The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, April 22, 2004

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Dry and parched
An woman carrying dry wood, passing the dry canal at Lower Maaner Dam at Karimnagar district. The canal, which is one of the main sources of irrigation for the north Telangana region, suffers from low rainfall and poor irrigation systems. ... More

ANTI-DUMPING
India initiates most anti-dumping probes
INDIA continues to hold the dubious distinction of being the single largest initiator of anti-dumping investigation and imposer of the largest number of final anti-dumping measure during the second half of 2003, though overall there has been a ... More

ECONOMY
`Geopolitical risks have become increasing concerns'
The global economy continues to face "significant" risks that could have an near term consequences "for both financial markets and the real economy more generally". More

HEALTH
Info booklet on diabetes
THE city-based Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has published a booklet on diabetes. Called `Living with diabetes', the booklet in Malayalam has been prepared as part of the organisation's public ... More

PSU
Kalam urges BEL to become key player in global markets
THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today exhorted Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to become a key global player in defence electronics, radars and nanotechnology. His dream is to see the defence public sector major become "a ... More

POWER
New project may have 90:10 debt-equity structure — Reliance mulls power at Rs 2 per unit
IN a bid to deliver power at a competitive rate of Rs 2 per unit, Reliance Energy Ltd (REL) is attempting to structure its project on a 90:10 debt-equity structure. This heralds a significant shift from the traditional 70:30 debt-equity norm on ... More

`Good power supply vital for US investments'
THE United States Chamber of Commerce President, Mr Thomas J. Donohue, has warned that foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow into the country from the US may come under pressure due to erratic power supply. Addressing a seminar on ``Power ... More

Kerala unlikely to face power shortage this summer
KERALA is unlikely to face any serious power shortage this summer as there is adequate water storage in the reservoirs of its hydro-electric projects to generate power at the current rate till the onset of south-west monsoon in the first week of ... More

CESC shareholders force poll on proposed merger of Balagarh Power, CESCON
THE shareholders of CESC Ltd at an extraordinary general meeting convened here on Wednesday for approving the proposed Scheme of Arrangement for amalgamation of Balagarh Power Company Ltd (BPCL) and CESCON Ltd with CESC (transferee company), and ... More

ARR, ERC order hailed

TAXATION
AP Commercial Taxes Dept looks at improving debt recovery system
WITHOUT wasting much time in waiting for a new Government to be formed in the State and spell out its strategy, the Commercial Taxes Department has decided to take up measures to improve internal processes and put in place an effective debt ... More

COAL
Central Coalfields on recovery track
GOOD performance during 2003-04 has helped Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) to "technically" extricate itself from the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR). The CCL management has claimed that the company is no more a sick ... More

EDUCATION
IBRD clears $500 m for basic education programme
THE World Bank has approved a credit of $500 million to pool funds with the Indian Government and the various States, the European Commission and the UK in support of the country's goal of achieving universal elementary education. The total ... More

NEWSPAPERS & PUBLISHING
Business Line Quiz kicks off tomorrow
GET ready and put your thinking caps on. The 2004 edition of the Business Line quiz, presented by the Union Bank of India, kicks off in Bangalore on Friday, April 23, with the Hyderabad and Chennai legs slated for April 30 and May 7, ... More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
`FDI in infrastructure sectors welcome'
INDIA would welcome foreign direct investment (FDI) in the infrastructure sectors, including ports, airports, power and steel, the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr. K.C. Pant, said. Speaking at a meeting with a high-level US delegation ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Action plan to lend tech edge to traditional skills in Kerala
THE School of Rural Development and Appropriate Technology (SORDAT) at the Cochin University of Science and Technology is to evolve an action plan to help traditional workers in the State by introducing the latest technologies and innovations to ... More

EVENTS
`Hamriyah Free Zone has everything for businesses'
THE Hamriyah Free Zone in Sharjah, UAE, offers businesses a free operating environment, ready infrastructure, a tax-free regime and quick clearances, said its officials during the course of a presentation to businessmen and industry hands ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Poor quality hits grape exports from AP
EXPORT of grapes from Andhra Pradesh has dropped to 1,000 tonnes this year from 1,800 tonnes last year on account of fall in the quality of the produce. Unseasonal rains in January and February affected the quality, though the crop output is ... More

Farm goods export to Malaysia faces phyto-sanitary hurdles
EXPORTS of agricultural goods to Malaysia are facing problems following the implementation of phytosanitary regulations by Kuala Lumpur. "The phytosanitary regulations are being implemented in a discriminatory manner for imports of maize ... More

33 m t grain lifted from FCI for exports since Dec 2000
OVER 33 million tonnes (mt) of foodgrains have been lifted from the Food Corporation of India's (FCI) godowns by exporters since December 2000, when the decision to allow exports from public stocks was taken. The 33.40 mt of foodgrains lifted ... More

`Govt keen to pare transaction costs of exporters'
THE Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Mr L. Mansingh, has conceded that the transaction cost in exports is a matter of concern and the Government had been taking all-out measures to reduce the same so as to achieve one per cent share in ... More