The Hindu Business Line : Friday, June 23, 2006

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
President's 3-point agenda to CII
The President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has given the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) a three-point agenda to encourage R and D, design and a strategic approach to new product development, according to a release by the ... More

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Oilseed farmers await revival of monsoon
35 lakh tonnes mustard stocks with Nafed could help More

Monsoon behaves despite straying
The revived monsoon pulse covered new grounds on a day when the prospects looked good for the sustenance of rainfall activity over the peninsula and the contiguous north and east for the next five days. "The best thing is that there is a ... More

ECONOMY
Chidambaram meeting deferred
The Finance Minister Mr P. Chidambaram's tête-à-tête with captains of industry scheduled for June 28 now stands postponed by a week. Informed sources said that the meeting would now be held on July 5. The June 28 meeting had been ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Cabinet nod for Korea, Sweden pacts
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved conclusion of Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with the Republic of Korea. The agreement will increase the investment between the two countries. Such agreements have ... More

Thai trade team visits Kochi
A team of delegates from the Ministry of Commerce, Thailand, headed by its Inspector General, Mr Thawatchai Sophastienphong, visited the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry here for an interactive session on promotion of investment and trade ... More

HEALTH
Kerala mulls hospital in each Assembly segment
The funds of the Rural Health Mission will be tapped for developing one model hospital in each Assembly segment in the State, according to the Health Minister, Ms P.K. Sreemathy. Replying to questions in the State Assembly here on Thursday, ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Maharashtra mulls cap on land for SEZs
More

PSU
CCEA okays 10 pc stake sale in Nalco, NLC
Govt to raise around Rs 2,500 crore from sale More

PETROCHEMICALS
Manmohan to lay stone for ONGC's petrochem complex today
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will lay the foundation stone for the mega petrochemical complex of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation here on Friday. Dr Singh will lay foundation stone for the Rs 4,900-crore aromatic complex of ONGC at ... More

PETROLEUM
GAIL launches service for pipeline emergencies
GAIL (India) Ltd on Thursday launched the emergency response vehicle (ERV) to handle natural gas pipeline emergencies throughout Delhi's city gas pipeline network. Conceptualised and designed indigenously at GAIL, the ERV has the latest tools ... More

Repo rate hike costing oil marketing cos dear
`We now have to offer higher discounts on oil bonds' More

TAXATION
Abolish cess to increase crude oil production
Approximately 30 million tonnes a year of oil production in India is subject to cess, resulting in about $1.6 billion revenue to the Government. This amount, put into field development, can generate a huge volume of new oil reserves, the royalties, p rofit oil and corporate taxes from which would more than make up for the lost revenue to the Government, argues SASTRY KARRA. More

SSI
Union Bank targets 25% growth in SME portfolio
Signs agreement with SIDBI More

SIDBI opens new branch at Hosur
Small Industries and Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has opened its 57th branch at Hosur, Tamil Nadu. SIDBI is now focusing on direct finance to SSIs and expanded all its schemes to expand its retail lending activity, the ... More

CII plans more cluster models in South
Encouraged by the success of the cluster development model in Ambattur, the CII (Southern Region) is now planning to replicate it in other parts of the region to make small and medium enterprises competitive and efficient. The CII, which ... More

WATER
Water project: TN seeks $500-m World Bank aid
CM clear on carrying ongoing projects forward More

RADIO/TV
Draft Bill: Share rights for sports broadcast
Proposes strict norms on names, logo of channels More

EDUCATION
Lifestyle to launch courses in fashion retail management
Open only to candidates from economically weak families More

Jewellery courses offer bright career options
RETAIL BOOM More

JNTU invites applications for MBA
The School of Management Studies, JNT University here, has invited applications for its MBA programme (fourth batch), 2006-08 in collaboration with the Central Michigan University in the US. An admission test would be conducted ... More

CARS
Capacity crunch hits Hyundai sales
Constraints likely to continue; Tata Motors surges ahead More

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS & HOSPITALS
13 medical institutions to be upgraded
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) gave its approval on Thursday for implementing the upgradation proposal of 13 medical institutions in the country. The institutions are one each in the States of Jammu and ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
`India on radar of many cross-border real estate investors'
While the current cross-border investment activity is currently dominated by Singapore firms, other Asian players, and US opportunity funds, a number of European players are also looking at options to enter the market. More

Dubai co markets Malaysian property
Pegasus Realty, a Dubai-based company, has started marketing a Kuala Lumpur residential property in India. The company started the marketing in Chennai because of the city's business and cultural links with the Malaysian capital. Mr Imtiaz ... More

DISINVESTMENT
`Disinvestments increase liquidity in markets'
The Managing Director of Prime Database, Mr Prithvi Haldea, is happy with the Nalco and Neyveli Lignite divestment announcement because he is of the opinion that listing of PSUs leads to greater liquidity in the markets and also leads to increase ... More

REPORTER'S DIARY
Divestment, a mood enhancer?
With the Union Cabinet finally clearing on Thursday disinvestments in two public sector undertakings — Nalco and Neyveli Lignite Corporation — the Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram, was pleased as a punch. Arriving to brief the press ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Govt allows duty-free wheat imports by pvt trade
Price watch: Exports of pulses halted with immediate effect More

Sensitive items import dips in 2005-06
The total import of sensitive items for the fiscal year April-March 2006 declined by 12.55 per cent to touch Rs 16,469 crore as against Rs 18,832 crore recorded in the previous year. Imports of edible oil have decreased from Rs 11,066 crore in ... More

Centre's ban on exports hits pulses futures
Wheat prices decline on private trade being allowed to import More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES
HC rejects Dinesh Dalmiya bail plea
A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Mr Justice D.P. Sengupta and Mr Justice B. Samaddar on Thursday rejected the bail petition of Mr Dinesh Dalmiya, the prime accused in the Rs 120-crore scam of the Calcutta ... More