Aug 17: The Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has agreed to provide Rs 450 crore to the Maharashtra State Electricity board to part-fund the expansions of the 420 MW power project in Kaperkheda, Maharashtra. MSEB is doubling capacity of the project by setting up two units of 210 MW each. The expansion of the coal-fired power station will cost around Rs 1,250 crore. The balance Rs 800 crore is likely to be pumped in by MSEB through internal accruals.

Bhel bags Indian Railways order: The Indian railways has given the public sector Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd a Rs 5 crore order to install a system for maintaining overhead electric supply lines under energised conditions. The new system will replace the existing manual system of checking overhead electric supply lines in non-energised condition, Bhel sources said.

Indian Rare Earths keen on joint ventures: Indian Rare Earths Ltd proposes to go in for joint venture projects for exploitation and value-addition of the country's mineral deposits in a big way, IRE chairman and managing director TK Mukherjee said on Sunday. ``Only a fraction of India's rare earths reserves is now tapped and very little value-addition is done. It would be better if the area is opened up for joint venture schemes,'' he said.

Sterlite to set up desalination plant: Sterlite Industries (India) Ltd will set up a desalination plant at a cost of Rs 50 lakh with a capacity to purify 45 lakh litres of water a day, according to chairman and managing director Anil Agarwal. The surplus water from the plant would be sold to the public on a no profit basis.

Isro to launch IRS-1D in September: The Indian Space Research Organisation's PSLV is all set to launch the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS)-1D during next month. Isro sources said that with this launching of the IRS, India would not only acquire the capability to launch operational satellite into middle earth orbit, but also join a select band of countries which had that capability.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.