The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, December 12, 2007

SOCIAL SECURITY
PFRDA joins global body
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has been elected as a member of the executive committee of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS). “This will enable PFRDA to interact with other pension ... More

ECONOMY
Global meltdown will not halt our growth: Montek
Skill development mission to enhance employability on cards More

US data justify 50 bps cut
More

ENGINEERING
Design industry faces talent crunch
Bangalore, Dec. 11 The fledgling design industry in the country is experiencing the egg-and-chicken syndrome. While there are just 500 designers actively contributing to the industry (though the current talent pool is around 3,000), the ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Customs duty collections increase 17.2% in April-November
The Centre’s customs duty revenues continue to be buoyant, with collections recording 17.2 per cent growth during April-November 2007 to Rs 66,838 crore compared with Rs 57,050 crore collected in the corresponding period last year. ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
NEWS ANALYSIS
Free trade pacts bring macro gains but also micro pains
New Delhi, Dec. 11 The raft of free trade agreements (FTA) India has already signed or lined up for signing with a host of countries and the implications of such agreements on domestic industries, injured by the free entry of such preferential ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Infra funds flooding market
Mop-up in 2007 seen at Rs 20,000 cr against Rs 2,500 cr in 2006 More

No move to relax SEZ land cap: Kamal Nath
The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr Kamal Nath, on Tuesday said the Government is not considering to relax the 5,000-hectare cap on acquisition of land to set up special economic zones (SEZs). “Anything on this (SEZ land cap ... More

SAIL Salem unit SEZ among 32 proposals lined up for nod
New Delhi, Dec. 11 Steel Authority of India (SAIL) Salem unit’s proposal for a special economic zone (SEZ) in Tamil Nadu to manufacture steel products, the first of its kind by a public sector undertaking, would come up before the Board ... More

PSU
Supplyco takes steps to counter threat from private retailers
Kochi, Dec. 11 The State-owned Civil Supplies Corporation, popularly known as Supplyco, has geared up to meet challenges posed by the entry of big corporate houses into the retail market by introducing various novel measures to enhance ... More

PETROLEUM
RIL signs contract for blocks in Colombia
Mumbai, Dec. 11 Reliance Industries Ltd has signed hydrocarbon production and exploitation contracts with Agencia Nacional de Hydrocarburos (ANH) of Colombia for two offshore blocks, Borojo north and Borojo south, according to press release. ... More

STEEL
Global steel prices to go up in ’08: Fitch
Mumbai, Dec. 11 Global credit rating agency Fitch expects steel price to increase in most markets in 2008, and says tight raw material markets are likely to cause margin compression for producers who do not control their sources of iron ore, ... More

TRAVEL & PLACES
UK introducing new point-based visa system
The move is aimed at protecting its labour market More

EDUCATION
Broadband for Kerala schools
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Magnus holds convocation
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FOODS & FOOD PROCESSING
UK co unveils ready-to-eat microwave pouches
Veetee Fine Foods, a UK-based food products company, has unveiled a range of ready-to-eat microwave pouches, including rice and curries.The company has set up a $3-million facility in Haryana to produce 60 lakh pouches (a year) of ... More

CONSULTING
L&T picks up 26% in Feedback Ventures
DLF, Thapars exit the company More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Jindal announces relief package for displaced families
Visakhapatnam, Dec. 11 JSW Aluminium Ltd of the Jindal group, setting up an alumina refinery in Vizianagaram district, is acquiring 867 acres of assigned land for the project and has announced a package for the displaced families, according ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Science museum centres
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MINERALS
Setback for Goa iron ore mining industry
Supreme Court stays 18 mining permits More

CINEMA
Seminar on digital revolution
Kinfra Film and Video Park and Kerala Chalachitra Academy are organising a seminar on “new trends in the digital revolution” in the city on Wednesday. The seminar, organised as part of the ongoing International Film Festival of ... More

HEALTHCARE PRODUCTS
Amway India focusing on nutraceutical biz
New Delhi, Dec. 11 Direct selling major Amway India has set its sight on the growing nutraceutical business in the country. The company is in the process of focussing on as many as 5,000 doctors and health practitioners to promote its health ... More

HUMAN RESOURCES
PSUs join talent hunt with big hiring plans
GROWTH PANGS More

REGULATORY BODIES & RULINGS
Telecom tribunal refuses to stay TRAI orders
New Delhi, Dec. 11 The Telecom Dispute Settlement and Appellate Tribunal has refused to stay TRAI’s orders to broadcasters to make channels available on a la carte basis. Broadcasters Zee-Turner, Star India and Set Discovery had filed a ... More

EVENTS
Suven to take part in pharma meet
Mr Venkat Jasti, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Suven Life Sciences Ltd, will be presenting the Hyderabad-based company’s drug discovery pipeline at Windhover’s Bio/Pharma Partnerships conference to be held in San ... More

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Meet on entrepreneurship
The Manipal-based T. A. Pai Management Institute (TAPMI) will conduct a two-day international research meet on ‘Entrepreneurship in India and China’ from December 14 at Manipal. A press release by TAPMI said here on Tuesday that the ... More

INCOME TAX
‘Brand’ Sachin untouched by tax woes
Has outstanding tax bill of Rs 1.66 crore More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
‘Karnataka top software exporting State in 2006-07’
New Delhi, Dec. 11 Karnataka continued to top the list of software exporting States during 2006-07, followed by Maharashtra with their contribution to the total export basket pegged at 33.36 per cent and 19.66 per cent, ... More

India pushed to 3rd place in cashew production
Kochi, Dec 11 India, which had been the pioneer and topper in raw cashew nut production in the world until recently, has lost its position to Vietnam and Nigeria and occupies the third place.However, it continues to keep its top ... More

Scanners for inbound container inspections at ports
Increased vigil across coastlines More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES
India figures among Microsoft’s lawsuit filing list
New Delhi, Dec. 11 In a bid to protect consumers and support legitimate online commerce, Microsoft Corporation today announced the filing of 52 lawsuits and the referral of 22 cases to local law enforcement across 22 countries against ... More