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Week 27, 2019 (Jun 29 - Jul 05)

Policy & Economy News

Budget: India to become $3 trillion economy in FY20, $5 trillion in a few years, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Govt sets up forum for cooperatives to boost farm exports

DPIIT floats draft note on national policy on ease of doing business

Business News - The India Boom Factor

Mysuru will soon get a dedicated export centre to help MSME exporters

India pushes for tobacco exports to China

Shipping News

HMM to join THE Alliance

Logistics News

Road Ministry seeks SEZ-like sops for projects, under logistics policy

Indian Port News

Union Budget 2019-20: Call for port-led development

Transshipment hub planned in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

MMTC pact for iron ore export to Japan, Korea benefits VPT

Cochin Shipyard embarks on Rs-3,500 crore (Rs.35 billion) expansion plan

KoPT's Haldia Dock Complex attracting crude traffic

Policy & Economy News

Budget: India to become $3 trillion economy in FY20, $5 trillion in a few years, says Nirmala Sitharaman
Economic Times: New Delhi, July 05 Top
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the average amount spent on food security per year nearly doubled during 2014-19 compared with preceding five years.

It is well within our capacity to reach $5 trillion economy in a few years, she added.

"From $1.85 trillion in 2014, the economy has reached $2.7 trillion mark. We can very well reach $5 trillion dollars in the next few years," Sitharaman said.

In her Budget speech, the finance minister said she has requested the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to raise minimum public shareholding in companies to 35 per cent from 25 per cent.

Presenting the full Union Budget for 2019-20, she said her government provided rejuvenated centre-state dynamic, cooperative federalism, GST Council and a strident commitment to fiscal discipline; set the ball rolling for NewIndia between 2014 and 2019.

Talking about her government's achievements, the FM said the common man was served even as major transformational reforms were brought in.

Highlights from Budget Speech

  • No change in personal income tax rates
  • Increase in surcharge for those earning Rs 2-5 crore (Rs.20-50 million)
  • FM proposes to give relief in levy of STT
  • 2% TDS on cash withdrawals of more than 1 crore (Rs. 10 million) in a year
  • Nirmala Sitharaman announces PSU bank recapitalisation of Rs 70,000 crore (Rs.700 billion)
  • On purchase of high-rate pooled assets of NBFC amounting of Rs 1 lakh core (Rs.1 trillion) in this FY, govt will provide one-time 6 month credit guarantee
  • 25% tax for all companies with annual turnover of Rs 400 crore (Rs.4 billion)
  • Direct tax revenue has grown 78% from 2014 to 2019
  • Between 2014 and 2019, we rejuvenated centre-state dynamic, cooperative federalism
  • Will further simplify procedures and reduce red tape
  • Well within our capacity to reach $5 trillion economy in a few years
  • India will become a $3 trillion economy in the current year itself
  • One nation, one grid for affordable power availability for states
  • Will examine opening up of FDI in aviation and media
  • FDI flows in 2018 remained strong at $4.37 billion
  • India requires capital of about Rs 20 lakh crore (Rs.20 trillion) every year
  • Comprehensive restructuring of National Highways Programme
  • Pension to be provided to 3 crore (Rs.30 million) retail traders under Pradhan Mantri Karmyogi Mandand scheme
  • FAME II scheme aims to encourage faster adoption of electric vehicles by right incentives and charging infra
  • Rs 10,000 crore (Rs.100 billion) has been approved on April 1, 2019 to encourage faster adoption of electric vehicles
  • Govt allocated Rs 350 cr (Rs. 3.5 billion) towards interest subvention for MSMEs for 2019-20
  • Govt will create a payment platform for MSMEs for payment of bills
  • Govt to soon announce a package for power sector
  • Model tenancy law will be finalised and circulated to states
  • In second phase of Bharat Mala project, states will be helped to develop roadways.
  • Package for power sector tariff and structural reforms to be unveiled soon
Sitharaman said 657 km of metro rail network has become operational in the country. She noted that India's first indigenous payment ecosystem for transport based on National Common Mobility Card was launched PM in March 2019, enabling people to pay multiple types of transport charges.

The recent election was charged with brimming hope and desire for a bright and stable New India, said Sitharaman, adding that the people of India have secured two goals - national security and economic growth. The voter turnout was highest, she said, while suggesting that every section came to stamp their approval for a performing government.

Any shortfall in revenue and higher expenditures will be made up through disinvestment, 4G & 5G auctions, hopefully some dividend from RBI and roll over of food bill if needed.

Govt sets up forum for cooperatives to boost farm exports
India Seatrade News: July 03 Top
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal Tuesday announced the formation of a Cooperative Sector Exports Promotion Forum (CSEPF) to achieve the target of doubling farm exports to USD 60 billion by 2022.

He also said the first-ever 'International Cooperative Trade Fair' will be organized between October 11 and 13 at Pragati Maidan in the national capital to promote exports by cooperatives.

There are more than 8 lakh cooperative institutions in India and 94 percent of the country's 15 crore (Rs.150 million) farmers are members of at least one cooperative body.

"Cooperative Sector Exports Promotion Forum (CSEPF) has been set up in National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) which will work with 20 states and union territories in the area of export," Goyal said at a press conference here.

Stating that cooperatives are in a nascent stage right now as far as exports are concerned, the minister said that therefore, the government's aim is to get them together and encourage them to produce and market products for the global market.

Boosting farm exports will help the government achieve the target of doubling farmers income by 2022, he said adding that all concerned ministries are working jointly towards this direction.

The international trade fair is one such platform for cooperatives to interact with global buyers and understand their needs and accordingly produce or manufacture products, he added.

The trade fair, to be organized jointly by commerce, agriculture and external affairs ministries with support of cooperative bodies such as the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, will show direction for exporting value-added agriculture products.

Stating that cooperatives are the heart of the farm sector, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said there is a need for all cooperatives to strengthen further to market their products in the international market.

"There were times when one minister and officer was not talking to the other and projects were held up. But today, all departments are working together and preparing programs for the welfare of farmers," he said.

Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal, NCDC Managing Director Sandeep Kumar Nayak were also present at the press conference, where a logo for the trade fair was also unveiled.

DPIIT floats draft note on national policy on ease of doing business
India Seatrade News: July 01 Top
Aiming to break India into top 50 in the global Ease of Doing Business ranking, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed a series of reforms including reduction in licenses, simpler registration processes and removal of renewal requirements. The proposals are part of a draft cabinet note on a national policy on ease of doing business that the department has circulated. The note on the overarching policy, sent for inter-ministerial consultations, includes inspection reforms and assessing requirement of licences, and cost of regulation. "The government is working on a policy and a draft note has been floated," said an official in the know of the development. The proposed policy also talks of removal of renewal requirements. It is in line with the government's agenda of further improving India's rank in 'Ease of Doing Business' ranking as outlined in the BJP's sankalp patra in its vision for India. India jumped 23 points in the World Bank's ease of doing business ranking to 77th place, becoming the top-ranked country in South Asia for the first time and third among the BRICS nations last year. In the last two years, the country has climbed 53 notches in the index that ranks 190 nations. However, inward flows of foreign direct investment declined in 2018-19, for the first time in six years, with a steep decline in telecom, pharmaceuticals and power. FDI equity inflows into India fell 1% to $44.4 billion in 2018-19 from a record $44.8 billion in the previous year. The policy has also proposed norms about regular stakeholder consultation on the issue, grievance redressal mechanism; and creation of sector specific single point mechanism to promote domestic and foreign investment. The government has already chosen dix districts in Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh for district-level ease of doing business.

Business News - The India Boom Factor

Mysuru will soon get a dedicated export centre to help MSME exporters
India Seatrade News: July 03 Top
To facilitate the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) exporters of the region, Mysuru Industries Association (MIA) will very soon have an export centre which will act as an information provider regarding the exports.

The construction work of the Mysore Export Centre has already commenced.

"Mysore export centre will act as a roof for the all the information regarding the exports. It will be treated as a service provider. Under this the MSMEs can get all information regarding exports. It will also include a dedicated auditorium for deliberation and discussions, exhibitions and other related avenues," said Suresh Kumar Jain, Secretary of MIA.

"The estimated cost of the project is Rs 8 crores (Rs.80 million). The work will be taken up in two phases, with the works worth Rs 4.5 crore (Rs.45 million) to be taken up in the first place," he added.

The construction work is being carried out by KIADB based on deposit contribution. VTPC, Government of Karnataka is the Nodal agency for the implementation of this project.

Jain said the main objective of the export centre is to promote export and motivate the existing entrepreneurs to export their products.

It will also give all kinds of assistance about other export centres in India and will help a majority of the MSMEs involved in the export industry, said the Secretary General.

The construction of this Mysore Export Centre is expected to be completed in approximately one year's time.

The project was proposed by the Mysore Industries Association back in 2008 and in 2014 the foundations for this centre were laid by the then Minister Late H S Mahadev Prasad on behalf of the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Suresh Kumar Jain said "If the centre becomes a reality, it will be the state's first full-fledged export centre."

During 2008 K Manivannan was the deputy commissioner of the district when the Association forwarded the proposal to the government through the district administration under the leadership of MLA Ramdas and former Mayor P Vishwanath.

India pushes for tobacco exports to China
India Seatrade News: July 01 Top
India has made a strong pitch for the export of its high quality and organically-cultivated tobacco to China, home to 350 million smokers, the world's largest.

A delegation of Indian Tobacco Board (ITB) led by its Chairperson K Sunitha held talks with Zhang Jianmin, Chief Commissioner of State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) on Friday and made out a case for China to open its market for import of tobacco from India, a press release issued by the Indian Embassy here said on Saturday.

Sunitha gave a detailed presentation highlighting the strengths of Indian tobacco, it said.

She said that Indian tobacco is of high quality, organically cultivated and pesticide residue free. India is the only country in the world where tobacco is produced in two seasons, it said.

She also mentioned that India due to its proximity could bring down the logistic costs in exporting tobacco to China.

India is the third largest producer of tobacco with exports valued at Rs 5,000 crore (Rs.50 billion) to more than 115 destinations including quality-conscious markets of Japan and Europe, it said.

Thus, India is well positioned to supply superior tobacco with consistency in price, volume, quality, and compliance, Sunitha said.

However, India's exports to China has been negligible, she added.

China produces 42 per cent cigarettes globally. It is also the world's largest producer and consumer of Tobacco.

During the talks, Zhang said, while Indian tobacco may not be currently suitable for the Chinese market, STMA will be happy to work with the Indian Tobacco Board to further leverage complementarities in the background of growing bilateral relations between India and China, the press release said.

The Tobacco Board offered that with the production processes matching global standards, India will be able to produce and offer tobacco varieties which suit China, it said.

Zhang said that he will depute a government and industry delegation to India to further explore the opportunities.

Earlier this year, China extended protocol, which has remained dormant, on the export of Indian tobacco leaves during the visit of Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan to China in January.

Since then, the Indian Embassy here has worked with the Chinese authorities such as STMA, Ministry of Commerce and other relevant organisations for promoting Indian tobacco, the release said.

Shipping News

HMM to join THE Alliance
Exim News Service - Hamburg/Seoul, July 1 Top
Carrier will be fourth member after Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express (ONE) & Yang Ming The South Korean container liner shipping company Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) will join THE Alliance as a full member. Through this, the members of THE Alliance have also decided to establish a new cooperation with four members and a term until 2030. The actions were agreed in Taipei on June 19, 2019. Subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, the new contract between the four lines will start on April 1, 2020, informed a release.

"HMM is a great fit for THE Alliance as they will provide a number of new and modern vessels, which will help us to deliver better quality and be more efficient-and it will help us also to further reduce our emissions," said Mr Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd.

HMM has ordered twelve 23,000-TEU vessels which will be delivered in the second quarter of 2020. Additionally, eight 15,000-TEU newbuildings will join HMM's fleet in the second quarter of 2021. HMM's 23,000-TEU newbuildings will be deployed in the Far East-North Europe trade and will further strengthen THE Alliance's service portfolio, the release said.

"We are very happy to see HMM join THE Alliance, as their membership will allow us to offer enhanced services to our customers due to a wider port coverage, expansion of our product offerings, more sailing frequencies and a better balance of our cargo flows," commented Mr Jeremy Nixon, CEO of Ocean Network Express.

HMM's membership will significantly strengthen the competitiveness of THE Alliance towards the other two alliances, it was pointed out.

"HMM joining THE Alliance is an important milestone for THE Alliance as it will help us to provide a broader service network to the customers and facilitate the advance of the development of THE Alliance starting from next year," added Mr Bronson Hsieh, Chairman and CEO of Yang Ming.

Said Mr Jae-hoon Bae, President and CEO of HMM: "Being a full member of THE Alliance gives us a lot of pride. We are convinced that we will be successful and generate additional value for our customers, employees and shareholders with combined experience, strategic skills, competitive fleet and strong focus on our clients' needs."

THE Alliance was founded by Hapag-Lloyd as well as NYK, MOL and "K" Line (which merged to become Ocean Network Express - ONE) and Yang Ming. It started its cooperation on April 1, 2017, the release added.

Logistics News

Road Ministry seeks SEZ-like sops for projects, under logistics policy
India Seatrade News: July 03 Top
The Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways has suggested that the Centre should consider extending fiscal incentives, on the lines of Special Economic Zones, to infrastructure projects under the proposed National Logistics Policy and also give sops like interest subsidy, reimbursement of part of capital investment, stamp duty exemption and exemption of tax on electricity.

In its response, the Commerce & Industry Ministry, which is framing the policy, has said that viability gap funding may be offered based on the detailed project assessment, but for other incentives there has to be more stakeholder consultations.

"Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal recently reviewed the draft National Logistics Policy and action plan for implementation of the policy. The Ministry is likely to send the policy for approval of the Cabinet soon," a government official told.

The key proposals in the draft policy include setting up a national logistics online marketplace to simplify trade documentation, incentivising logistics to make it more efficient, putting in place a data and analytics center for monitoring key logistics metrics and conceptualising a center of excellence to drive innovation.

An Integrated National Logistics Action Plan for all logistics related development will also be finalised.

The policy envisages bringing down logistics cost from 14 per cent of GDP to about 9 per cent and also creating employment opportunities for 10-15 million people.

Following suggestions an addition that has been made to the draft is a proposed focus on fisheries and marine products in planning for cold chain infrastructure. It has been decided to include the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in the apex committee.

The Ministry of Road Transport, in the consultation, also suggested that the PPP (public private partnership) mode should be the preferred mode of implementation of logistics infrastructure to encourage private investments and bring in new technologies.

The Commerce & Industry Ministry officials replied that while private development of infrastructure will be encouraged, PPP mode will be the preferred mode wherever relevant based on the interests of the investors.

Indian Port News

Union Budget 2019-20: Call for port-led development
The Hindu: New Delhi, July 05 Top
Emphasis also on using inland waterways for moving cargo.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday stressed the need to enhance port-led development through the Sagarmala scheme and develop inland waterways to use rivers for cargo movement to decongest road and rail networks, reduce the cost of transportation as well as cut oil import bill.

"Sagarmala would enhance port connectivity, modernisation and port-linked industrialisation. If Sagarmala is aimed at improving the infrastructure for external trade, equally it is the poor man's transport, too. We need to develop our inland waterways to shift a significant portion of inland cargo movement from road and rail," Ms. Sitharaman said.

She said cargo volume on the Ganga was expected to grow four times in the next four years. While a multi-modal terminal at Varanasi was launched last year, two more terminals at Sahibganj in Jharkhand and Haldia in West Bengal apart from a navigation lock at Farakka would be completed within the current fiscal.

In line with her announcement, the allocation for Sagarmala and the Inland Water Transport Authority of India was enhanced, though the total allocation for the Ministry of Shipping saw a marginal decline of 2% to ?1,902.56 crore (Rs.19.02 billion).

The net allocation for Sagarmala schemes has gone up from ?381 crore (Rs.3.81 billion) to ?550 crore (Rs.5.5 billion), an increase of 44%. The contribution to the Inland Water Transport Authority of India, too, went up from ?384.95 crore (Rs.3.84 billion) in the last fiscal to ?450 crore (Rs.4.5 billion), a 17% increase.

Transshipment hub planned in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
India Seatrade News: July 03 Top
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration plans to develop a container transshipment terminal with the Free Trade Warehousing Zone in South Bay, Great Nicobar Island, to provide Indian shippers an alternative to the Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang (Malaysia) transshipment ports.

The Port Management Board, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has called for an Expression of Interest (EoI) from global players to participate in the terminal development under the private-public-partnership mode. The developers need to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the container terminal for 30 years.

An official of a leading container terminal said that it would cost over $1 billion to build a transshipment terminal. The Great Nicobar Island has a natural depth of over 20 m to handle large ships.

The proposed terminal could distribute cargo to the region, including the East coast of India and neighbouring countries; provide services for repositioning of empty containers, handle local cargo; and operate as a logistics hub, said the EoI.

Indian ports do not have adequate infrastructure to attract large 'mother' container vessels of over 15,000 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) capacity. The transshipment terminal at Great Nicobar could be critical for India's trade, especially in the South, which annually loses around Rs 1,500 crore (Rs.15 billion) transporting cargo via feeder vessels to transshipment hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang.

Anil Devli, CEO, Indian National Shipowners' Association, said that Andaman and Nicobar Islands are placed at a competitive distance - as compared to Colombo - from various ports in the region such as Kolkata, Chennai, and Mongla.

This will be weighed in with the cost of deviation for vessels on the East-West route to call Port Blair, which on the face of it does not seem like a big deviation. Devli said: "If the right legal environment is created, it would not be difficult for the operator to attract mainline shipping companies to begin making calls at the port. Feeder services will follow and there can be transhipment hub, ship repair facilities, bunkering, and surveying within a few years."

CR Raghavendra, Vice-Chairman (container sector), Chennai and Ennore Steamer Agents Association, said that for the project to succeed, a container major terminal operator and a large global shipping line should come together. There is no use in searching for small shipping lines.

A transshipment terminal at the Nicobar Islands may look attractive as the deviation time for the shipping line on the East-West Route will be less than an hour, while it is four hours to Kochi and eight hours to Thoothukudi. However, with the Vallarpadam and Vizhinjam ports in Kerala being developed as transshipment ports, and a plan to develop another at Enayam in the Kanyakumari district, the question is whether there will be enough cargo to support four such ports.

MMTC pact for iron ore export to Japan, Korea benefits VPT
India Seatrade News: July 03 Top
The three-year agreement signed by Metals and Minerals Trading Corporation (MMTC) for export to Japan and Korea has helped Visakhapatnam Port Trust to register impressive performance during the first quarter of the current fiscal brightening the hope that it will improve its ranking next year.

Sources told The Hindu that the port had handled an extra quantity of 1.2 million tonnes over the corresponding period last year. Going by the trend, the port officials were planning to achieve 68 million tonne cargo volume by end of the financial year.

VPT had ranked fourth leading port in traffic during last fiscal after Kandla, Paradip and JNPT. This year, VPT Chairman Rinkesh Roy said recently that they were confident of improving their ranking due to changes brought about in its techno-economic parameters.

Significantly, the port also saw increase in crude and POL, which was attributed to the expansion of HPCL Visakh Refinery. The refinery modernisation project envisages increasing the capacity from 8.33 to 15 million tonne.

The port has set up a special marketing team to overcome the threat of diversion of cargo to neighbouring ports. The container terminal here is undergoing expansion to increase its capacity. Container traffic is increasing consistently due to existence of deep draft terminal and handling of cargo for landlocked Nepal.

Essar completing the construction of the iron ore terminal with global standards with an investment of Rs 830 crore (Rs.8.3 billion) with a capacity to handle 24 million tonne per annum is an added advantage for VPT.

Maintaining its momentum, the port handled 65.30 million tonne during 2018-19 as against 63.54 million tonne during 2017-18. The port had achieved highest operating income of Rs 1,158 crore (Rs.11.58 billion) in 2018-19.

VPT through its internal accruals and PPP projects has increased capacity from 67 million tonne in 2014 to 127 million tonne. During the past five years, capacity addition projects were taken up with an investment of Rs 3,171 crore (Rs.31.71 billion) of which four were at various stages of execution.

Cochin Shipyard embarks on Rs-3,500 crore (Rs.35 billion) expansion plan
India Seatrade News: July 02 Top
A new landmark will grace Kochi's skyscape when a 600-tonne crane will be fitted on the southern side of Cochin Shipyard campus in a couple of years' time. This facility is part of the Rs 2,800 crore (Rs.28 billion) expansion plan of Cochin Shipyard Ltd

According to officials, the total expansion plan of Rs 3,500 crore (Rs.35 billion) includes opening new facilities elsewhere in the country, making CSL a national company and take on the international competition in shipbuilding and repair. As part of its national expansion, CSL has leased out ship-repair facilities in Mumbai and Kolkata and another one in Port Blair.

The Netaji Subhash Bose dry dock has been taken on lease from the Kolkota Port for 15 years. "The investment is around Rs 20 crore (Rs.200 million) and the work will start in the next three months," said Nair.

Cochin Shipyard has formed a new company, viz, Hooghly Cochin Shipyard Ltd for upgradation and modernization of the two shipyard sites at Salkia and Nazirgunge in Kolkata. The new company, which is a subsidiary of CSL, was incorporated in October 2017 as a joint venture between CSL and Hooghly Docks and Port Engineers Ltd. Its focus would be to build and repair ships for the inland waterways segment, especially the vessels plying in the National Waterways 1.

At Port Blair, CSL is expected to take over operations soon as an MoU was signed with the Andamans administration on March 28 this year. It shall be developing an integrated ship repair ecosystem at A&N Islands that includes modernization of facilities, maintenance of administration-owned vessels and skill development for the islanders.

While Kolkata port has not been attracting much shipping activity for several years now because of its interior location, CSL hopes to cash in on the 'Look East' policy of the central government and its focus on the inland waterways and coastal shipping industry. "We feel with the inland waterways opening up, there will be more traffic in Ganga and Brahmaputra. The Kolkata facility will be able to cater to repairs from that sector," Nair added.

At the CSL's main campus, the new dry dock would be the third and the largest. It is being set up as a dual-purpose dock for shipbuilding and repair. The berth will be 310m long and 75m wide. It will have a 600-tonne Gantry crane which is capable of handling vessels up to Suezmax, aircraft carriers of 75,000-tonne displacement, jack-up rigs, LNG vessels etc," Nair said.

KoPT's Haldia Dock Complex attracting crude traffic
Exim News Service - Kolkata, June 30 Top
On June 26, 2019, at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) of Kolkata Port Trust, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) brought its first crude carrier, MT Sand Shiner, at the 1st Oil Jetty of HDC. It was carrying about 19,600 tonnes.

NRL presently operates a 3-million tonne refinery at Numaligarh in Assam. The refinery currently faces a shortfall in sourcing the local Assam crude, by about 0.5 million tonnes per annum, which they plan to import. The marketing initiatives adopted by KoPT under the leadership of Mr Vinit Kumar, Chairman, has enabled the port to attract this traffic through HDC, highlighted a release. The crude will be stored at the tankages of IMC Ltd and will be despatched to Numaligarh by rakes, to be loaded from the tank wagon gantry of BPCL.

Kolkata Port expects to attract more crude traffic of NRL, beyond 0.5 million tonnes per annum, once the refinery goes for expansion. Mr Vinit Kumar thanked the NRL management for its valuable support and continuous faith, as well as the staff and officers of Haldia Dock Complex for their excellent support and hard work in making this endeavour a success, the release added.

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