The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Biodiesel association seeks higher price
The biodiesel industry has sought higher price for its product than what has been fixed by the Government. "The Government has fixed the price for biodiesel delivered at refineries at Rs 26.50 a litre, which does not cover the cost of ... More

SOCIAL SECURITY
Coir Board considering health insurance plan
Coir Board is considering introduction of a health insurance scheme for coir workers, Mr A.C. Jose, Chairman of the Board, has said. Speaking at a function organised as part of handing over the cheque to Oriental Insurance Company towards the ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
Tax laws can't be challenged for levy of different rates for different people: HC
The Legislature is competent to classify persons or properties into different categories and tax them differently. The taxing statute cannot be challenged merely because different rates of taxation are prescribed for different categories of ... More

Nod for Aspinwall group cos merger
The High Court of Kerala has approved the scheme of amalgamation among the Aspinwall Group companies. As per the scheme, Aspinwall Investments Ltd, the Pullangode Rubber and Produce Company and Aspinwall and Company (Travancore) ... More

ECONOMY
Fed cut in sight
US data not encouraging More

ELECTRONICS
Fab policy: State's plea to PM
The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, today submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, requesting for early announcement of semiconductor policy. Reiterating the State demand for semiconductor policy to make fab ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Indo-US `Totalisation Treaty' mooted
Facilitates Indian professionals recover social security More

India confident of free trade pact with ASEAN by 2007
PM to hold talks with counterparts at Dec 12 summit More

More trade, investment ties with Israel
India and Israel will further expand bilateral trade and investment relations, building on the respective strengths of the two economies. This was highlighted during the discussions between the Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr ... More

US cos eye biz avenues here
Several US companies in IT, healthcare and logistics are looking for business opportunities and joint venture possibilities in India, according to Mr Patrick Kirwan, Director, Trade Promotion Coordination Committee, US Department ... More

PSU
Govt to promote risk taking, innovation in public sector
`Fear of vigilance should not deter good managers being creative' More

PETROLEUM
Sakhalin gas: ONGC may opt for direct marketing
Price negotiation panel in talks with Exxon Mobil More

Govt to approve formula for gas pricing: Deora
To help compute revenues from gas discovered More

POWER
Thorium Power in tie-up talks with NTPC, NPCIL
US-based Thorium Power Ltd, developer of nuclear fuel technology, is in talks with Indian companies, including state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd and NTPC Ltd, to firm up partnerships to offer its proliferation-resistant, ... More

Goa Carbon power generation foray
Goa Carbon Ltd (GCL), a Dempo Group company, which manufactures Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC), will venture into power generation soon. The board of directors of GCL took an `in-principle' decision to this effect at a meeting ... More

TN proposes mini-port at Cheyyur
The Tamil Nadu Government is considering setting up a mini-port near Cheyyur (near Chingleput) to facilitate establishment of a 2,000 MW coal-based power plant by NTPC. Responding to a question in the Assembly today, Electricity Minister Mr ... More

TAXATION
With passing of Bill, TN moves into VAT system
Traders with turnover of up to Rs 10 lakh exempted More

RADIO/TV
National Geographic plans awards for factual films
The National Geographic channel plans to introduce awards for factual film making under categories such as stills, documentaries and even films shot on mobile phones, covering genres such as environment, science, technology and conservation. Mr ... More

EDUCATION
CD Mart goes on stream
The Education Minister, Mr M. A. Baby, has formally thrown open the CD Mart housing compact discs pertaining to education. The CD Mart has been set up at the Government-run Science and Technology Museum here. Publishing houses ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Banks cut back lending to realty, retail sectors
`Rejig of portfolio will not impact credit expansion' More

Panel to revise market property value guidelines in TN
The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a law enabling setting up of valuation committee to estimate and revise market value guidelines of properties. The amendment to the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and the Registration Act 1908, provides for the creation ... More

Indian cos get more to buy property abroad
Indian companies with overseas offices can now remit more funds for acquiring immovable property outside India for business and residential purposes. For the initial expenses, banks may allow remittance up to 15 per cent of the average annual ... More

Construction sector urged to adopt modern technology
Considering the growth in the construction sector, the building industry should adopt modern technologies to meet the demand, Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan, Chief Operating Officer of Infosys Technologies, has said. Speaking at the valedictory ... More

GOLD & SILVER
Gaining again
WEAKENING DOLLAR: An artisan giving finishing touches to a gold ornament at a shop in Kochi. Gold has begun to gain on weak dollar and falling global mining production. Support for the yellow metal is seen around $580 an ounce and it could soon ... More

KNITWEAR & HOSIERY
Knitwear workers' wage issue close to settlement
Accord on four-year period More

GENDER
Report on women-media study
The Institute of Development Studies, Kolkata, which has been working for the past three years on a project titled "Women & Media in the Context of Globalisation" with support of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Berlin, will shortly More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
FDI in education: Demand may go up for NRI teachers
With FDI in education looming large over the campus scene in the country, it may be the turn of NRI "gurus" to start queuing up for their "return" tickets. "Like engineers, scientists and doctors, we will see a large number of expat Indian ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Rs 12 cr for North 24-Parganas
The Union Ministry of Rural Development has released Rs 12 crore during the current year as Central assistance under the Indira Awas Yojana to the North 24-Parganas district rural development agency, says a Press release. The ... More

BUSINESS MODELS
Call for Indian model of management
Cautioning against the "helicopter model" of taking modern management practices to rural areas, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has called for creation of an Indian model of management education based on domestic social and cultural ... More

EVENTS
Non-destructive testing meet in Hyderabad
More than 90 manufacturing companies from 18 countries, including the US, the UK, Poland, Belgium and Canada will exhibit latest capabilities and technologies at the three-day meeting of the Indian Society of Non Destructive Testing (ISNDT) ... More

World Disabled Day observed
The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development for Women (CED) at the Canara Bank Circle Office observed the World Disabled Day here on Sunday. The CED hosted a lunch to the inmates of Cheshire Home, Kowdiar, apart from offering ... More

Ashwani Kumar to represent PM in Morocco
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, will be represented by the Minister of State for Industry, Mr Ashwani Kumar, at the fourth annual international conference on `Fundamentals of investment: Education, training and employment' to be held on ... More

INCOME TAX
Over 1.5-lakh I-T returns taken up for scrutiny
Returns pertained to assessment year 2005-06 More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
50 l tonnes cotton export unlikely
Output trailing consumption, declining stocks and falling export volumes continue to characterise the global cotton market for 2006-07, while price prospects for next year (2007-08) appear more upbeat on current reckoning. China continues to be ... More

Ban on pulses export can only be prospective: SC
Upholds HC orders permitting shipments by 2 firms More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
Rice production hit by climate impact: Study
Brown clouds, greenhouse gas emission key sources More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala to branch out
The Vaidyaratnam Oushadhasala, which provides holistic ayurvedic treatment and medicines, is all set to foray into the Gulf countries in association with the Mumbai-based Mastermind Group and the Bahrain-based East West Group. The treatment ... More

TOURISM
Outbound travel roadshow in Jan
The fourth edition of the Outbound Travel Road Show (OTR) would be held from January 15-23, in Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi, according to Mr Rohit Hangal, Director, India International Travel Mart (IITM). OTR is the only ... More

Kerala plans Rs 1,000-cr investment in tourism
215 projects submitted to Centre More