Govt finalises Covid-19 vaccine transport module
The Central Government has prepared a detailed draft for air transportation of Covid-19 vaccines. Pune will be the central hub from where the vaccine distribution will take place. There are a total of 41 destinations (airports) across the country that has been finalised for the delivery of vaccines. The movement of vaccines to different parts of India is likely to begin by today or tomorrow. The development comes ahead of the Covid-19 vaccine dry run in all states across the country on January 8.
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Tata Power secures 110 MW solar power project worth Rs 488 crore from KSEB
Tata Power Company Ltd has bagged a contract worth Rs 488 crore from the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to develop a 110 MW solar project. The energy will be supplied to KSEB under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), valid for 25 years from the date of scheduled commercial operation. The plant is expected to generate about 274 million units (MUs) of energy per year and annually offset approximately 274 million kg of carbon dioxide.
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SBI raises $600 million from overseas bond sale at coupon rate of 1.8%
State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday raised $600 million (~Rs 4,403 crore) from selling bonds to international investors at a coupon rate of 1.80%. The issue, oversubscribed by 2.1 times, is part of the SBI’s $10 billion (~Rs 73,392 crore) medium-term note programme. The 5.5-year issue, denominated in US dollars, was priced at 140 basis points (bps) over the US treasury. The bonds issued through SBI’s London branch will be listed on Singapore Exchange and India INX.
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L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering secures offshore contract from ONGC
L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering (LTHE) has received an order from state-owned Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC). The contract involves engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning of a new living quarter platform, ‘NQL Platform’ with 120 men capacity. The platform will be constructed at NQ Complex in ONGC’s Mumbai High Asset on the west coast of India. The value of the contract ranges between Rs 2,500-5,000 crore.
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SEBI to allow more players to set up stock exchanges, depositories
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), through a discussion paper, has proposed to ease ownership norms for entities that plan to start new stock exchanges in India. According to the discussion paper, any resident individual/domestic institution can set up a market infrastructure institution such as a stock exchange or a depository with 100% control, provided it is a public limited company. Earlier, individuals (resident or foreign), either directly or indirectly, could not hold more than 5% in a stock exchange or a depository.
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NMDC resumes diamond mining in Panna after forest department approval
The Madhya Pradesh Forest Department has allowed National Mineral Development Corporation Ltd (NMDC) to resume operation of its diamond mine at Majhgawan in Panna district. The operation was suspended as the environmental clearance for the mine came to an end on December 31, 2020. The state government has now extended the lease for the next 20 years. The matter of renewal of lease is pending before the State Wildlife Board and National Wildlife Board.
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Bharat Biotech enrolls over 25,800 volunteers for Covaxin Phase-3 trials
Bharat Biotech has enrolled 25,800 volunteers for Phase-3 clinical trials of its Covid-19 vaccine- Covaxin. The recruitment was supposed to be concluded by December 31 but was extended by a week since it was short of 4,000 volunteers at that time. The trials will be conducted at around 30 clinical sites throughout India. On January 3, Oxford-AstraZeneca’s Covishield (manufactured by SII) and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin had received approval from India’s drug regulator DCGI for emergency use authorization.
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ABB India launches new range of circuit breakers for electrical retail market
ABB India Ltd has launched Formula DIN-Rail, a complete range of Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs), Residual Current Circuit Breakers (RCCBs), and Isolators for the electrical retail market. The company stated that its new range meets international standards and is manufactured in ABB’s Smart Buildings factory in Bengaluru. The ABB Formula DIN-Rail portfolio would be available through the ABB Electrification business retail network across India. It will also be available on ABB eMart, the company’s online marketplace.
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Mahindra Logistics launches EV-driven last-mile cargo delivery service
Mahindra Logistics Ltd (MLL) has announced the launch of its electric vehicle (EV) based last-mile cargo delivery service under the brand name ‘EDel’. The new service would initially operate across 6 major cities in India, including Bengaluru, New Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. MLL plans to expand EDel to a total of 14 cities in the next 12 months.
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Lupin gets USFDA nod for generic diabetes drug
Lupin Ltd has received approval from the US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) for its Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride extended-release (ER) tablets. The tablets are indicated for the treatment of diabetes. The product will be manufactured at Lupin’s Nagpur-based manufacturing facility. As per IQVIA MAT November 2020 data, Empagliflozin and Metformin Hydrochloride ER Tablets had estimated annual sales of $357 million (~Rs 2,618 crore) in the US.
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