(Edited Image Courtesy Tamilnadu Govt.)

 

Modi regime’s ‘cooperative federalism’ is now facing second major test even as the first challenge - its power tussle with Kejriwal Government has got into legal tangle.

The second challenge has landed at the Centre as two separate project proposals from Kerala and Tamilnadu Government regarding Mullaperiyar Dam, which comprises main dam, baby dam and allied infrastructure.  

The 120-years old dam, which is situated in Idukki district of Kerala, has remained a perennial source of tension between the two States since the late seventies. The tension has persisted notwithstanding a slew of Supreme Court verdicts and the Centre’s efforts to resolve the issues over the years. 

Enthused by the return of Selvi J. Jayalalithaa as Tamilnadu Chief Minister, the State Water Resources Department (WRD) has now revived its 15-years old proposal to strengthen the baby dam.  

(Yamuna Expressway- Image Courtesy: Jaypee Group)       

 

 

 Greater Noida to get a realty boost with FAB and heliport

 

 

Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL)-led semiconductor consortium intends to create a dedicated line for defence applications at its wafer fabrication (FAB) project whose groundbreaking is expected in September 2016. 

In its pre-feasibility report (PFR) submitted to Government last week, JAL says the Rs 28,919-crore facility would “provide a secured location for the production of semiconductor products to meet India’s security needs (trusted line).” 

JAL would have 80% equity participation in the project. The principal technology provider, International Business Machines of the US, intends to have 10% stake. Similarly, 2nd technology partner identified as ‘Principle Integrator’, Tower Semiconductor Limited (TowerJazz), intends to have 10% stake in the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that would promote the venture.

The project would be developed on a 50-acre plot at a prime real estate named Jaypee Greens near Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh. The facility would have a capacity to produce 40,000 wafer starts per month (WSPM). It would include a gas-based 80-MW captive power plant. 

The JV would implement the project in two phases. Under the first phase, the company would create capacity for production of 20,000 WSPM. It would slice silicon ingots into wafers of 300 millimetre (mm) diameter, which is at present the largest size adopted by FABs globally. The facility would be based on advanced complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology that helps microelectronics firms produce low power-consuming integrated circuits (ICs). 

               Steel Firms Brace to Align Their Projects with Market Dynamics

 

(Edited Image Courtesy: naveenjindal.com)

 

On 25th May, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked one-year of his government by announcing the onset of  “bure din” (bad days) for those who have “robbed” the country during 60 years of their rule. 

The God knows whether Congress leader-cum-businessman Naveen Jindal figures in Mr. Modi’s list of persons cursed with bure din. Mr. Jindal, an ex-MP, is currently entangled in Coalgate probe. He is certainly not getting a fair deal from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MOEFCC).

If UPA’s favour to JSPL in allocation of coal blocks is excluded, we then find that MOEFCC’s indifference towards Naveen’s flagship company, Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL), has seamlessly spilled over from UPA to NDA.