The Hindu Business Line : Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Unveil your dream budget
Business Line invites you to tell the Finance Minister your budget expectations. Send in your budget wish list to wishlist2007@thehindu.co.in and explain why you want them included. Attach your digital photograph, which may get published. Do include your brief profile.

INDUSTRY & ECONOMY

EMPLOYMENT
`Technical study vital to help agri labour get jobs'
Agricultural growth in the country in future will depend on factor productivity and to secure and sustain this growth, great stress must be laid on technical training and education in order that the labour in agriculture is absorbed in ... More

AUTOMOBILES
`Passenger vehicle sales to touch 2-m units by 2010'
Global trends indicate potential for Asia More

BUDGET
Sugar industry: Looking for some sweetener
The sugar industry in the country, confronted with sugar prices that it says are the lowest in recent times and compressed margins, is hoping that the Budget will include a range of announcements on indirect taxes and direct taxes that are ... More

Restore standard deduction for salaried employees
The Budget process should be fiercely on for its presentation on February 28. Many changes or amendments in the Income Tax Act should not be expected because of the new Income Tax Bill, which is likely to be introduced in the Budget session of ... More

Raise rebate for women
General tax exemption be raised from Rs 1,00,000 to Rs 1,50,000. Women rebate to be enhanced from Rs 1,35,000 to Rs 2,25,000. Senior citizens rebate can be enhanced to Rs 3,00,000. Educational fees be capped at Rs 2,000 per month per child to the ... More

ECONOMY
Slow reforms, in the usual messy democratic way
The Budget ahead may be planning for the 12 months, but The Next Decade looks at the unfolding future. For the upcoming fiscal exercise some clues may be had from Economics for Lawyers, considering that the country's finances are handled by a lawyer. The Culture of the New Capitalism explores the spectre of uselessness. More

AP Plan outlay up at Rs 32,973 crore
Irrigation, housing, agriculture get bigger share More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Tax exemption sought for fire-fighting equipment
The Dakshina Kannada District Tiny Industries Association (DKDTIA) has urged the Union Government to exempt levies on fire-fighting equipment and accessories. In a letter to the Prime Minister - the copies of which were released to the press ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
India-Pak trade rises 129%
India and Pakistan on Monday resolved to boost bilateral trade and to promote economic and commercial cooperation within the framework of composite dialogue in the light of a "phenomenal increase" in two-way trade. This was indicated at a ... More

Germany sees huge potential for India
The German construction equipment and building material machinery industry feels that the Indian market will have a huge potential in the near future. This is because of New Delhi's decision to abolish import licences and reduce further import ... More

W. Australia invites investments in energy sector
The Government of Western Australia, which is keen on `widening and deepening' trade ties with India, welcomes investments in the energy sector, according to its Premier, Mr Alan Carpenter. Addressing a press conference here, Mr Carpenter said ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
DLF group to set up 4,840-acre township
Signs agreement with KMDA More

New parking yard
HOLDING COURT: The Karnataka Chief Minister, H.D. Kumaraswamy, flanked by the Chief Justice Mr Cyriac Joseph, and the Home Minister, Mr M.P. Prakash, at the inauguration of the construction of the third floor of the parking yard at Civil Court in ... More

Nabard aid for TN projects
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development has sanctioned Rs 525.78 crore to Tamil Nadu for six projects. According to a press release, the projects include drinking water supply, modernisation of school ... More

PSU
Public sector units revamp board may come under PMO
The Board for Reconstruction of Public Sector Enterprises (BRPSE) set up by the Government in 2004 under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises may be brought directly under the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Though there has ... More

POWER
Accelerated power plan recast likely in Budget
The Centre is likely to announce a recast of its key reform tool in the power sector — the Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) — to provide a fresh impetus to the ongoing efforts to incentivise States to turn ... More

TAXATION
Tax revenues of VAT states post near 25% growth
The overall tax revenues of the VAT implementing states have recorded a near 25 per cent growth in April-January 2007. In April-December 2006, the revenues grew by 24.42 per cent to Rs 83,425 crore from Rs 67,050 crore in the corresponding ... More

COAL
Singareni e-booking facility
The State-owned Singareni Collieries Company Ltd on Monday that it will launch a facility for electronic booking of coal for its customers in March. In a statement, Singareni informed that with this facility, its consumers ... More

TERRORISM
Inconsolable
THE UNION HOME MINISTER, Mr Shivraj Patil, consoling the relatives of the Samjhauta Express blast victims at Safdarjang Hospital in the Capital on ... More

RADIO/TV
TDSAT adjourns Nimbus hearing
The Telecom Disputes Settlement Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) has adjourned the matter of sports broadcaster Nimbus challenging the directions of TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) asking the company to reduce the tariff ... More

EDUCATION
Govt asked to deregulate technical education
To set up more IIMs, IITs every year More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Bengal Shrachi Housing forays into tier-II, III cities
Lays foundation for entertainment hub `Junction' in Durgapur More

Volatile construction stocks upset funds' NAVs
Some funds already pare exposure to this segment More

GOLD & SILVER
UTI Mutual Fund launches Gold ETF
Issue open for subscription from March 1 to 12 More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Access to nuclear fuel from Russian unit likely
Moscow links India's project participation to lifting of NSG curbs More

MINING & QUARRYING
Hind Copper to outsource mining to Australian co
Takes service contract route to revive closed mine at Jharkhand More

MINERALS
GSI to conduct survey in remote areas by helicopter
The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has announced that it would carry out helicopter-borne geophysical survey in remote and inaccessible areas. The effort is expected to throw interesting insights into the hidden mineral resources in these ... More

More outlays needed on exploration for copper ore
Yawning gulf between promise and performance More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
PM launches backward region fund
The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Monday launched the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) here in the Barpeta district of Assam. Launching the scheme, Dr Singh said that the fund is a move aimed at bridging regional disparities in ... More

IFC keen to support units in agri-biz space
Exposure to Indian cos may rise to $800 m More

INTERVIEW
We need land, water policies for industrialisation
We are the largest importers of edible oil in the world, the largest importers of fertiliser, not to mention fuel oil and products. The moment we clear our throats in the world market, prices have already gone up. More

EVENTS
Textile body golden jubilee
The President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, will participate in the golden jubilee celebrations of the South India Textile Research Association (SITRA) here to be held on February 24. The host of personalities expected to take part ... More

TMA celebrations
The Trivandrum Management Association (TMA) will celebrate `management day' on February 21. As part of the celebration, TMA will present the management leadership award 2006 to Mr M. Ayyappan, Chairman and Managing Director of ... More

ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IIT Roorkee entrepreneurship contest
IIT Roorkee on Monday kick-started its nationwide contest, `Isis — The BPlan Competition', to endorse the spirit of entrepreneurship. The winners of the competition will not only be awarded cash prizes but also be given ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Hoda panel submits report on DEPB scheme
The Government-appointed Anwarul Hoda committee to formulate a replacement for the existing duty entitlement passbook (DEPB) scheme has submitted its report to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The four-member committee is understood to have ... More

VENTURE CAPITAL
New Enterprise to invest more in India
New Enterprise Associates (India) Pvt Ltd plans to expand its operations in India and will invest around $200 million in several technology sectors. The Indian operations of the company based in Bangalore will work in close association with NEA's ... More