The Hindu Business Line : Friday, December 15, 2006

Steps urged to moderate prices
Congress MPs have urged the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, to take steps to moderate prices of essential commodities, remove banking cash transaction tax (BCTT) and provide concessions to the farm sector to improve its growth prospects. ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Car makers hold divergent views over excise duty sops
The Ministry of Heavy Industries is firm that the duty structure should be uniform. More

FOREIGN TRADE
PM seeks political help for an economic push
`Strong efforts needed from govts, trade and industry' More

India, Pakistan revise shipping protocol
India and Pakistan today signed a revised shipping protocol. According to an official communiqué, the revised protocol replaces the protocol on resumption of shipping services signed by India and Pakistan in 1975, which restricted lifting of ... More

What Japanese business wants India to do
As Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, reached out to Japan's political and business class to step up their engagement and investments in India, there was little he had heard from the Japanese as to what had been holding them back in recent years. ... More

HEALTH
Clinical studies to be done on turmeric extract for cancer cure
A major breakthrough to treat cancer using bio-enhanced reconstituted turmeric extract could be expected once the clinical studies on the efficacy of this product is completed at the national level. A Central Government agency has already ... More

HOTELS
Taj West to sport new interior look
The Taj West End Bangalore will be wearing a new interior look soon. The hotel is currently upgrading the amenities and ambience in its 117 rooms, albeit its exteriors will retain its pristine appearance in the midst of a wooded ambience. The ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Century Building plans to set up SEZ
The city-based Century Building Industries Pvt Ltd has charted out a plan to set up a special economic zone (SEZ) for facilitating the establishment of educational, health and hospitality infrastructure. The SEZ would also have a foreign ... More

Lankan group to set up SEZ in AP
The Sri Lanka-based MAS Holdings, a textile and apparel group in South Asia, will set up an exclusive special economic zone for textiles and apparel in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. The 750-acre SEZ is expected to bring in ... More

PETROLEUM
Gas transportation: Combined single tariff for trunk lines
KG basin network tariffs revised More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Ministry to amend Act to penalise fake drug makers
The Health Ministry has initiated processes to amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 to bring into effect more strict penalties for those involved in counterfeit drugs. Food project The Lok Sabha was informed ... More

POWER
Coal linkages for ultra mega power projects allocated
The Centre has allocated a coal block for the proposed Sasan power project in Madhya Pradesh and the process for importing coal has been initiated for the Mundra project in Gujarat — the first couple of 4,000 MW-each thermal stations being ... More

APERC signs up for second phase reforms
The second phase envisages introduction of a multi-year tariff and reduction of power losses. More

SSI
Gandhigiri in fashion
We needed a Lage Raho Munnabhai to remind us about Mahatma Gandhi and Gandhism a.k.a. `Gandhigiri' — never mind the loud humour, Gandhiji was `resurrected' in the Gen Next psyche. A similar, albeit muted, ... More

RADIO/TV
More clarity on Net TV legal status sought
In a bid to address the regulatory issues related to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), industry experts have called for revisiting the Convergence Bill to address the overlap areas of broadcast and telecommunication. IPTV technology is ... More

Media tech consortium
Oracle India, Wipro Infotech and Media e2e have formed a media technology consortium to provide modern technology for the media and entertainment sector. According to a press release, the three companies bring different ... More

EDUCATION
FLAME courses to begin in July
FLAME, a not-for-profit organisation that is setting up a campus on the outskirts of Pune, will launch its first courses in July 2007, according to Prof Indira J. Parikh, former dean of IIM-Ahmedabad. Promising to impart holistic education, ... More

CARS
Gap narrowing in initial quality of car models: Study
Honda City, Honda Civic, Ford Ikon, Maruti Zen and Toyota Innova rank highest in initial quality in their respective segments, according to the JD Power Asia Pacific 2006 India Initial Quality Study (IQS). The gap in initial quality between the ... More

ECONOMICS
The Great Divide: Monetary vs fiscal purism
There are deep-seated differences of approach to economic problems between fiscalists, who see a major role for state, and monetarists, who swear by the role of money. In the context of the passing of Milton Friedman, T.C.A. RAMANUJAM examines the p osition on either side of the divide. More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
NDDB, FAO launch South Asia pro-poor livestock policy plan
A platform to promote the interests of poor rural livestock keepers More

Karnataka farm policy aims at 4.5 pc annual growth
Encouraging pvt investment in rural areas proposed More

HUMAN RESOURCES
Joint study on human development
A group of researchers from Canada, Cuba and Kerala have launched a study to determine whether any lessons can be learnt from the high levels of human development achieved by Kerala and Cuba. Despite their differences, Kerala and Cuba share ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS
Taking on the big fish
Kerala's fisherwomen valiantly fight back forces threatening their way of life and livelihood. More

Bandh hits train services in Bengal
Long distance detained at different points More

EVENTS
Two's company
MR SUNIL BHARTI MITTAL, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharti Enterprises, and Mr Anil Ambani, Chairman, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, at a round table meeting in the Capital on Thursday. ... More

IIM-L to host annual biz event
Indian Institute of Management-Lucknow will hold its annual business event — Manfest 2007 from January 19-21. One of the 25 events in the Manfest is `Treatise,' an international thought challenge, where the emphasis will be ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
US court rules against bond requirements for shrimp imports
Final decision in 2007; Indian exporters among those likely to benefit More

TOURISM
India to get responsible tourism centre
To commence activities with workshop on Dec 16 More

Mauritius to issue 60-day visa for biz travellers
Indian nationals travelling to Mauritius on business no longer need to apply for a visa. The Republic of Mauritius will issue a 60-day visa on arrival for Indian nationals travelling for business purposes or tourism. The previous policy ... More