News / Author / Manoj Ahuja

Manoj Ahuja

Manoj Ahuja is a principal correspondent based in Indore. He writes on business, agriculture and aviation. His focus is on south-western Madhya Pradesh, particularly the tribal belt.

Articles by Manoj Ahuja

Intra-state air taxi services finally ready for takeoff in MP

Frequent flyers to Bhopal and Jabalpur have a reason to cheer. After a four-month delay, the intra-state air taxi service connecting Indore to Bhopal, Jabalpur, and tourist hotspots Khajuraho and Sirdi will finally take off on January 16.

Supreme Transport Aviation is waiting for air worthiness certificate.(Pic for representative purpose)

cities

Published on Jan 10, 2016 08:33 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

LPG subsidy directive to have minimal impact on Indore region

The central government’s decision to scrap cooking gas subsidy for those earning more than Rs 10 lakh annually will not have any major impact on Indore region.

With effect from January 1, the LPG consumers with taxable income of more than Rs 10 lakh per annum will no longer get subsidy on gas cylinders.(File photo)

cities

Updated on Jan 07, 2016 08:03 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

MP: 4G service in line, 2G subscribers may jump over 3G

With leading mobile operators all set to launch fourth generation (4G) services in the Madhya Pradesh circle in next few weeks, a large number of subscribers may leapfrog from 2G to the 4G data service, giving 3G a miss, say experts.

According to industry sources, the response of 3G in MP had been lukewarm until mid-2015.(REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

cities

Updated on Jan 07, 2016 06:32 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

BSNL has lost out to private sector, admits CMD

The chairman and managing director of the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Anupam Shrivastava in Indore on Monday said that company lost out to the private sector in the mobile telephony market as it was unable to install crucial equipment from 2006 to 2012.

cities

Updated on Jan 04, 2016 09:07 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

MP to triple its solar power capacity by 2017

Madhya Pradesh is on track to triple its solar power generation capacity in the next two years with several big-ticket projects under implementation, a senior government official told HT.

In terms of solar power generation, Madhya ranks third in India behind Rajasthan and Gujarat.(Arun Mondhe/HT file photo)

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Published on Dec 31, 2015 09:06 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

High day temp spells trouble for wheat crop in MP

With day temperatures at record high this winter, the worst fears of farmers in Madhya Pradesh seem to be coming true as experts warn that wheat crop yield will be hit.

Experts have warned that wheat crop yield will be hit this year in Madhya Pradesh due to high day temperatures.(Bharat Bhushan/HT file photo)

cities

Published on Dec 31, 2015 07:42 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

2015: Infra development fails to keep pace with growth in MP

In 2007, Madhya Pradesh organised its first Global Investors Summit. Eight years down the line, even as the state has seen rapid industrial growth, the development of industrial infrastructure has failed to keep pace.

Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Global Investors Summit-2014.(Arun Mondhe/HT file)

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Published on Dec 31, 2015 05:59 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Pithampur firm to pay $100,000 fine for using pirated software

Pithampur-based textile firm Pratibha Syntex will cough up USD 100,000 (Rs 66 lakhs) to settle charges of using pirated software including that of Microsoft and Adobe.

cities

Updated on Dec 29, 2015 11:02 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Pithampur textile firm fined $100,000 for using pirated software

Pratibha Syntex, a Pithampur-based textile firm, has been directed to cough up $100,000 (`66 lakh) within a month to settle charges of using pirated software – including Microsoft and Adobe programs – in its operations

business

Updated on Dec 29, 2015 11:04 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Indore airport runway revamp: Choice of summer season was unavoidable

Why did Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials choose the peak summer season for scheduling the re-carpeting work of the only long runway at the Indore airport?

About seven to eight morning flights will be affected due to revamp of the 9,000 feet runway from February 16.(Arun Mondhe/HT file photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 29, 2015 09:39 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

‘Indore real estate market on revival path’

The Indore real estate market is showing signs of revival with growing demand from end users even as property prices remain stagnant for the last three years.

Brokers and builders hope that home buyers will shed ‘wait and watch’ approach.(File photo)

cities

Published on Dec 28, 2015 06:32 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Twin industrial hubs in Pithampur: MP govt looks for financier

The Madhya Pradesh government has set the ball rolling to build two world-class industrial hubs on 1,200-acre land in Pithampur industrial area earmarked for investors from Japan and Korea.

The Madhya Pradesh government has set the ball rolling to build two world-class industrial hubs on 1,200-acre land in Pithampur industrial area.(File photo)

cities

Published on Dec 25, 2015 08:19 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Over exploitation of groundwater in Pithampur sets off alarm bells

Water level in the parched Pithampur industrial area has dipped by over 200 feet over the last five years to stand at an alarming 600 feet allegedly due to overexploitation of groundwater by industries and farmers in nearby villages.

Water level in the parched Pithampur industrial area has dipped by over 200 feet over the last five years.(File photo)

cities

Published on Dec 24, 2015 09:59 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

PFC-led consortium to take over Maheshwar hydel project in MP

In a major development, a consortium led by Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has decided to take over the Maheshwar hydel project, which has been stuck for the past many years due to delay in relief and rehabilitation of project affected people.

According to Central Electricity Authority, the Maheshwar hydel project has been delayed by 14 years due to cash flow issues and inability to pay project affected people for rehabilitation.(HT file photo)

cities

Published on Dec 22, 2015 08:26 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Pithampur: How an industrial hub full of promise now taints the soil

In the 1980s, when the Pithampur industrial hub came up in Dhar district, people from the villages nearby rejoiced at the prospect of an increase in employment opportunities. Today, thousands of jobs have materialised in 800-odd industrial units, but villagers wonder if they are worth the catastrophe that has now visited upon them.

As many as 10,000 villagers are suffering from the adverse effects of the industrial pollutants that have contaminated the groundwater in Pithampur industrial area.(HT File Photo)

india news

Updated on Dec 24, 2015 07:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByPunya Priya Mitra and Manoj Ahuja, Pithampur, Indore

Carbide waste disposal: Trial report submitted to environment ministry

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has forwarded the report of trial runs of union carbide toxic waste disposal to the union environment ministry, a senior board official said on Friday.

About 350 tonnes of toxic waste is lying at the union carbide plant since more than two decades.(Mujeeb Faruqui/HT file photo)

cities

Published on Dec 19, 2015 04:12 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Pithampur may get Narmada water by early 2018

Pithampur industrial area is likely to see the end of its water woes in just two years.

The area, which consumes 18-20 MLD, faces acute water shortage every summer.(File photo)

cities

Published on Dec 14, 2015 07:52 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Farmers burn crop residue in MP, practice causes soil erosion

MP state agriculture department officials say the government conducts regular training camps for farmers where they are told not to burn the crop residue.

cities

Updated on Dec 11, 2015 10:33 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Property market in Indore subdued but bad phase gone: Experts

The real estate market in Indore continues to stagnate due to lack of liquidity, but property prices may have bottomed out, say experts.

With property prices in the main localities of Indore ruling sky high and land in short supply, there is greater development on the outskirts of the city.(File photo)

cities

Published on Dec 10, 2015 07:49 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

MP: After poor kharif season, low rabi yield may worsen farmers’ woes

Farmers in MP hoping for good days to arrive after a disastrous kharif (summer) crop yield are in for more misery as erratic weather has hit the sowing of rabi (winter) crop, mainly wheat.

While government officials had cautioned farmers against hasty sowing of wheat, most farmers look at the time of the year rather than temperatures before sowing.(Photo for representation)

cities

Updated on Dec 08, 2015 10:36 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Jackal menace abates at Indore airport after increase in vigil

In the one-year period since a jackal had come between the tyres of a Spice Jet aircraft while it was taxiing at Indore airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken a series of steps to make the premises more secure.

The incident of wild boars straying onto the runway at Jabalpur airport on Friday when a Spice Jet aircraft had landed has brought back the jackal menace at Indore airport into focus.(Representative image)

cities

Published on Dec 05, 2015 09:44 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Warm winter poses threat to optimum wheat yield in Madhya Pradesh

Most farmers in Madhya Pradesh may not be aware of the UN conference in Paris, but they are certainly losing sleep over climate change that threatens to impact the wheat yield this year.

Many farmers look at the availability of water rather than the temperatures before sowing the crop.(Shankar Mourya/HT file)

cities

Published on Dec 01, 2015 07:29 PM IST

ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

‘Home away from home’ for Japanese investors in MP

The Madhya Pradesh government is working to set up a Japan Industrial Town which will house all amenities to suit the taste of the Japanese to woo Japanese investors to the exclusive industrial zone earmarked in Pithampur near Indore.

cities

Updated on Nov 14, 2015 08:25 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

MP govt wants PSU to take over Maheshwar hydel project

Efforts are underway to hand over the 400 MW Maheshwar hydel project -- the first privately promoted one in Madhya Pradesh -- to a government public sector unit (PSU).

Efforts are underway to hand over the 400 MW Maheshwar hydel project to a government public sector unit.(File photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 05, 2015 10:58 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Maheshwar hydel project: NGT order setback for financial restructuring

Efforts to carry out financial restructuring of the much-delayed 400 MW Shree Maheshwar hydel project on the Narmada river received a major setback after the recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) order.

The NGT has directed the government that the gates of the Maheshwar dam cannot be closed and the dam cannot be filled until rehabilitation and resettlement of the people affected by the project is completed.(HT file photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 05, 2015 07:30 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Soon, all autos in Indore to run with digital meters

Working towards making the lives of commuters in Indore easier, the regional transport office (RTO) is finalising plans to make electronic meters in auto-rickshaws compulsory in the city.

More than 10,000 auto-rickshaws in the city have been running with old meters, which are often not calibrated properly.(HT file photo)

cities

Published on Nov 03, 2015 06:46 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Fall in soymeal exports reins in soybean prices, says SOPA in Indore

A lower-than-usual demand for Indian soybean meal is proving to be a blessing in disguise for soybean processors, as it has kept soybean prices in check despite a steep fall in production estimates this kharif season.

The soybean yield has fallen drastically this year. The MP agriculture department has cited erratic rainfall and pest attacks as factors that affected the crop.(Praveen Bajpai/HT file photo)

cities

Published on Oct 31, 2015 07:46 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

MP facing Rs 22K-cr crop loss due to erratic monsoon

Erratic monsoon has led to crop loss to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh this kharif season, a top official has said.

The state agriculture department has cited erratic monsoon as the main factor resulting in large-scale crop damage.(Representative photo)

cities

Updated on Oct 23, 2015 09:36 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Wheat farmers in MP advised to go for late sowing

With the threat of El Nino looming large over rabi crops, scientists have advised farmers to opt for late sowing of the wheat crop to neutralize the effect of the comparatively warmer winter in Madhya Pradesh this year.

Harvested wheat crop at Sanyogitaganj Mandi in Indore.(Arun Mondhe/HT file photo)

cities

Published on Oct 20, 2015 07:45 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

Speculation adding to soaring pulse prices, allege traders in Indore

While shortage of pulses and festive season demand are driving the commodity prices higher, rampant speculation has also contributed to the recent spike, allege traders in Indore.

Pulse prices have seen a steep rise over the past 12 months, with tur dal and urad dal touching an all-time high.(HT file/Shankar Mourya)

cities

Published on Oct 18, 2015 03:18 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Ahuja, Indore

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Manoj Ahuja

Manoj Ahuja is a principal correspondent based in Indore. He writes on business, agriculture and aviation. His focus is on south-western Madhya Pradesh, particularly the tribal belt.

Frequent flyers to Bhopal and Jabalpur have a reason to cheer. After a four-month delay, the intra-state air taxi service connecting Indore to Bhopal, Jabalpur, and tourist hotspots Khajuraho and Sirdi will finally take off on January 16.

The central government’s decision to scrap cooking gas subsidy for those earning more than Rs 10 lakh annually will not have any major impact on Indore region.

With leading mobile operators all set to launch fourth generation (4G) services in the Madhya Pradesh circle in next few weeks, a large number of subscribers may leapfrog from 2G to the 4G data service, giving 3G a miss, say experts.

The chairman and managing director of the state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Anupam Shrivastava in Indore on Monday said that company lost out to the private sector in the mobile telephony market as it was unable to install crucial equipment from 2006 to 2012.

Madhya Pradesh is on track to triple its solar power generation capacity in the next two years with several big-ticket projects under implementation, a senior government official told HT.

With day temperatures at record high this winter, the worst fears of farmers in Madhya Pradesh seem to be coming true as experts warn that wheat crop yield will be hit.

In 2007, Madhya Pradesh organised its first Global Investors Summit. Eight years down the line, even as the state has seen rapid industrial growth, the development of industrial infrastructure has failed to keep pace.

Pithampur-based textile firm Pratibha Syntex will cough up USD 100,000 (Rs 66 lakhs) to settle charges of using pirated software including that of Microsoft and Adobe.

Pratibha Syntex, a Pithampur-based textile firm, has been directed to cough up $100,000 (`66 lakh) within a month to settle charges of using pirated software – including Microsoft and Adobe programs – in its operations

Why did Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials choose the peak summer season for scheduling the re-carpeting work of the only long runway at the Indore airport?

The Indore real estate market is showing signs of revival with growing demand from end users even as property prices remain stagnant for the last three years.

The Madhya Pradesh government has set the ball rolling to build two world-class industrial hubs on 1,200-acre land in Pithampur industrial area earmarked for investors from Japan and Korea.

Water level in the parched Pithampur industrial area has dipped by over 200 feet over the last five years to stand at an alarming 600 feet allegedly due to overexploitation of groundwater by industries and farmers in nearby villages.

In a major development, a consortium led by Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has decided to take over the Maheshwar hydel project, which has been stuck for the past many years due to delay in relief and rehabilitation of project affected people.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has forwarded the report of trial runs of union carbide toxic waste disposal to the union environment ministry, a senior board official said on Friday.

Pithampur industrial area is likely to see the end of its water woes in just two years.

MP state agriculture department officials say the government conducts regular training camps for farmers where they are told not to burn the crop residue.

The real estate market in Indore continues to stagnate due to lack of liquidity, but property prices may have bottomed out, say experts.

Farmers in MP hoping for good days to arrive after a disastrous kharif (summer) crop yield are in for more misery as erratic weather has hit the sowing of rabi (winter) crop, mainly wheat.

In the one-year period since a jackal had come between the tyres of a Spice Jet aircraft while it was taxiing at Indore airport, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has taken a series of steps to make the premises more secure.

Most farmers in Madhya Pradesh may not be aware of the UN conference in Paris, but they are certainly losing sleep over climate change that threatens to impact the wheat yield this year.

The Madhya Pradesh government is working to set up a Japan Industrial Town which will house all amenities to suit the taste of the Japanese to woo Japanese investors to the exclusive industrial zone earmarked in Pithampur near Indore.

Efforts are underway to hand over the 400 MW Maheshwar hydel project -- the first privately promoted one in Madhya Pradesh -- to a government public sector unit (PSU).

Efforts to carry out financial restructuring of the much-delayed 400 MW Shree Maheshwar hydel project on the Narmada river received a major setback after the recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) order.

Working towards making the lives of commuters in Indore easier, the regional transport office (RTO) is finalising plans to make electronic meters in auto-rickshaws compulsory in the city.

A lower-than-usual demand for Indian soybean meal is proving to be a blessing in disguise for soybean processors, as it has kept soybean prices in check despite a steep fall in production estimates this kharif season.

Erratic monsoon has led to crop loss to the tune of Rs 22,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh this kharif season, a top official has said.

With the threat of El Nino looming large over rabi crops, scientists have advised farmers to opt for late sowing of the wheat crop to neutralize the effect of the comparatively warmer winter in Madhya Pradesh this year.

While shortage of pulses and festive season demand are driving the commodity prices higher, rampant speculation has also contributed to the recent spike, allege traders in Indore.

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