The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, March 26, 2008

BUDGET
Loan waiver for farmers a fire-fighting operation
Madurai, March 25 The Union Finance Minister is lucky to have presented his Budgets in a booming economy. The situation could be sustained only if the problem of distribution of power and its quality is addressed competently, said Mr ... More

ECONOMY
‘GDP to grow 7.8% in 2008-09’
New Delhi, March 25 Indian economy is set to slow down to a more sustainable rate of 7.8 per cent in 2008-09, mainly on account of expected slower growth in private consumption and decline in net exports, according to the Economist ... More

M.P. annual Plan pegged at Rs 14,182.61 crore
‘State needs to devote more attention on human development’ More

‘Kerala’s financial position will improve soon’
Revenue deficit will be wiped out in three years More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Edible oil duty cut: ‘No gain to consumer’
Hotels, bakeries, vanaspati sector only beneficiaries More

HEALTH
New knee replacement procedure offers mobility
Hyderabad, March 25 How many of us know that the cartilage in our body plays an important role allowing us to walk, run, sit, dance, bend and move, protecting the bones that matter from the worn-out?An immediate answer could perhaps be, ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Global meet on infrastructure opens today in Hyderabad
The spiralling cost of cement should be brought down by importing cement from abroad, according to experts at International Infrastructure Consultants Private Ltd.The constant increase in cement price was due to demand-supply gap which ... More

PETROLEUM
ONGC targets 29.04 mt crude production in 2008-09
New Delhi, March 25 ONGC said that it has set a target to produce 29.04 million tonne (mt) of crude and 25.05 billion cubic metre (BCM) of gas a day for 2008-09. According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the ... More

GAIL sets gas transmission target
New Delhi, March 25 GAIL (India) Ltd has set a target of transmitting around 81.5 million standard cubic metre of gas per day (mmscmd) in 2008-09. According to the annual performance memorandum of understanding signed with the ... More

POWER
Power distribution utilities strike swap deals to tide over shortages
New Delhi, March 25 A situation of shortage of power is forcing distribution utilities to resort to swap deals, including seasonal electricity “banking arrangements”. Under a “banking arrangement” — an industry ... More

IEA urges residential sector to improve energy efficiency
Mumbai, March 25 Energy efficiency is the most effective way to meet three major energy-related challenges: increased energy security, reduced energy costs and a cleaner environment.Buildings can become energy-efficient by adopting ... More

Power Finance, IREDA sign pact
New Delhi, March 25 Power Finance Corporation Ltd (PFC) and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd (IREDA) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for undertaking joint financing of renewable energy, energy efficiency and ... More

TAXATION
Delhi airport seeks one-time VAT refund
New Delhi, March 25 In an effort to bring down the cost of modernising the Delhi airport, the project promoters are seeking a one-time refund on the value-added tax (VAT) levied by the State Government on import of capital ... More

COAL
Panel to study feasibility of coal transportation thru waterways
To submit report to Planning Commission by June More

RADIO/TV
‘Digital television platforms gaining ground’
More corporate houses set to launch services More

Big 92.7 FM’s sing-along reality show
Chennai, March 25 In a first for FM radio in India, Big 92.7 FM is launching a sing-along reality show. Speaking to Business Line, Mr Anand Chakravarthy, National Marketing Head, Big 92.7 FM, said this follows the channel ... More

EDUCATION
IIM-Bangalore increases fee to Rs 4 lakh
Bangalore, March 25 The Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, said it has decided to hike its fee for PGP (Post Graduate Programme in Management) to Rs.4 lakhs for the year 2008-2009 from the present Rs 2.5 lakhs. When the students would ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
‘Science Express’ in Mangalore from March 29
Mangalore, March 25 ‘Science Express’ — the science exhibition train, jointly mooted by the Department of Science and Technology, the German Ministry of Higher Education and Research, and Max Planck Society — will be in ... More

INDUSTRIAL POLICY
FICCI seeks manufacturing policy to drive growth
Taking a cue from the Chinese manufacturing industry which receives a host of incentives from the Government, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has sought similar incentives from the National Manufacturing ... More

EVENTS
Tata Crucible-The Campus Quiz 2008
Mumbai, March 25 Tata Crucible-The Campus Quiz 2008 saw a participation of around 2,000 teams across four cities in the fourth edition of the business quiz. The battle of the intellects will be carried forward at the National final of ... More

Young economies have big opportunities: Satyam chief
Hyderabad, March 25 “Young companies, young economies like India and young countries have huge opportunities to grow in the new knowledge driven, fast changing global arena”, said Mr B. Ramalinga Raju, Chairman, Satyam ... More

ENTERTAINMENT & LEISURE
Entertainment industry set for big growth, says report
Mumbai, March 25 The Indian entertainment and media industry, whose size was pegged at Rs 51,300 crore in 2007, is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18 per cent for the next five years, to Rs 1.157 trillion in 2012, ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Plea to allow coconut oil exports
Kochi, March 25 The Coconut Development Board (CDB) has urged the Union Government to withdraw the ban on export of coconut oil. The Centre has through a notification on March 17 banned export of edible oils, including coconut oil. ... More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
New health tourism project at Aluva
The 150-year-old Kandamkulathy Vaidyasala Group, which provides traditional ayurvedic treatment, has come up with its latest project in health tourism – Ayursoukyam Resorts – at Aluva near here. The Rs 5-crore project is expected to ... More

TOURISM
Sri Lanka wooing tourists from India
Thiruvananthapuram, March 25 Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities see India as a market with great potential. According to Mr Hiran Cooray, Member-Board of Management, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, India already accounts for ... More