The country's IT exports have grown at 38.28 per cent to touch Rs 1,58,500 crore during 2006-07, according to an estimate by the Electronic and Computer Software Export Promotion Council (ESC).

"The growth of exports of electronic hardware, computer software and services and ITes has been significant at 38.28 per cent in April-March 2007 and we are optimistic about a solid growth in IT exports in the next fiscal going by the present trend," ESC Chairman Sanjiv Narayan said in a statement.

He said computer software and services were the key drivers with a 40 per cent growth at Rs 1,05,000 crore during the period as against Rs 75,000 crore in the same period last year.

ITes exports during 2006-07 increased to Rs 41,000 crore, up from Rs 30,000 crore in the previous year, registering a growth of 36.67 per cent.

Electronic hardware exports have grown by 29.87 per cent during 2006-07 at Rs 12,500 crore as compared to Rs 9,625 crore during the last fiscal, Narayan said.

Courtesy : Expressindia.com

NINETY-EIGHT large dams across the country are more than 100 years old and Rajasthan and Maharashtra — with 27 such structures each top the list. Gujarat has 16 dams that are over 100 years old, followed by Karnataka (13), Andhra Pradesh (4), Uttar Pradesh (4), and Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu two each.

“As per the latest information available in ‘National Register of Large Dams’ there are 98 large dams in India which are more than 100 years old,” Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav told Lok Sabha.

He said as per the ‘Dam Safety procedure’ laid down by the standing committee for Dam Safety in India, all large dams irrespective of their age) are required to be inspected by twice a year during pre and post monsoon periods.

Courtesy : Expressindia.com

The famous Kesar mangoes of Talala are all set to go to the US. The export house camping at Talala has brokered a deal to send this king of fruits to the US, Japan and the Gulf countries.

The cultivators here are thrilled because though Talala has always been the largest producer of Kesar mangoes in this region, it has always been Bhuj that has always got the export orders. And this, has been because of the poor infrastructure facilities in Talala.

“It’s a historic development for this region, specially for the farmers whose sole source of livelihood is from the produce of Kesar mango trees. And with the cultivators now finding takers in the overseas market, it’s a new beginning for them,” said Sardarsinh Chauhan, director of Talala Marketing yard where 80,000 to 90,000 boxes (each box wishing 10 kg) of Kesar are auctioned daily.

Field Fresh Fruit Private Ltd, a Pune-based company, has booked the first order for 40 trucks of this fruit (each truck contains 1,000 boxes).

Officials of this company have been camping here to select the best fruits to export to the US, Japan and the Gulf Countries. Dinesh Patidar, an official of this company said, “The company placed the order only after a successful laboratory test.”

“Though the infrastructure here is poor such as unavailability of cold storage and poor transport facilities, but the deal has still been struck because of the good quality of the fruit,” said Patidar.

The export house has specified that each Kesar mango should weigh 225 gm or more. And, with the company directly purchasing from the farmers — whose samples have passed the test— it is the cultivators who are laughing all the way to the bank.

The deal has been fixed at Rs 19 to 25 per kg, which is 20 to 30 per cent more than the local auction rates.

Though, due to the untimely rains in January and February this year the Kesar yield is 20-30 per cent less than that of last year, the cultivators believe that overseas demand would not affect the supply and rates in the local market.

Courtesy : Expressindia.com