The Hindu Business Line : Saturday, December 27, 2008

INDUSTRY & ECONOMY

TWO/THREE WHEELERS: Boost domestic demand: Bajaj
‘Exports to take a hit in 2009’. Pune, Dec. 26 Exports are definitely going to be down for most industry sectors in 2009 as compared to 2008, and immediate measures need to be taken to boost domestic demand so that in totality the ...

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: R&D activity in steel sector at its nadir
No takers for joint plant committee grants. New Delhi, Dec. 26 Research and development in the steel sector has reached a low point. According to officials in the Ministry of Steel, there are hardly any proposals from any research agencies, ...

ECONOMY: Is advance tax payment a lead indicator?
Around the 15th of the last month of every quarter, we see several reports speculating the performance of various companies based on the advance tax payments made by them. Very often, simplistic extrapolation of the profit is done, based ...

AUTOMOBILE COMPONENTS: Auto parts companies see marginal growth in exports
Refrain from entering new contracts due to tight liquidity conditions. New Delhi, Dec. 26 The worldwide slowdown in vehicle sales is likely to drag down India’s component exports between zero and 5 per cent in the current fiscal. In its ...

TWO/THREE WHEELERS: Hero Honda riding strong on difficult economic terrain
Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor plan new line-up; exciting products seen key to driving demand. Mumbai, Dec. 26 This has been a trying year for the two-wheeler industry and, as in the case of cars, the biggest bottleneck has been limited access to ...

EXPORTS & IMPORTS: Small, medium exporters to get higher ECGC risk cover
Scheme to be made available up to June 30 and reviewed thereafter. New Delhi, Dec. 26 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval for allocation of Rs 350 crore to Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd (ECGC) from ...

AUTOMOBILES: Freebies, incentives not enough, say auto dealers
Conversion of enquiry into sales much lower due to difficulty in loans. Chennai, Dec 26 The Government and vehicle manufacturers are offering incentives to draw consumers to the showrooms. But the trouble for the potential buyer is the ...

EDUCATION: IIM Lucknow against setting up of pan-IIM board
‘Detrimental to fostering academic autonomy’. New Delhi, Dec. 26 The Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow has also rejected the recommendations of the HRD Ministry-instituted IIM Review Committee Report which had sought the ...

SSI: ‘Banks should take measures to step up credit flow to MSMEs’
Hyderabad, Dec. 26 The banks should initiate immediate steps to achieve the target of Rs 30,000 crore in lending to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), according to the Mr R.S. Reddy, President of State Level Bankers Committee ...

NRIS: Chennai to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
1,500 delegates to attend; meet from Jan 7-9. Chennai, Dec. 26 Engaging the Diaspora – the way forward is the theme for the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, one of the biggest events aimed at involving Indians abroad in the economic development ...

POWER: Cabinet approves Integrated Energy Policy
Monitoring panel to review policy’s implementation. New Delhi, Dec. 26 The Union Cabinet today approved an Integrated Energy Policy for the ...

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION: Apollo Asia Fund to invest $10-m in India
Chennai, Dec. 26 The Singapore-based Apollo Asia Opportunity Master Fund has committed to invest $10 million (Rs 40 crore) in developing residential projects in South India, according to Mr Amol Karnad, Managing Director, Havenstead ...

TOURISM: Rohtang Pass
Major tourist attraction: The snowpoint of Rohtang Pass (at 13,051 ft), located 51 km from Manali, is a major tourists attraction. Located on the highway to Keylong/Leh, this pass offers a panorama and spectacular mountain view and ...

ECONOMY: Economy, capital market recovery likely from Apr-June
‘But first quarter results likely to be poor’. Kochi, Dec. 25 The Indian economy and capital markets could begin to stage some early recovery from the second quarter of 2009, but this would be on the back of an exceptionally poor ...

CARS: It’s raining discounts and freebies in Motown
Mumbai, Dec. 26 The economic slowdown, coupled with stagnating inventory, has forced the auto industry to go all out to make the best use of a bad bargain by showering freebies, discounts and pampering the customer like never ...

AUTOMOBILES: Auto companies link rebate to dealers to achieving minimum sales targets
New Delhi, Dec. 26 Automobile companies are now asking dealers to achieve a minimum sales target before they can claim a rebate on the stocks that were dispatched to them before the excise duty ...

GEMS & JEWELLERY: Brand diamond industry as collective biz, says Modi
Surat, Dec 26 The recession should be perceived as an opportunity and not as a challenge, said the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, to an appeal by Dr Amit Mitra to bail out the gems and jewellery industry facing rough weather. ...

NATURAL CALAMITIES: Hyderabad to host workshop on urban flood disaster management
Hyderabad, Dec. 26 The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the United States Agency for International Development are organising a three-day workshop on Urban Flood Disaster Management Challenges: Administrative, Technical ...

INFRASTRUCTURE: SEZ model is dangerous: Medha Patkar
Kakinada, Dec 26 Local communities have an inalienable right to natural resources such as water and land, and that cannot be taken away by the State in the name of development, industrialisation or special economic zones, according to Ms ...

EDUCATION: CCEA okays setting up of 1,000 new polytechnics
New Delhi, Dec. 26 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has decided on a financial allocation for the 1,000 new polytechnics to be set up across the country at a total cost of Rs ...

SOCIAL WELFARE: Fishermen welfare scheme to continue
The Centrally-sponsored scheme for welfare of fishermen is to continue during the XI Plan period with the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Friday giving its nod for its continuation. Briefing newspersons after the CCEA meeting, ...