Twin Cities population 1.6 crores by 2041: GHMC Commissioner Mr. Krishna Babu, IAS

       The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FAPCCI) organized a conference on “Use of Green Energy in Urban Infrastructure” on 25^th April 2012 at J.S. Krishnamoorthy Auditorium, Red Hills, Hyderabad. Mr. M.T. Krishan Babu, I.A.S., Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was the chief guest for this session. 

       Padmabhushan TL Shankar, Chairman, KSK Energy Ventures Limited, Mr. Harsha Lingam, Business Development Executive, European Business and Technology Center (Bengaluru), , Mr. K. Vijaya Kumar Gupta, MD, Kwality Photonics Private Limited, Dr. Satyanarayana, Regional Director, Dept of Municipal Administration, Prof. V. Srinivasa Chary, Director, Centre for energy, ASCI, Mr. Gowra Srinivas, Chairman, Unban Infrastructure Committee, FAPCCI, Mr. Suraj Prasad Agarwal, Advisor, Unban Infrastructure Committee, FAPCCI, Mr. Manoj Kumar Agarwal, Unban Infrastructure Committee, FAPCCI and Mr. M.V. Rajeshwara Rao, Secretary General, FAPCCI are the speakers at the occasion.

Interactive Meeting on “Trade and Business Opportunities in Bulgaria”-

       The Embassy of Bulgaria in India, New Delhi, India in association with The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FAPCCI) organized a Interactive Meeting on “Trade and Business Opportunities in Bulgaria”on 21^st  April 2012 at J.S. Krishnamoorthy Auditorium, Red Hills, Hyderabad. His Excellency Mr. Borislav Kostov, Ambassador of Bulgaria to India was the chief guest and Lion Dr. Y. Kiran Kumar, Hon. Consul General of Bulgaria in Hyderabad was the guest of honour for this session.  

      Mr. V.S. Raju, President, FAPCCI, Mr. Srinivas Ayyadevara, Vice President, FAPCCI, Mr. Shyam Sunder Pasari, Chairman, International Trade Relations Committee and , Mr. A.S. Kumar, Deputy Secretary General are the speakers at the occasion. 

      Mr. Borislav Kostov said in his key note address is that the Bulgaria and India cooperate closely at the international arena. Our two countries relations enjoy broad political consensus in both countries. 

      Mr. Kostov also said that the Bulgaria and India have developed close and cordial relations over the years based on their cultural and spiritual closeness and shared values of freedom and democracy. The long-standing relations between our two countries are characterized with traditional friendship and multidimensional mutually beneficial cooperation, and have grown into a close and dynamic partnership. Bulgaria-India cooperation encompasses the areas of trade and economy, science and technology, information and communication technology, defense and legal assistance, education and culture, youth affairs and sports, and is supported by a strong bilateral legal basis and a broad intergovernmental institutional framework.

      Bulgaria’s membership in the European Union and India’s status as an emerging global power add strategic dimensions to our bilateral relations and open up new wider possibilities for interaction in all areas of mutual interest. Further strengthening and expanding of the multifaceted relationship with India is a foreign policy priority of Bulgaria he added.

      Mr. V.S. Raju said in his welcome address is that the bilateral trade between India and Bulgaria has turn over between two countries was US$ 123.3 million in 2010. The major Indian exports to Bulgaria include flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel; polyacetals and polycarbonates; ferrous alloys; cotton yarn; carbon electrodes; pharmaceuticals; coffee and coffee substitutes.  Major Bulgarian exports to India include unrefined copper and copper anodes for electrolytic refining; unwrought lead; seeds; craft papers and paperboard; ferrous waste and scrap of iron and steel; instruments and apparatus for chemical and physical analysis; derivatives of hydrocarbon, ammonium carbonate. 

BSE SME Platform provides a great opportunity to the MSME entrepreneurs

The Bombay Stock Exchange Limited in association with The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FAPCCI) organized a National Level Workshop on “BSE SME EXCHANGE – A New Initiative for raising Equity for MSMEs” on 14^th April 2012 at Surana Udyog Auditorium, Red Hills, Hyderabad. Mr. Laxman Gugulothu, CEO, BSE SME Exchange, Mumbai was the chief guest for this workshop.

Mr. V.S. Raju, President, FAPCCI, Mr. Devendra Surana, Senior Vice President, FAPCCI, Mr. Shripal Shah, Director, Aryaman Merchant Bankers, Mumbai, Mr. Uttam Bagri, Promoter, BCB Finance, Mumbai (1^st IPO BSE SME Exchange), Mr. V.V.S .Prasad, Aastha Group, Promoters, Mumbai, Mr. Manoj Gautam, 3NS Venture Capital Ltd, 3NS Group, Hyderabad, Mr. RamaKanth Inani, Inani Securities, Hyderabad, Mr. Varghese.P.A., Zonal Head, Corporate Registry, Karvy Computer Share Ltd, Mr. Rajendra Kanoongo, Head - Merchant Banking, Ashika Capital, Mumbai, Mr. Kutumba Rao, Analyst & Economist and , Mr. M.V. Rajeshwara Rao, Secretary General are the speakers at the occasion.

Mr. Lakshman Gugulothu said in his key note address is that the BSE SME Platform provides a great opportunity to the entrepreneurs to raise the equity capital for the growth and expansion of SMEs. It also provides the immense opportunity to the investors to identify and invest in the good SME companies at early stage. It will help unleash the valuation of the company and in the process create wealth for all the stakeholders including investors, besides considerable long term capital gains tax benefits and facility to exit at any point of time.

Interactive Meeting on “Singapore International Arbitration Centre”

The Singapore International Arbitration Centre in association with The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) organized a interactive meeting on “International Arbitration” on 13^th April 2012 at Surana Udyog Auditorium, Red Hills, Hyderabad. Vivekananda N., Deputy Head (South Asia), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) was the chief guest for this workshop.

Mr. V.S. Raju, President, FAPCCI, Mr. Nitin K Parekh, Chairman, Trade and Commerce Committee and , Mr. M.V. Rajeshwara Rao, Secretary General are the speakers at the occasion.

Hefty Power Hike Counterproductive

The A P Electricity Regulatory Authority approved a whopping increase in power tariff, effective April 1, 2012. The increase for industry is very steep, ranging from Rs. 0.87 per unit for LT supply, Rs. 1.28 for 11 KV supply, Rs. 1.12 for 33 KV supply and Rs. 1.00 for 132 KV supply. In percentage terms the increase is 21%, 36.4%, 34.46% and 33.67% respectively. The increase in the supply cost of power is only 4.35% as per the data presented by DISCOMS. The industry consumes 35% of the power but pays 60% of the power cost. Thus, the industry is subsidizing some categories of consumers. But such cross subsidy has adverse economic impact on the people and the economy, as the cost of goods and services will increase by about 1% to 5%. Ultimately, it is the people particularly the poor people will end up paying higher prices for goods and services. So such a steep power tariff increase for industry is counterproductive and not in the best interests of common man and economic growth.

The industry is already paying several taxes and levies to the government and burdening the industry further with higher price hikes in power is not warranted. In addition, this tariff increase is coming up against the background of increase of 2% in Service Tax and Excise Duty, property tax, VAT increases, which will increase the prices of the goods and services. The industry has been suffering 40 to 60% power cuts when the power shortage is 10 to 15%. The disproportionately high power tariff being levied on industry is not a step in the right direction and will only escalate the price-line and the inflation and cause slowdown in the economy.

FAPCCI, therefore, contend that the hefty increase in power tariff to industry and trade is not only counterproductive but also harsh on the industry and economic growth. The APERC should have taken all these points into consideration before it approved the tariff proposals of DISCOMS and should have fixed tariff based on the principles of natural justice, economic considerations and in the spirit of a regulatory commission.

V S Raju

President