The Hindu Business Line : Friday, April 06, 2007

CEMENT
CVD on cement import clarified
The countervailing duty exemption on cement import would be Rs 350 per tonne in the case of cement of declared retail sale price not exceeding Rs 190 per 50 kg bag, the Government clarified on Thursday. For higher priced cement, ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
HC ruling in non-employment of workmen case
The High Court could not intervene in matters relating to non-employment of workmen when the Industrial Disputes Act had sanctioned right to labour to approach labour court to vindicate grievance, the Madras High Court has held. When ... More

ECONOMY
Chidambaram to meet bankers, RBI officials
Review of recent monetary tightening measures More

Price hike: Steel cos make opposing claims
Prices will not be increased for April: Manufacturers More

Cement, electricity drag down Feb industrial index
Lower production of cement and decline in electricity generation pulled down the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) to 7.2 per cent in February 2007 as against 9.1 per cent registered in February 2006. Cement production grew by 5.8 per cent ... More

Call for economic unity
FICCI has warned that in the absence of a concrete economic integration framework, the SAARC grouping would not be able to realise its objectives. To achieve intra-regional trade of $20 billion by 2010, the chamber has suggested ... More

RBI moves hit hard State govts
Borrowing costs expected to escalate sharply More

FOREIGN TRADE
Govt effects further import duty cuts with Singapore
Increases concession level for the phased elimination list More

Bengal for more ties with Vietnam
Bengal Initiative, which was first formed in 1905 during the Swadeshi Movement, is sending a goodwill mission to Vietnam. The team will be led by Mr Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya, Mayor of Kolkata, and will include 26 members. The ... More

HEALTH
Roche bringing cancer drug to India
Roche did not have to undertake specific trials in India on this drug, as there was globally established safety data. More

Manipal claims stem cells breakthrough for Parkinson's
Plans to extend therapy to spinal cord injury More

Protocol for snakebite management on the anvil
The Union Health Ministry is considering a new National Treatment Protocol for management of snakebite. The protocol, prepared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), would replace the outdated treatment methods that are in vogue in India. Dr ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Govt lifts freeze on SEZs, caps size at 5,000 hectares
Processing area increased to 50 per cent for all zones; 83 more SEZs notified More

SEZs require integration with social infrastructure: Marg Constructions
Company plans 2 special economic zones near Chennai More

`No' to SEZ
ANOTHER HURDLE: Farmers and tribals protesting in Mumbai on Thursday against land acquisition by the Maharashtra Government for Special Economic Zones in Raigad district, which will be spread over 10,000 hectares, involving a cost of Rs 30,000 ... More

PETROLEUM
ONGC-Shell alliance runs into rough weather
Development of Kalol oil field in Gujarat More

ONGC Videsh, IPR make new discovery in Gulf of Suez
OVL and IPR Red Sea have 70 per cent and 30 per cent participating interest respectively in North Ramadan Concession. More

ONGC inks service contracts for 14 fields
ONGC has entered into service contracts for development of 14 onshore marginal fields. In a statement today, the company said that contracts have been signed with Hydrocarbon Resources Development, Deep Industries Ltd, BG Shirke Construction ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Patent regime triggers thrust on healthcare communication
Pharma cos looking at specialised agencies More

POWER
`Unscheduled power cut hits industries'
The unscheduled power cut imposed in the region has hit the industries leading to production loss, according to the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Coimbatore. In a statement, Mr D. Balasundaram, President, ICCI, said due to ... More

TAXATION
TN seeks Rs 10/kg for green leaf tea to cut VAT
Minister assures to bring it down to 1%; split in industry More

New Web site on VAT launched
The Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiyar University, Dr G. Thiruvasagam, inaugurated an outsourcing Web site on value added tax (VAT) launched by KRB Associates, Madurai, here on Wednesday. Launched by Mr K. Rama Bharathi, an advocate, the Web site, ... More

Rs 1,511-cr IT collection in Vizag
The I-T Department has collected Rs 1,511 crore during 2006-07 in the Visakhapatnam region comprising Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and the two Godavari districts. Mr A.K. Basu, the chief commissioner of income tax, ... More

SAP solution for new cess
SAP India, by working with its customers and partners, has delivered a functionality that enables adherence to changes in the tax structure proposed in Union Budget 2007. This functionality is about the `Secondary and Higher ... More

COAL
Coal India eyes Nav Ratna status, IPO
Proposal to dilute 5 per cent of paid-up equity capital to be put before board More

EDUCATION
Oxford B-school scholarships
Oxford University's Saïd Business School is offering two scholarship places exclusively to readers of the management magazine, The Smart Manager, on its Oxford Advanced Management Programme in June 2007 and in October 2007. Taught over ... More

PG certificate course in industrial health for doctors
A three-month post-graduate certificate course in industrial health for doctors employed in industries was inaugurated at the National Model Centre for Occupational Health Services, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL), here recently. The ... More

New chief for Akademi of Sciences
Prof D. Narayana Rao, Director, National Atmospheric Research Laboratory, Tirupati, under the Department of Space, has assumed charge as the President of the Andhra Pradesh Akademi of Sciences for two years 2007 & 2008. The new . More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
`Need for interim office space rising in Bangalore'
Shortage of ready supply and pre-leasing by corporates: Report More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Indian cos invest $23 b abroad in Jan, Feb
Indian companies have made foreign direct investments (FDI) worth $23 billion in January and February of the current year, higher than $21 billion made in the whole of 2006, said Dr Ajay Dua, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and ... More

FDI in tobacco: `No change in policy'
The Centre is not contemplating any change in the policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in tobacco, according to the Union Minister of Commerce, Mr Kamal Nath. He reassured farmers that their interests would be protected and would be of ... More

WTO
EU official to participate in WTO trade talks in Delhi
The EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Peter Mandelson, today confirmed that he would participate in the World Trade Organisation-Doha trade talks in Delhi to be held between April 11 and 12. India, the US and Brazil are also expected to participate in ... More

EVENTS
`Make values drive growth'
For values and ethics to flourish in a vibrant economy like India, there was need to move towards a market led economy with an inclusive growth pattern said Mr R. Seshasayee, President, CII. Increase in demand, information arbitrage and use of ... More

CII meet on `Made in Madurai'
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Madurai Zone-sponsored seminar on `Made In Madurai' will be held in the city on Saturday. The objective is to explore the importance of innovation and design in marketing and focus on ways to form ... More

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Life-giving loans
SWAS helps make a small loan go a long way. More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Cement lot from Pak held up at Nhava Sheva
125 tonnes waiting for BIS quality certificate More

African cotton growers seek ban on subsidised exports
India stands to gain by supporting them More

Cement import: Port-level bottlenecks major hurdle
Tight situation in global shipping may add to the costs More

CII identifies key areas impacting exports
The Confederation of Indian Industry has identified three areas to boost exports from the country in a survey conducted by it, prior to the announcement of Foreign Trade Policy 2007-08. The most important barrier is the difficulty in obtaining ... More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
Training in disaster relief
Ashok Leyland joins hands with Red Cross for a unique corporate awareness programme. More