In briefs

New Delhi metro rail project in full swingEighteen task forces and a special committee headed by Delhi chief secretary Umesh Sehgal is wo...

New Delhi metro rail project in full swing
Eighteen task forces and a special committee headed by Delhi chief secretary Umesh Sehgal is working with the representatives of various government departments to ensure that Delhi Metro Railway Corporation8217;s DMRC ambitious project, Mass Rapid Transit System MRTS, rolls into service by the target year 2005. During a tour of the construction sites of the first section, Seelampur, Shastri Park, Yamuna Banks, ISBT and Tis Hazari, engineer V K Singh said 8220;work in every area is at its full swing and through our two quality control laboratories we ensure process-control as per the Indian standard institute provisions.8221; Singh said 8220;prior to the utilisation of any structure and thethe application of a methodology in construction, we do a study on every functional aspect to avoid discrepancies.8221;

Assocham for panel on loan review
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India Assocham has underlined the need for instituting ahigh-powered loan review mechanism for banks especially to monitor large borrowal accounts and identify potential NPAs. In a communication to the RBI, the chamber president K P Singh, has suggested that any effort at financial restructuring of banks must go hand- in-hand with operational resturcturing. With the cleaning up of the balance sheet, Singh said, simultaneous steps should be initiated to prevent, limit re-emergence of new NPAs which have seriously undermined commercial banking operations.

Haryana to float Rs 50 cr development loan
Haryana will soon float a Rs 50 crore state development loan to finance the development programmes undertaken by the government in the fields of power, irrigation, agriculture and industries, state finance minister Charan Dass Shorewala said on Friday. The loan would be issued on April 21 this year and it would be repaid at par on April 21, 2009, he said. The 12.25 per cent annual interest on the loan would be paid on half-yearly basis, on October 21 and April21 every year. The minister said the loan would be issued for a minimum of Rs 1000 face value and in multiples thereof.

Finance Commission in Agartala
A 13-member team of the Finance Commission led by chairman A M Khusru arrived in Agartala on Friday to discuss the state plan for 1999-2000 with the Tripura government.During their two-day stay, the team will meet chief minister Manik Sarkar, other ministers, senior officials and accountant general besides Tripura tribal areas autonomous district council chairman, representatives of chamber of commerce and industry and political leaders. The Commission would also visit the proposed capital complex at Lichu Bagan.

Station masters threaten stir
More than 16,000 railway station masters have threatened to go on a strike if their demands for better pay scales and allowances were not accepted within six months. All India Station Masters Association president Uma Shankar Singh said they have decided to withdraw their on-going agitation in viewof the fluid political situation in the country. But they would be forced to on strike if their demands were not met within six months. The station masters were also demanding better working conditions and other facilities. 8220;Since the train traffic has increased manifold in the past, the duties of the station masters have also increased,8221; the association release added.

Railway employees presented awards
The 44th Railway Week celebrations concluded on Friday with the presentation of awards to 102 railway personnel from all over the country and 132 awards to northern railway personnel for meritorious services. While railway minister Nitish Kumar presented awards to 102 personnel from all over the country, northern railway general manager S P Mehta honoured 132 northern railway personnel. The railway minister lauded the role played by railway employees all over the country for making the Indian Railways a vehicle for progress and social integration8217;. He also called for their support andcooperation in making the Indian railways a transparent and customer-friendly organisation.