The Hindu Business Line : Friday, January 04, 2008

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Hyundai hopes alternate fuel models to boost sales
New Delhi, Jan. 3 Banking on the wider availability of alternate fuels, Hyundai Motors India, which has a slew of launches planned on this platform, said that it was looking at 15-20 per cent increase in sales from such vehicles. ... More

ANTI-DUMPING
Dumping duty on raw silk imports extended
Plea to impose the levy for 5 more years under consideration More

ECONOMY
Oil at $100 has Govt mulling options on price hike
New Delhi, Jan. 3 Untamed global crude prices that hit $ 100 a barrel on Wednesday may force the Government to take immediate decisions to ease out the losses being suffered by state-owned oil marketing companies. The Petroleum Minister, Mr ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
SAARC: Ministry scraps import duty on 4,800 items
In keeping with the assurance given by the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, the Finance Ministry has done away with import duty on more than 4,800 items from the four neighbouring least developed countries (LDC) — Bangladesh, Nepal, ... More

Ban on FDI from Bangladesh lifted
New Delhi, Jan. 3 India has lifted the ban on foreign direct investment (FDI) from Bangladesh, paving the way for investment flows between the two countries, which might help narrow down the huge trade deficit Dhaka currently suffers in its ... More

HEALTH
Yes, they deliver
Greater investment in women’s health yields multiple returns. More

PSU
Nod for recast of farms corpn
New Delhi, Jan 3 The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the restructuring of State Farms Corporation of India Ltd (SFCI). The restructuring would involve conversion of Government’s loans amounting to Rs 58.74 crore and interest ... More

PETROLEUM
Soaring crude: IOC may sell Rs 2,000-cr bonds
New Delhi, Jan. 3 The soaring crude prices may compel Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to sell oil bonds to offset revenue losses incurred due to retailing fuel below the cost price. IOC may have to sell bonds worth Rs 2,000 crore this month, ... More

Oil: Cheap at $100 a barrel
There is a fundamental change happening in the way oil is priced today, because we are transitioning from a buyers’ market to a seller’s market. So, far from expecting prices to come back to more reasonable levels, it’s time to get used to triple-digit prices, say SHANMUGANATHAN N and RAM VENKATACHALAM. More

POWER
Reliance Power IPO price band at Rs 405-450
Mumbai, Jan. 3 Reliance Power Ltd has fixed the price band for its initial public offering at Rs 405-450 per share. The IPO, which offers 26 crore shares, will raise between Rs 10,500 crore and Rs 11,500 crore — the largest issue to hit ... More

GVK may soon commission Jegurupadu phase II, Gauthami
Following recent parleys with Reliance Industries Ltd, the Hyderabad-based GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd is poised to commission Jegurupadu Stage II and Gauthami power plants by middle of this year.“We have had discussions ... More

STOCKS
Oil stocks up on fuel price hike hopes
Sector touches 52-week high More

SSI
Madurai rubber cluster gets ‘in-principle’ approval
The proposal for establishing a rubber cluster at Madurai has been given ‘in-principle’ acceptance by Tamil Nadu.According to Mr P.T. Krishnamurthy, President, Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association ... More

Paraffin wax import without tax urged
Madurai, Jan 3 The Sattur Chamber of Commerce and Industries has made an appeal for import of paraffin wax without tax.In an appeal made to the Union Finance Minister, Mr P.T.K.A. Balasubramanian, chamber Secretary, said there are ... More

COAL
SAIL, Tata Steel in 50:50 pact to mine coal blocks
To secure assured supplies to meet increasing needs More

92.3 mt coal allotted for long-term linkages
New Delhi, Jan. 3 The Coal Ministry has decided to allot 92.38 million tonnes (mt) of coal to ensure long-term linkages to 236 sponge iron plants, 73 cement making units and 224 captive power facilities.“The recommendations of the ... More

BREWERIES
Tasmac sold Rs 220 cr worth liquor in last week of Dec
Target for 2007-08 put at Rs 10,500 crore More

RADIO/TV
SC upholds TRAI’s powers to regulate broadcasting sector
Dismisses Star’s petition challenging the regulator’s role More

History Channel ties up with cricinfo
New Delhi, Jan 3 The History Channel on Thursday said that it will air the history of cricket in its programme — Face Off — starting from January 15, in collaboration with cricinfo.com in view of the ongoing India-Australia ... More

EDUCATION
Cambridge varsity sets up Nehru chair
More

PM promises to consider IIM for Vizag
Visakhapatnam, Jan. 3 The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, has promised to take all steps needed for developing Visakhapatnam into a modern metropolis between Kolkata and Chennai on the east coast.The Prime Minister was here on ... More

FOODS & FOOD PROCESSING
Centre to set up Food Quality Authority
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 3 The Centre proposes to set up a Food Quality and Standards Authority of India, said Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Mr Subodh Kant Sahai. Addressing a press conference in the city ... More

Make policy changes for food processing: Sahai
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 3 Kerala’s food processing sector will grow faster if the State makes some policy changes, said the Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Mr Subodh Kant Sahai. Speaking at a press ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Asipac asked to prepare design for resort-cum-IT park in Brazil
More

SEZs, new airport, retail boom to trigger realty growth
Hyderabad, Jan. 3 After a lull, it is going to be a real big opportunity for the real estate sector in the State Capital again. Consider this. Of the 54 SEZs (special economic zones) notified in Andhra Pradesh, 39 are coming up in and ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
PM pledges more funds for science and tech
Scholarships for innovation, higher education on the cards More

Naqvi wins national mineral award for 2006
Hyderabad, Jan. 3 Dr Syed Mahmood Naqvi, former Acting Director, National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), has been selected for the National Mineral Award for Excellence-2006 in the field of Geosciences.The award recognises his ... More

EVENTS
REPORTER'S DIARY
Talk in North Block
Much talk is doing the rounds of North Block on why Parthasarthi Shome, Advisor to the Finance Minister, abruptly put in his papers, but nobody is confirming the developments. Scribes on the prowl for “inside information” have found ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Ban on cotton exports will harm farmers more
The Union Government in the recent past has been taking various measures to protect the interest of the cotton farmers. Some of the important measures include relief packages, particularly to the Vidarbha cotton farmers. In spite of such ... More

Ban maize exports by pvt trade: Poultry sector
‘Prices rising on hoarding, speculation in forward markets’ More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
Homeopathy programme
Coimbatore, Jan. 3 The Tamil Nadu Homeopathic Association’s Coimbatore chapter is to hold a continuous medical education programme for homeopaths for a day on January 6. The chapter has intended to use the programme to update the ... More