The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, April 18, 2007

URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Vizag development schemes cleared
A major housing project at a cost of Rs 192 crore is also being taken up for the urban poor and 15,000 houses will be constructed. More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Promote jatropha, says Minister
The Agriculture Minister, Mr Mullakara Ratnakaran, has said that jatropha cultivation needs to be promoted in the State as much for producing cheaper energy as for job creation in the rural sector. In Kerala, where availability ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
Scuffle at HM unit: Contempt notice against police
Mr Justice Dipankar Datta of the Calcutta High Court today issued Rule of Contempt against the police authority and `Jukta Sangrami Morcha' of Hindustan Motors' factory at Uttarapara, for violating the court's order of March 28. On March 28, Mr ... More

ECONOMY
CII state council outlines inclusive growth plans
Working on framework with 20-year vision for Tamil Nadu More

ENVIRONMENT
Can India weather climate change?
Even as the effects of global warming are beginning to be felt, is the establishment ready to deal with its impact? SHARAD JOSHI does not think so, and examines the possible fallout on agriculture and related sectors. More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Drawback panel gets more time
The Finance Ministry has granted more time to the three-member committee on duty drawback for submitting its recommendations on the all-industry duty drawback rates for 2007-08. The all-industry duty drawback rates are worked out and notified ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Kerala, Lankan industry chambers sign MoU
With a view to wooing investors from Kerala, Sri Lanka has offered several sops. The surge in industrial and economic activities in Kerala would provide an opportunity for businessmen for more trade transactions in future. B2B initiative to pr omote trade and industry More

Deora leads high-level team to Syria, Algeria, Egypt
Willing to train oil and gas personnel of these countries More

HEALTH
$14-m AIDS project launched in AP
Andhra Pradesh, one of the six high HIV prevalence States in the country, is mulling to bring in legislation, mandating brides and bridegrooms to undergo HIV/AIDS screening before marriage. Addressing a gathering after launching the $14-million ... More

HOTELS
Changing landmark
ASSUMING NEW SHAPE: The Grand Great Eastern Hotel, acquired by the Bharat Hotels Group, under reconstruction in Kolkata. The building — albeit in a different shape — has been a landmark of the city since as early as the 1820s when it ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
SEZ approval board may not take up fresh applications
May 9 meet to convert in-principle approvals to formal More

Reliance investing Rs 8,000 cr in AP-Bengal gas pipeline
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) may invest up to Rs 8,000 crore in the proposed 1,100-km gas pipeline from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to Howrah in West Bengal. The pipeline will connect West Bengal to the company's major finds in the ... More

PSU
PSU fertiliser cos eyeing sick units of FCI, Hind Fert
Three profit making public sector fertiliser companies have evinced interest in taking over the sick units of Fertiliser Corporation of India (FCI) and Hindustan Fertiliser Corporation Ltd (HFC). The companies that have shown interest are ... More

PETROLEUM
Consortium partners plan raising Panna, Mukta output
ONGC, BG and Reliance Industries, the consortium partners of Panna, Mukta, and Tapti (PMT) fields, propose to raise the output from the fields by 30 per cent at an investment of $520 million. Speaking to newspersons, Mr Sudhir Vasudevan, ... More

Cairn starting seismic survey in Bihar
The block in north Bihar is under-explored; no hydrocarbons have yet been discovered More

Next bidding round for oil blocks may begin in May
NELP-VII may see auction of 60 blocks More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Eco norms begin to bite small, medium units in pharma space
`Adopt cluster-based approach' More

PLASTICS
PVC pipe makers face short supply of resins
Organised and small-scale units will have production problems More

POWER
PMO seeks report from Ministry on Sasan imbroglio
Joint Secretary addressing queries raised by CVC More

Power situation improves in AP
Imposed power cut likely to stay More

TAXATION
Industry seeks VAT panel intervention on Kerala move
Corporate India has urged the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on value-added tax (VAT) to persuade the Kerala Government to reconsider its move to impose VAT on the maximum retail price (MRP) of products sold in the State. ... More

Even 2-day delay in remitting TDS can attract prosecution
If the principal officers of the company are not in a position to establish that they were not responsible, they may be prosecuted in view of the above decision of the Supreme Court. More

Service tax collection up in Mangalore
The Mangalore Commissionerate of Central Excise collected a service tax of Rs 170 crore during 2006-07 against Rs 124 crore in the previous fiscal, said Dr John Joseph, Commissioner of Customs and Central Excise, Mangalore. ... More

TYRES
Tyre cos join issue with Upasi
Change in rubber import tariff More

COAL
Coal blocks purchase abroad: Steel Ministry draws SPV shareholding pattern
More

EDUCATION
Fujitsu Consulting to fund school project near Lonavla
First it was the Habitat for Humanity's Georgia-based Jimmy Carter Work Project (JCWP). Now it is the turn of the Japan-based Fujitsu to turn their eyes on the little village called Patan in Malavli near Lonavla. Fujitsu will fund a school, ... More

Infy BPO, Karnataka University tie up
Infosys BPO, the business process outsourcing subsidiary of Infosys Technologies, has partnered with Karnataka University, Dharwad, to train students in communication and domain specific skills thereby increasing the employment opportunities ... More

GEMS & JEWELLERY
Diamond jewellery losing `shine' in US, eyes China
Facing stiff competition from high-end branded luxury items More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NGRI gets ISO certification
The National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) here has been awarded the ISO 9001: 2000 certificate by the TUV Cert Certification body of Germany. Valid till 2010, the certificate is for its capabilities in a range of ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Oriental Bank, India Post in pact for rural lending
Pilot project in Maharashtra, Goa will lend Rs 20,000 per beneficiary More

EVENTS
Investment plans
INDIA FOCUS: The General Motors Chairman, Mr Rick Wagoner, the Minister for Heavy Industries, Mr Santosh Mohan Dev, and the CII President, Mr R. Seshasayee, at a seminar in the Capital on Tuesday. ... More

INCOME TAX
I-T dept searches art galleries
The Income-Tax Department on Tuesday searched about 25 premises of eight groups of art gallery owners and art fund organisers in Delhi and Mumbai. The search was conducted based on specific intelligence received by the tax ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
`Cement import: Makers must conform to Indian standards'
BIS says licence has to be got under its certification scheme More

48,000 tonnes pulses reach ports
Over 48,000 tonnes of imported pulses have arrived at Indian ports out of the total 2.25 lakh tonnes (lt) contracted. STC has contracted 1 lt, Nafed (0.7 lt), PEC (0.29 lt) and MMTC (0.26 lt). According to an official release, ... More