The Hindu Business Line : Friday, March 30, 2007

URBAN DEVELOPMENT
`Urban transport project phase one by 2008'
The first phase of Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) would be completed by 2008, bringing 35 per cent additional capacity to Mumbai's suburban rail transport service. The State Government has earmarked Rs 474 crore in the next fiscal for ... More

EMPLOYMENT
After MNC innings, techies pad up for minnows
CAREER ASPIRATIONS More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
TNT India introduces bio-fuel in its vehicles
In an experiment that could have a salutary impact on the cost competitiveness to the company, TNT India has followed its Dutch parent in introducing bio-fuel in its express transportation vehicles. A pilot has been started to study the gamut of ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Pepper slips on reports of import duty cut
Pepper futures slipped on Thursday following reports that the Union Government, under pressure from South and South-East Asian countries, could cut import duty on pepper to 20 per cent from 70 per cent. Anticipating a drop in prices in the ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
India-China commercial ties gain more depth
Bank of India opens first China branch at Shenzhen More

PETROLEUM
HPCL, BPCL allowed to charter ships directly for crude import
Putting an end to tussle between Petroleum and Shipping Ministry ends More

Higher targets set for ONGC reserve accretion, oil, gas output
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, agreeing on a new set of performance parameters and targets for the financial year 2007-08. The company has More

Exploration policy: Govt will define past performance criteria
Industry wants clarity on profit sharing mechanism More

IOC, Govt sign pact for monitoring 5 major projects
Five major projects are to be monitored as part of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) and the Government of India for the year 2007-08. The projects are Panipat Refinery expansion from 12 to ... More

Fifth tranche of oil bonds issued
The Finance Ministry on Thursday announced the issuance of the fifth tranche of oil bonds worth Rs 4,971 crore to State-owned petroleum marketing companies. The latest tranche of the "8.40 per cent Oil Marketing Companies' ... More

ONGC may seek extension of exploration licences
Non-availability of rig hurting deepwater exploration prospects More

TAXATION
Maharashtra waives purchase tax on sugarcane
Announcing the decision in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, Finance Minister Mr Jayant Patil said that for those mills that have already paid the tax, the amount would be adjusted against their dues for the next year. The tax waiver is ... More

Banking hours extended
Working hours have been extended in the Reserve Bank of India as also State Bank of India and its associates, public sector banks and the designated private sectors banks to receive tax payments to government accounts beyond ... More

WATER
Beautifying Hooghly
SCENIC SPOT: The picturesque view of the Howrah Bridge. The State Government plans a major face-lift to re-organise the banks of the river Hooghly for the city dwellers. ... More

RADIO/TV
Govt bans Fashion TV for 2 months
Fashion TV has been banned a second time round by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. In a statement, the Ministry clarified that the channel was being banned on all platforms from April 1 to May 30 for "showing programmes that are against ... More

Fuse+Media invests Rs 50.96 cr in India TV
Fuse+Media, an affiliate of international venture fund Comventures, has invested Rs 50.96 crore in the Hindi news channel, India TV. The Foreign Investment Promotion Board has approved foreign direct investment in India TV through the issue of ... More

EDUCATION
27% OBC quota in IIMs, IITs stayed
1931 census can't be the basis: SC More

We will have to study stay implications: IIM-A Director
The admission of candidates belonging to the Other Backward Castes (OBCs) to elite institutions such as the IIMs and IITs seems to have become uncertain, at least for the time being, in view of the Supreme Court's stay on Thursday on the 27 ... More

`US planning increase in 2-way exchange of students'
The US is planning to increase two-way exchange of students with India to cater to the growing demands of American and Indian businesses for trained manpower, said the US Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Ms Karen P. ... More

IIM-B may hold back call letters
Following the Supreme Court stay on 27 per cent quota for OBC students in institutes of higher learning, the IIMs may hold back offer letters being made to these students. Dr Prakash G. Apte, Director, IIM, Bangalore told Business Line: ... More

Hindi version of Office 2007
Microsoft Office 2007 is now available in Hindi. The editions of Office Professional 2007 and Office Standard 2007 being made available in Hindi are part of Microsoft's Project Bhasha, a programme launched in September 2003 to promote local ... More

Manipal group's training courses
Manipal Education Group has rolled out a host of vocational training courses for industries facing a severe talent crunch. These are certificate and diploma programmes in the areas of retail, banking, telecom, IT, infrastructure, ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
`IT sector takes big pie of new office space'
IT and ITES companies accounted for the largest consumption of new commercial space in the last quarter of 2006 in the major cities in the country, according to real estate consultancy DTZ Debenham Tie Leung. The sector took up 75 per cent of ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
CII drive for promoting Tiruchi
Array of activities on the anvil More

CINEMA
`Bilori' bags Golden Pearl Award at film festival
The maiden Hyderabad International Film Festival (HIFF), where over 110 films from 25 countries were screened, came to a close on Thursday. `Bilori', a film directed by Sandeep H Modi, has won the Golden Pearl Award, which carries a cash prize ... More

DISINVESTMENT
Govt to go by Attorney-General's view on Balco residual stake sale
The Government has decided to go by the opinion of the Attorney-General on the residual stake sale issue of Balco. The Attorney General has opined that the Government was not bound by the shareholder's agreement (SHA) to sell the residual 49 ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Lifting Bharat out of economic quagmire
India can never hope to join the comity of affluent nations unless the lot of its farming population is improved. More

BUSINESS MODELS
16 theme business ventures planned
Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project More

EVENTS
Emulate Uttarakhand model, Tata Motors tells Bengal
`Auto industry has critical role in job creation' More

INCOME TAX
Special counters to file IT returns
To facilitate filing of returns of income by tax payers, special counters will be kept open for accepting the returns of income on Saturday, up to 8 p.m. All tax payers are requested to avail the facility, the Commissioner, ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Amul declines award for best dairy exporter
PROTESTING BAN More

TOURISM
`Give priority for tourism'
Bankers should give thrust and priority for financing activities related to promotion of tourism in Uttara Kannada district, according to Mr Anantakumar Hegde, MP of Canara constituency. Releasing the credit plan for Uttara ... More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES
SEBI imposes penalty on `clients' of broking firm
SEBI has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 lakh collectively on Mr Ramod K. Agarwal, Ms Sumitra Devi Agarwal and Mr Rahul Kumar Agarwal - "clients" of a broking firm Rajat Share and Stock Brokers Pvt Ltd — for indulging in artificial stock ... More