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Corporate Economy Expressions Markets Leisure   30 December, 1997 Trade Briefing    Railways updates tracks to streamline traffic Railways have embarked on a major programme of modernisation and rehabilitation of tracks to meet the challenges of faster traffic and heavier axle loads. This is intended to provide efficient and economical maintenance of tracks. As part of this plan, railways proposes to increase track renewals from the existing annual pace of 2,800 km to about 3,200 km. The ministry said 60 kg rails were being progressively used in heavy-density routes. It plans to procure 71 kg rails to cater to higher-axle loads of 30 tonnes and above. Cardamom output likely to be up 15 per cent: Cardamom production is likely to increase by 15 per cent this season (August 97/July 98), despite sharp fall in the commodity's prices during the last two years. Cardamom production is likely to be 7,650 tonnes this season against 6,625 tonnes last year.This season's production is expected to be better than that during 1995-96, when the country produced 7,500 tonnes. Production for 1996-97 was lower than initial estimates of 6750 tonnes, a Spices Board official said. Leather industry turns eco-friendly: The green fever is catching on in the leather industry which has geared up to promote eco-friendly leather and leather products by installing a number of common effluent treatment plants across the country. The Indian Leather Industry Foundation, and UNIDO's Regional Programme for Pollution Control in the Tanning Industry in South-East Asia (repo), have launched a research programme to find use for treated tannery effluents in agriculture, Council for Leather Exports said in a statement. PHD Chamber of Commerce warns against ambiguities in policy: The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned that the ambiguities in policy framework, lack of motivated implementation and inaction, coupled with impact of slow economic growth will affect the objective of a seven per cent growth Prime minister for coordinated development of railways: Prime minister I K Gujral has emphasised the need for setting up a mechanism to take short as well as long-term measures for coordinated development of the railways and other modes of transport. He made the suggestion while reviewing the performance of the railways. Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.