Air Kerala will take off on April 14

Air Kerala, the state government's airline, would be launched April 14, 2013, to coincide with Vishu, new year's day in the Malayalam calendar, says Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.

'It (Air Kerala) will be airborne April 14. The only question is whether the first flight will be an international or domestic one. Next month, we will be applying to the director general of civil aviation with the preliminary capital of Rs. 100 crore, which we will raise by then,' Chandy, who is convalescing after a leg injury, told IANS during an exclusive chat.

The chief minister explained that under the rules, an airline can only fly international routes after completing five years of domestic service; there is also a stipulation about the number of aircraft that an airline operating internationally should have.

'But Air India Express was given a relaxation in rules when it started international operations. They said it was because it was a subsidiary of Air India. So, when the state government put up the application, we also sought similar exemption. Moreover, at the moment, we are given to understand that one foreign airline is allowed to fly in here, without observing these stipulations,' Chandy said.

Chandy first took up the project in 2004. After he stepped down in 2006, the project lay in cold storage, during the tenure of the Left government.

On returning as chief minister last May, one of the first decisions Chandy took was to revive this project. He has received support from Malayalee businessmen in the Middle East.

'We have, in principle, decided to float shares of Rs.10,000 each and we were surprised when our own Malayalee businessmen there (in the Middle East) who employ thousands of employees agreed to take shares in their employees' names. Each of them employ more than 20,000 employees, so the issue of raising money of Rs.500 crore is not at all a problem. We are confident our dream will soon take flight,' Chandy said.

Chandy has drawn out a schedule, and fixed April 14 as the target date for launch of the new airline.
And if Air Kerala is unable to fly international, it will at least take to domestic skies.

With Air India having opened a brand new hangar facility in the Thiruvananthapuram airport, Air Kerala, on entering into a contract with Air India and paying the maintenance charges, can use the hangar here, the chief minister said.

Air Kerala will also have access to the engineering department of Air India, so it will not need to recruit engineers, he added.

Air India was given the land for setting up the hangar free of cost by the Kerala government. What this means, though, is that Air Kerala can only lease B 737-800 aircraft; these are what the hangar here is equipped to service.

Clash against India a mini grand final: Michael Hussey

Colombo: Australia's veteran batsman Mike Hussey feels that Friday's Super Eights clash with India would be a mini-grand final in the World Twenty20.

Australia, who are yet to lift a World Twenty20 title, face a tall order in the Super Eights stage. First they take on India and then South Africa and Pakistan.

"The pressure and tension are only going to rise as we get closer to that India match because it's a huge game," Hussey was quoted as saying by the Australian media Wednesday.

Hussey feels a win can help Australia stake their claim for a place in the semi-final.

"If we can win that first one in the Super Eights, it does give you that confidence and that little buffer that you know you just need one out of the last two to get through. It's pretty much an early grand final really in the context of the tournament," he said.

Mahindra Quanto launched at Rs. 5.82 lakhs

New Delhi: Home grown auto major Mahindra and Mahindra today launched its multi-utility vehicle, the Quanto.

At under 4 metres, the Quanto is the smallest MUV in Mahindra’s stable.

Priced at Rs. 5.82 lakh, the vehicle is powered by a 1.5-litre diesel engine. The top-end model will set you back by Rs. 7.36 lakh.

The Quanto has opened up a new segment in the Indian automobile market and has an opportunity to consolidate its presence before others jump in. However, it may see some competition from the passenger car segment due to its pricing. Maruti Suzuki’s Ertiga and Renault’s Duster, among others, are being seen as its competitors for now.

The smaller length of the Quanto means buyers will have to shell out only 12 per cent excise duty as compared the 27 per cent for larger vehicles.

The company plans to sell 1,500-2,000 Quantos a year.

Mahindra's passenger car sales have outpaced that of local rivals such as Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors thanks to huge demand for its new XUV 500 and its all-diesel line-up.

“With the Quanto, Mahindra is aiming to fill a need gap in the Indian automotive market for a versatile and compact SUV. We expect the Quanto to offer an exciting upgrade at a premium to customers who are otherwise looking for premium diesel hatchbacks or entry level diesel sedans,” Pawan Goenka, president, automotive & farm equipment sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra, had said last month.
Source:NDTV

Australian great Matthew Hayden quits cricket

Sydney: Veteran Australian opener Matthew Hayden has called time on his glittering playing career, opting not to play in Australia's domestic Twenty20 series this year, his Brisbane Heat team said on Thursday. The Heat said that after lengthy discussions, Hayden, 40, had opted not to return for a final series after signing as their marquee player for last season's inaugural T20 Big Bash League.

Hayden, who retired from Test cricket in 2009, played for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League in 2010. He took a sabbatical from cricket before returning to play for the Brisbane team in 2011-12. "I will be pursuing my initial intention and agreement with the Heat of moving from the pitch to the boardroom, where I hope to continue to make a meaningful contribution to the Big Bash League and the Brisbane Heat," Hayden said in a statement. "I also plan to be very active in promoting and supporting the Brisbane Heat both on and off the field, and to contribute to the long-term success of the franchise."

Hayden said cricket would remain a significant part of his life. "Whilst closing the final chapter was difficult, it feels great to be more actively involved in supporting and nurturing our next generation, especially now with my children," he said. Hayden scored 8,625 runs in 103 Tests for his country with 30 centuries, at an average of more than 50. He also played 161 one-day internationals.

Oil companies raised premium or branded petrol and diesel rates steeply...

New Delhi: Days after the steepest diesel price hike, oil companies today raised premium or branded petrol and diesel rates by Rs. 6.36 and Rs. 19.55 per litre, respectively.

The government, on Thursday, had raised diesel price by Rs. 5.63 per litre and allowed the oil companies to price premium or branded petrol and diesel at market prices.

Subsequently, the premium or branded petrol in Delhi is being sold at Rs. 77.58 per litre from today as against Rs. 71.22 previously.

Similarly, premium or branded diesel is being sold at Rs. 65.81 per litre as against Rs. 46.26 previously, industry sources said.

Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) sells premium or branded petrol under the brand name 'XtraPremium', while Bharat Petroleum calls it 'Speed'. Hindustan Petroleum sells the fuel under the brand name 'Power'.

BCCI terminates Deccan Chargers' IPL contract

The Deccan Chargers' IPL contract has been terminated after a decision was reached in an emergency IPL council meet.

It was earlier reported that the Hyderabad-based Deccan Chargers was likely to survive in the Indian Premier League as YES Bank, one of its lenders, had agreed to bail them out by paying the players' salaries for Season 5.

It seems now that the BCCI has not taken the matter lightly and decided to go ahead with the tough decision.

On Thursday, debt-ridden Deccan Chargers' attempt to find a buyer had ended in an anti-climax with the IPL team rejecting the only bid they received, throwing the future of the beleaguered franchise into uncertainty.

Deccan Chronicle Holdings, the owner of Deccan Chargers, reportedly received a bid of Rs. 900 crore from PVP Ventures Limited, a Hyderabad-based company engaged in urban infrastructure and financing movies, but surprisingly chose to reject it at the auction as it considered the price and terms unacceptable.

The board, which was forced to take a decision on the fate of Chargers, had announced the date of the Working committee meeting as Saturday, September 15.

Source : NDTV Sports (With PTI inputs)

Parineeti Chopra in Band Bajaa Baarat Remake

Latest news buzz is that Parineti Chopra has been almost finlaised as the lead actress in Band Bajaa Baarat remake.

Band Baaja Baraat is a romantic movie about two graduates named Shruti and Bittoo from the University of Delhi, who start a tumultuous business venture as Wedding Planners together with a strict rule: Not to mix business with pleasure. But some things test their friendship over time and eventually make them discover one another. Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh played Shruti and Bittoo in it.



The lead actor has not been finalised till yet but most probably Telegu actor Nani will get the nod.

Nani, who is busy with three projects, will be on cloud nine. The Tollywood star has been flooded with several new offers after the huge success of recent movie Eega.