PSU
Kerala Supplyco posts Rs 70-crore loss
THE state-owned Kerala Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (Supplyco), incurred a loss of over Rs 70 crore last fiscal. Alleged malpractices in procuring commodities from the wholesale market are pointed out as one of the main reasons for the ... More

POWER
Power Ministry seeks 150 mt captive coal reserve for DVC
THE Union Power Ministry has asked the Ministry of Mines and Minerals to allocate 150 million tonnes captive coal reserve in three mining blocks to Damodar Valley Corporation. The Power Ministry feels that the corporation's capacity expansion ... More

TAXATION
Compensation formula on a state-to-state basis — Accord reached on VAT package
IN a major breakthrough towards ushering in a nation-wide value-added tax (VAT) system to replace the existing sales tax regime from April 1, 2005, the Finance Ministry has reached an agreement with State Governments over the compensation package ... More

Central Sales Tax regime to stay till 2005-06
BOTH Central Sales Tax (CST) and the Additional Excise Duties in lieu of sales tax (AED) will remain in their present form till 2005-06. This was an important decision taken at the Conference of State Finance Ministers here on Tuesday. In the ... More

TEXTILES
Projects eligible under TUFS — Minimum economic size norm for spinners eased
THE Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) on textile Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) has relaxed the spindleage norm guiding the minimum economic size (MES) for projects eligible for TUFS assistance. The lowering of the MES for ... More

TRAVEL & PLACES
UK to increase visas, flights to India
ANTI-OUTSOURCING sentiments notwithstanding, the UK is intensifying its efforts to attract more IT professionals and investments into the country. The British High Commissioner in India, Sir Michael Arthur, on Tuesday announced that Britain ... More

RADIO/TV
Star Plus jacks up advertising rates
DIPPING interest in cricket due to India's poor performance, continued high viewership interest for the flagship prime time shows such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki and Kasautii Zindagi Ki and the launch of some ... More

EDUCATION
Purdue University in talks with IIT Bombay, Manipal institutions
STUDENTS in India may soon have better access to programmes at Purdue University, in Indiana, USA, thanks to talks that it is holding with IIT Bombay and educational institutions in Manipal, Karnataka. The President of Purdue University, Mr ... More

Hughes Escorts offers Direcway business courses in AP
HUGHES Escorts Communication Ltd (HECL), a satellite service provider, has announced the launch of its first interactive education offering - the Direcway Global Education platform. This 10-seater interactive classroom in Hyderabad is the ... More

GETEX to be held next year
THE Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETEX), which has already had 16 successful annual shows in Dubai, is venturing into India in 2005, under the new title Global Education and Training Exhibition. Plans are also on to enter the Far ... More

GEMS & JEWELLERY
AP gems and jewel park by next March
THE AP Gems and Jewellery Park will be ready by next March. Announcing this here at a meeting recently, Mr B. Satyanarayana, Minister for Major Industries, said the park would boost exports of gems and jewellery. The Rs 60-crore project is a ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Academics urged to focus on geosciences
GEOSCIENCES play a crucial role in facilitating the optimal use of the resources in the river deltas in the country and as such, this area of research should engage the attention of the academics most, according to Dr J.C. Mohanty, Principal ... More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Hutchison consolidation among 57 FDI proposals cleared
THE Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, has approved 57 foreign direct investment proposals recommended by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) in its meeting held on October 25. According to an official statement, the approvals ... More

WTO
Decline in anti-dumping measures: WTO
THE world witnessed a drastic decline in trade-defence measures in the form of imposition of anti-dumping duties by members of the World Trade Organisation during the first half of the current year, including India, which in the recent past had ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE
Top bankers `too busy' to attend meet; Hyderabad Collector irked
IN an unusual episode, the Collector of Hyderabad District, made public his displeasure over the absence of the controlling officers of various banks at a meeting to discuss Government-sponsored welfare schemes. The Collector, Mr Arvind Kumar, ... More

INDUSTRIAL POLICY
`New industrial policy to fetch more investments'
THE State Government will soon come out with a new industrial policy to make the State an attractive investment destination. The new policy envisages cutting down on power costs drastically to the industrial sector. "We are trying to make the ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS
Beedi workers flay Centre's policies
THE Centre's policies relating to unorganised sector came in for criticism at the all-India convention of beedi workers at Ullal in Mangalore on Tuesday. The President of the Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Dr M.K. Pandhe, said that the ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Coir exports up Rs 38 cr in H1
EXPORTS of coir and coir products during the first half of the current fiscal have gone up by Rs 37.60 crore to Rs 225.91 crore as against Rs 188.31 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal. A senior Coir Board official said that 56,744 ... More