The Hindu Business Line : Tuesday, August 21, 2007

URBAN DEVELOPMENT
BPL survey in urban areas begins
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 20 The survey to collect the details of those below the poverty line (BPL) living in the urban areas of Kerala has begun.The Minister for Local Administration, Mr Paloli Mohammed Kutty, said here on Monday that ... More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Bengal setting up Green Energy Corpn
Our Bureau Kolkata, Aug. 20 The West Bengal Government has decided to set up Green Energy Corporation Ltd to promote generation of renewable energy as well as facilitate private investment in this sector. The new company will be formed ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
Officer can defend SBI staff facing charges: HC
Chennai, Aug. 20 Employees of State Bank of India, who were facing disciplinary action by the management, have right to engage a representative of a trade union of bank employees to defend them in domestic enquiry, the Madurai Bench of Madras ... More

ENGINEERING
Machine tool summit from Aug 23
Hyderabad, Aug. 20 The Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA) is organising Productivity Summit 2007 during August 23-25 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC).IMTMA is a close affiliate of CII and ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Japan business interest ‘not diminishing’
New Delhi, Aug. 20 India does not see any diminishing in the interest of the Japanese business community towards it, the Foreign Secretary, Mr Shivshankar Menon, said on Monday.“There is a large delegation of about 180 business ... More

‘India-Japan partnership must focus more on trade, tech’
New Delhi, Aug. 20 India-Japan partnership should focus more on trade, investment and technology with prominence to economic interest, said Mr Dinesh Sharma, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.At ... More

HEALTH
Cipla launches emergency contraception tablet
Mumbai, Aug 20 The “morning after pill” used in emergency contraception will now be available in India from the Mumbai-based Cipla under the brandname I-pill. Cipla is looking to generate awareness on this product to promote better ... More

HOTELS
Fast food chain Jumbo King plans 500 outlets by March 2010
Hopes to increase turnover ten-fold to Rs 200 cr More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Rlys to cap returns at 14% for rail links
Projects maintained by SPVs More

DRS group plans setting up logistics parks
Mumbai, Aug. 20 DRS Group, a Hyderabad-based company and operators of Agarwal Packers and Movers, now plans to expand its base in third-party logistics with the introduction of logistics parks.Speaking to Business Line, Mr A.K. ... More

‘Sabarimala development work moving at snail’s pace’
Many projects fail to take off as per master plan More

PETROLEUM
ONGC finds new reserves in Tripura
Kolkata, Aug 20 ONGC has struck a new gas find at Sundalbari in Tripura. With this, the company has identified two new gas reserves in the State this year. According to company sources, the exploratory well Sundalbari-2 drilled in April ... More

Gujarat Gas, GSPC join hands for gas marketing
Distribution in entire Valsad district More

Oil PSU officers to go on strike from today
New Delhi, Aug. 20 Almost 45,000 oil officers of public sector companies have decided to go on an indefinite strike from Tuesday, as their talks with Government failed. The Oil Sector Officers Association (OSOA), a representative body ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Patents: A questionable right
More

Madras High Court: The Novartis judgment — Choosing innovation benefits India
Choosing not to choose is a choice in itself. Earlier this month, the High Court in Chennai chose not to determine the future of pharmaceutical innovation in India. The Court deferred the decision on compliance of Section 3(d) of the Indian ... More

POWER
Stop talks with IAEA: Left
New Delhi, Aug. 20 The four Left parties at a meeting held here today asked the UPA Government not to begin negotiations with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) before setting up a committee on Indo-US nuclear deal. A joint ... More

Workers from 3 power utilities to go on strike
3-day strike to start from Tuesday midnight More

All set
More

TAXATION
VAT exemption for tobacco products hailed
Madurai, Aug. 20 The Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI) has welcomed the re-instated VAT (value added tax) exemption for tobacco products by the Government of Tamil Nadu with retrospective effect from April 1, 2007.In a ... More

COAL
Finance Ministry gives nod for coal SPV
New Delhi, Aug. 20 The Finance Ministry has given its approval to set up a special purpose vehicle (SPV) promoted by five public sector companies to scout and acquire coal properties abroad.“Apart from the Finance Ministry, we ... More

MANAGEMENT
Students told to prepare for a changing world
“We are living in an exciting time. In globalised India, opportunities are limitless. Skill sets that were not even considered years ago, have become crucial now; and one has to prepare for this changing world,” Mr S. Gopal, Deputy ... More

BREWERIES
Liquor cos withdraw surrogate, misleading ads
Mumbai, Aug. 20 Liquor companies such as United Breweries, Diageo India, United Spirits and Seagram were made to withdraw their ‘surrogate’ ads for the period between April and June this year. The withdrawn ad in the case ... More

RADIO/TV
Indian Cricket League not to bat for Zee alone
May invite other broadcasters too More

New signals
More

EDUCATION
Educational loans now come with insurance cover
Hyderabad, Aug 20 Banks are now trying to push their educational loan products with insurance cover to make them more attractive for the customers and safer for themselves. “The insurance add-on to the educational loans is ... More

Aptuit Laurus signs pact
More

3 more Nalsar campuses planned
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MERI to offer more seats as demand increases
Kolkata, Aug. 20 The number of seats in Marine Engineering & Research Institute, Kolkata, has been increased to 160 from 120 keeping in view the increased demand for marine engineers. This was stated by Mr S. Mukhopadhyay, Director of ... More

Petroleum and energy varsity centre in AP
Rajahmundry, Aug. 20 There is a deficiency of qualified personnel in the energy sector, as the pace of oil and gas exploration is being intensified in the country in a booming economy, said Mr V.K. Sibal, Director-General of ... More

Global India Foundation opens school in Pune
Pune, Aug. 20 Singapore-based Global Indian Foundation (GIF) announced the opening of the Global Indian International School at Pune. It was inaugurated by Mr R.R. Patil, Deputy Chief Minister, Maharashtra. The Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Values ... More

Catering college in Munnar ready
Kochi-based Royal Group has entered into the hospitality education sector by setting up a catering college of international standards in Munnar. Set up in 100 acres of land at Sooryanelli, the Munnar Catering College has the exact replica of a ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Ansal Properties, IL&FS Invest pact
Real estate company Ansal Properties & Infrastructure Ltd has signed an agreement with IL&FS Investment Managers Ltd (IIML), the private equity arm of IL&FS, to develop township and IT SEZ in Gurgaon. Under the project, a township and ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
‘Realisations from retail vital to double farm income’
New Delhi, Aug. 20 Farm incomes in the country can double if organised retail enhances farmer realisations on food items from the current 30-35 per cent of retail price to the international norm of over 50 per cent, according to a study ... More

Latex producers urged to curb output
Coonoor, Aug. 20 The Association of Latex Producers of India (ALP) has cautioned its members against excess production in the coming months to protect themselves from a glut-induced price crash. The warning has come despite the ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
AP mulls higher salaries to doctors in remote areas
Hyderabad, Aug. 20 The Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Mr S. Chandra Sekher, has indicated that the Government is seriously considering the option of offering attractive salaries for doctors opting to work in remote ... More

TMB sanctions Rs 10-cr loans
Tuticorin-based Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) has sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 10.28 crore to 661 self-help groups, under a specially arranged priority sector loan sanction camps through all its 189 branches, on the eve of Independence ... More

NDC meet on decentralised planning sought
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug. 20 The Council of State Ministers of Panchayati Raj will request the Prime Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to convene a meeting of the National Development Council with the focus on ... More

EVENTS
Brain Bee quiz
More

Climate challenge
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP
TiE commits to fund music retailing start-up
Chennai, Aug. 20 Five Charter Members of the Chennai chapter of TiE (The Indus Entrepreneurs - a non-profit global network of entrepreneurs and professionals, established to foster entrepreneurship and nurture entrepreneurs) have come together ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Defect suspected in Indian guar gum shipments
SWISS FIRM’S WOES More

Steel Ministry may seek waiver of import duty on scrap
Positioning of SAIL, RINL stockyards to be reviewed More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
AP gathering views on PM’s package
The Andhra Pradesh Government would present its views on the Prime Minister’s package for the farm sector at the two-day regional meeting scheduled for September 7 and 8 in Bangalore.The package is aimed at providing succour to ... More