Weekly media update 28 09_2020

(This document comprises news clips from various media in which Balmer Lawrie is mentioned, news
related to GOI and PSEs, and news from the verticals that we do business in. This will be uploaded on
intranet and website every Monday.)
Balmer Lawrie in News
• https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/balmer-lawrie-expects-drop-in-profitability-turnover-
this-fiscal/article32697300.ece
• https://www.psuconnect.in/news/103rd-annual-general-meeting-of-balmer-lawrie-and-co.-ltd-held-at-
kolkata/24735
WEEKLY MEDIA UPDATE
Issue 469
28 September, 2020
Monday
The Telegraph – 26.09.2020
Rajasthan Patrika –
28.09.2020

S&P Predicts India’s GDP to Contract 9%
in FY21
India’s GDP will experience a record contraction in
FY21 due to the Covid crisis with some “enduring”
damage while a weakening fiscal position will
constrain the government’s ability to support the
economy, S&P Global Ratings said on Friday. The
rating agency affirmed India’s long-term foreign
and local currency sovereign credit rating at BBB-
with a stable outlook and maintained its short-
term rating at A-3, pointing to the country’s
improved external account. S&P expects the
economy to contract 9% in the ongoing fiscal year
though there will be a sharp pickup to 10% growth
in the coming fiscal due to the base effect, it said.
In the absence of fiscal room, the government’s
ability to deliver and execute additional economic
reforms, especially those that spur investment and
job creation, will be critical to recovery prospects.
“India’s economy has been hard hit by the
confluence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the
country’s own cyclical slowdown, and strict
domestic containment measures against the
coronavirus,” it said in the ratings report, adding
that the economy had slowed measurably before
the pandemic. “
The Economic Times - 26.09.2020
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/eco
nomy/indicators/sp-predicts-indias-gdp-to-
contract-9-in-fy21/articleshow/78327741.cms
Amid Covid impact, Indian economy
forecast to contract 5.4% in 2020: UN
Impacted by disruptions caused by the COVID-
19 pandemic, India's economy is forecast to
contract by 5.9 per cent in 2020, the UN has
said in a report, warning that while growth will
rebound next year, the contraction is likely to
translate into a permanent income loss. The
Trade and Development Report 2020 by UN
Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) said on Tuesday that the world
economy is experiencing a deep recession amid
a still-unchecked pandemic. It said the global
economy will contract by an estimated 4.3 per
cent this year, leaving global output by year's
end over $6 trillion short (in current US dollars)
of what economists had expected it to be before
the coronavirus began to spread. "In short, the
world is grappling with the equivalent of a
complete wipe-out of the Brazilian, Indian and
Mexican economies. And as domestic activity
contracts, so goes the international economy;
trade will shrink by around one-fifth this year,
foreign direct investment flows by up to 40 per
cent and remittances will drop by over $100
billion," the UNCTAD report said, painting a grim
picture of the global economic scenario.
Millennium Post - 23.09.2020
http://www.millenniumpost.in/business/amid-
covid-impact-indian-economy-forecast-to-
contract-54-in-2020-un-419135
GDP Contraction in Q2 likely to have
Slowed to 12%: Economists
India’s economy may have contracted at a slower
pace in the September quarter compared with the
preceding three-month period, said economists
surveyed by ET, pegging it a median 11.95%.
They warned that the recovery will be patchy and
uncertain though the worst may be over. They
called for a strong fiscal package to boost demand
and even suggested monetisation if the bond
market could not support a borrowings-funded
stimulus. High Covid-19 cases and localised
lockdowns to contain the spread are dampening
demand, according to most of the respondents in
an ET poll of 10 economists. India’s real gross
domestic product (GDP) could have contracted 8-
15.6% in the second quarter of FY21, they said.
Nominal growth is seen shrinking around 7.5-
9.5% in the quarter. “We can say the worst is
behind us,” said Kotak Mahindra Bank economist
Upasna Bhardwaj. “While there is a reasonable
bounce back with consumer durables, electricity,
trade and transport, and some subsectors of
manufacturing doing well, the recovery will be
patchy, uncertain and uneven.”
Deposit-credit gap widens by ₹8.2L cr
so far in FY21
Bank credit growth continues to lag with loans
outstanding yet to reach end-March 2020 levels
even as deposits continue to surge, growing 5%
during the current fiscal up to September 11.
This is likely to keep deposit rates under check
despite the RBI holding back on rate cuts due to
rising inflation. According to data released by
the RBI, aggregate bank deposits have hit
nearly Rs 143 lakh crore, an increase of Rs 6.8
lakh crore since end-March, while advances are
struggling at just over Rs 102 lakh crore, down
Rs 1.4 lakh crore from end-March. This has
widened the gap between credit and deposit
growth to Rs 8.2 lakh crore during the current
fiscal. This rising gap is being filled by
investments in government bonds, which now
account for nearly 29% of bank deposits after
growing 21% year-on-year. Besides the
slowdown in investment, there has been a drop
in advances since corporates have been de-
leveraging as they prepare for slower revenues.
Also, a portion of financing has shifted to the
bond market, where the cost of funds has come
down significantly.

https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TheEc
onomicTimes/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=ETK
M%2F2020%2F09%2F28&entity=Ar00301&sk=A
C5A9008&mode=text
https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/Ti
mesOfIndia/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=TOI
KM%2F2020%2F09%2F28&entity=Ar01712&s
k=0B4B6E88&mode=text
PMO shares list of incomplete work with
36 Ministries, Depts
The NDA government has conducted an audit of all
budgetary announcements made during its tenure
so far –– that is, since 2014-15–– and has pointed
to pendency at as many as 36 ministries and
departments. In a communication from the Prime
Minister’s Office, 36 ministries and departments
have been asked to ensure ‘expeditious
implementation’ of budgetary announcements and
indicate timelines ‘on a priority’ basis. They have
been sent parawise pendency details from 2014-
15. A communication to the effect is learnt to have
been sent out by the Advisor to the Prime Minister,
Bhaskar Khulbe on August 8, to the secretaries of
various ministries from the Ministry of External
Affairs to the Commerce, Railways, Power,
Education, Agriculture, Civil Aviation, Petroleum &
Natural Gas, Culture, Tourism, Postal ministries
besides the Departments of Financial Services,
Revenue and Economic Affairs, Department for
Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,
Fisheries and Niti Aayog among others.
https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/TheEc
onomicTimes/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc=ETK
M%2F2020%2F09%2F22&entity=Ar00305&sk=6
8AD39E3&mode=text
Threshold to retrench employees
Raised
Parliament on Wednesday passed the three key
labour reform bills that will provide greater
flexibility to employers to hire and fire while
ensuring social security for workers. The three
bills – Code on Occupational Safety, Health and
Working Conditions, Industrial Relations Code
and Social Security Code – were passed in the
Upper House by voice vote amid boycott by the
Opposition over suspension of eight members.
Replying to the debate on the three labour
reforms bills in the house, labour Minister
Santosh Gangwar said: "The purpose of labour
reforms is to provide a transparent system to
suit the changed business environment." The
minister informed the house that as many as 16
states had already increased the threshold for
closure, lay off and retrenchment in firms with
up to 300 workers without government
permission. “States have been given flexibility
to tweak labour laws as per their need,” he said.
The Times of India - 24.09.2020
https://epaper.timesgroup.com/Olive/ODN/Th
eEconomicTimes/shared/ShowArticle.aspx?doc
=ETKM%2F2020%2F09%2F24&entity=Ar0091
0&sk=06DC64DB&mode=text
Compulsory reporting of vacancies may
soon be a must for sections of employers
Every establishment employing 20 or more
workers may soon be required to report any
vacancy that needs to be filled up to Career
Centres, government-run modernised
employment exchanges being planned to be set
up. As per section 139 of the Social Security Code,
“The appropriate government may, by notification,
require that from such date as may be specified in
the notification, the employer in every
establishment or any class or category of
establishments, before filling up any vacancy in
any employment in that establishment or such
class or category of establishments, as the case
may be, shall report or cause to be reported, that
vacancy to such career centre as may be specified
in the notification, and the employer shall
thereupon comply with such requisition.”
However, section 140 says the provisions of
section 139 shall not apply in relation to vacancies
“in any establishment (other than government
establishment) with less than twenty or such
Govt looks to implement all 4 labour
codes in one go by December: Gangwar
The government is aiming to implement all the
four labour codes in one go by December this
year and complete the final stretch of labour
sector reforms, Union minister Santosh
Gangwar has said. Parliament in its just
concluded session passed three labour code
bills: the Industrial Relations Code, the Social
Security Code, and the Occupational Safety,
Health and Working Conditions Code. The Wage
Code Bill, 2019 was passed by Parliament last
year. The labour ministry had circulated the
draft rules on the Wage Code Bill last year but
held back its finalisation and implementation.
The ministry wanted to implement all the four
codes and rules under those in one go as all of
them are inter-linked. Talking to PTI, Labour
Minister Gangwar said, "Government is doing all
efforts to complete the labour reforms by
implementing the all four labour codes by
December this year..." He further said the Wage
Code Bill was passed last year and now with the

number of employees as may be notified by the
central government”.
The Financial Express - 24.09.2020
https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/comp
ulsory-reporting-of-vacancies-may-soon-be-a-
must-for-sections-of-employers/2090241/
passage of three more codes by Parliament,
"the rules under these legislations would be
enforced at once".
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/e
conomy/policy/govt-looks-to-implement-all-4-
labour-codes-in-one-go-by-december-
gangwar/articleshow/78344096.cms
ETFs of State-Owned India firms have
lagged in this market rally
Exchange-traded funds formed from India’s sold-
down stakes in state-owned companies have
lagged far behind as the market continues to
recover from this year’s pandemic selloff. The
Central Public Sector Enterprises fund, or CPSE
ETF, and the Bharat 22 ETF are each down about
28% in 2020 compared with an 8.5% decline in
the S&P BSE Sensex. Created to raise funds for
public spending while paring the fiscal deficit,
these funds have performed poorly due to their
high weightings of utilities and energy stocks. Oil
and power stocks rank in the bottom half of India
sector performance this year, while healthcare and
IT lead gains. The S&P BSE PSU Index, a gauge of
state firms, has shed more than 30% in 2020, set
for its third straight annual loss. In fact, the gauge
has trailed the Sensex all but two years since the
global financial crisis. “The Bharat 22 ETF basket
consists of names which are largely cyclical or
value-oriented in nature, and are highly sensitive
to macros,” said Chintan Haria, head of product
development and strategy at ICICI Prudential
Asset Management Co., which runs the fund. “At a
time when GDP is slowing down, many of the
names have lagged in terms of performance.”
Bloomberg Quint - 23.09.2020
https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/etfs-of-
state-owned-india-firms-have-lagged-in-this-
market-rally
CAG slams govt’s strategic sale of one
PSU to another
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has
red flagged the government’s “disinvestment”
programme involving the “strategic sale” of one
public sector undertaking to another state-run
entity, as well as flow of the proceeds from sale
of shares held by the Specified Undertaking of
UTI (SUUTI) into the kitty. During 2018-19,
there were four transactions involving the sale
of Rural Electrification Corporation to PFC,
Dredging Corporation to port trusts, National
Projects Construction Company to WAPCOS
Corporation and HSCC (India) to NBCC. “Such
disinvestments only resulted in transfer of
resources already with the public sector to the
government and did not lead to any change in
stake of the public sector/government in
disinvested PSUs,” the federal auditor said in a
report tabled in Parliament. These “strategic
disinvestments” had generated over a fifth of
the disinvestment receipts of Rs 72,620 crore
during the year. In the previous year, the
government had sold oil marketing company
HPCL to ONGC.
KM%2F2020%2F09%2F26&entity=Ar00701&s
k=2BFD7AEC&mode=text
BPCL executive says privatisation will
unlock value for company
Privatisation of Bharat Petroleum Corp will unlock
value by increasing investment and technology, its
chairman told a shareholders meeting on Monday.
"This (privatisation) is expected to unlock
tremendous value through sharpening of
professionalism, improvement in efficiencies,
increased investments, access to advanced
technologies and newer global markets and
product diversification, thus propelling future
growth," K Padmakar said. The government is
targeting that sale of its 53.29 per cent stake in
BPCL in this fiscal year ending March 2021. But the
privatisation could spill over into the next fiscal
year, according to a government document and
sources.
BPCL sale may be delayed to next fiscal
year, worsening federal deficit woes
India's efforts to privatise refiner Bharat
Petroleum Corp. Ltd. could spill over into the
next fiscal year, according to a government
document and sources, hurting New Delhi's
efforts to rein in a ballooning fiscal deficit. The
privatisation of key companies, including BPCL,
is a key part of government plans to pare the
fiscal deficit, which has breached its target level
just four months into the current fiscal year.
Industry sources last year estimated the
government's 53.29% stake in BPCL could fetch
$8 billion to $10 billion. With India's economy
contracting by a record 23.9% in the June
quarter due to COVID-19, a delayed sale of
BPCL could hinder the government's ability to

https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/ne
ws/oil-and-gas/bpcl-executive-says-privatisation-
will-unlock-value-for-company/78359962
generate funds for stimulus efforts aimed at
restoring growth.
https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/
news/oil-and-gas/bpcl-sale-may-be-delayed-
to-next-fiscal-year-worsening-federal-deficit-
woes/78312335
Tough time to attract global oil giants to
bid for BPCL
At a time when government is exploring all the
opportunities to find capital to infuse in the
economy, the fundraising through disinvestment
of its stake in BPCL is feared to find less takers
from global oil giants. The government sources
said that the global oil production and refining
companies are in dire financial crisis after the fall
of crude prices and COVID-19 outbreak. Besides,
they are in the process of scaling down their
exposure in fossil fuel as part of decarbonisation
targets. At the BPCL roadshows, which was held in
the UK, the US and UAE in January, global oil and
gas majors like Shell, Chevron, Conoco Philps,
Saudi Aramco, Rosneft and Exxon Mobil had
participated. But the COVID-19 outbreak had
toppled all the plans of the government to
conclude the bidding process by March. The lower
economic activities post the outbreak changed the
financial position of oil giants as most of them
posted losses in the last quarter. Going by the
current market capitalisation of BPCL, the buyer
will have to shell out at least Rs 45,000 crore to
buy the government's 53 per cent stake and about
Rs 23,000 crore for another 25 per cent from the
public in mandatory open offer.
Business Today - 22.09.2020
https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/
tough-time-to-attract-global-oil-giants-to-bid-for-
bpcl/story/416667.html
India saved Rs 5,000 cr by filling
strategic reserves with low-priced oil:
Dharmendra Pradhan
India saved over Rs 5,000 crore when the
country in April-May used two-decade low
international oil prices to fill up its three
strategic underground crude oil storages,
Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said
on Monday. India, the world's third-biggest oil
importer, has built strategic storages in
underground rock caverns at three places to
meet any contingency. "Taking advantage of
the low crude oil prices in the international
market, India purchased 16.71 million barrels
(mbbl) of crude in April-May, 2020 and filled all
the three Strategic Petroleum Reserves created
at Visakhapatnam, Mangalore, and Padur,"
Pradhan said in a written reply to a question in
Rajya Sabha. The average cost of procurement
of crude oil was USD 19 per barrel, as compared
to USD 60 a barrel prevailing during January
2020. This helped save USD 685.11 million or
Rs 5,069 crore, he said.
news/oil-and-gas/india-saved-rs-5000-cr-by-
filling-strategic-reserves-with-low-priced-oil-
dharmendra-pradhan/78234831
Dharmendra Pradhan invites US
companies to engage in developing gas
infrastructure in India
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and
Minister of Steel Dharmendra Pradhan on
Thursday discussed 'Strategic Energy Partnership'
during video conferencing with Kenneth Juster,
the US Ambassador to India, and invited the US
companies to engage more intensely in developing
the gas infrastructure in India. Informing about
the same in series of tweets, the Ministry of
Petroleum and Natural Gas said that, the Minister
also reviewed the strategic petroleum reserves'
cooperation initiated in June this year. "Minister of
Petroleum & Natural Gas and Minister of Steel
Dharmendra Pradhan had a discussion through VC
with Kenneth Juster, the US Ambassador to India
on India-US Strategic Energy Partnership. The US
India's August crude processing drops
as raging virus cases dim demand
Crude oil processed by Indian refiners slipped
26.4 per cent from a year ago in August, the
most in four months, as fuel demand remained
subdued on skyrocketing coronavirus cases that
hindered industrial and transport activity.
Indian refiners processed 3.82 million barrels
per day (bpd) or 16.15 million tonnes of crude
last month, 8.7 per cent lower than in July,
government data released on Thursday showed.
Crude oil throughput in August recorded its
largest year-on-year contraction since April,
when it posted its steepest decline since 2003.
Weaker refining margins and a slide in fuel
consumption have prompted refiners to cut
crude processing and lower output. Fuel
demand posted its biggest monthly decline

Ambassador to India recognized that the energy
component is emerging as a key constituent of the
India-US strategic partnership," tweeted the
Ministry.
ws/oil-and-gas/dharmendra-pradhan-invites-us-
companies-to-engage-in-developing-gas-
infrastructure-in-india/78307080
since April last month, as a surge in coronavirus
infections continued to throttle economic
activity and transportation. India has been
consistently reporting the world's highest daily
tallies of infections and its 5.7 million
coronavirus cases only trail the United States.
news/oil-and-gas/indias-august-crude-
processing-drops-as-raging-virus-cases-dim-
demand/78307036
Domestic crude oil production down
6.3% in August, natural gas output drops
9.5%
Domestic production of crude oil in August fell 6.3
per cent from a year earlier while natural gas
output dropped 9.5 per cent. Crude oil output fell
to 2.6 million metric tonnes in August, driven by a
17.5 per cent contraction in production from the
fields operated by the private sector and 11.4 per
cent drop in Oil India fields. Output from ONGC
fields was nearly flat. The near-absence of new
producing fields and slow efforts at enhancing
recovery from ageing fields have weighed on the
country's oil production for years. With a big dip in
private sector fields lately, the overall output
contraction appears to be sharper this financial
year at 6.1 per cent. The contribution from fields
operated by the private sector in overall oil
production has dropped to 24.3 per cent this year
from 27.6 per cent last year. Natural gas output is
also struggling with 9.5 per cent drop in August
from a year earlier and 13.2 per cent fall during
April-August.
ws/oil-and-gas/domestic-crude-oil-production-
down-6-3-in-august-natural-gas-output-dropps-
9-5/78276446
India's August crude imports continue
slide as economy stalls
India's crude oil imports declined in August,
albeit at a slower pace, as soaring coronavirus
cases continued to hit mobility and slowed
economic recovery, government data showed
on Monday. Crude oil imports last month fell
about 23.4 per cent from a year earlier to 15.15
million tonnes, or 3.58 million barrels per day
(bpd), data from the Petroleum Planning and
Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the Ministry of Petroleum
& Natural Gas showed. On a monthly basis,
imports rose 9.9 per cent from 13.79 million
tonnes, or 3.26 bpd in July. Fuel demand in the
world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer
also slipped in August, posting its biggest
monthly decline since April and a sixth
consecutive year-on-year drop. India's
coronavirus tally hit 5.49 million, with infections
second only to U.S. with 6.79 million, a figure
the country could overtake in the next few
weeks at its current rate of increase.
news/oil-and-gas/indias-august-crude-imports-
continue-slide-as-economy-stalls/78255882
Domestic gas prices may rise as govt
explores floor price mechanism
CNG and piped natural gas prices could face an
increase this festive season if the government
implements a new floor price mechanism for gas
produced from domestic fields by companies such
as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).
Sources said the petroleum ministry is considering
a proposal under which domestic gas will have a
floor pricing that would prevent fuel prices from
crashing below an identified threshold in the
current subdued market conditions and insulate oil
and gas explorers like ONGC from a tariff crash.
Talks are on to link gas prices with price Japan-
Korea Marker, a benchmark index used to
determine LNG tariff in North Asia with a discount.
With JKM prices hovering over $ 5 million British
LNG overtakes domestic gas supplies
LNG imports have overtaken domestic supplies
for the first time in India, reigniting demand
from the industry to decontrol as below-cost
prices dictated by the government formula
throttle local producers. Data shows domestic
gas met 47% of demand in 2019, while a spurt
in import of cheap cargoes pushed up the share
of LNG to 53% from 31% in 2017. LNG and
domestic gas are projected to share the market
equally in the next two years. “Natural gas is
truly becoming a global commodity. For the first
time, LNG has ‘outcompeted’ piped supplies in
Europe. Gas-on-gas competition is building up
globally. Even in India, LNG’s share is more
than 50%. Prices are also down. Time is right
for decontrol to boost domestic production and

thermal units (mmBtu) even with day $ 1 mmBtu
discount, the Indian gas floor price under this
formula will be close to $ 4 mmBtu. This is much
higher than the government administered price of
$ 2.39 mmBtu for the April-October, 2020 period.
And if implemented, it could increase the cost for
all gas consumers. "Nothing has been finalised on
having a gas floor price as of now.
ws/oil-and-gas/domestic-gas-prices-may-rise-as-
govt-explores-floor-price-mechanism/78361891
promote domestic gas business as upstream is
bleeding due to unremunerative prices,” ONGC
director (finance) Subhash Kumar told TOI.
The Times of India - 22.09.2020
KM%2F2020%2F09%2F22&entity=Ar01308&s
k=7EBCD6BC&mode=text
Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan wants
tourist towns to run on clean fuel
Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday
proposed to make major tourist destinations
switch completely to clean fuels with a view to
weaving sustainability into tourism. Addressing a
function organised to mark the World Tourism
Day, Pradhan said switching 100 per cent clean
fuels will further help protect monuments and
ensure a cleaner environment for the tourists.
Pradhan’s proposal build on his ministry’s ongoing
efforts to expand city gas (CNG and PNG) network
in 400 districts, which will wean public transport
away from diesel to clean-burning natural gas. The
government recently launched plans to fully power
Konarak, which hosts the famous sun temple in
Pradhan’s home state Odisha, with solar power.
ws/oil-and-gas/oil-minister-dharmendra-
pradhan-wants-tourist-towns-to-run-on-clean-
fuel/78355960
Govt notifies norms for alternative
fuels to promote sustainable
transportation
The Road Transport and Highways Ministry has
notified regulations for various alternative fuels
to further promote sustainable transportation,
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Sunday.
"After testing use of H-CNG (18 per cent mix of
hydrogen) as compared to neat CNG for
emission reduction, the Bureau of Indian
Standards has developed specifications of
hydrogen-enriched compressed natural gas (H-
CNG) for automotive purposes as a fuel," the
Road Transport, Highways and MSME Minister
said in a tweet. The notification for amendments
to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989, for
inclusion of H-CNG as an automotive fuel has
been published, the minister tweeted. It is a
step toward an alternative clean fuel for
transportation, he added.
news/oil-and-gas/govt-notifies-norms-for-
alternative-fuels-to-promote-sustainable-
transportation/78356037
OPEC turns 60 at 'critical moment' for
virus-hit oil
OPEC faces a critical moment in its 60-year history
with the coronavirus crushing crude demand and
prices, discord among its members, and threats
from a world seeking cleaner fuels. Founded on
September 14, 1960, by Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia and Venezuela who sought to control crude
oil output, OPEC currently comprises 13 members
including nations from Africa and Latin America.
The 60th anniversary "comes at a critical moment
in its history", UniCredit analyst Edoardo
Campanella said in reference to the Organization
of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. "Its ability
to steer the oil market in its favour has never been
put in question to the extent it is now," he noted.
- 'Relevant role' - The Vienna-based institution
convenes for regular meetings to assess the state
PSU oil retailers are not offering home
delivery of petrol, CNG, says Oil
Minister Pradhan
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has
clarified that home delivery of petrol and
Compressed Natural Gas is not being offered by
any of the public sector oil marketing companies
(OMCs). This was stated by Minister for
Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra
Pradhan in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha
on Monday. Pradhan said that Indian Oil
Corporation Ltd (IOCL), Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum
Corporation Ltd (BPCL) have informed that
home delivery of diesel is not offered by them
either. But, door-to-door delivery of diesel is
permitted for stationary equipment, machinery
and heavy vehicles which are located at specific

of supply and demand in the marketplace, and its
pronouncements can still spark major price
swings.
ws/oil-and-gas/opec-turns-60-at-critical-
moment-for-virus-hit-oil/78355992
customer sites, in dedicated industrial zones,
equipment operating in mines, construction
sites, agricultural machinery, diesel generators,
vehicles among others, which cannot come to
the service station for refuelling. “The door-to-
door delivery of diesel is carried out by the
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation
(PESO) licensed mobile dispensers to the
identified customers through start-ups and
dealer owned mobile dispensers.
Energy Infra Post - 22.09.2020
https://www.energyinfrapost.com/psu-oil-
retailers-are-not-offering-home-delivery-of-
petrol-cng-says-oil-minister-pradhan/
India's crude steel output falls over 4%
to 8.48 MT in August: worldsteel
India's crude steel production fell over 4% to
8.478 million tonnes (MT) in August 2020,
according to the World Steel Association
(worldsteel). The country had produced 8.869 MT
of crude steel during the same month last year,
the global industry body said in its latest report.
However, global steel output has started showing
a positive trend, the data showed. "World crude
steel production for 64 countries reporting to the
worldsteel was 156.244 MT in August 2020,
registering a rise of 0.6% compared to August
2019," the worldsteel said. "Due to the ongoing
difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic,
many of this month's figures are estimates that
may be revised with next month's production
update," it added. Global steel production was at
155.374 MT in August 2019.
Mint - 28.09.2020
https://www.livemint.com/industry/manufacturin
g/india-s-crude-steel-output-falls-over-4-to-8-
48-mt-in-august-worldsteel-
11601197130477.html
Container cargo handling at major
ports drops about 25% in April-Aug:
IPA
Container cargo handling at India's major ports
fell about 25 per cent during April-August amid
the COVID-19 pandemic, according to ports
body IPA data. Container cargo in terms of TEUs
(twenty-foot equivalent unit) at India's 12
major ports dropped 25 per cent to 3.25 million
in the April-August period of the current fiscal,
showed the latest data from the Indian Ports'
Association (IPA). In terms of tonnage, the
container cargo declined 22.45 per cent to
49.26 million tonnes (MT) during the period.
These ports had handled containers to the tune
of 4.34 million TEUs and 63.53 MT in terms of
tonnage in the April-August period of the
previous financial year. The IPA, which
maintains cargo data handled by these ports, in
its latest report said "percentage variation from
the previous year" in container handling in
terms of TEUs and tonnage was 25.01 per cent
and 22.45 per cent, respectively.
Business Standard - 27.09.2020
https://www.business-
standard.com/article/economy-
policy/container-cargo-handling-at-major-
ports-drops-about-25-in-april-aug-ipa-
120092700192_1.html
LS clears Bill to give greater autonomy to
12 major ports
Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks
to provide greater autonomy in decision-making to
12 major ports in the country and professionalise
their governance by setting up boards. The Major
Port Authorities Bill, 2020, seeks to repeal the
Major Port Trusts Act of 1963. The bill aims to
provide for regulation, operation and planning of
major ports in India and to vest the
administration, control and management of such
ports upon the boards of major port authorities
and for matters connected therewith or incidental
Do not act on anonymous corruption
complaints or face action: CVC to govt
depts
Anonymous corruption complaints should not be
taken cognisance of, the Central Vigilance
Commission (CVC) has told all government
departments, saying any violation of this
guideline will be “viewed seriously”. The move
comes after the probity watchdog noticed
instances wherein some
departments/organisations were taking
cognisance of anonymous complaints, despite
strict guidelines issued by Department of

thereto, be taken into consideration. "This would
enable our ports to become world class and enable
board to take decision on their own," Shipping
Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said while relying to
debate on the bill. In terms of volume, 70 per cent
of cargo movement is through ports while 90 per
cent in value terms. Replying to concerns raised
by opposition, the minister said interest of all
employees and pensioners would be safeguarded.
Millennium Post - 24.09.2020
http://www.millenniumpost.in/business/ls-clears-
bill-to-give-greater-autonomy-to-12-major-ports-
419151
Personnel and Training (DoPT) and the CVC.
“Such non-compliance/violation of guidelines by
the concerned authorities would be viewed
seriously,” said the order issued on Thursday.
All chief vigilance officers -- who act as distant
arm of the CVC to check corruption -- and
administrative authorities should ensures strict
compliance to these instructions, it said. The
Commission said that earlier orders by the DoPT
and the CVC prescribed that “no action would
be taken on anonymous/pseudonymous
complaints” by ministries/
departments/organisations.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/p
olitics-and-nation/do-not-act-on-anonymous-
corruption-complaints-or-face-action-cvc-to-
govt-depts/articleshow/78349443.cms
CAG points out gaps in CPSEs toilet
construction in schools
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India’
(CAG) report on toilet construction in schools by
central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) has
pointed out several gaps in the marquee scheme.
“There were gaps in achieving this objective
mainly due to poor maintenance of toilets, lack of
dedicated funds and poor water availability inside
toilets," said the government’s audit watchdog in
a press statement. The compliance audit report
titled “Construction of Toilets in Schools by CPSEs"
was presented in the Parliament on Wednesday.
According to the press statement, 53 state run
firms constructed 1,40,997 toilets. Of the 2,326
constructed toilets surveyed, around a third or
691weren’t in use “due to lack of running water,
lack of cleaning arrangements, damages to the
toilets and other reasons like use of toilets for
other purposes, toilets locked up etc." In
September 2014, the cabinet committee on
economic affairs approved the Swachh Bharat
mission that was officially launched on 2 October
2014 for a period of five years to create a clean
India.
Mint - 23.09.2020
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/cag-
points-out-gaps-in-cpses-toilet-construction-in-
schools-11600878573717.html
Arun Kumar Singh takes additional
charge of Director (Refineries) at BPCL
Arun Kumar Singh, Director (Marketing) of
Bharat Petroleum, has taken over the additional
charge of Director (Refineries) of BPCL on 18th
September 2020. He is a Mechanical Engineer
with first rank from National Institute of
Technology, Patna (Formerly BCE, Patna).
During his illustrious career, he has headed
various Business Units and Entities in BPCL, like
Retail, LPG, Pipelines, Supply Chain
Optimization, etc. and has experience of over
35 years. He was appointed as Director (M),
BPCL on 1st October 2018. He has also held the
position of President (Africa & Australasia) in
Bharat PetroResources Ltd., a wholly owned
Subsidiary of BPCL and Chairman of
Indraprastha Gas Ltd., a Joint Venture
Company. A Fortune Global 500 Company, BPCL
is one of the premier integrated energy
companies in India, engaged in refining of crude
oil and marketing of petroleum products, with a
significant presence in the upstream and
downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry
news/oil-and-gas/arun-singh-director-m-
takes-additional-charge-of-director-refineries-
bpcl/78294670
K. Padmakar Director (HR) takes additional charge as CMD, BPCL
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 23 (ANI/NewsVoir): K Padmakar, Director (HR) has taken
over additional charge as Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Petroleum from 1st September 2020
on the superannuation of D Rajkumar, at close of work on 31st August 2020. He has over 36 years of
experience in BPCL and has worked across the entire Human Resource Management Function covering
Policy Framework, HR Strategy and Organizational Learning & Talent Management. He has been
Director on the board since February 2018. A Fortune Global 500 Company, BPCL is one of the premier
integrated energy companies in India, engaged in refining of crude oil and marketing of petroleum
products, with a significant presence in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas

industry. BPCL has attained the coveted Maharatna status, joining the elite club of companies enjoying
enhanced financial autonomy and other decision making authorities.
Business Standard - 23.09.2020
https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/k-padmakar-director-hr-takes-
additional-charge-as-cmd-bpcl-120092301001_1.html

Weekly media update 28 09_2020

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