The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, August 11, 2005

Monsoon revival subdued as `weak phase' continues
MODEL prediction indicates that the `weak phase' of the southwest monsoon will extend for 2-3 days more than previously thought. According to a weather update and forecast for the next five days, put out by the National Centre for Medium Range ... More

CEMENT

Meet on `Green Cementech' in Hyderabad
HYDERABAD: The CII-Sohrabji Green Business Centre (CII-GBC) is organising a two-day conference on `Green Cementech' here from August 11. The objective was to encourage cement plants to utilise waste as fuel and to discuss on issues ... More

ECONOMY

Sixteen service sectors clock 20 pc growth in 2004-05: FICCI
SIXTEEN service sectors in the country achieved growth of more than 20 per cent in 2004-05 compared to 2003-04, according to an analysis of 42 service sectors carried out by the FICCI. Another 18 sectors clocked 10-20 per cent growth during the ... More

Mid-term appraisal sees 4 pc farm growth
THE Mid-Term Appraisal of the Tenth Plan has projected a growth of four per cent for agriculture, including allied sectors of forestry, logging and fishing in the year 2005-06. Since the scope of expanding net sown area in the country is ... More

ENVIRONMENT

Industrial, domestic wastes polluting Kerala rivers: Study
Unabated reclamation, silting and pollution from industries and human wastes are damaging the estuarine and backwater ecosystem. More

FOREIGN TRADE

China keen on FTA to boost trade ties
CHINA has called for quickening of pace to create Sino-Indian free trade area (FTA) to trigger growth in bilateral trade. Mr Wang Jinzhen, Assistant Chairman of CCPIT (China Council for the Promotion of International Trade), said FTA could be a ... More

FIEO delegation to visit China
THE Federation of Indian Export Organisation (FIEO) is to send a multi-product business delegation to China. The delegation, led by FIEO (Northern Region) Chairman, Dr R.K. Dhawan, would visit China from August 10-21 and cover Beijing, Guangzhou ... More

India, Pak agree to enhance trade ties
INDIA and Pakistan on Wednesday wound up their second round of talks on economic cooperation within the framework of the Composite Dialogue by agreeing on substantive initiatives in areas such as bilateral air services and shipping protocol. ... More

HOTELS

Hotel stocks attract interest
WITH the peak tourist season to begin soon, hotel companies' shares have started attracting the interest of market players on expectation of hike in room rentals and higher occupancy of rooms. In today's trading, there was across-the-board ... More

Occupancy rates in Chennai hotels ruling high
DESPITE the traditional off-season and increased availability of space, occupancy rates in the city's hotels have been high - between 71 and 80 per cent - for the last two months, according to hotel industry sources. One of the factors ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE

Nabard sanctions Rs 171 cr for AP
HYDERABAD: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 171.39 crore for improving infrastructure of high schools and providing protected drinking water in Andhra Pradesh. In a press release here on ... More

Centre favours marine parks in Kerala
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Government will consider favourably a proposal by Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) to set up two `marine parks' in the State. According to a Kinfra press release, this ... More

PETROLEUM

Crude import bill may touch Rs 1,80,000 cr
IF the current trend of spiralling international oil prices continues, the crude oil import bill this fiscal is expected to touch Rs 1,80,000 crore, up from about Rs 1,20,000 crore in 2004-05. The high international prices have added to the ... More

IOC, GAIL approach GSPCL for stake in gas reserve
INDIAN Oil Corporation and GAIL (India) have approached Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd (GSPCL) for picking up a stake in the gas reserve identified by GSPCL in the Krishna-Godavari basin. Highly placed sources in GSPCL told ... More

Petroleum Ministry to lay down open acreage exploration norms
The Petroleum Minister, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, said there could be different categorisations for different types of blocks such as virgin versus promising areas. More

Decision on OVL block in Kazakhstan by Dec
A DECISION on the block to be developed by ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) in Kazakhstan is to be taken by the end of this year. The overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), together with KazMunayGas, have ... More

POWER

Transmission line project — CERC says no to PowerGrid's appeal for higher outlay
THE Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has turned down a revised petition filed by the state-owned Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) seeking ratification of higher cost estimates for a transmission project in Madhya ... More

TAXATION

MNC liaison offices likely to come under FBT, say tax experts
MNCs operating liaison offices or representative offices in the country are most likely to be covered under fringe benefit tax (FBT) even though they may operate on a "no income basis" and not be required to pay income tax, say tax ... More

Bengal Zone I-T collections rise 98% in April-July
THE net income-tax collections, including both corporation tax and income-tax, achieved by the Bengal zone for the four months ended July 31, 2005, of the current fiscal has witnessed a 98 per cent jump at Rs 1,240 crore compared with Rs 627 ... More

TEXTILES

Mumbai millowners clear Rs 1,500-cr debts
OVER Rs 1,500 crore in debts have been cleared by millowners under the Development Control Regulations 58 of 2001. According to a Mill Owners' Association (MOA) press release, there are arrears of Rs 3,000 crore due towards salaries, VRS dues, ... More

SSI

Govt unveils new package for SMEs — Credit to double by 2009-10; `Medium Enterprise' clearly defined
THE Government on Wednesday unveiled a new policy package aimed at stepping up credit flows to the small and medium sector. The package has for the first time clearly defined the medium enterprises (ME) as those units with investment in plant ... More

COAL

Plan panel urges NTPC to enter coal production
THE Planning Commission has suggested that the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) enter coal production in a big way. In a report given by the power and energy division of the Plan panel, it has said that NTPC take up coal production ... More

EDUCATION

ICFAI varsity in UGC list
THE University Grants Commission has included the Institute of Chartered Financial Analysts of India University (ICFAI), Dehradun in the list of Universities maintained by it. UGC has issued a notification on this last month, according to a ... More

I2IT inks pact with US varsity to offer Master's in automotive engg
THE Pune-based International Institute of Information Technology (I2IT), in academic collaboration with Lawrence Technological University (LTU) of the US, is introducing a Master's programme in automotive engineering. Speaking to newspersons, ... More

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS & HOSPITALS

Manipal Hospital opens tele-medicine link at Gurgaon
The Manipal Hospital on Wednesday announced its first healthcare link in the Northern region through a telemedicine tie-up with the Gurgaon-based Privat Hospital. The tie-up will enable tele-consultations for a range of ailments with the ... More

US health body to set up lab in Hyderabad
UNITED States Pharmacopeia (USP) will set up its first laboratory outside the US in Hyderabad. The centre will come up at the ICICI Knowledge Park in the city. USP is an independent public health organisation that sets standards for drugs and ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

GramIT to take BPO to rural hinterlands
THE Byrraju Foundation, a non-profit organisation promoted by Satyam Computer Services Ltd, has launched GramIT, which takes business process outsourcing to unemployed youth in villages. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, DrY.S. Rajashekhara Reddy ... More

EVENTS

Personality development programme at Kochi
KOCHI: The 100th batch of the `The Teenager Dynamic', a self-development programme for teenagers, will be held at the Renewal Centre here from August 13. The programme has preventive, remedial and generative functions and it empowers ... More

INCOME TAX

Fringe Benefit Tax retrograde in nature, says industry
WHAT does an employee of a pharmaceutical company gain when a medical representative from his company gives a sample strip of tablets to a physician? Nothing. But strangely it may be taxed under the Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that attempts to tap ... More

NATURAL CALAMITIES

After the deluge
Like every other sector, the ad industry was affected severely by the Mumbai deluge. Catalyst talked to various top ad agency honchos to find out how they are coping. More

Mumbai trains yet to get back on track
"It's tough going for Mumbai's commuters, despite the city's much touted resilience." More

Maharashtra to constitute disaster management body
THE State Government will set up the Maharashtra State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA), said Chief Minster, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, while addressing the media after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The MSDMA would be under the chairmanship ... More

BOOKS

Booking gains
The children's books market has as many drawbacks as it does good news: The market is scattered, marketing budgets are small and distribution is a challenge, but books set in the Indian ethos and curiosity generated by Pottermania is slowly making fo r a bigger market. More

Comments & Letters to the Editor to: bleditor@thehindu.co.in
Subscribe to: Business Line