HAL to pursue growth opportunities despite challenges
Bengaluru, Sep 28 : State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will pursue growth opportunities despite facing challenges, said a top official of the aerospace major on Friday.
"We are committed to pursue growth opportunities in spite of the challenges," HAL's new Chairman R. Madhavan told the shareholders at the company's 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) for fiscal 2017-18 here.
Addressing the institutional and retail investors of the city-based defence behemoth, Madhavan said the company had posted consolidated net sales of Rs 18,624 crore for the fiscal under review.
"The company recorded the highest sales turnover of Rs 18,624 crore in fiscal 2017-18, as against Rs 18,553 crore in fiscal 2016-17, registering a 0.4 per cent annual growth despite challenges," said Madhavan.
The AGM was the first the company held with the participation of the retail shareholders after it went public in March, divesting 10.2 per cent of its equity holding to raise about Rs 1,400 crore.
The company's consolidated net profit for the fiscal, however, declined 21 per cent year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 2,073 crore from Rs 2,625 crore year ago.
Profit before tax also declined 7.5 per cent YoY to Rs 3,326 crore from Rs 3,592 crore year ago.
"We produced 40 aircraft and helicopters, including Sukhi-30 MKI fighters, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Dornier Do-228 in fixed wing and Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv and Chetak choppers in rotary wing," said Madhavan.
The company also made 105 aero engines, overhauled 220 aircraft/copters and 550 engines during the last fiscal.
"We have also produced 146 aero-structures for the space programmes of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) during the period," added Madhavan.
The company's scrip with Rs 10 face value lost Rs 44.10 per share on Friday's trading, ending at Rs 781.85 on the BSE against Thursday's closing rate of Rs 825.95 and opening price of Rs 818.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
