The growing demand for energy to stimulate and spur the economy is also expected to provide huge investment opportunities in the power sector with large infrastructure projects in transmission and distribution. Capital expenditure at a mere growth of five per cent in financial year 2017 needs to be stepped up to get the momentum back to infrastructure and the economy.The government has made several policy interventions over the last two years to boost growth in the infrastructure space and create investor confidence. Pending approvals coupled with slowing of the economy, had left many projects stranded midway.Asset recycling that has been an idea in the works for some time needs to be implemented, as there is a global appetite for such a model. Building India by investing in major areas of infrastructure like roads, airports, Binding Posts Manufacturers ports, railways and power is important to build a strong industrial base and to contribute significantly to the government’s flagship programme of Make in India. The Budget can kickstart an effective and scientific process involving a census of the available land and assets and then monetising the same by leasing it out.

The private sector needs to play its role in infrastructure buildup to ensure capital flow and meet the needs of the growing economy. The money raised from the monetisation of land assets and sale of PSUs can be used to create rail and defence infrastructure.Public housing, warehousing, cold storage and irrigation are some of those areas that need urgent attention as more people move towards cities for a better living and jobs. Niti Aayog’s recommendations on handling 74 loss-making PSUs should be accepted and auctioned at the earliest. Some of the other essential approvals would include environment and forest and other sovereign clearances that would be essential for the project to kick off. One way to speed up investments in such projects is to adopt the plug and play model that was practised for large power projects. Budget 2017-18 must speed up the infrastructure sector both as a catalyst for growth and a facilitator for new investments in other sectors. One quick and effective way of raising capital would be to monetise the unused land banks held by Central PSUs and the Railways. Under this model, the government could sell off some of its better operating assets or give it on for operations and maintenance to specialised private companies. An operational power project or a road project that has ensured a fair rate of return is an attractive asset for several long-term investors and private developers who are risk averse and are unwilling to take up projects at an early stage when returns are low.Most infrastructure projects require large investments and multiple clearances that are at different levels. The timely interventions by the government have turned the tide and investor sentiment.Infrastructure growth and development is a key driver for the economy that is essential to attract industry and investments both at home and from offshore companies.The government has pushed public spend in some of the sectors but given that it may be a while before demand truly picks up and the banking sector can meet the growing credit requirement, an accelerated government programme for capital investments is crucial.

A few more policy nudges at the appropriate levels could revive the animal spirit among infrastructure entrepreneurs and Budget 2017-18 could accelerate this process.Investments by the private sector had fallen short of expectations in the last few years primarily because of faulty concession agreements where the risks-return ratio for private developers were imbalanced. Recommendations on regulatory system, dispute settlements and risk allocations are relevant and important to bring back investments by the private sector. The government has laid out ambitious plans of connectivity and logistics support to set up industrial clusters that can create jobs for the aspirational youth in India. The government, in this case, puts up projects for investments after acquiring all necessary clearances, in some cases even the land required to build the project. Poor demand and the deep stress in the banking sector only added to the woes in the sector. India’s plans to meet its renewable energy targets of adding 175 gigawatts by 2022 is also expected to add fresh investments in this sector.

There is an urgent need to invest in large railway, airport, ports and road projects to build a better networked country matching the growing pace of urbanisation.It is estimated that the infrastructure sector in India would need investments of about $455 billion over the next five years with 70 per cent of it invested in power, roads and urban infrastructure.The Kelkar Committee recommendations on reworking the PPP model also need to be acted upon expeditiously. The move to have quicker settlement of disputes through the new arbitration act, and the special decision for a one-time settlement of pending cases in the construction sector are some of the decisions taken by the government to ease investment flow. For one, the government has initiated changes in the model concession agreements to ensure a rational risk allocation for private investors even as a series of decisions have been taken to revive public private partnerships across the spectrum from railways to ports and roads.

Okwu smartphones will be manufactured and assembled in Shenzhen, China and the company plans to have their own assembly unit in India ahead. The devices will be unveiled in mid November and prices will be revealed during the launch event scheduled in the country's capital. U Cars is another gadget that can turn your regular car smart. The company has revealed only a few specifications about the debuting smartphone. The brand presently plans the launch of a budget device along with an IoT accessory or two, while many more new accessories and smartphones will be added to the Okwu portfolio in the upcoming months, Atul told this newspaper. U Plugs is another accessory that can be connected to regular home appliances, which can be controlled from your smartphone over the wireless network, such as turning them on or off. U Chip is a device where one can convert smart home appliances into IoT devices. example, you would be able to know what you have inside your refrigerator or turn on the AC before arrival, even if you are in office, or locate your car on your desktop too. With this device, one can authenticate people to step into your cars without a key. Brainchild of CEO and MD Anshuman Atul, Owku is targeting the smartphone for every Indian out there. For example, you can plug in the Chip to smart refrigerators and air conditions and keep control over the appliance from your phone. Along with China 1/4 inch plugs manufacturers the smartphones, Okwu has also planned to launch accessories and IoT gadgets, under the U Arena series, to compliment their handsets and beneficial for consumers. It includes an all-metal frame, 4G LTE, a 5. It will enable you to share information across all devices. Okwu Mobiles, an Indian startup smartphone company plans to shake up the market with its first IoT-ready smartphone. Lastly, U Think will be a cloud-based app that allows you to create a dashboard for operating and controlling all the IoT devices in the U Arena from one single point. U Cars connects to the OBD port on any car and uses a SIM card with Wireless networking connectivity to connect to your smartphone. The USP of the new smartphone is to ride on the IoT segment, which is touted to be the next-gen eco system of the gadgets and appliances we use at home, office and in vehicles.5-inch HD IPS display and powered by a 2500mAh battery.. For now, they have planned U-Tag, a Bluetooth tag that latches to your belongings and can be tracked using your smartphone.

Indian consumers have long struggled with issues like call drops, slow Internet speeds, misleading advertisements, all of which need to be checked. This has become an issue suddenly due to the never-ending free trial china connector factory offered by Reliance Jio.The writers work for CUTS International. The length of the trial phase is not stipulated in the existing regulations, and thus there is no fair or unfair length.The SUC issue led to another ferocious debate. The free trial has helped Jio garner over one million active users even before its official launch. The most important aspect is consumer surplus. But the real need is to address issues relating to the quality of service (QoS), which is deteriorating on a daily basis, and also avoid regulatory uncertainties on the telecom regulator’s part.

With the competition, tussles and regulatory dilemma, the entire sector stands shaken, that almost reminds us of the film 2012.Intense" is the word to describe the current turbulence in India’s telecom sector. Moreover, it seems the regulator itself had suggested an alternative in the closed electronic communication network (CECN), to bypass the norms on Net neutrality. Whatever the situation, the competition in the sector is intensifying, leading to price competition, which benefits consumers. Competition in the sector is at its peak, and is envisaged to bring notable changes to the sector in consolidation and improvement in QoS, which is quite poor according to a report by CUTS and IIT Delhi. However, the DoT took the final decision and ultimately, it implemented the existing SUC calculation model, with a few changes, as against Trai’s proposal. Revenue emanating from each band, as basis for SUC calculation, was not viable.Normally, any new operator would test its services for flaws before an official launch. This has led to regulatory uncertainty, which has done more damage than whatever the decision would have been. This led to a confrontation between the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and Jio, one of its members, Thus, to avoid such tussles in future, the regulator should ideally have clarity in its regulation after a diligent stakeholder consultation. In recent times, the issue of IUC resurfaced owing to the launch of Jio’s services, which has announced free calls from its network; and which will benefit immensely from scrapping of the IUC. If the regulatory reforms can provide cheaper and better services to consumers, it’s undoubtedly the way to go. This is known as the trial phase. If only the announcement of Reliance Jio’s launch and its grouse over inter-connection with other providers can jar the market, what the impact of actual competition will be is really baffling.

The complex part is that it’s extremely precarious to reach a judgment without due diligence, be it on Net neutrality, spectrum usage charges (SUC), inter-connection usage charges (IUC), unreasonable lengthy trials, concerns of predatory pricing or disruptive new technologies. Without a doubt, this is an opportunity for Indians to go online and realise the potential of Digital India. With a number of consultations on Net Neutrality, free data, differential pricing and over-the-top (OTT) applications, the regulator has been going back and forth on the same issue. Ideally, what was required was to renegotiate the existing contracts and settle for a gradually decreasing flat rate.India has the lowest voice tariffs in the world, but despite that Reliance Jio has made it "free". Looking at the complex calculations, Trai rightly suggested a flat-rate SUC across all spectrum bands.It’s high time the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India takes a firm stand on Net neutrality. Trai, which with its differential pricing verdict, had posited itself as a forward-looking regulator, is turning backward, which needs to be avoided.'However, the need to bridge regulatory uncertainties, to create a level playing field for all and also ensure quality services can’t be understated. The call has to be taken, irrespective of who it favours and who is negatively impacted.

The lethargic incumbents will have to expand their network or offer higher speed data, so there are several reasons for consumers to be jubilant. Reforms are an important part of the development process. However, if the IUC is scrapped, while all telecom operators will lose revenue, the hardest hit will be BSNL, which earns around `2,731 crores as revenue from long distance calls being routed through its network. However, "free" is a subject of contention and it may be somewhat misleading. While the move would have a negative impact on certain players, scrapping of the IUC would benefit consumers as the call rates would decrease. Thus, there is a need to undertake a cost-benefit analysis to arrive at the most optimal regulatory solution. However, given the legal contract that exists between the government and the operators and also the obligation to suggest an alternative to department of telecommunications’ (DoT) weighted average formula, Trai suggested an even more complex way to calculate SUC.The existence of IUC charges has long been questioned by telecom players. One can recall that in 2003, MTNL pulled the plug on the IUC issue, which islanded MTNL from other networks. The "free" trial impacts other operators, as is evident, but it will also impact the government’s revenues from tax and SUC, which are not applicable in the trial phase.

"We have a couple of practice games so we will try out various combinations and give everyone an opportunity and decide what the ideal combination is."I love his aggression.During his playing days, Anil Kumble was known for his no-nonsense and aggressive approach who never gave up, no matter what the situation."As a coach, all you want is to prepare them to the best of your ability and have all areas covered, skill-wise, fitness-wise and strategy-wise so guitar patch cables that they are able to go and assess any situation on their own. So we will be able to assess the shortcomings, if at all, and plug that. And the 45-year-old has unsurprisingly, prepared diligently to live up to the expectations and challenge.India, under Kohli have won their last two Test series and with 17 matches ahead of them over the next 12 months, Kumble feels that consistency will be the main focus.Now, back in the limelight as the head coach of Team India, the legendary leg spinner feels captain Virat Kohli embodies a similar, albeit different, approach."I think the expectation to win is constantly going to be there.

It’s all about Test cricket and how you win (each) session," added the former leg spinner. West Indies is a tough side at home, they know the conditions. We will ensure that we are consistent," he stated. Yes, they are in a transition phase and there will be some young West Indian players playing Test cricket," he said. Because of modern day batting technique and mindset of batsmen to go after the bowlers, you see a run rate of more than four in every innings in a Test match," he opined. We will ensure that there is a thin line and that everybody knows that," remarked the coach ahead of the team’s departure to West Indies. "I think everybody is now positive and wants a result. The good part is that we are playing a lot of Tests this year. It’s with this mindset that he went about trying to be the best version of himself, and in later years when he took over as captain, inculcated the same belief in the team."I’ll be the last person to curb someone’s natural instincts, but of course we all know how important it is to be the ambassadors of India and be a part of the Indian cricket team.The Men in Blue are heading to the Caribbean Islands for a four Test series which also be the first challenge for Kumble as coach.. Of course, being aggressive doesn’t mean one crosses the line. I was no different.

BCCI terminated Bhogle&banana plug binding post039;s contract a week before the ninth edition of IPL commenced.. thanked his followers. This reportedly did not go down well with the national cricket board and the action was taken."While no Indian cricketer has officially come on board to criticise Bhogle, a tweet from Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and Team India’s limited-overs skipper MS Dhoni’s reply to the same may have set the ball rolling.However, according to reports, Bhogle was shown the exit door following a feedback from social media and players. Hope #IPL9 is a blockbuster. We monitor social media reactions on commentators, and also take inputs from players.Thank you very much.Nothing to add https://t.co/8rBel3vw4o— Mahendra Singh Dhoni (@msdhoni) March 23, 2016Bhogle then went on to write a post to clarify his stand on the commentary style.However, BCCI pulled the plug at the last moment and sidelined Bhogle from the commentary duties. Was in fact looking forward to it.Or, some officious official.I must confess to being a bit taken aback by the intensity of the criticism yesterday over the question of focussing.— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 10, 2016Bhogle, who received a lot of support.— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) March 23, 2016While the senior actor did not name anyone, it was speculated that he was referring to Bhogle.Would have been nice to be part of @IPL again.

It emerged after a tweet from Mr.While there are many theories about his exit from IPL commentary team, Harsha Bhogle has maintained a dignified silence since his IPL contract for the ninth edition is terminated by the Indian cricket board. I am deeply moved and overwhelmed. Favourite tournament..‘The Indian Express’ quoted a BCCI official saying: "When deciding the commentators, we take feedback from everyone."I must confess to being a bit taken aback by the intensity of the criticism yesterday over the question of focussing more on Indian players during the telecast.— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) April 10, 2016Sacked Harsha Bhogle & Brought Siddhu Dear BCCI,Its Cricket, Not Comedy Nights. Amitabh Bachchan, someone I admire enormously for the dignified way in which he has always conducted himself," Bhogle wrote on his Facebook page. Considering he is not too active on social media, Dhoni’s tweet set tongues wagging..— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2016While there is no clarity what led to his ouster, it is learnt that Bhogle had an argument with Vidarbha Cricket Association during the India versus New Zealand in ICC World Twenty20 game in Nagpur.Harsha Bhogle is an ace commentator and a good man. In fact, his name was on the roster and flight tickets were also booked.The 54-year-old was all set to provide his cricketing insights during this year’s IPL as well.Bachchan’s tweet was followed by a # reply from Dhoni. #BringBackHarsha #IPL— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) April 10, 2016Since the incident came to light, Bhogle has found a lot of support from fans and his followers on social media.