8,800 Km Target Set For NHDP

The allocation for the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been enhanced to Rs. 25,360 crore, in 2012-13 which is a 14% hike from the previous allocation. This was announced by iPranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister while presenting the General Budget 2012-13 .

The Finance Minister proposed to allow External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) for capital expenditure on the maintenance and operation of tolled roads and highways, as long as it is part of the original project. This is with a view to encourage PPPs in the road sector, he mentioned.

The Finance Minister,  Mukherjee has set the target of 8,800 km for the highways to be constructed under the NHDP during 2012-13. He stated that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways is geared up to achieve the target of awarding projects for 7,300 km under NHDP during 2011-12. This would be 44% higher than the figure of 5,082 km awarded during 2010-11. The Finance Minister informed that out of the 44 projects awarded during 2011-12, 24 projects have fetched a premium.

Government Takes Steps to Finalize Pricing and Investment Policies for Urea

While presenting the General Budget 2012-13 in LokSabha  the Union Finance Minister, iPranab Mukherjee informed that various steps have been taken by the Government to finalize pricing and investment policies for urea. 

Mukherjee said that for potassic-phosphatic (P&K) fertilizer, use of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) will be encouraged through greater extension work. The Finance Minister informed that as the fertilizer is manufactured entirely in the domestic sector, enhance production will bring down the country’s dependence in P&K import. Furthermore, he stated that with the implementation of the investment policy in this sector, it is expected that the country will become self-sufficient within the next five years.

Amitabh and Jaya celebrate Holi In a Bhojpuri film Gangadevi

Gangadevi, a Bhojpuri film to be released in May, has a sequence of Amitabh and Jaya celebrating the festival of colours. Amitabh gave his Holi shots for Gangadevi at Film City in Mumbai on February 10, a day before he was hospitalised for an abdominal surgery.

According to the producer of Gangadevi, Deepak Sawant:The mood on the set was that of celebration. Amitji enjoyed the sequence. He was overjoyed as Jayaji, too, had joined the celebration. I know Amitji for 40 years. I do not think that he ever got any opportunity to play Holi with Jayaji in any film.

Amitabh has lent his voice to the song for the Holi sequence in Gangadevi. Everybody talks about Rang Barse of Silsila as the most popular Holi song. But Maan Hoke Patang, Jhume Aang Aang, Barse La Rang Phagua Me, the four-minute song in Gangadevi, will evoke a similar response.The credit for the lyrics also goes to Amitabh. Another attraction of the film is Jayaji singing a line of the song.