INDIA-EU AVIATION SUMMIT NEXT MONTH

New Delhi, 10 October 2006

NEW DELHI, October 11 (INFA): New Delhi is hosting the India-US Civil Aviation Summit here on November 23-24.  It will be attended by major players of the aviation industry in the country and the European Union.

The Summit is being jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport of the European Commission.

The Summit is intended to bring together top-level policy makers and industry Executives from all sectors involved in the European and Indian aviation and aerospace industries and services hence providing an important platform for enhancing co-operation between the EU and India in civil aviation.

Policy statements and business strategies will be at the centre of the discussions, which will address a wide range of topical trends and new opportunities in EU-India civil aviation relations.

Highlights of the issues that the Summit will address include: political and regulatory developments in aviation in India and the EU; developments in EU-India passenger and cargo markets; infrastructure needs and investment opportunities in the aviation sector; safety and security policies and co-operation; new challenges in commercial aircraft technology; and air traffic management and technological and industrial co-operation.

The Summit will be attended by key players from the public and private sectors in India and the EU. These are expected to include representatives of governments, airlines, airports and aerospace industries and service providers.

Both Vice President of the European Commission, Jacques Barrot and Minister for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel have confirmed their participation at the Summit.

In parallel of the main Aviation Summit conference, an exhibition will be held at which EU and India aviation and aerospace industry will present their products and services.

The results of EU and Indian aviation policies and co-operation in civil aviation will also be presented and disseminated. ---INFA

HYDEL POWER PLANT IN ANDHRA

HYDERABAD, October 11 (INFA): The public sector National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) will set up its first hydel power plant in Andhra Pradesh.

The State Government, which proposed the setting up of the plant on river Pranahita, a tributary of the Godavari flowing through Adilabad district, with an installed capacity of 120-150 MW, has decided to hand over the project to the NTPC.

A detailed project report will soon be prepared and the works will be handed over to NTPC to ensure that the project gets completed by March 2009, according to official sources.

The 240 MW Lower Jurala power plant is expected to be in place by December 2008.  Three more major hydel power plants in the State are in the pipeline.---INFA