Vodafone has made announcement about the launching of its new service, named ‘Vodafone Friends Circle’ permitting customers to make local calls to family and friends more frequent and long.

The offer is for both pre paid and post paid users.

The facility allows users to add up at least 5 numbers and enjoy extra talk time to local calls at just 20 paise per min.

This service can easily be activated by sending an SMS ‘FRIENDS’ to a toll free number 144.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has exempted PepsiCo from the divestment clause, paving a way for the infusion of $50-million (about Rs. 250 crore) foreign direct investment (FDI) from Pepsico Holdings to its Indian operations. The Union Government has already allowed 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the food processing sector.

Addressing reports, Union Science and Technology Minister, Kapil Sibal said, "When Pepsico India Holding first invested in India, guidelines for investment were different. The guidelines have changed now."

On the very first day of the 2009, Nokia launched its ‘Take Back’ campaign with the aim to encourage the users of mobile phone to dispose off their used handsets and accessories at any of the recycling bins set up across Nokia priority dealers and Nokia care centres, no matter what brand they belong to.  

Nokia would plant a tree for each handset dropped into the recycling bins and would also be gifting presents to the people participating in its campaign.

Mumbai-headquartered ABM Knowledgeware Ltd has recieved an E-government Contract worth Rs 116 Crore from Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the largest Municipal Corporation in Asia.

The scope of work involves supply of SAP Licenses, Implementation of SAP Payroll for Employees of MCGM and Providing SAP Change Management Support till year 2011.

It may be noted that all these software and services will be billed to MCGM by ABM as per the Contract signed between MCGM and the Consortium of ABM-Siemens.

Apart from winning various orders worth 294 crore, Era Infra Engineering Ltd today bagged another contract worth Rs 49.51 crore from BHEL, the country’s premier engineering organization.

The order is for civil, architectural and structural works for GSECL, 1x500 MW Ukai TPS Extension Unit # 6 CHP & AHP Project, District Surat, Gujarat.
The company stated in a release that, the cost of steel is not included in the value of the order as BHEL will supply it free of cost.

Era Infra Engineering Ltd, a unified infrastructure development conglomerate, has informed that the company has pocketed four orders worth Rs 294.13 crore.

The company has secured first contract worth Rs 88.78 crore from National Institute of Technology, Calicut for construction of "Mega Hostel" at NIT, Calicut. The scope of work includes civil works, plumbing & sanitary works, electrical installation work, fire hydrant and alarm works, road and drain works.