infrastructure projects, the survey said.

Other factors cited for project delays by majority of the respondents are environment clearance, government approval and lack of coordination among various implementing agencies.

A case in point is the Tatas' virtual withdrawal of their small-car project from Singur in West Bengal to an alternate location despite the state government requesting them to stay back. The group had to face widespread violent protests in Singur on the issue of compensation and return of 400 acres of land at the project site.

Further, the report says, rising input and interest costs also lead to cost overrun for infrastructure projects, which was a cause of concern for both developers and financiers.

According to 46 percent of the respondents, increase in input costs is expected to be in the range of 10-20 percent, whereas 23 percent respondents expect it to go beyond that.

While rising costs would be absorbed by project developers, some companies were likely to pass it on to the government, the survey said.

About 58 percent of respondents felt there would be renegotiation of prices that may lead to further delay in implementation of projects.

However, 67 percent of those surveyed by CII said the infrastructure investments were "on track". According to government estimates, the infrastructure sector requires investment worth more than USD 400 billion in the 11th Plan period. (Bureau Report)

Singur has made US investors wary, says US consul-general

26 Sep, 2008, 1936 hrs IST, PTI

KOLKATA: The political tussle over the Tata Motors small car project at Singur has made US investors wary of investment, US consul-general in Kolkata Beth Payne on Friday said. Speaking at an interactive session organised by CII (eastern region) here, Payne said the Singur development had forced cancellation of the proposed visit of USIBC trade mission to the city this week. ''The trade mission was very excited to come to the city. But the developments taking place there had led to the cancellation," Payne said. She said US investors were very particular about respect for contracts and signed agreements. The trade mission is wondering if Ratan Tata is not able to succeed in West Bengal, how US investors would. Talking about West Bengal, she said the state had an educated workforce, low attrition rate and low cost of living. ''These characteristics make the state an attractive investment destination." ''It is regrettable that the state missed the opportunity," the envoy said.