The Hindu Business Line : Tuesday, January 20, 2004

ECONOMY
Kalam recipe for development
THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has propounded the law of development or a three-pronged approach which could take the country into the league of developed economies. While studying the development patterns and the dynamics of ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Passbook scheme: 12.5% cap on agency commission to stay
IN a setback of sorts for the exporting community, the Government has decided against any review of the existing 12.5 per cent cap on "agency commission" (computed as a percentage of the free-on-board value) for getting the benefits under the ... More

$1.5-b line of credit to Africa on cards
THE Government is considering making available a $1.5-billion line of credit, exclusively for importers of Indian pharmaceuticals from the sub-Saharan African countries. Importers in these countries will get credit out of this fund to pay the ... More

HEALTH
Human trials on Orchid's new anti-inflammatory drug in June
A DRUG developed by Orchid Chemicals to combat inflammation is likely to be put through clinical trials on humans in Europe by June this year, said Mr K. Raghavendra Rao, Managing Director. Mr Rao said the anti-inflammatory drug was developed ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Appetiser done, pharma cos await main course
AS the dust settles on sops offered on specified life-saving drugs in the mini-budget, ground realities reveal that the pharma industry is not too elated with the impact of announcements made earlier this month. In fact, given its "minimal ... More

SSI
Collateral-free loans: Small units out of banks' loop
IT is now three full years since the Credit Guarantee Scheme was launched to enable banks lend to small-scale units without making them pledge their assets for the loans. But statistics show that the scheme has been ineffective. Till January ... More

TYRES
Truck, bus tyre production up in November
TRUCK and bus tyre production staged a comeback in November 2003 to touch 9.15 lakh units, representing a 2.9 per cent increase to the production level of 8.89 lakh tyres recorded in October 2003. The production level in this category in ... More

WATER
Chemfab Alkalies to put up Rs 30-cr desalination plant
CHEMFAB Alkalies intends to invest Rs 30 crore in a facility that can produce 4,000 cubic metres a day of drinkable water from sea water. This will enable Chemfab to overcome the water shortage constraint that is standing in the way of an ... More

EDUCATION
ISB digital library
HYDERABAD: The Indian School of Business (ISB) has launched its digital library — Management Classics Online — with over 100 titles to choose from in various management areas. Launching the digital library, the Chairman of ... More

AUTOMOBILE COMPONENTS
Product liability cover offered to auto parts sector
AUTO majors such as Ford and General Motors which insist on product liability insurance from Indian component makers, will now be able to outsource more work to them. This has been made possible with domestic insurance companies offering such ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
IIIT-H sets up robotics lab
THE International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad has established a Robotics Research Laboratory and has drawn up plans to partner with research and space agencies for intensive robotics-related research work. Prof D. Raj Reddy ... More

MINERALS
KCCI plea on iron ore exports
THE Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has asked the Karnataka Government to intervene and ensure smooth operations of iron ore exports from New Mangalore Port by trucks till broad gauge conversion of the Mangalore-Sakleshpur railway ... More

DISINVESTMENT
DCI public offer plan hastens policy change
THE public offer of 20 per cent Government equity constituting 56 lakh shares in Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) that is slated to hit the market either by February end or early March has triggered an early change in the national dredging ... More

WTO
EU wants India to improve offer on market access
THE European Union (EU) is pushing India to improve its "opening offer" on services at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), stating that there remains lot of margin for such improvements. The visiting EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Pascal Lamy, used ... More

EU for early resumption of stalled WTO talks: Lamy
THE European Union (EU) today said that as there is a broad consensus after the mid-December 2003 General Council meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to move forward on the unfinished tasks from Cancun, the key challenge is to get the ... More

EVENTS
Poor delivery mechanism affecting welfare schemes: IBRD official
THOUGH the Indian Government's programmes for improving access to services for the poor were well intended, the outreach has too often been constrained by procedures and administrative complexities pertaining to targeting subsidies, according to ... More

Indian participation growing in Dubai shopping festival
THE annual Dubai Shopping Festival, which got off to a grand start with a spectacular opening ceremony over the weekend, has myriad attractions and entertainment, shopping and exhibitions topped off with a million dollars in raffles every day. ... More

South Asia Business Forum to focus on trade promotion
THE second South Asia Business Forum (SABF) meeting scheduled to be held in Bangladesh on January 22 shall deliberate upon the crucial issues of promoting trade and investment in the South-Asia Sub-Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) region, ... More

Singapore co bags Stone India Expo order
PICO International Exhibitions Pvt Ltd, a Singapore-based multi-national exhibition company, has been awarded the contract to specially fabricate the stalls at the upcoming Stone India 2004, the international show for stone mining, processing, ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Banks may be allowed to offer lines of credit
THE Government of India is thinking of routing external lines of credit — funds that provide credit to importers abroad who buy Indian products and services — through commercial banks. Till now, such lines of credit have been routed ... More

TOURISM
Kerala tourism awards
THE State Government has announced the awards for the best performers in the travel and tourism sector for the financial year 2002-03. Addressing a press conference in the city on Monday, Mr K.V. Thomas, Minister of Tourism and Fisheries, said ... More

PEOPLE
New Chairman for Chemexcil
THE Delhi-based manufacturer and exporter of drugs and pharmaceuticals, Mr Mr Lalit Kumar Jain, has been elected Chairman of the drugs and pharmaceuticals panel of the Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Export Promotion Council ... More