The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, July 19, 2006

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Weaker second `low' brings rain to east, central India
True to predictions, the second monsoon `low' has turned out to be less intense than the predecessor, churning to become a well marked `low' at its best bringing parts of East and central India under its spell over the past four days. In ... More

ECONOMY
Will Bernanke testimony clear the air?
The fact is that there is no clinching evidence of a slowing economy or inflation spinning out of control. More

ENGINEERING
`Asian demand will propel pumps growth'
Lesser per capita water availability is the reason More

FOREIGN TRADE
Nathu La: What's the big deal?
Have you sometimes wondered why the opening up of trade between India and China at Nathu La has made it to the front pages; though the 14,400 ft high pass is not evenly remotely near any major industrial or commercial centre in either country? ... More

India, Ecuador to establish trade ties
India and Ecuador identified education, pharmaceuticals, food processing and energy as areas of co-operation. They also said that industry in the two countries could come together in areas such as eco-tourism, food processing, ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Videocon plans agri, bio-tech SEZ in Bengal
Govt in favour of implementing infrastructure projects on PPP mode More

PETROLEUM
Finance Ministry vows to keep price stability in oil
The Finance Ministry on Tuesday said that high global crude oil prices were a cause for concern and that the Government would make all efforts to maintain price stability and, thereby, contain inflation. "It (high oil prices) is a cause for ... More

AP seeks market regulator for domestic gas produce
Move for market pricing mechanism opposed More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Pharma industry seeks status quo on policy
New rule proposes to bring 354 drugs under price control More

`Only 33 pc of medicines to be under price control'
Draft policy circulated to various departments for comments More

TAXATION
Govt urged to scrap service tax on inland haulage, THC overseas
The Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) has sought the immediate withdrawal of service tax on inland haulage and terminal handling charges (THC) overseas on the plea that the tax is "unjustifiable." Speaking to Business Line, Mr ... More

I-T dept firm on bringing co-op banks under scanner
Opposition by the co-operative banks to bringing them under the income-tax scanner is not going to deter us from looking into their accounts. An audit would be ordered to check, Mr S.K. Sharma, Director-General (Investigations), Income-Tax, Pune ... More

TEXTILES
Tripartite meet to discuss textile industry woes
Leading textile-producing States to take part in deliberations More

TERRORISM
Time to evolve campaign to wipe out terrorism: Kalam
`Streamline procedures to attract foreign investments' More

Mumbai stops
REMEMBERING THE BLAST VICTIMS: The country's financial capital came to a halt for two minutes on Tuesday as its millions observed silence at 6.25 pm in memory of those killed in last week's serial bombings. The picture shows commuters at ... More

EDUCATION
Meet on business research methodology
The Justice K.S. Hegde Institute of Management, Nitte, will conduct a two-day workshop on `Business Research Methodology' from July 23. A press release said here that the proposed workshop intends to throw light on various ... More

MCX programme in energy trading
Signs MoU with UPES for education programme More

Nasscom calls for `liberation' of institutions
Must be given freedom to experiment with new courses, pay faculty More

AUTOMOBILE COMPONENTS
R&D facility for forging industry coming up at Pune
The Rs 22-cr project to be operational by Oct 2007 More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
PNB to go slow on loans for real estate
In a departure from its aggressive stance of last year, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has decided to go slow on providing credit for real estate development during the current fiscal. It will, however, continue to encourage individual housing ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
India-US Nuclear deal — The diplomacy-cultural context
Culture and diplomacy are the cornerstones of the whole issue. A fusion of the high- and low-context cultures is needed for the nuclear deal to come through. More

SOCIAL WELFARE
Cash in on the skills, cast away the divide
Indian political economists must strive to convert `caste skills' into business opportunities, leveraging their salability rather than casting them away. More

Iodised salt through PDS
The Andhra Pradesh Government is planning to bring out a law to punish the manufacturers and traders of non-iodised salt. Announcing this here on Monday, Mr Banwarlal, Commissioner of Civil Supplies, said people should feel it a ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Microfinance meet focuses on organising credit flow to SHGs
A day-long national seminar on microfinance discussed the role of banks and financial institutions as business facilitators and business correspondents. Organised by the International Network of Alternative financial institutions (INAFI), the ... More

EVENTS
FAPCCI meet on Hamriyah zone
The Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) will organise a programme on `Opportunities in Hamriyah Free Zone (Sharjah) on July 24. The 11-year-old free zone managed 12-million sq m, offering ... More

Centenary celebrations
THE PRESIDENT, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, with the Maharashtra Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh (left), and the President of Indian Merchants' Chamber, Mr Nayan Patel, releasing the chamber's centenary logo in Mumbai on Tuesday. ... More

`Yuva-2006' on July 21- 22
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), in association with the Andhra Pradesh State Council for Higher Education (APSCHE), will organise a two-day programme focussing on the youth on July 21 and 22. ... More

TOURISM
New effort to boost eco-tourism in Karnataka
Villagers recruited for training to run resorts More