The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, February 21, 2007

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INDUSTRY & ECONOMY

URBAN DEVELOPMENT
No anti-people clauses in ADB loan: Kerala Minister
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has changed the `anti-people' clauses in the agreement for extending loan for the urban development projects being implemented by the five corporations in Kerala, according to the Minister for Local ... More

Land-pooling introduced in Vizag
The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) has introduced land-pooling system for the planned development of the Visakha metropolitan region. The system enables farmers and landowners to take up joint ventures with the VUDA in ... More

AWARDS & HONOURS
Nayudamma award for Dr Dattatreyudu
Dr Nori Dattatreyudu, a well-known cancer specialist of Indian origin in the US, has been selected for the Dr Y. Nayudamma Memorial award for 2006. The Chairman of the Radiation Oncology Department at the New York Presbyterian ... More

BUDGET
Extend tax holiday to STPI registered units
The software industry has traditionally been the blue-eyed boy of the Finance Ministry. Rarely has it had to ask for something and not be granted it. This time around, the debate around benefits accorded to the STPI (for which scheme tax ... More

Urban transportation needs all the help it can get
Another area that calls for urgent attention is management of roads and the infrastructure around them all over the inner city too, particularly the fast shrinking parking spaces. More

Chambers welcome AP Budget
The Confederation of Indian Industry has welcomed Andhra Pradesh Government's efforts in reducing revenue and fiscal deficits progressively. Commenting on the State's Budget, which was presented on Monday, Mr G. Vivekanand, Chairman of CII ... More

`Extend STPI tax sops for another 10 years'
Crisil-Nasscom report warns of pressure on margins More

Rationalise levies imposed on telecom sector
Telecom being a highly capital intensive business, we would recommend that these multiple bank guarantees be replaced by a single corporate guarantee. More

Raise deposit rates
Post-office savings monthly interest scheme interest rates need to be revised from 8 per cent to at least 9.25 per cent, and in the case of term deposits, interest rates need to be revised to 8.5 per cent and 8.75 per cent, respectively, to ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
Creditors can take sick co to court to recover dues: HC
If a company is referred to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR), creditors cannot go to court to recover dues, right? Wrong, says Madras High Court. Section 22 of Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, ... More

ECONOMY
Kerala's annual Plan size at Rs 6,950 cr
Boost PPP in infrastructure, State told More

`Reforms have yielded stability'
Economic Survey lists gains in revenue, fiscal fields More

ENVIRONMENT
GE, Air India enter pact for eco-friendly engines
New engines will be 15% more fuel efficient: Thulasidas More

POWER
Lanco, JSPL venture to sign power purchase pacts
To supply power from Sasan ultra mega plant More

STEEL
Captive mines for RINL promised
The Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (Visakhapatnam steel plant) can save up to Rs 600 crore a year if has its own captive iron ore mines and the Union Government is making all attempts to grant such mines to the company, said Mr T. Subbarami Reddy, ... More

TAXATION
Govt urged to extend exemption on withholding tax
`Its re-imposition will increase financial pressure on aviation industry' More

TERRORISM
Call for tighter security measures at major ports
Chairpersons told to take up NMDP projects vigorously More

EDUCATION
UK education fair in Pune from today
Close on the heels of the education fair held by the Perth Education city, Pune is to witness another education fest, this time being held by the UK universities. About 45 universities are expected to participate in the fair. The fair will be ... More

`Technology has made great impact'
The academic curriculum is updated once in a year or once in two years by universities, whereas technology gets updated every day. In the last eight years, technology has grown manifold, Mr M. Gnanasekar, CEO of G-Mac Technologies, told students ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Trida flats ready for sale
The Thiruvananthapuram Development Authority (Trida) has readied for immediate occupation 52 modern flats at the Medical College junction. Located close to the Trida Centre Shopping Complex and executed directly under Trida supervision, the ... More

GOLD & SILVER
Authorised participants for Gold BeES
Benchmark Asset Management Company Private Ltd has appointed Ausom International Pvt Ltd, Hundia Exports, M D Overseas Ltd, NIBR Bullion Pvt Ltd, Pushpak Bullions Pvt Ltd, Riddhi Siddhi Bullions Ltd, Zaveri and Co Pvt Ltd as the Authorised ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
Assocham favours 1% extra cess on corporate profits
Resources to exclusively fund irrigation projects More

IPR
Abbott's AIDS drug in a patent spot in India
Patent application on soft gel version of Kaletra seems to be "abandoned" More

Domestic pharma cos differ on Mashelkar report
Oppose idea of `incremental innovations' being patented More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
SBI to recruit frontline staff
To set up 1 lakh rural kiosks More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS
Tirupur plans bandh over Salem rail division issue
Tirupur to follow suit; Minister asked not to reconsider proposal More

EVENTS
Govt ready to fund PPP projects in waste management
To make solid waste management and sewerage treatment plants economically viable, the Government on Tuesday offered to provide funding to public private partnership (PPP) projects in the area. Inaugurating the `FICCI Environment Conclave 2007', ... More

Thailand woos exhibition biz
The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) on Tuesday announced a drive to promote Thailand as an international exhibition centre for specific high-potential industries in India. In view of the increase in total ... More

ARTS & CRAFTS
Handicraft sourcing hubs on PPP model
Large retail chains promoted by corporate houses can look forward to steady flow of handicraft items for their outlets in the coming years, with the Government giving its nod for setting up of "sourcing hubs" across the country. These hubs ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Wheat procurement: Govt in state of panic
The report of the Centre asking corporates to refrain from buying wheat in the open market shows that panic drives people berserk. This government is in a state of utter panic. Inflation continues to climb, week after week, fuelled by tightening ... More

Australian copper for Sterlite unit
The first shipment of balcooma copper concentrate of 15,000 tonnes for the Tuticorin-based Sterlite Industries (I) Ltd, produced by Kagara Zinc Ltd, a public limited company in Australia, arrived at Tuticorin Port through the ... More

No verification of DEPBs at EDI ports
The Finance Ministry has dispensed with the verification of duty entitlement passbooks (DEPBs) by the customs at the electronic data interchange (EDI)-enabled ports of the country. Currently, DEPBs issued by the Directorate General of Foreign ... More