The city-based food maker’s net sales during the period under review stood at Rs.1,486.63 crore compared to Rs.1,309.57 crore in the same period a year ago, it said in a filing to the BSE.

“Our results are a reflection of our focus on driving consumer off-take and operational efficiencies to generate sustainable and profitable growth,” company’s managing director Vinita Bali said in a statement.

The firm has witnessed a 100 basis points increase in its operating margin, Bali added.

The workshop will be led by Debashis Chatterjee, director, IIM Kozhikode, and his colleagues.

“The workshop assumes immense significance in view of the crisis faced by the banking industry in India and the rest of the world. Our aspiration is that this workshop will sensitise the captains of the banking industry about the role of human values and professional ethics in the financial service sector,” said Chatterjee.

The workshop will be attended by the top banking officials of Allahabad Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India, Corporation Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Punjab National Bank, Syndicate Bank, UCO Bank, Union Bank of India, United Bank of India and Vijaya Bank.

En route from Dubai, the vessel was received by Deputy Chief Minister Francisco D’Souza at Goa’s only major port.

Speaking to the media here, Captain Rajesh Saigal, senior general manager of J.M. Baxi and Company, which manages the logistics of this cruise in India, said: “There are 2,947 passengers from different countries and about 1,197 crew members with 1,500 cabins in this 311-metre long ship.”

Tourism minister Dilip Parulekar, who has been agruing for broadbasing Goa’s tourism profile, said that efforts were being made to ensure that more cruise vessels dock at Goa.

“We welcome this cruise and we will work on bringing-in more cruises and tourists in Goa,” Parulekar said.

The swanky Mariner of the Seas is the largest cruise ship home-porting in Asia and is en route to Singapore from Dubai. It is expected to dock at Kochi May 26 followed by Penang and Port Klang, both in Malaysia.

The ship offers cruisers the renowned Voyager Class activities and entertainment such as the ice-skating rink, a boulevard of shops and cafes, a full-sized sports court, in-line skating track, rock-climbing wall and mini-golf course.

In addition, there is a three-tier theatre, theme bars and lounges as well as a mezzanine split level nightclub.

In its report on ports development in India, released here Friday, it underlined the need to expand the existing framework to attract participation from the private sector for development of infrastructure facilities and other related activities to make India’s ports infrastructure on par with the international standard.

Releasing the report, Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat said private participation in port development was affected by lack of level playing field for them, hinterland connectivity, especially lack of coordination between road, rail and port authorities, absence of long term guarantees and proper risk allocation.

The study also pointed out that the uncertainty about the relationship between the major and minor ports as well as between the existing and green field ports was affecting the development of new ports.

“The procedural issues that come in the way of getting statutory clearances for the development of minor ports in the wake of apprehensions raised about ensuring adequate business for the incumbent ports and the issue of bringing minor ports under the regulation of Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) have held back the private investments in the minor ports,” it said.

Assocham called upon all maritime states to emulate the success stories of Gujarat and Odisha in port development.

Sannareddy, chairman of the Assocham Southern Region Council, pointed out that out of the total 881 public private partnership (PPP) projects worth over Rs.5.4 lakh crore taken up under the PPP model across India, 62 projects in the port sector worth over Rs.82,000 crore are in the different stages of implementation.

While 21 PPP projects in the port sector worth over Rs.43,000 crore are under construction, eight projects worth about Rs.14,000 crore are under bidding.

As many as 31 PPP port projects worth over Rs.24,700 crore are under operation in India as of April 30, 2013. Gujarat accounts for over 50 percent share with 12 completed PPP projects worth over Rs.12,400 crore.

Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu each with three projects under operation have garnered a share between 5-6 percent followed by Kerala (2.8 percent).

The study revealed that Andhra Pradesh accounts for lion’s share of over 46 percent with three projects worth over Rs.20,000 crore under construction under PPP model as of April 30, 2013.

“Formation evaluation indicates a gross gas and condensate column in the well of about 155 metres in the Mesozoic reservoirs,” RIL-BP said in a statement here.

“The KGD6-MJ1 well was drilled in a water depth of 1,024 metres – and to a total depth of 4,509 metres.”

The well was drilled to explore the prospectivity of a Mesozoic Synrift Clastic reservoir lying over 2,000 metres below the already producing reservoirs in the D1 and D3 gas fields, the statement added.

The well flowed 30.6 million standard cubic feet per day of gas during testing, while the discovery, named D-55, has been notified to the government. It is expected to add to the hydrocarbon resources in the KG D6 block.

RIL is the operator of KG-D6 block with 60 percent equity. Britain’s BP has a 30 percent share and NIKO the remaining 10 percent.

The ambassador also expressed distaste at the manner in which the word “mafia” was being liberally used when it came to rare cases involving Russians nationals.

“Illegal land deals is one of the reasons for setting up the consulate,” Kadakin told reporters, after inaugurating the consular premises in Panaji.

Real estate deals involving Russian nationals along Goa’s coastal stretch had been under the scanner of central intelligence, of financial intelligence agencies for violations of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) as well for the dubious antecedants of those who purchased these properties.

Several properties bought by Russian nationals are being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.

Kadakin said that most Russians visiting Goa were regular tourists who had travelled from cold homes for vacations and that only “one, two or three badmashes” from 1.5 lakh tourists sometimes caused trouble.

“I don’t think we have to use the word mafia at all. If there is a mafia, inform us and we will take action,” he said, adding that in the 1990s, gangs did rule Russia but that it was a thing of the past now.

The Russian ambassador blamed Goa’s infamous taxi drivers, even suggesting that it was the cab mafia which was stealing from Russians by charging them fares 10 times in excess of the stipulated fee.

Kadakin was speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Russian consul office here Friday.

“Nuclear power is the only way out of the situation. It can make India self-sufficient in energy. Otherwise, even if India buys all the oil in the world, it would not be sufficient for its energy needs,” Kadakin said,

Russia was already in talks with India to develop units three and four of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu and did not rule out collaboration as far as units five and six are concerned, he added.

The Kudankulam nuclear power project is one of the safest in the world, he said, adding that it could resist the strongest of tornados or even a plane crash.

The road ahead for India and Russian as far as cooperation on nuclear issues is concerned, Kadakin said, was “clear” in the sense that India has to be made self-sufficient in its energy needs.

Stressing the strong bonds between the two countries, Kadakin said it had stood by India at a time when several countries had imposed sanctions on it, following the nuclear blasts at Pokhran in 1998.

Both Russia and India were “quietly” building the Kudankulam nuclear reactor at a time when “certain” countries had imposed sanctions on India.

Kadakin hinted that India should reciprocate to Russian gestures and not put the country on the same pedestal as other countries, especially those which had imposed sanctions after Pokhran II.

Addressing the seventh Africa Day lecture at the Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) here, Patil said India and Africa were set to explore immense possibilities in genetic technology and solar energy.

“In this age of globalisation, India and Africa have to pool in all resources and ensure proper mechanism to harness them to full potential. There is a plethora of opportunities available in the fields of genetic technology and solar energy. Punjab and Haryana can help African nations ensure food security throughout the year,” Patil said.

Punjab, India’s Green revolution state, had led from the front in the 1960s to ensure food security for India. The state, which has only 1.54 percent of the country’s geographical area, is the single biggest contributor (over 60 percent) of food grains to the national kitty.

“During my interaction with African leaders, I found trust and goodwill. There is greater scope of cooperation between India and Africa. In international relations, two kinds of forces operate: competition and cooperation. We have to put emphasis on the latter,” Patil added.

Paramjit Singh Sahai, a former ambassador to various countries, said: “There are a plethora of avenues that India and Africa could jointly explore and have fruitful results. I have an experience of over 47 years of dealing with African nations. Earlier, we had faced challenges that involved India’s contribution in the freedom struggle of various African nations and now we are facing a challenge on how we could partner in each other’s development.”

Sahai, who was posted in Zambia in 1976, is the coordinating secretary of CRRID.

The lecture, organised for the first time outside New Delhi by the Indian Council of World affairs (ICWA), was held in association with CRRID on the eve of Africa Day (May 25).

ICWA would also organise more seminars and conferences in India and in southern African nations in October.

ICWA has been organising the Africa Day Lecture series since 2002. The Africa Day Lecture is a vital component of ICWA’s commitment to promote India’s links with African countries through academic interface and exchange of views with other similar organisations.

The allegations of favouring RIL were made here at a press conference Thursday by CPI member of parliament Gurudas Dasgupta.

“The proposed pricing guidelines shall be equally applicable to both the private and public sector companies engaged in production of natural gas,” a petroleum ministry statement quoted him as saying.

“It may also be highlighted that more than 60 percent of the natural gas in India is still produced by the public sector companies. Therefore, the allegation that the price is being revised for the benefit of the private sector is completely misconceived,” Moily said.

He said the proposed increase in natural gas price was being done in line with the formula proposed by Prime Minister appointed panel headed by his economic adviser C. Rangarajan and there was compelling economic logic for the proposed price revision, in view of the huge import bill on account of oil and gas to meet the domestic demand.

The ministry is currently finalizing the cabinet note to be placed before the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs for a decision on gas price revision effective from April 2014.

The prime minister, who will also go to Thailand from Japan, will hold talks with Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe. The bilateral summit was originally slated to be held last November, but was postponed after Japan decided to go in for elections.

“We have been discussing a civil nuclear cooperation agreement and hope to make more progress by end of this year,” said Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai at a briefing here.

Asked if a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement could be inked by the end of the year, Mathai said: “Agreements take a certain amount of time… the discussions have got some impetus recently, but we have to go through certain steps before we can sign an agreement.”

He added that safety was a “very, very high priority” in the civil nuclear cooperation talks in the wake of meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear reactor after the 2011 quake and tsunami.

The prime minister, who will be accompanied by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and senior officials, will also hold talks on energy cooperation, including on “frozen seabed gas hydrates”, a breakthrough in Japan that India is interested in, said Mathai.

The two governments will discuss the LNG pricing issue as well as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project, the Dedicated Freight Corridor Project, and upgradation of the Chennai-Bangalore corridor, he said.

Both sides will issue a joint statement that will “capture the essence of their partnership”, said Mathai.

The prime minister is also to address Japanese businesspersons, where he will “highlight major opportunities in India and seek greater Japanese private sector investment in India,” said the foreign secretary.

Manmohan Singh goes to Thailand May 30-31 where he will meet Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. “Thailand is an important component of India’s Look East policy. The two sides have sustained dialogue at high levels… a number of agreements are to be inked during the visit,” said Ashok K. Kantha, Secretary (East).

Defence Minister A.K. Antony and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid are to go to Thailand later to maintain the momentum of bilateral ties, he said. A Free Trade Agreement between the two countries is also in the pipeline. “We seek a comprehensive outcome of the FTA,” Kantha said.