PM confers best listed CPSE award to Orissa-based PSU NALCO

Bhubaneswar: National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO) – a Navratna PSU under the Ministry of Mines, Govt. of India, has received the Best Listed CPSE Award for its excellent performance in significant value addition to its shareholders. The award was received by Shri A.K. Srivastava, CMD, NALCO from Hon’ble Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh at the MoU Excellence Awards & SCOPE Excellence Awards ceremony held at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

NALCO has received this award for achieving the highest growth in market capitalization during 2008-09, among 42 listed Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). The MoU Excellence Awards, instituted by the Department of Public Enterprises under the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Govt. of India has recognized twelve Best-Performing CPSEs under the MoU scheme with the Government – one each from ten industrial sectors and the other two from among listed companies and turnaround enterprises. The company has recorded the highest ever production since inception with respect to Bauxite, Alumina, Cast Metal and Power. Mines, Refinery, Smelter and CPP have achieved 101.64%, 101.05%, 99.88% and 88.33% capacity utilization respectively during 2009-10. In 2009-10 NALCO marketing divisions achieved the highest ever sale of 4,35,979 MT metal as against sale of 3,53,589 MT metal during the previous financial year. This comprises 2,89,031 MT, the highest ever domestic sale of metal surpassing the previous best of 2,71,274 MT achieved in 2008-09 and the highest ever export sale of 1,46,948 MT against the previous best of 1,32,730 MT achieved in 2004-05. The company has recorded a higher export earning of Rs.2209 crore during the year 2009-10 against Rs.2071 crore achieved during the previous year.

It may be mentioned here that, NALCO has been on the growth path right from the beginning. Presently, the company has lined up various projects involving an investment of over Rs.45,000 crore. NALCO has drawn up ambitious plans to grow both organically as well as inorganically to be a reputed global company in the metals and energy sectors. The company also intends to enter into energy sector as an independent power producer and acquire new mineral resources especially coal, bauxite, copper etc.

As part of these plans, NALCO has signed MoU with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.(NPCIL) for establishment of a nuclear power plant in Joint Venture. Besides, NALCO has plans to venture into both upstream and downstream fields to leverage its strength in alumina and aluminium business in India and abroad. In this direction, the company is actively pursuing various proposals including a Greenfield Project in Indonesia.

Source: Orissa Diary

Konark festival kicks off

A mesmerizing portrayal of embodiment of beauty, ‘Lasyalila’ in Odissi dance form by Konark Natya Mandap set the tone for the Konark Festival inaugurated at the Open Air Auditorium in Konark by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 01.

The Odissi performance had some memorable compositions of late Guru Gangadhar Pradhan.

It was followed by ‘Konark Lasyalila’ by Aruna Mohanty and group of Orissa Dance Academy, Bhubaneswar.

‘Krida’ in Bharatnatyam dance form was presented by Prof CV Chandrasekhar and group of Nritya Shree, Chennai, and an artistic duet by Baladev Moharatha were also presented on the day.

The festival will continue up to December 05. Various classical dance forms will be performed during the five days.

Higher Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, Tourism and Culture Minister Samir Ranjan Dash and Principal Secretary to Tourism and Culture Department Lalbahadur Sahoo were present.

Source: New Indian Express 

Ganjam adjudged the best district

Collector to receive citation and award in New Delhi

Ganjam district was adjudged one of the five best districts in the country which could utilise the sojourn of ‘Red Ribbon Express' to the optimum level.

Ganjam district Collector V.K. Pandian will be receiving citation and award for it from the Union Health Minister in New Delhi. Mr. Pandian said it was an award for the people of the district who have decided to use knowledge to check the menace of HIV infection and AIDS.

It may be noted that Ganjam happens to be the most HIV infection-prone district in Orissa. As per the rate of prevalence of HIV infection, Ganjam district stands in the 14 {+t} {+h} position in the country. The Red Ribbon Express (RRE), an initiative of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Indian Railways during its second phase of the journey across the country reached Berhampur on May 06 evening. It remained open for the public at Berhampur railway station for two days on May 7 and 8. During these two days, more than 31,800 persons visited the Red Ribbon Express. Around 320 persons had got themselves tested at the HIV testing facility inside the train. A large chunk of them were youths.

Regional coordinator of Orissa State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) Lokanath Mishra said through the coordinated efforts of health officials, administration, OSACS, NGOs involved in AIDS, awareness work and rehabilitation of HIV positive persons the message of Red Ribbon Express could be reached out to at least 2800 villages of Ganjam district.

 ‘Gaon Kalyan Samities (GKS)' in these villages were utilised for the purpose. Each GKS sent a team of five members to the Red Ribbon Express. The team included the local anganwadi worker, Asha volunteer and elected ward member, mostly women. After returning, they took up awareness measures in their own village especially among the women who are most prone to HIV infection due to their ignorance and illiteracy.

Source: The Hindu