MUMBAI: Tata Chemicals Ltd has registered a 37.05 per cent drop in its net profit for the financial year 1998-99 at Rs 181.67 crore on a turnover of Rs 1,464 crore, as against Rs 1,644.91 crore in the previous year. The company recorded a gross profit of Rs 528.65 crore, 20.21 per cent lower than last year. The loss caused by the cyclone last year had an impact on the profits which declined to Rs 8.16 crore. The company has slashed the dividend from 65 per cent to 50 per cent.

Hoechst Marion

MUMBAI: Pharmaceuticals major Hoechst Marion Roussel has registered a 36.45 per cent drop in net profit during the 1998-99 fiscal at Rs 20.4 crore from Rs 32.1 crore in the previous year. The board of directors of the company declared a 45 per cent dividend for the year. It registered a decline of 1.87 per cent in sales during the period at Rs 525 crore from Rs 535 crore a year earlier. Its other income included an exceptional item of 9.9 crore as compared to Rs 10.7 crorea year earlier.

Onida profit

MUMBAI: Mirc Electronics, maker of the Onida brand of televisions, has reported a net profit of Rs 27.02 crores for the year ended March 31, 1999, higher than Rs 20.42 crores reported last year. Turnover was Rs 688.58 crore compared to Rs 522.57 crores. The company has stated in a release that it is confident of selling 7.5 lakh colour TVs during the current financial.

Aircel Digilink

NEW DELHI: Cellular operator Aircel Digilink today informed Delhi High Court that it had already paid Rs six crore to Department of Telecom (DoT) on account of 20 per cent of its licence fee dues for Haryana circle and said that interconnection should be restored in this telecom circle immediately. Aircel Digilink counsel VP Singh told Justice MK Sharma that he had brought a cheque worth Rs 1.63 crore for balance amount payable to DoT in this regard. Total dues payable by Aircel Digilink to the Department on account of licence fee for Haryana circle was Rs 38.10 crore and 20per cent of it comes to Rs 7.63 crore.