Booms are not forever

The recession is a solution, not a problem

Inordinate delay

An excuse to privatize irrigation project STARTED in 1984, the yet to be completed Nira Deoghar irrigation project in Maharashtra has run into rough weather. A recent judgement by the three-member water regulatory authority has put on hold the privatization of the project in Bhor taluka, Pune district.

A great panic

The newer deal for a newer world

After months of downward spiral, the dreaded r-word must be uttered. The world's major economies are into a recession. Equally recessive is the response of leaders who, after working extremely hard to privatize and deregulate, are falling upon a Keynesian idea, first applied after the 1929 Great Depression in the us, requiring governments to spend huge amounts of public money to bail out the economy.

Not ready for rabi

Banks hesitate in lending to farmers in Uttar Pradesh; fertilizers and seeds in short supply

News 360-Brief

floods Kosi breach yet to be plugged

Money's worth?

Investments in the research and development (r&d) in India has grown from Rs 760.5 crore in 1980 to Rs 24,200 crore (as per 2008-2009 budget allocation). This is 0.8 per cent of the gdp

Amazing formula

Power-generating companies can get a minimum fixed sum irrespective of how much electricity they produce Capacity Index (CI) = declared capacity maximum available capacity x 100 Declared capacity maximum peaking capacity the plant will be able to generate on a given day, taking into account available water and machines Maximum available capacity maximum capacity of the plant when all machines are in perfect order, taking into account available water Every year a company can be paid an Annual Fixed Charge

Risks yours, profits mine

Why project developers aren't worried about flow? The way the Centre has designed tariffs for hydropower, the power-generating company does not bear the risks of hydrological changes like less flow or more silt in the river. They can get away with almost no generation, while conveniently pocketing an annual fixed charge for having a plant in place. The buyers--usually state electricity boards (sebs)--have to suffer the loss because they have to pay the fixed fee even if they do not get the desired electricity.

Digging shallow

Rs 1,800 crore groundwater programme a non-starter A Rs 1,800 crore national programme for artificial recharge of groundwater through dug-wells was announced by finance minister P Chidambaram, in February 2007. It was to provide proper irrigation facilities to millions of farmers. But thanks to the delays on part of the state governments, the scheme is yet to take off.