The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, December 21, 2006

NRIS
Training on CorpXpress services
Corporation Bank and the UAE Exchange jointly conducted a training programme on `CorpXpress Money Services' for non-resident Indians at the head office of the bank recently. A bank release said here on Wednesday that NRIs can ... More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Soyaoil usage in biodiesel dipping in US
Even as producers of palm and other vegetable oils give out optimistic forecasts of rising vegetable oil use for biodiesel production, the US' soyabean oil usage in biodiesel production is on the decline. Quoting from an analysis of Census ... More

AUTOMOBILES
Auto sector seeks tax sops for units
The auto industry has sought tax sops for automobile facilities that attract an investment of over Rs 500 crore. In a proposal to the Government, the industry has pointed out that the move would help to increase investments and make India a ... More

ECONOMY
FDI inflows rise to $6.1 billion in April-October
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows into the country registered a 134.62 per cent increase in April-October 2006 to touch $ 6.1 billion as compared to $ 2.6 billion in the same period last year. In October 2006, FDI inflows stood at $ 1.7 ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Steel association pitches for duty restructuring
To increase industry competitiveness, per capita consumption More

INFRASTRUCTURE
India Infrastructure gets govt guarantee to raise Rs 5,000 cr
Signs MoUs with 3 public sector banks for big ticket funding More

PSU
Drop in loss-making public sector cos: Survey
The number of loss-making Central public sector enterprises has dropped sharply in 2005-06 to 58 from 79 in the previous year. The Government is actively trying to rope in stronger state-owned enterprises to revive under-performing ones. "The ... More

CPSE officers urged to withdraw strike call
The Government today appealed to the officials of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) not to go ahead with their strike call from December 22 as their demands for higher pay is being examined by a committee appointed recently. "I would ... More

PETROLEUM
Cairn India eyes more finds in Ravva offshore
Cairn India plans to explore new oil and gas reserves under the existing reserves in the Ravva offshore oilfield in the Krishna-Godavari basin. The plan follows encouraging results thrown up by seismic surveys in the block and the slew of ... More

Garware Offshore to raise $ 25m
Garware Offshore Services Ltd on Wednesday announced proposed to raise funds up to $ 25 million through Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) mechanism, subject to approval of shareholders. This will be utilised for acquiring ... More

Offshore oil cos on bull run
Demand for offshore support vessels and drilling rigs to increase More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Vizag fishermen threaten stir against drug units
Fishermen of Visakhapatnam district are opposing the construction of four bulk drug units belonging to a Hyderabad-based group at Nallamadapalem village in Nakkapalli mandal. The fishermen have threatened to launch an agitation if the ... More

`Extend R&D tax benefits to pharma cos'
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has called on the Government to extend the tax benefits available for R&D to pharmaceutical companies by 10 years. The provisions of Section 35 (2AB) of the I-T Act are to ... More

POWER
NTPC scouts for coal blocks in Indonesia, Australia, S. Africa
To tide over fuel shortages at its coal-based stations More

Tenders for coal-based power plants soon
The Governments of Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Maharashtra will issue tenders in a few weeks' time to select potential project developers for coal-based power plants with capacities of between 1,000 MW and 1,500 MW. The ... More

Torrent Power signs franchisee pact for Bhiwandi circle
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) and the Ahmedabad-based Torrent Power Ltd on Wednesday signed the distribution franchisee agreement for Bhiwandi circle for supply of electricity there. MSEDCL is the ... More

Foundation laid for GVK power project
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the 600 MW Goindwal Sahib power project being set up by GVK Power (Goindwal Sahib) Ltd in the Taran Taran district of Punjab. The two units of 300 MW each will ... More

STEEL
What if one more firm bid for Corus at this stage
The Corus battle has entered a new phase with the UK Takeover Panel stepping in and setting a January 30 deadline for the two bidders, that is, Tata Steel and CSN (Cia Siderurgica Nacional) to make revised offers. To understand how the game has ... More

TAXATION
Corporate tax collections up
The Centre's net direct tax collections registered 42.5 per cent increase in April 1-December 18 period to touch Rs 1,33,461 crore. While corporate taxes were up by 51.2 per cent at Rs 83,614 crore for the period under review, ... More

TEXTILES
Training course on nonwovens in Mumbai
An elementary nonwovens training course will be held in Mumbai between January 4 and 5, 2006 by the Association of Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (INDA) and this will be the first ever INDA certified course to be held in India. The training course ... More

SSI
Centre urged to fix ceiling for small units
Madurai District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association (Maditssia) has urged the Union Government to fix a ceiling on sales turnover along with ceiling on investments while defining SSIs. In a memorandum submitted to the ... More

RBI to hold meeting on loans to farmers, small enterprises
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will convene a special meeting of the State Level Bankers' Committee under the chairmanship of the Deputy Governor of RBI to discuss issues pertaining to credit for SMEs, small-scale projects, the agriculture ... More

WATER
Kerala regrets TN stand on Mullaperiyar
The Kerala Water Resources Minister, Mr N. K. Premachandran, has described as `unfortunate' Tamil Nadu Government's decision to disengage itself from bilateral talks on the century-old Mullaperiyar dam and plump instead for Supreme Court ... More

EDUCATION
From Yale to a country `exploding with opportunity'
Yale MBA students to visit India as part of curriculum More

HSBC English lab at Gitam
An English lab, set up with the local HSBC group service centre, was inaugurated on Wednesday by Mr Iain D Coleman, the centre manager, at the College of Management Studies, Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (Gitam), ... More

AV Aviation recruiting students
AV Aviation, a company registered in Thiruvananthapuram, is recruiting Indian students for a flight school in Germany. AV Aviation has a tie up with Air Alliance Flight Center based in Siegerland, which is an hour's drive from ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
HCC scales `new peaks' by adopting SAP
Implements SAP in location 11,000 ft above sea level More

DLF wins bid for Madras Race Club land
Rs 500-cr investments in the offing More

Marg Constructions lines up mega development plans
Will raise Rs 270 cr through mix of overseas equity, pvt placement More

Sobha Developers lists with 75% premium
The stock of Sobha Developers Ltd made its debut at the NSE at Rs 1120, a premium of 75 per cent to its issue price of Rs 640. The company is a real estate developer with income from residential and contractual projects. The stock reached an ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
Bombay Chamber moots integrated cargo movement
The Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) has suggested an integrated approach to domestic cargo movement by creating a separate ministry, called the Ministry of Inter-modal Cargo Transport and Logistics. White ... More

Chamber trade fair begins tomorrow
The Chamber Trade Fair 2007, organised by the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will be held at Tamukkam grounds in the city from December 22 till January 8. The Chamber President, Mr S. Rethinavelu, told presspersons that the fair ... More

Kolkata chambers jointly oppose bandh culture
Want good sense to prevail to save the State More

SOCIAL WELFARE
Workshop on reservation
The Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE) is conducting a one-day workshop on reservation policy for SC/ST and OBC in Central Government, State and Central PSEs on December 23. The programme is targeted at executives in personnel ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
April-Nov sees 39 pc export growth at $80 b
Exports in November post 57 pc growth More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES
Maditssia to host expo on traditional medicines
To showcase the strengths of traditional systems of medicines, an exhibition `AYUSH 2006' is being held at the Maditssia Auditorium in the city, from December 22-25. "The exhibition seeks to create awareness on the proven results of ... More