February 4, 1994
Telecom tariff hike on cards
A steep hike in the telecom tariff is expected in the near future as the government is finalising the restructuring of the sector. The increase is to take away the subsidy element from the telecom sector and make it attractive for the private sector, especially the multi-nationals to invest in this sector… The present thinking in the government is to allow the private sector in a big way in the basic telecom services along with a nominal government presence.
The International Labor Organisation (ILO) has predicted that more than 35 million workers would face unemployment in industrialised countries at the end of this year, the highest rate since the great depression of the 1930s. Unemployment had dropped during the 1990s in America and some Asian countries. The ILO predicted that the US rate would fall to 6.5 per cent this year from seven per cent in 1993. The overall rate for industrial countries was 8.1 per cent.
Rlys shortlists architects
The cash-strapped Railways have finally succumbed to the irresistible temptation to commercially exploit their prime real estate in various cities. First in the series is the proposal to invite private participation for a railway terminal-cum-commercial complex right in the heart of Bangalore, near the Cantonment Railway Station, to be located on 26 hectares of prime railway land. This is being followed by similar proposals for Delhi and Madras… about 20 architects, who responded to the advertisement put out by Southern Railway, had been shortlisted for the Bangalore project.