The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, February 22, 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

CLIMATE & WEATHER
Potato futures up on weather forecast
A cloudy weather forecast for Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal pushed up potato (Tarkeshwar variety) futures on MCX to the upper circuit of 6 per cent. However, some of the gains were pared for the futures to close at Rs 520.90 per quintal, up 5.45 ... More

INVESTMENTS
Commodity investment meet in Jaipur
A conference and exhibition on "Commodities as an Investment Opportunity" will be held in Jaipur during February 24-25. Apart from examining the outlook for several commodities including agriculture, metals and energy, the meet ... More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
Training on bio-fuel crops
A training programme on `Renewable energy sources through bio-fuel crops' is being organised by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in association with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The programme ... More

ANTI-DUMPING
Majority of exporters may volunteer for review
US anti-dumping duty on shrimps More

AWARDS & HONOURS
Honour for Mallemala
The Andhra Pradesh Government will confer the prestigious Raghupathi Venkaiah Award on veteran film producer and writer Mr M.S. Reddy, who is also known as Mallemala, for the year 2005. A three-member committee comprising film ... More

BUDGET
Economists cannot predict the movement of stock markets
Apart from the Budget's immediate impact on stock movements, it is important to give the market at least a month for it to process and incorporate the Budget's implications into the market indices. DR SHANTO GHOSH, DIRECTOR AND PRI NCIPAL ECONOMIST, DELOITTE, HASKINS AND SELLS, MUMBAI. More

Tax regime on electricity sector merits a re-look
The Budget should address four key imperatives: reduction of energy cost, investment in new capacity, improving operational & pricing efficiency, and encouraging competition. More

Provide more funds for education
In the forthcoming Budget, more funds should be allotted to education so that all villages are covered by elementary schools and group of villages by high schools. Besides nutritious mid-day meal scheme, the Finance Minister should introduce ... More

Distinction between online & other exchanges unwarranted
Pre-Budget recommendation for set-off facility in `online exchanges' More

ECONOMY
Auto, pharma, IT sectors to propel India Inc: Study
More

Direct tax collections up 39.5% in April-Feb
Revenue dept on course to surpass budget estimates More

Jharkhand annual Plan fixed at Rs 6,676 cr
Jharkhand's annual Plan for 2007-08 has been fixed at Rs 6,676 crore at a meeting between the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, and the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Mr Madhu Koda, here on Wednesday. In his remarks, ... More

India Inc takes wing
As Indian business groups make giant strides in acquiring businesses abroad, what does it mean for management? More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Cut in excise, peak customs duty likely
Eventual convergence of Cenvat, service tax envisaged More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Govt assurance to SIMA
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has assured the promoters of SIMA (South Indian Mills Association) Textile Park of all help in setting up the park at Menakuru in Nellore district. Holding a meeting ... More

Technopark to expand T-Bic facility
More

Meet on fast-track bridge construction
With the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, announcing mega projects to develop four-lane highways across the country, the fast-track construction of bridges assumes significance, said Mr M.C. Bhide, Founder and Honorary Director-General, Indian ... More

PSU
Supplyco in tie-up with IOC for retail chains
Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) has entered into a strategic tie-up with Indian Oil Corporation to set up retail chains of Supplyco branded products at select Indian Oil petrol stations in the State. Indian Oil will provide ... More

PETROLEUM
RIL, Chevron likely to strengthen ties
Cos to deliberate on foray into gas marketing More

Gas pipeline: India, Pak bilateral talks begin today
Transit fee, project structure to be discussed More

ONGC may be told to rethink Kakinada refinery project
`Manmohan keen that company meets its commitment' More

IOC shelves plan for LPG pipeline network
IndianOil has shelved its plan to set up an LPG pipeline network connecting its major refineries owing to lack of throughput. The project may be revived later, following completion of the Paradip refinery project in Orissa. Plans are, however ... More

`IOC aiming at $60-b revenue by 2012'
IOC is aiming at revenues of $60 billion by the year 2012 with an investment plan of about $15.5 billion, according to Mr G.C. Daga, Director (Marketing). Addressing the 15th International Aviation Conference on Wednesday, he said that ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Bengal plans to set up drugs, medical equipment unit
Govt pursuing PPP proposal for health city, medical college More

POWER
APTransco has mobile alert facility
APTransco today announced the launch of e-Vaaradhi, a value-added service on mobile network, first introduced by the Eastern Power Distribution Company (EPDCL). This service was launched by Ms Rachel Chatterjee, Chairman and Managing Director ... More

TAXATION
TN to amend VAT norm soon
Finetuning compounded rates of taxes More

Cabinet may consider CST compensation package today
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is likely to take up for approval on Thursday the compensation package to be given to the States for the proposed phase-out of the central sales tax (CST). In the first week of January this year, ... More

Treat speculative transactions as part of biz: Commodity exchanges
`System of operation cannot decide profit, loss' More

Common economic market pact between States necessary: BCCI
The Centre and the State must get together and agree on uniform tax and subsidy policies across States, recommends the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Differential rates of taxation and duties, discounts in charges for facilities such ... More

WATER
Water Supply Board to launch ERP product
The aim is to bring in new services such as online applications, grievance redressal and anytime-anywhere bill payment options. More

EDUCATION
Maths centre established
A national centre of excellence for basic research in mathematics, statistics and computer sciences has been established at the Hyderabad Central University (HCU). Named after well-known statistics personality Prof C.R. Rao, the Advanced ... More

B-school meet in Mangalore
A two-day B-school meet — Crossroads 07 — began at Mangalore University on Wednesday. Speaking at the inauguration of the event, Prof K.M. Kaveriappa, Vice-Chancellor of Mangalore University, said that the progress of ... More

MEDICAL & SURGICAL EQUIPMENTS
Niche diagnostic players in expansion mode
Focus on value-added services, better technology More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Och-Ziff to invest $51-m in Nitesh Estates
Global hedge fund Och-Ziff Capital Management Group has agreed to invest $51 million (Rs 220 crore) for a 25 per cent stake in the Bangalore-based property development company, Nitesh Estates. The fund inflow will help the company to scale up ... More

JUTE
Jute industry strike hits Concor operations
Strike enters 47th day on Wednesday More

MINING & QUARRYING
Ban on mineral exports sought
Industry chamber Assocham has sought discontinuation of policies that allow exports of minerals and raw materials without any value addition. In a communication to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Finance and Planning Commission, the ... More

HUMAN RESOURCES
Group of Ministers approves merger of Air India, Indian
A new company to be created, into which both the airlines would merge More

EVENTS
Seminar on new tech biz opportunities
The Confederation of Indian Industry and Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) are jointly organising an interactive seminar on New Technology Business Opportunities in Bioprocesses and Bio-Products here at Hotel ... More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
Proposals invited for insurance coverage in tsunami-hit areas
The Commissioner of Municipal Administration (CMA) of the Tamil Nadu Government has called for applications from insurance companies to provide insurance coverage and social securities to members of tsunami affected self-help groups (SHGs) and ... More

STANDARDS & BENCHMARKS
Geographical Indications label for Assam tea soon
New help wing in Tea Board for small growers under study More

PEOPLE
Top achievers
MR RAHUL BAJAJ (left), Chairman, Bajaj Auto, and Dr M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman, MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the All-India Management Association in the Capital on Wednesday. Mr Bajaj received the JRD ... More