Power Grid to receive World Bank loan: The World Bank will give a $450 million loan to the Power Grid Corporation of India within four months, chairman-cum-managing director RP Singh said. "We have received positive feelers from the World Bank that the loan would be sanctioned within four months," Singh said. The amount would be invested in the company's Talchar high-voltage direct current unit in Orissa and the Sasaram plant in Bihar. Besides, the fund would also be utilised to spruce functioning at the corporation's eastern and western region load despatch centres. This loan was, in fact,stated to be the among the first casualties of the economic sanctions imposed against the country following the nuclear tests conducted recently.

Microsoft NT server share up: The market share of Microsoft Windows NT server network-operating system has grown from 13 per cent to 34 per cent, more than twice the units shipped the previous year. Windows NT server has gained 15 per cent of Novell's market share. According to IDC's latest international annual report, Windows NT Server's worldwide shipments in units surpassed the combined shipment figures for Novell Netware and Unix Server for the first time. "Windows NT has gained market and mind share in the last year as customers experience first-hand the power, flexibility and reliability the product provides, be it in the same segment at the lower end or large corporates at the high end," Microsoft India regional director (subcontinent) Rajiv Nair said.

Delhi-based construction firm plans overseas foray: Leading Delhi-based constructioncompany Som Datt Builders has drawn up plans to enter Thailand and Bangladesh markets. "The company has already pre-qualified for four World Bank-aided projects in Thailand," director HL Chawla said. The Rs 100-crore Indian construction company has qualified for bidding for four-laning and six-laning national highway projects each worth between $40 million and $50 million. Chawla said that the company has not yet firmed up plans to select among these projects for bidding.

American cutlery giant to enter India: American cutlery giant, Oneida, is all set to enter the country with a vast dealer network and is likely to license a Delhi-based firm to manufacture its branded tableware. Managing director (sales and marketing) Asia Pacific John Alldred said the Indian manufacturing facilities would also be developed in the long run as an export base. The company with $1 billion annual turnover, has the world's leading hotel chains on its supply list and exports products to 70 countries, he said.

Chamberseeks modvat facility for aluminium industry: The government should allow modified value added tax (Modvat) facility to aluminium industry on capital goods and inputs used in their captive power plants to boost exports, a leading chamber has said. The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) said exports suffered due to high costs arising out from denial to extend modvat facility. The facility was denied on the flimsy ground that the captive power plants are located in premises housing the aluminium manufacturing unit, the chamber argued.

SAIL to integrate production processes: The government-owned Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has embarked upon a process of integrating production processes across plants for enhancing efficiency and synergising production capacities, SAIL sources said. "Products coming from special steel plants are not finished and instead of giving them outside to contractors, these products will now be used within the plants for developing superior grades of steel andvalue-added items for internal consumption," the sources said.

Inadequate fund allotment hit Cipet projects: The government's plan to create half-a-dozen manpower and technical centres nation-wide to impart training to plastic and allied industries appears to be a non starter owing to paucity of funds. The government planned to open these centres during the ninth five-year plan period (1997-2002) at Guwahati, New Delhi, Noida and in Rajasthan and Kerala. The government created a premier institute - the Central Institute of Plastic Enginering and Technology (Cipet) at Chennai in 1968.