The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, November 30, 2006

EMPLOYMENT
`Companies should relax recruitment parameters'
Companies often look for a certain `profile' of candidates while they set out to recruit. The parameters they set — sometimes unnecessarily — shrink the universe of eligible candidates. Companies could therefore relax the parameters ... More

SOCIAL SECURITY
Govt hopes to get Pension Bill passed
The Government is hopeful of evolving a consensus on the pension reforms Bill and getting it passed in the ongoing winter session of Parliament, the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, said here on Wednesday. "I am not a ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
ICC arbitration court keen to extend presence
The ICC International Court of Arbitration (ICC), Paris, is keen to extend its presence in India to develop international arbitration. "We will be international if there are cases from all regions, including your own, and if more and more ... More

ECONOMY
Declining Joint Families — Looming social security crisis
With limited social-security and a large unorganised workforce, social capital — the family and community linkages — is the best safety net for the elderly in India. Only nurturing this capital can save the country from a societal crisi s, says R. VAIDYANATHAN. More

Petrol, diesel prices cut
Relief to consumers; but margins of oil marketing cos may take a hit More

FOREIGN TRADE
US ready to partner India's growth story: Lavin
Mr Franklin L. Lavin had a simple message for India Inc at the conclusion of his speech on the opening day of the US-India Business Summit at the Grand Hyatt. "For years Indians have told me that they want to do business with Americans and are ... More

Indo-Australian Chamber to hold marketing meet on Dec 5
The Indo-Australian Chamber of Commerce is organising a daylong workshop on `Marketing and communication strategies for successful operations in the Australian market' on December 5, according to a press release. Three international consultants ... More

PETROLEUM
BPCL designs mobile fuel dispensing tanker for Army
Also offers vehicle repair, first aid and vehicle tracking system More

Indian Oil, Bongaigaon boards okay merger plan
The board of directors of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Bongaigaon Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (BRPL) today approved merger of BRPL with IOC. The swap ratio is pegged at 4:37 (four equity shares of Rs 10 each of IOC for every 37 shares of ... More

Price cut may ease inflation: Chidambaram
The Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, on Wednesday said that the Government's decision to cut petrol and diesel prices would to some extent help ease inflation in the coming days. "It should help in easing (inflation) to some extent, but it ... More

Relief over cut in petrol, diesel prices
Petrol will be cheaper by Rs 2.23 and diesel by Rs 1.12 per litre in the State with effect from Wednesday midnight following reduction in fuel prices announced by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gases. In Bangalore, petrol would cost Rs ... More

AP, Reliance agree on gas supply
Reliance Industries and the Andhra Pradesh Government today agreed to create a gas grid in the State and pave the way to formulate supply terms for gas from the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin. The move follows a recent assurance made by Reliance ... More

POWER
Abu Dhabi company to lend $1 b for power projects
Infrastructure Leasing signs framework pact with TAQA More

Kaiga power units to become operational by next year
All the four units of the Kaiga Generating Station of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) are likely to become operational by next year. Though two units are already in operation, the third unit is likely to be commissioned in January ... More

TAXATION
Govt wants shipping cos to drop petition on service tax
New Delhi is trying to dissuade shipping companies from going ahead with the petition filed by them before the Bombay High Court on levy of service tax with retrospective effect. Shipping companies have agreed to withdraw the petition provided ... More

Telecom sector taxes may come under scanner
The Government will look into the taxation provisions governing the telecom sector as growth in the sector last year stood at 30 per cent, while Government's tax revenue from the sector grew by only 9 per cent. "The growth in tax revenue from ... More

TEXTILES
Hank yarn output matches obligation target
Textiles Ministry's compilation for Jan-June period More

Textile ind body seeks cut in duty for man-made fibre products
Wants optional duty regime for all producers More

EDUCATION
Learning to sell
With organised retail burgeoning, courses tailored to the selling techniques it demands sprout. More

French B-school to set up entrepreneur centre
In what can be seen as an indication of the increasing emphasis on business in India in the curricula of leading business schools globally, French business school, Insead, is in the process of establishing a centre for entrepreneurship in the ... More

Talk on future of equities
A lecture on `Future of equities' will be held at the Justice K.S. Hegde Institute of Management, Nitte, Udupi district, on November 30 as part of the Business Line Club's activities. Mr G.S. Subrhmonya, Area Manager of Stock ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Kochi Builders' meet to begin on Saturday
1,500 delegates expected More

Honeywell turns focus to eastern India market
Rate of growth in eastern India is higher than elsewhere in the country. More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
CII to conduct corrosion audit
To help corporates assess losses due to corrosion and suggest ways to curtail them, the Confederation of Indian Industry is starting an audit programme soon. Corrosion in chemical plants and metal fittings, pipes and equipment costs the nation ... More

BIO-TECH & GENETICS
Ascendas may set up Rs 500-cr bio-IT park in Chennai
Project to include STPI, State Govt in public-pvt partnership More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Potential for radiation processing tech seen
Radiation processing technology is gaining acceptance in industries such as food processing and sterilisation of medical products, according to Dr A.K. Kohli, Chief Executive of Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Mumbai. ... More

NGRI scientists bag awards
Dr Abhey Ram Bansal and Dr Kalachand Sain, both scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), here have been selected for the National Mineral Award-2005, for their contributions in the field of Earth ... More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Fiat among 17 FDI plans cleared
Italian automobile major Fiat Auto SPA will invest Rs 2,000 crore at its Pune plant to manufacture passenger cars. The proposal was among the 17 foreign direct investment (FDI) proposals approved by the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, ... More

British Tele application `deficient'
DoT seeks more information More

IPR
Patents can enhance shareholder value: EU expert
`Managing intellectual property is real business issue today for all cos' More

SOCIAL WELFARE
Helping the poor help themselves thru MBOPs
Political parties, NGOs, trade unions and cooperatives all claim to work for the welfare of the people. But all of them have limitations. The bottom line is that the poor feel that either their case is not represented well or that they don't have ... More

EVENTS
`SPEED 2006' to be held in Madurai from Dec 3-6
CII meet on investment scope in south districts of TN More

SOCIETY & DEVELOPMENT
Fokana plans project package for Kerala
Housing, medical aid for poor More

INCOME TAX
Indian, AI merger may get income-tax relief
Group of Ministers raises questions on way forward More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Vanaspati industry split over duty-free imports
12 Indian firms having units in Lanka likely to gain More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
Nandan Biomatrix launches standardised plant extracts
Hyderabad-based nutraceuticals company Nandan Biomatrix Ltd has launched its standardised medicinal plant extracts. "We develop and commercialise proprietary compounds from medicinal plants to address the unmet needs of people in the ... More