18’

GROWTH IN FINISHED STEEL SURGE TO DOUBLE DIGITS

    Finished Steel production in the country has registered 12.1 per cent increase in April-September, 2000 over the same period last year. While Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has shown a growth of 12 per cent, Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) has registered a growth of 9.6 per cent and other steel majors 11.3 per cent. Vizag Steel Plant (VSP) has outperformed all by registering 26.4 per cent increase during these 6 months. During the period, secondary sector has shown 11.2 per cent growth.

    During the first half of this fiscal the production of finished steel has gone up to 15 million tonnes from 13.47 million tonnes during the same period last year. Out of 15, SAIL contributed 3.76 million tonnes (MT), TISCO 1.38 MT, VSP 0.97 MT, Steel majors 1.6 MT and other producers 7.37 million tonnes.

    During September 2000 growth in finished steel production was 16.5 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year. VSP has shown a spectacular growth of 55.74 per cent while SAIL has registered a growth of 21 per cent, TISCO 10.16 per cent, Steel majors 12.1 per cent and others 12.2 per cent.

    During this period the production of Crude Steel was 13.49 million tonnes against 12.24 million tonnes during the same period last year registering a growth of 10.2 per cent. Pig Iron production has also gone up to 1.5 million tonnes from 1.48 million tonnes.

 

 

‘11’

INFORMATION & BROADCASTING MINISTER PROPOSES WELFARE CORPUS FUND FOR JOURNALISTS

    The Minister of Information & Broadcasting Smt. Sushma Swaraj has proposed to set up a Welfare Corpus Fund for the journalists killed or injured while discharging their professional duties in trying circumstances like war, incidents of terrorism etc. She held out assurance to the journalists that their families will be properly looked after in case of their death, they will be able to pursue their profession with absolute freedom and fearlessness.

    Addressing the 12th National Convention of National Union of Journalists at Surajkund today, Smt. Swaraj said newspaper owners can be persuaded to set apart a percentage of their advertisement revenue for the Fund. She said a beginning in this regard can be made from funds from DAVP. Smt. Swaraj asked the NUJ to prepare a detailed proposal in this regard so that a considered decision to this effect is taken after considering views of all sections.

    Referring to the media debate on FDI in Print media, Smt. Swaraj said that the Government has not made any decision in this regard. She reiterated that the Government will take extra cautious approach while taking any decision in the current conditions created by the latest developments in the field of technology. She said that the views of all the sections will be duly considered before any final view is taken by the Government. She also requested the NUJ to give their detailed views on the subject.

    The Information & Broadcasting Minister also called for views of the Journalists/organisations on the proposed law on convergence, the draft of which has been put on the internet. She allayed the fears of the NUJ and said that due care would be taken to ensure that cross-media monopolies would not be allowed to be established as has been done while opening the DTH by restricting the cross media investment to only 20 per cent. She said India is the only second country in the world after Malaysia to take a decision to go for a Law on convergence. Our effort would be to enact a flawless legislation, she concluded.