Defence PSU Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have been conferred with Category-1 Mini Ratna  status.

Midhani was conferred with the status recently, while AAI had been accorded the status of category-1 Mini Ratna last month. This was conveyed by the department of public enterprises (DPE).

The 'Mini Ratna' status would enable Midhani to make investments in projects up to Rs500 crore and give greater autonomy to the management in decision-making.

The Hyderabad-based company has done particularly well in the last three years. Midhani received the award for `Quality Non-Ferrous' category for the year 2006-07 and last year its additional general manger Pallabh Sarkar, bagged the 'Metallurgist of the Year' title.

Midhani raised its turnover to over Rs255 crore for the financial year ended March 2008, while the profit before tax crossed Rs50 crore.

Midahni aims to cross Rs300 crore turnover in the current financial year. The company has on hand investments of Rs200 crore, both from internal and external sources for augmenting facilities to support strategic sectors in defence, space, nuclear and power generation, a government release said.

The Government of India has inducted four non-official directors to the board of AAI. The non-official directors include HDFC chairman and CEO Deepak Parekh, renowned Architect Hafeez Contractor, industrialist Sajjan Jindal and former chief secretary of Maharashtra Arun Bongirwar. 

With the restructuring of the board of the Airports Authority of India by induction of four non-official directors, AAI can now exercise its `Mini Ratna' powers.

AAI has planned development and modernisation of airport infrastructure in the country costing Rs12,434 crore in the 11th plan. The projects costing up to Rs500 crore could be now approved by the board of AAI itself.