As many as 10 central trade unions will go ahead with the general strike on Friday saying the government gave no heed to their 12-point charter of demands and is continuing with unilateral labour reforms.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the \"historic hike\" in minimum wages to Rs 350/day is a step forward in transforming India and labour reforms.

10 trade unions including the All India Trade Unions Congress and Centre of Indian Trade Unions rejected a government appeal on Tuesday to call off the strike, saying it failed to address their demands.

Interacting with reporters, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the bonus for 2014-15 and 2015-16 will be paid to central government employees based on revised norms.

Plans by India's coal monopoly to buy billions of dollars of new machinery and outsource work are facing resistance from powerful unions worried about job losses, in a potential blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise to bring electricity to all.

Market kept its positive strike rate for the fourth straight session as the benchmark Sensex ended with a 7-point gain at 25,338, with some late buying coming to the rescue amid a higher opening in Europe.

Shares of Ashok Leyland surged 4% after the Hinduja Group flagship company received an order worth around Rs 1,331 crore from a West African country.

\"We strongly oppose it (stake sale). We may also go on strike,\" Indian National Mine Workers' Federation Secretary General S Q Zama said.

Ten central trade unions observed nation-wide strike on Wednesday to protest against changes in labour laws and privatisation of state-owned companies.

Such \"disruptive\" actions can hit India's image as an attractive business destination, the business chambers said.

The production was severely hit as majority of its workers joined Wednesday's general strike to protest the centre's disinvestment move in the company and the proposed reforms in the labour law.

At the current market price, sale of 63.16 crore shares, or 10 per cent stake, would bring in Rs 22,112 crore for the government.

Foxconn Chairman and CEO Terry Gou, on his second visit to India in 45 days, said his company was \"very keen to invest\" in the country and is in talks to strike partnership with local companies.

Realising that clean technologies will be its primary weapon to win the battle against global warming, India has put in place certain measures. Supercritical thermal power plants and technology to convert garbage into fuel are some of them.

Selling pressure was witnessed across the board but rate-sensitive sectors fell the most.

India's coal imports have steadily risen and gained 19 per cent last year to 210.6 million tonnes, making the country the world's second-biggest importer after China.

Coal India's output target for January was 50.09 million tonnes (MT), the company said in a filing to BSE.

Retail investors would get five per cent price discount and 20-per cent shares worth more than Rs 4,000 crore would be reserved for them.

The government plans to sell 315.8 million shares in Coal India on Friday with an option to sell another 315.8 million in the auction.

Conglomerates such as the Adani Group, led by Gautam Adani and GVK are likely to bid for commercial coal blocks to cash in on fast-rising demand from the power industry.