The Hindu Business Line : Monday, January 31, 2005

Ministry proposes super regulator for financial sector
THE merger bug has well and truly bitten the Finance Ministry. In a move that would have significant impact on the financial sector, the Ministry has expressed its intent to move towards a single super regulator for the financial sector. The ... More

Public sector banks raise farm lending
IT appears that the Union Government's directive to banks on agricultural credit growth was not merely a statement of pious intentions. It has also started cracking the whip. The result is very visible — a substantial increase in ... More

Allotment of Reliance Info shares — No discrimination against RIL shareholders
IN the ongoing stand-off between the Ambani brothers, the Reliance Group today dismissed as baseless, allegations that Reliance Infocomm Ltd (RIC) and Reliance Communications Infrastructure Ltd (RCIL) allotted shares to Reliance Industries Ltd ... More

CPCL refuses to extend credit for naphtha — Madras Fertilizers to be shut down from tomorrow
WITH oil companies not willing to sell naphtha on credit beyond January 31, the state-owned Madras Fertilizers Ltd (MFL) will be shut down from February 1 as it does not have money to pay for naphtha. The Government owes the company more than ... More

Mergers hold promise for FMCG sector, consumers
THE flurry of activity in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector last week appears to augur well. Whether it is the acquisition of Balsara businesses by Dabur India Ltd (DIL) or the global acquisition of Gillette Company by Procter & ... More

Fertilisers, pesticides may be exempt from VAT
DR Asim Dasgupta, Chairman, Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers for VAT, on Sunday agreed to a demand to exempt agricultural inputs — fertilisers, pesticides and seeds — from the purview of Value-Added Tax. "We are taking ... More

Fast track clearance norms for EOUs revised
THE fast track clearance procedure for export oriented units (EOUs) with status holder certificate has been overhauled by the Department of Commerce in the Commerce and Industry Ministry. The revised procedures are being seen as somewhat ... More

All of life is on the wire, all else is waiting
Jogin almost suffered a cut while shaving when he thought of Gillette. Yet, spraying some aftershave to stay cool, he sat at his PC to chat on markets with Sridevi, Dakshinamoorthy and Khan. Take care! Jog: Hi, everybody, ... More

After a strong recovery — News to set the direction
Domestic compulsions are yet not so strong that fresh flow of money would come at a higher base. More