The Hindu Business Line : Tuesday, March 20, 2007

ECONOMY
Taxation, welfare and competitiveness
There is no earthshaking evidence that India must re-think its income-tax rates to ensure a good score in the Global Competitiveness Report. More

Self-employment as opportunity or challenge
The enormous increase in the proportion and number of self-employed workers in India in recent years is still not adequately analysed. In this edition of Macroscan, C. P. Chandrasekhar and Jayati Ghosh look at the conditions of self-employment in terms of perceptions of remuneration and work intensity. More

INDIA & BAHRAIN: READY FOR A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP
Opening up new avenues for collaboration
It takes less than an hour from Bahrain international airport — an ultra modern transport hub in the Gulf — to reach the Shakir Formula-1 racing track. The journey towards the Bahrain grand prix circuit is fascinating. The glass and ... More

US economy not headed for stagflation: Standard Chartered
Mr David Mann, Senior Forex Strategist at Standard Chartered comments on whether the US economy is headed towards stagflation. Mr Mann believes that the US is not headed for stagflation. He says that the Fed is likely to cut interest rates in ... More

Kerala's per capita debt estimated at Rs 14,425
Advance tax to be collected on other State lotteries More

FOREIGN TRADE
Pranab urges Pakistan to revise stance on SAFTA
Link to `extraneous political considerations' may weaken free trade More

Canada keen to offer infrastructure solutions
Looking at India as major investment destination More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Bengal halts buying land for industry in Nandigram
Move expected to diffuse tension in the area More

PETROLEUM
Reliance Industries keen on city gas distribution
The group will invest Rs 18,000 cr for pipeline from Kakinada More

HPCL, OIL may ink pact for work in hydrocarbon chain
Commercial, technical aspects of cooperation examined by experts More

IOC crude imports through Haldia to remain intact
Traffic throughput in may be little more than 42 mt More

STEEL
Steel industry for quantitative curbs on iron ore exports
Steel manufacturers on Monday demanded placement of quantitative restrictions on the export of iron ore to preserve mineral wealth. They said that the imposition of Rs 300 per tonne export levy on iron ore is inadequate and demanded placing ... More

TAXATION
LS passes CST phase-out legislation
Bill provides for lowering the CST rate to 3% from April 1 More

SSI
`SMBs aware of tech adoption benefits'
`Small and medium business units have realised the imperative need for adoption of IT solutions in their business processes. Proliferating this rising awareness across every unit is the challenge we face today,' notes Mr Anup Verma, Regional ... More

COAL
New Mangalore port handles record coal cargo
The New Mangalore Port has handled a record quantity of 22,117 tonnes of steam coal in vessel MV Spar Draco on March 17. A release by the shipping agency, Seaways Shipping Ltd, on Monday said that the vessel carrying 51,908 tonnes of ... More

EDUCATION
New courses from FIITJEE
FIITJEE Group, known for its IIT-JEE training, has launched two specialised education verticals - PMT GURU for medical aspirants and AIEEE GURU for engineering aspirants here. PMT GURU is a medical education training ... More

`Make a career in corporate life with the help of education'
For a college student, education must be the goal. It can neither be cricket nor film. "Your goal is to make a career in corporate life with the help of education. Therefore, be focused in your education and learn as much as possible. Get your ... More

DISINVESTMENT
Govt may sell residual stake in Maruti next fiscal
The sale of residual Government stake in Maruti Udyog is likely in the next financial year, the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram was quoted to have said to the media. Official sources attributed the decision to defer the divestment to the ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Rural telephony to ring in money for Govt from operators
More

World Bank moots livelihood project in rural AP, Orissa
Agro forestry scheme to earn carbon credits for farmers More

REGULATORY BODIES & RULINGS
Bulk drugs prices in for marginal cut
NPPA may be merged with proposed Central Drug Authority More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Bloom time for Tuticorin dried flower exporters
Companies aiming at higher growth thru tie-ups with leading retailers More

TOURISM
Kochi gets set for health tourism meet
Around 800 delegates from India and abroad, representing various stakeholders of the healthcare sector, are expected to attend the four-day Kerala Health Tourism 2007 at Kochi, on March 23-27. The event is to be inaugurated by the Union ... More