Consumer confidence index high in India
Mumbai: Consumer confidence remained high in India even though it is falling globally according to the finding of the ACNielsen Consumer Confidence and Opinions Survey for the first half of 2007.

Conducted in April 2007, the survey covered over 26,000 people, including more than 500 people from India. Indians remain confident of the job market and personal finance: 94 per cent are optimistic about employment prospects, compared with the regional and global averages of 50 and 52 per cent, respectively.

Indian consumers' perceptions of the state of their personal finances is also encouraging: 90 per cent rate it as excellent or good (region: 54 per cent).

The survey also polled consumers on their major concerns. Compared with the last round, there is a sharp rise in Indians' concern over the economy, with 46 per cent citing it as a major worry.

Across Asia, 41 per cent are concerned about the economy, compared with 37 per cent worried about health and 30 per cent about job security, lower than the global averages.

The survey also studies how spare cash is used after covering necessary living expenses.
Significantly, India moved down two places to become No 3 among those who invest in stocks and mutual funds even though more respondents (53 per cent) chose this option compared with the last round.
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Hydrogen energy to be available in India by 2020
Mumbai: Hydrogen fuel in India will be available for the transport sector as a major alternative to fossil fuels by 2020, said scientists.

Various laboratories in the country are developing different technologies of production, storage and transportation and by 2020, India would be able to use hydrogen as an alternative fuel Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) director S Banerjee said.

BARC scientists are also optimistic that by 2017, they will be ready with design and materials required for a 600 MW high temperature nuclear reactor (thermal) for hydrogen production, while the experimental facility of the much hyped compact high temperature reactor (CHTR) for production of hydrogen and electricity, Banerjee said. These are in addition to already available hydrogen as by-products from various chemical industries, he said.

Hydrogen is environmentally benign, thereby provide clean energy security to India, Banerjee said.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had recognized the importance of this energy two decades back and a National Hydrogen Energy Road Map (NHERM) was approved by the National Hydrogen Energy.
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