5% hike in international air fares permitted

The Government has permitted international carriers operating from India, including national carriers Air-India and Indian Airlines, to raise their air fares by 5 per cent for the second time this year to offset the rising price of aviation turbine fuel. This, however, is less than the IATA recommendation to revise fares by 10 per cent from India. Last month, the Government had approved a 5 per cent increase in fares on the India-Gulf sector, a revision which has been carried out to keep pace with annual worldwide inflation.

Railways to waive freight charges

The Railway Ministry is understood to have agreed to absorb a cost burden of around Rs. 180 crores that would be incurred in the transportation of foodgrains to be supplied to the poor under the restructured PDS scheme. Sources said that the Railway Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, informally communicated his Ministry’s decision to waive movement charges on foodgrains meant for the poor to the Food Minister, Mr. Devendra Prasad Yadav, late last week.

Relief well method likely to cap blow-out

As ONGC officials cleared a significant portion of the smouldering debris and managed to come within a few feet of the blow-out hit Mandapeta oil well under the shelter of the ‘water umbrella’, indications were available that a relief well would have to be dug to cap the well in the light of the gas leakages observed on Sunday — the fifth day of the blow-out. Even though the intensity of the fire has considerably died down, the signs of leakage of gas outside the main pipe have prompted ONGC officials to make preparatory efforts to dig the relief well.