The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, January 17, 2008

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
US Exim Bank to provide loans for bio-diesel projects
Mumbai, Jan. 16 The US Export-Import Bank has agreed to lend to Kochi-based Upasco India, a small scale unit which plans to manufacture bio-diesel from municipal waste. The loan is meant to finance purchase of US equipment. For each ... More

ECONOMY
Focus on adjusting indirect taxes to spur consumer durables growth
PM’s Economic Advisory Council sees 8.5% GDP growth More

Mismatch between functions and finances of urban local bodies, says report
More

Annual Plan for Rajasthan fixed at Rs 14,000 cr
New Delhi, Jan. 16 The annual plan of Rajasthan for 2008-09 was pegged at Rs 14,000 crore, inclusive of additional Central Assistance of Rs 100 crore for projects of special interest to the State. This was decided at a meeting between Deputy ... More

HEALTH
Bengal bird flu: Preliminary tests indicate H5N1 strain presence
Also suggest N1 sub-type, but no final confirmation yet More

Bird flu scare
More

INFRASTRUCTURE
No review of SEZ policy, says Kamal Nath
New Delhi, Jan. 16 The Government has no immediate plan to review the special economic zone (SEZ) policy. This was stated by the Minister for Commerce and Industries, Mr Kamal Nath, here on Wednesday.Speaking to reporters at the ... More

PETROLEUM
Iran open to talks with India on LNG contract
New Delhi, Jan. 16 While hoping that India and Pakistan will soon resolve the pending issues between them on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) pipeline project, Iran on Wednesday said that it is open to hold discussions on the LNG ... More

GAIL gets board nod for Dabhol-Bangalore pipeline project
Bangalore, Jan. 16 The board of directors of GAIL (India) Ltd has given in-principle approval for laying of the 730 km Dabhol-Bangalore gas pipeline. At its board and strategy review meeting held in Bangalore on Tuesday, the company management ... More

Deora hopeful of decision on fuel prices today
New Delhi, Jan. 16 The Petroleum Minister, Mr Murli Deora, hoped that the Group of Ministers (GoM) on fuel pricing, scheduled to meet on Thursday, will take a decision at its meeting. “The GoM is meeting tomorrow and I hope a decision is ... More

POWER
KSEB plans Rs 1,146-cr capital expenditure
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan. 16 The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is planning capital expenditure to the tune of Rs 1,146 crore in 2008-09 for ongoing as also new proposed projects in generation, transmission and distribution sectors. ... More

Teesta power project to be commissioned this month
Gangtok, Jan. 16 The Sikkim Chief Minister, Mr Pawan Chamling visited the NHPC’s Teesta Stage-V hydro power project at Dikchu and Singtam last week for an on the spot assessment of the mega project. He was accompanied by his Cabinet ... More

TAXATION
Ministry calls for scrapping MAT on second hand ship sale
Respite on tonnage tax reserves urged More

Composition scheme only for deals done after June 1, 2007
Service tax payment on work contracts More

EDUCATION
Leave them kids alone
Quashing a child’s originality in favour of the straight and narrow has disturbing implications for organisational innovation, and society at large. More

Tata group internship for international students
Mumbai, Jan. 16 The Tata group has entered into a three-year agreement with the University of California, Berkeley, US and University of Cambridge, UK to provide internships to international students to work in community initiative projects of ... More

UEI Global’s 4th institute
Pune, Jan 16 Berggruen Education Pvt Ltd’s UEI Global has launched its fourth institute in Pune. The institute would offer provisional admission to Bachelor’s Degree in Catering Science and Hospitality Management. It would ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Sabari Foundations plans residential complex in Siruseri
Sabari Foundations Pvt Ltd, part of the Sabari Group, is planning to develop a residential complex – Serenity — near the Sipcot Industrial town in Siruseri. According to Mr K.R.V. Ramani, Chairman of the Sabari Group, there ... More

Law silent on compulsory registration of mortgage deeds: HC
Chennai, Jan. 16 When a document was presented to a sub-registrar, he registered the same, and there was no provision in the Registration Act, 1908, that in case of cancellation of a registered mortgage, signature of mortgagee also must be ... More

Service apartment project in Pune
Real estate company Kolte-Patil Developers Ltd has launched Green Olive, a four-star serviced apartments project at Rajiv Gandhi IT park, Hinjewadi, with a total investment of Rs 74 crore. Spread over seven acres, it consists of 100 studio and ... More

BIO-TECH & GENETICS
BioAsia 2008 likely to draw Rs 1,730-cr investment
Event to be held from Feb 7 to 9 More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
Cabinet likely to take up hiking FDI in aviation sector
New Delhi, Jan 16 A slew of proposals of the Ministry of Civil Aviation including enhancing the foreign direct investment (FDI) levels in seaplanes, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Facilities and helicopters apart from creating a greenfield ... More

EVENTS
Global wheat meet to focus on output
Bangalore, Jan 16 An international seminar, “Wheat and wheat products – Visions 2020”, will be held here on February 8 and 9 to focus on strategies in production, trade distribution and consumption in a global perspective. ... More

Global meet on shipbuilding in April
Kochi, Jan. 16 Having completed its first year of successful operations, the 24-hour free-to-air global maritime television channel Marine BizTV has announced the first International Conference on Ship Building and Conversion Technology along ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
United Bank to vend ECGC products
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TRENDS
CXOs find desi cos more exciting than MNCs
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