Over 60,000 workers in the public sector oil companies all over the country have reiterated their decision to go on an indefinite strike from May 26 unless their demand for revision of pay scales and one hundred per cent neutralisation of dearness allowance is accepted. The oil sector officers association in a statement said in New Delhi on Wednesday that the ministry of petroleum and natural gas had submitted its recommendation to the department of pubic enterprises. As it was yet to accept the genuine demands, the officers of the pubic sector oil companies would be constrained to resort to direct action, the association said.

Powerfin to advance Rs 200 crore to TN power sector

Tamil Nadu Power Finance and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, (Powerfin) proposes to advance Rs 200 crore to power sector in the state during 1999-2000. It had mobilised deposits of Rs 303.92 crore during 1998-99. Powerfin has extended Rs 1023.82 crore as term loan,hire purchase and leasing to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB). It will be extending its support to projects in non-conventional energy sources and industrial infrastructure also.

5 new national highways in NE

The government has declared five roads in the North-East stretching a total length of 1,340 km as national highways. The new national highways are Daboka-Silchar (290 km) in Assam, Aizwal-Imphal-Kohima (700 km) linking Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland, Baghmara-Dalu (65 km) in Meghalaya, Jowai-Dawki (55 km) in Meghalaya and Sairang-Manu (230 km) between Mizoram and Tripura. These stretches were declared as national highways by the surface transport ministry in January, an official release said in New Delhi on Wednesday.

Calcutta Metro to be extended to Gari by 2005

The Calcutta Metro, the first rail link of its kind in the subcontinent, will be extended to New Garia by March 2005 to benefit millions of commuters and save the metropolis from pollution, according to railway boardsources in Calcutta. About 1.88 hectare of private and government land will be acquired for construction of the project. A provision of Rs. 5.90 crore has been made for his purpose. The project to be completed in cooperation with the West Bengal government, is expected to cost Rs. 696.69 crore. The state government has agreed to share 33 per cent of the capital cost of the project.

NPCIL installs 2 units at Kaiga power plant

Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) on Wednesday installed two units of 220 mw power plant at Kaiga which is located at the left bank of river Kali about 15 km upstream of Kadra Dam. The unit number two is in the advanced stage of commissioning. A major milestone, the unit number two reactor is expected to go critical by end of July 1999, according to a press release. A large number of safety systems have been incorporated in the nuclear reactor to prevent accident.