Cement, Energy & Environment

\ Financially well-placed companies see an opportunity in this and are investing ahead of demand, to make higher returns and gain market share once growth return s. "You can't wish away 1.2 billion people in India. Most of them still want to build homes, asking for more roads, rail, airports and other physical infrastructure . Growth is only a matter of time. Our balance sheet allows us to take some risks, so we are going ahead with a new unit in Bihar," says Ashok Bhandari, chief financial officer of Shree Cement. Courtesy: The Business Standard, Mumbai, 14.12. 201 2. International FACTBOX • BRICS EMERGING POWERS GROW IN GLOBAL STRENGTH Reuters - Tue 26 Mar. 2013 DURBAN, South Afnca (Reuters) - Leaders of the BRICS group of powerful emerg1ng economies meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in the South African city of Durban. The main objective of the heads of state of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is to establish a development bank to balance the influence of the World Bank and IMF, as well as creating a joint foreign exchange reserve . Here are a few facts about the BRICS. • The BRICS countries make up 21 percent of global GOP. They have increased their share of global GOP threefold in the past 15 years. • The BRICS are home to 43 percent of the world's population. • The BRICS countries have combined foreign reserves of an estimated $4.4 trillion. • lntra-BRICS trade flows reached $282 billion in 2012 and are estimated to reach $500 billion by 2015. In 2002, it was $27.3 billion. • IMF estimates of GOP per member in 2012, China $8.25 trillion , Brazil $2.43 trillion, Russia and India at $1.95 trillion each , South Africa $390.9 billion. • Per capita GOP for 2012 was estimated at, China $6,094, Brazil $12,340, Russia $13,765, India $1,592, South Africa $7,636 • Jim O'Neill, chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management, coined the BRIC concept in 2001. • South Africa was admitted by the other BRIC leaders in December 2010, adding the "S" to the original grouping. (Sources: BRIGS countries and International Monetary Fund) (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Courtesy: http://in.news.yahoo.com , Lok Sabha Questions & Answers I Notifications GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOKSABHA STARRED QUESTION N0.118 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30TH NOVEMBER, 2012 Mineral Policy *118 SHRI JAGADANAND SINGH: Will the Minister of Mines be pleased to state: a. the existing provisions in the National Mineral Policy to protect the interest of farmers I tribals in the country; b. whether attention of the Government has been drawn to certain incidents of protests by local farmers and tribals against the mining companies; c. if so, the details thereof; d. whether the Government proposes to formulate certain provisions for special care of farmers/tribals affected by mining related operations in the country; and e. if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefore? Answer The Minister Of Mines (Shri Dinsha Patel) (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. a . Statement Referred in reply to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 118 for Reply on 30.11 .2012 Regarding Mineral Policy by Shri Jagadanand Singh: 37