MINING AND INDUSTRIALISATION UPDATE, ORISSA - Vasundhara

operational efficiencies and higher interestearnings enabled the Steel Authority of IndiaLimited (SAIL) to achieve a profit (aftertax) of Rs.1,835 crores during April-June,2008, showing 20.3 per cent growth over thecorresponding period last year. The financialperformance has improved despite a burdenof Rs.1,434 crores on account ofsubstantially higher cost of inputs like coal,freight, ferro-alloys, fuel and higher wagerevision, a RSP release said here onWednesday. The company has registeredsales turnover of Rs.12,183 crores withgrowth of 37 per cent during the period, itsaid. With thrust maintained on productionof value added and special steels, the SAILplants produced about one million tonnes ofitems during first quarter, showing a growthof 41 per cent over last year’s same period.During the first quarter, a number of capitalprojects were completed at Rourkela SteelPlant (RSP), Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP)and Bhilai Steel Plant (BSP). Constructionworks for expansion at IISCO plant, andSalem Steel Plant have commenced andwere progressing as per schedule. Withutilisation of finishing mills at all time highin the quarter, finished steel productioncomprised 88 per cent of production ascompared to 84 per cent during last period.Further improvement in operationalefficiency also helped the company. With121 per cent of rated capacity utilisation ofcontinuous casting shops, productionthrough this energy-efficient route crossedtwo million tonnes.Nalco faces coal shortageThe Hindu, 28 July, 2008KORAPUT: Production in the mining andrefinery complex of the NALCO atDamanjodi would come to a standstill withinthe next three days if coal does not reach intime.Vedanta gestureThe Hindu, 28 July, 2008Continuing its efforts to reach out tocommunities across the State as part of itsCSR, Vedanta Aluminum Ltd has extendedsupport to the flood-affected families ofBalasore district.'Small, medium industriesshouldn't be left in the lurch'Pioneer News Service, 30 July,2008Orissa, which is at present engrossed withmega investments, needs a break as itsmicro, small and medium enterprises(MSMEs) are left in the lurch. Speakers at aworkshop organised by the Institute ofEntrepreneurship Development, Orissa(IEDO), asked for a change of priority to theMSME sector to boost the entrepreneurs. Apolicy framework for MSME is muchneeded, for which the process was initiatedlong before. Commissioner-cum-SecretaryIndustry and Steel and Mines Ashok Dalwairevealed that an MSME policy had beenfinalised and was waiting for clearance ofthe Government. The workshop was held toinvolve stakeholders in the Rajiv GandhiUdyami Mitra Yojana (RGUMY) under theaegis of the Union Ministry of MSME.Dalwai emphasised the role of UdyamiMitras in the implementation of projects bythe micro and small entrepreneurs and theirhelping hand for overcoming the hurdlesfaced by MSMEs during their startup stage.Director, Ministry of MSME, AK Jhaelaborated the technical aspects of thescheme and stressed the need of handholding support for setting up and managingMSMEs. Director of Industries Orissa andDirector, IED, Hemant Sharma, emphasisedthe importance of the workshop amidst rapidindustrialisation in the State. ManagingDirector IPICOL and IDC Ashok K Meenaalso addressed the meeting. Director,MSME Development Institute, Cuttack, PNDas, briefed on the development of MSMEsthrough EDP training. A total number of 15018