Slowly more news about this is coming out. [Financial Express, Kalinga Times, Tathya.in 1,2,3 ]. Following are some salient points culled from various news articles. (More will be added as more news report come in.)
- Financial Express: The hub, which will come up on a built-up area of 1.5 million sqft n the Chandaka Industrial Estate of the city, will act as a centre or convergence of the bank’s activities, like call centre, ack-office operations for banking & insurance as well as sales and administration.
- Financial Express: The proposed hub would accommodate approximately 10,000 people in a phased manner and have the capacity to scale up the operations in future to a potential of 15,000 manpower.
- Fiancial Express: “ICICI Bank selected Bhubaneswar for its eastern regioanal hub after choosing Hyderabad and Ahmedabad for the southern and western hubs, respectively, because of the initiative taken by the Orissa government,” said Kamath. He said the first phase of the hub would be fully operational in two years and the second phase will be completed in the next three years.
- Kalinga Times: In order to ensure availability of skilled local manpower, the bank has already started working in a partnership model with two universities in Orissa. In this regard, a separate MoU was signed between the bank and Utkal niversity on the occasion for offering various skill enabling and vocational courses in the domains of banking, finance and insurance. … Later in the day, the bank signed another MoU with KIIT University for running of an e-Learning Centre like the one to be run by Utkal University.
- Tathya.in: Naveen also asked Kamath to facilitate the Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (IED) into a national level Centre of Excellence.ICICI has played a crucial role in developing EDI at Ahemadabad to a national level institute.Kamath promised to look into the matter, said sources.
Tathya reports that ICICI Bank will collaborate with Utkal University to start courses in banking and insurance. I guess this will be mutually beneficial to both Utkal University and ICICI Bank. The later will get a good pool to hire its employees.
Tathya reports that ICICI Bank will sign an MOU with Orissa government to set up a call center and back office operation for banking and insurance. This center to be located in Infocity will eventually hire 15,000 graduates from normal colleges. In terms of the number of people they will hire, this is a big deal; much bigger than the overhyped POSCO or Mittal deals. ICICI Bank will not use our mines; will not pollute our atmosphere; will not displace people; and will only need 12 acres and yet will hire 15,000 people. Orissa should be going after more such companies and less of the metal and mining kind.
Notes:
Tathya’s running headline said that ICICI’s CEO Mr. Kamath is visiting Orissa on the 26th.
Telegraph reports that there is a plan to establish a Rs 3 crore observatory with latest equipment such as cassagerial optical telescope, Schimidt Cassergain, IR and UV sensors and a well-furnished chemical laboratory in or near Bhubaneswar. The possible spots are Sikharchandi Hill near Infocity or a hill near Naraj Barrage. Since NISER plans to eventually have a course in astronomy this observatory may come in handy for its students and faculty.
Tathya reports that an IT SEZ has been approved that covers major part of Infocity. Following is an excerpt from that article.
The IT nerve center of Orissa is centered at Infocity, a sprawling 300 acres of Export Promotion Industrial Park developed by IDCO north of Bhubaneswar.
Infosys and ESSPL have set up their development centers.
TCS, Wipro and MindTree have signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) and have taken land in Infocity.
Other prominent IT companies including Genpact, Hexaware Technologies, Ramtech Software Solutions and Contiloe Films have also applied for land.
Following is a partial list of organization and banks that provide micro-financing in Orissa.
The Microfinance Gateway may be a good place to further explore micro-finance issues with respect to Orissa.
From http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=28142
PRAFUL PATEL ANNOUNCES NAME MASCOT, HEADQUARTERS, LOGO & LIVERY OF MERGED AIRLINE
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| The Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Praful Patel today officially announced that after the merger of Air India and Indian, the new entity will be known as ‘Air India’. While the new company will have its registered office in New Delhi, its corporate office will be in Mumbai and its office for domestic operations as well as the Strategic Business Units will be mostly based in Delhi. The Mascot of the merged airline will be the Maharaja. The new livery and logo of the merged airline were also unveiled by the Minister today.As ‘Air India’ is a globally and nationally recognized brand name, as well as the designated airline in international bilaterals – the ‘AI’ code being available only to the existing name, it has been decided that the merged entity would continue with the same name. The design components of the new logo and livery have been drawn after merging some of the current features of both Air India and Indian Airlines.
The logo of the new airline is a Flying Swan with the Konark Chakra placed inside it. The Flying Swan has been morphed from Air India’s characteristic logo, ‘The Centaur’ whereas the ‘Konark Chakra’ is reminiscent of Indian’s logo.
The new logo will feature prominently on the tail of the aircrafts. Individually the Konark Chakra will also feature on all the engines of the aircrafts. The choice of colours namely red for “Flying Swan” and orange for “Konark Chakra” are meant to signify vigour and advancement. Further the colours also have a strong association with two carriers thereby retaining the earlier imagery of traditional hospitality and service.
While the aircraft will be ivory in colour, the base will retain the red streak of Air India. Running parallel to each other will be the Orange and Red speed lines from front door to the rear door, subtly signifying the individual identities merged into one. The brand name ‘Air India’ will run across the tail of the aircraft.
The images of the new livery and logo is available at www.pib.nic.in.
MC/GK
  
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News reports (New Indian Express) mention that POSCO‘s proposed port in Jatadhari, 12 km from Paradeep, has received environmental clearance from the center. POSCO’s MOU with Orissa government has mention of a port.
Various news reports (New Indian Express, Sambada, Dharitri) mention that an integrated Titanium plant will be established in Chhatrapur at the cost of 2200 crores. This plant will be established by Sharaf agencies with the help of the Russian government.
Business standard reports that Kingfisher airlines (schedule) will now fly twice daily between Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. Until recently Kingfisher only flew BBSR-Hyderabad direct and BBSR-Delhi with a stop in Hyderabad. With this addition there will be five daily flights between BBSR and Kolkata (1 Indian, 2 Air Deccan and 2 Kingfisher). Both Air Deccan and Kingfisher flights are scheduled such that one can go from BBSR to Kolkata or Kolkata to BBSR and do business and return the same day.
[Thanks to Deba Nayak in ornet for the tip on the above.]
As per the May 2007 schedule Air Sahara, which has been bought by Jet Airways, ceases to fly between Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad. It will now only fly between Bhubaneswar and Delhi. Thus the number of daily flight connections between BBSR and Hyderabad reduces to 2 (Kingfisher and Air Deccan).
Telegraph reports that the Orissa government under the able guidance of the Veternary director Bishnupada Sethi has introduced several schemes for the growth of poultry farming. Following are some snippets from that article.
“… Value added tax (VAT) charged on maize and broken rice used for preparation of poultry feed would be reimbursed by the finance department. Similarly, the cooperation department has been asked to waive a per cent of the market tax levied on eggs, chicks and birds, brought to the regulated market committee yards,” said the Orissa veterinary director, Bishnupada Sethi, while talking to The Telegraph today.
Insurance premium for each poultry farm has, in the meanwhile, been revised from Rs 4 per layer bird to a meagre 30 paisa, the veterinary director added. Also, the Orissa electricity regulatory commission has been asked to reduce the tariff for poultry.
… The state’s production has increased from 12 lakh per day in 2005-06 to 32 lakh during 2006-07.
But still there seems to be a lacuna as the state’s present demand stands at 64 lakh eggs per day.”
Samaja reports that the government will help establish one chicken hatchery in each district and its aim will be to produce 1 crore eggs per day.
Anil Ambani group, Arcelor Mittal, Birlas, Central public sector, CIL, Indian majors, Industrial houses, INVESTMENTS and INVESTMENT PLANS, IOC, L & T, MCL, Mukesh Ambani group, NALCO, NTPC, POSCO, SAIL, Tatas, Vedanta chitta
Following is somewhat of a dated collection on investments and investment plans in Orissa.
- Summary: [1], [2], [3:Interview with CM]
- New jobs: [1.5 lakhs new jobs]
- Directorate of Industries, Govt. of Orissa
- Education and Education related financing
- Loans and insurance for college education:
- Higher Education: [FinExp-Aug05]
- Primary and Secondary Education: [Insurance-plan-Aug15-05], [Insurance-plan]
Editor’s comment, Aug 14, 2005: The private engineering colleges and medical colleges should be encouraged to open one or more Class I-XII schools. In general, these private colleges should spend 10% on the above, 80% on their own stuff, and another 10% on post-graduate education. For the 10% parts they can either have their own ClassI-XII school and M.Tech/Phd Program or pay the amount to an appropriate fund.
Editor’s comment, Aug 14, 2005: For Oriya medium students to compete well in national and international level exams and competitions, after class 7 one should have the option of pursuing science and social science either in English or Oriya. To overcome the worry that students will lose touch with Oriya by pursuing science and social science in English, from Class 7, Oriya should be split to two parts, and be assigned twice its current weightage. I.e., instead of 100 marks for Oriya, there will be 200 marks for Oriya. The two parts could be (i) grammar and vocabulary — similar to TOEFL and GRE, and (ii) Writing and literature. ( Some decisions related to this made by the Orissa government.)
- Information Technology: [TCS1], [TCS-2], [TCS-3], [Wipro-BPO-1], [WIPRO-2], [Wipro-land-bought], [other IT and BPO companies]
- Steel plants: Tatas, KK Birla Group, Jindals, Essar, Murugappas, MESCO, POSCO etc. [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6:Jindal], [7:mesco-insightOrissa-july22-05], [8: A summary article in May 05 Orissa Review], [Adhunik-Sundergarh], [Rungta,Bhusand,Jindal-JSPL,Titanium], [production in 9 plants], [More MOUs], [More MOUs2]
- Tatas – Steel plant@Duburi, TCS@BBSR, Gopalpur: [0: TATA news releases], [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6:Kalinganagar],
- POSCO: [1], [2], [3], [4]; [Forbes-MOU-22Jul05]; [Forbes-2-22Jul05]; [FinExp-MOU-22Ijul05]; [HindTimes-MOU-22Jul05]; [AustrFinRev-MOU-22Jul05]; [InsightOrissa-MOU-22Jul05]; [Some-Details-from-Insight-Orissa]; [Pluses-n-minuses:rediff]; [Impact-on-infr]; [Hindu-July10-05]; [Rebuttal-to-criticisms-july15-ToI]; [FinExpr]; [Taats vs POSCO] ; [3 POSCO subunits]; [POSCO sets up subsidiary:Aug 31’05], [land-acq], [90 percent in Orissa in favour], [identifies 2 mines]
- POSCO ancillaries and Indian partners: [1:steel pipes], [2:Indian partners]
- Editor’s comment on July 4 2005: My impession based on reading the newspapers is that Orissa govt has probably become wary of some of the big Indian players after the TATAs taking advantage of them in Gopalpur, and other companies in other places. It seems like (from reading various reports: [0:a list from 1999-how many of them materialized?], [1] , [2], [see page 3], [4] ) the TATAs signed MOUs about plants and infrastructure etc. at Gopalpur and got mining leases but then kind of forgot about making the plants and building infrastructure but have been using the mines. They used excuses, some valid, regarding this and that infrastructure not being there. [They have signed something more recently; lets see if that is for real or a sham to get mining leases renewed. Some progress in regards to their promise seems to have taken place: a; b ] The expectation was that Gopalpur would be like another Rourkela or Jamshedpur. But nothing remotely like that has happened. Coming back to POSCO, the MOU seem to have many clauses that would prevent POSCO from taking advantage of Orissa without delivering on its promises. Also, if POSCO does something like the TATAS, its easy to fight them, unlike fighting the TATAs. Even saying something bad about the TATAs is a no-no in India. [Thus the government should be careful in any of its signing with the TATAs or similar big Indian powerhouses. It should make sure that any mining lease should be tied to the other promises very tightly, and without loopholes.] So I personally am hopeful that POSCO will have a big impact on Paradeep and Orissa, more than the impact of any other private company in Orissa. Plus the investment comes from outside India, not from inside India. Thus making more capital available to other projects in India. Also the government is right to not put its egg in one basket. It makes perfect sense to try different avenues: foreign investors such as POSCO as well as the various Indian companies.
- From Steel to automobiles/2-wheelers-n-beyond: [Ind-Exp-22ndJune05]; [TOI-July4-05:Kymco,Corus]; [Pioneer-July27-05:Kwang-Yang-Motors-Taiwan], [Mahindras:TOI-Aug05-05], [Mahindra:InsightOrissa]
- Refractories: [July9-05-Telegraph]
- Alumina/Aluminium: Hindalco [1]; Vedanta [a], [b:Vedanta cares]; [Dubal-L&T]; [alumina-refinery-smelter-Rayagada]
- Titanium complex at Chhatrapur. (The Samaja Aug 16th, 2005).
- Mining: [1],
- Refinery: [1]; [IOC-Paradeep-21-6-05]; [July12-FinExp], [IOC-on-schedule]
- Breweries: [United Breweries]
- Paper: [JKPaper]
- SEZs: [1]
- Power: Current availability; [list-of-possibilities-fe-july24-05], [June2-05-Reliance]; [Reliance2]; [RPG-jun2405-Tel]; [Neyveli]; [MMTC-Paradeep-Sept12-05]
- Food processing: [Shrimp-Navayuga]
- Hospitals: [Planned Heart Institute]
- Hotels: [ Statesman Aug 18’05], [Buisness-Standard- Sept9], [OTDC-disvestment]
- In relation to other states of India: [1], [2]
- Kalinganagar/Duburi: VISA, Jindal, Neelachal Ispat Nigam, MESCO, Tatas(?) [Ref:InsightOrissa]
- Factories in neighbouring states — impact on Orissa infrastructure: [Mittal-Jharkhand]
Editor’s comment on July 27, 2005: Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh are landlocked. Mineral and manufacturing plants in Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh would need access to ports. This will provide opportunity for Orissa to make its case (get Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh legislator’s support) and make further infrastructure development such as ports, roads and railways. In particular, Dhamara and Chandabali port, train lines to them such as Tata-Baripada-Balasore-Dhamara, Bimlagarh-Talcher-Paradeep, and Daitari-Bansapani-Haridaspur-Paradeep, and roads ( Jharkhand, Orissa, Chhatisgarh) to them. While Jharkhand plants can use Haldia port in West Bengal, for Chhatisgarh the closest ports are in Orissa (Dhamara, Paradeep, and Gopalpur). Since Haldia port is overloaded, even for Jharkhand easy accessibility to Orissa ports is important. [a step in this regard], [another step]
28th July 2005: Orissa, Jharkhand and Chhatisgarh should come together and jointly pursue several things. For example, an IIT in Rourkela (which has the best NIT among the three states) would benefit all the three states, as Rourkela is very close to both Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand. In return Orissa can support for an IIM in Bilaspur or Raipur. Good road and railway connectivity from Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand to Orissa ports will be beneficial to all. The three states can jointly promote cultural tourism to the tribal areas of the three states.
- Policies: [1]
Following is a collection of links on Ports and waterways in Orissa.
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- Editor’s comment [July14’05]: Brahmani River crosses the South Eastern railway line at Jenapur which is 8 kms from Jakhapura where branchline goes to Daitari and on to Bansapani. Jajpur Keonjar Rd is another 7 kms away where one of the National highway [Panikoli-Keonjhar segment of 215] passes and 15 km upstream of Jenapur NH 200 [Chandikhol-Sukinda segment of 200] passes. The state government should connect NH 200 to Jenapur to NH 215, and plan to make Jenapur a major transporation hub, as it will be a unique location. Talcher is another possibility for a transportation hub. At Talcher the rail line, the waterway and NH 42 cross. While Talcher can be a transportation hub, Jenapur could be both a transportation hub as well as a tourism hub where cruis eships can stop.
- Waterways links: [Indian waterways authority of India]; [Important inland waterways in India:map]; [National waterway1:map]; [National waterway2:map]; [National waterway3:map]
- Riverlinking: [CM’s order]
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