Finance Ministry for two-track approach

The Finance Ministry is thinking of adopting a two-pronged approach towards restructuring the seven associate banks of the SBI, by which a few of them would be completely de-linked from the parent bank, while the others would be merged with it. Top officials of the ministry said a couple of the most profitable associate banks might be asked to operate as separate public sector banks. The Government is currently ‘eliciting the views ‘of the management of the banks concerned, as well as the officers’ and employees’ associations in this regard.

World Bank, ICAR in talks on research project

The World Bank is in talks with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to set up a project to upgrade agricultural research technology and management and proposes to provide funds to the tune of $200-300 millions, a senior official at the Bank said. The Bank and ICAR are in the final stages of preparing a research project on national agriculture technology and work on it would commence after July 1997, said Mr. Benoit Blarel, senior economist of the World Bank’s Agriculture and Water Operations Division.

TMC leaves decision to Moopanar

The executive committee of the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) has authorised the party president, Mr. G.K. Moopanar, to take a decision on whether the party should join the United Front Government at the Centre. Despite day-long deliberations, the committee was unable to arrive at a decision and instead chose to leave the issue to the party president. The committee’s resolution was read out to the press by the party spokesman, even as Mr. Moopanar and other senior leaders refused to address journalists.

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