Advertising & Marketing
The secret to capture Indian taste buds is here
HERE is an eye-opener of sorts for the McDonald's, KFCs and Baristas of the world. It's experience and taste, and not size or lineage, which makes the Indian customer hungry for more.
Budget
Restore full tax sops on export profits: FIEO
THE Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) has made a case for restoration of full income-tax exemption on export profits.
Corporate
`Corporate governance must go beyond shareholders'
CAN there be a convergence of corporate and public governance? This question reflects the core of a discussion that is being masterminded by Dr Madhav Mehra, President of World Council for Corporate Governance, on a national scale.
Sterlite to extinguish shares after buyback
STERLITE Industries (India) Ltd has announced plans to purchase its equity shares under Section 391-394 of the Companies Act and subsequently cancel them as mandated by the Act.
Water Technologies becomes 100 per cent Thermax subsidiary
MUMBAI: Thermax Ltd has informed the Bombay Stock Exchange that subsequent to an agreement between the joint venture partners, namely the company and Culligan International Co, US (Culligan), the company has acquired the 50 per cent equity stake of Culli
gan Water Technologies Ltd (erstwhile Thermax Culligan Water Technologies Ltd).
Fertilisers
New pricing formula soon for urea
THE remaining Government control on the domestic fertiliser industry and trade will be withdrawn soon, facilitating availability of all varieties of fertilisers to the farm sector at market-driven prices. This was indicated by Mr S.B. Mukherjee, Union Mi
nister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers.
Foreign Trade
Japan keen to tap India's market potential
THE Japanese assessment of India as an investment destination is steadily improving and they wish to seek India's potential in areas where India has the comparative advantage. Some of the factors like huge market potential and cheap labour cost are major
advantages in India, Prof. T Kinoshita, an eminent economist of Japan and currently the Director of Academic Society of International Development, has said.
Health
A popular herb attracts no patents
A HERB, widely used in indigenous systems of medicine and a focus of research of Indian scientists for nearly half a century - Prickly-chaff flower - has surprisingly not attracted attention for patent protection.
Information Technology
HC clearance for Aptech demerger
APTECH Ltd has said it has received clearance from the Mumbai High Court for its composite restructuring scheme to demerge its training and education business. The board of directors of the company will shortly meet to fix the record date for implementin
g the scheme.
Mutual Funds
UTI repurchase price offer up to 5,000 units -- US-64 to fully comply with SEBI norms
UNIT Trust of India (UTI) will extend the offer of an assured repurchase price now for investors holding up to 5,000 units. The trust has also committed to fully comply with SEBI regulations for the US-64 scheme by December 2002, setting up of an asset m
anagement company and revamping of its board under a package approved by the Government.
PSU
Modicorp keen on VSNL stake
MODICORP on Friday said it had approached the Department of Disinvestment evincing interest in buying the Government stake in Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd.
SEBI alters norm for PSU open offer price
IN a bid to bid to bring more transparency to the disinvestment process, the SEBI board today made changes in the takeover code relating to PSU disinvestment for calculating the offer price.
Power
Will hydrogen be the future energy source?
THE Murugappa Chettiar Research Centre (MCRC) of Chennai, after a decade-long study of photolytic bacteria, has developed the process for production of hydrogen sustainably from spent distillery wash, sago waste and whey in the laboratory, according to P
rof C.L. Gupta of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry.
Radio/TV
More time for private FM operators likely
THE Cabinet, in its meeting tomorrow, is likely to extend the December 29 deadline set for private FM operators to commence operations.
WorldSpace sees big gains in the long run
DIGITAL DTH radio came into India with WorldSpace starting broadcasts on its AsiaStar beam in September 2000. With the brand catching the consumer's fancy, there will soon be much more on offer in terms of hardware and software at affordable prices, says
Dr M.G. Chandrasekhar, space scientist-turned Executive Vice-President of the Washington-based WorldSpace Corporation, who is also COO, AsiaStar. Here are excerpts from his interview with Business Line on the company's plans and scope in India.
New DD, AIR chiefs
NEW DELHI: The Prasar Bharati Corporation has appointed Dr S.Y. Qureshi and Mr T.R. Malakar as Director-General of Doordarshan and AIR respectively.
Rubber
Rubber products -- Capexil seeks grant for US market survey
AS part of the new programme for market enhancement activities in the US for Indian rubber manufactured products, under the Market Access Initiative (MAI) scheme of the Government, Capexil has submitted a detailed project plan to the Government, seeking
a grant of Rs 4 crore. The said product category is predominantly branded.
States
Maharashtra hikes power tariff by 4 pc
THE Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) today increased power tariff by four per cent for consumers effective January 1.
Naidu's help sought to revive sick mills
THE Andhra Pradesh Government has been requested to intervene in the Azam Jahi Mills case, located in Warangal district, to ensure that it comes out of the provisions of the Sick Industrial Companies Act (SICA).
Coimbatore Corpn to float bonds for drainage scheme
THE Coimbatore Corporation has decided to float bonds to raise funds to implement the underground drainage scheme (UDS) in three zones in the city.
Gujarat plans mega meet to lure investors
THE Gujarat Government, in association with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), will organise a mega meet in February 2002 at Ahmedabad to promote the State as a business destination among prospective domestic and overseas i
nvestors.
Dirubhai's gesture to Municipal schools in Mumbai
IT was a birthday gift from Mr Dhirubhai Ambani to the children of Mumbais Municipal schools. Mr Ambani who turns 69 on Friday presented them with a project that would provide free computer education to 68,000 students in 51 schools.
Stocks
6 members drop out of CSE race
EVEN as the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) was busy deciding on the proposed demutualistion of the bourses, the broker-members of the Calcutta Stock Exchange (CSE) readied themselves for a contest-free election on December 30 for the nine
directorial berths on the bourse's governing committee.
Taxation
Excise collections up; customs front bleak
THE Centre's excise collection showed a marginal improvement during April to December this year on the back of better performance of a few industries, even as customs collections dropped by 14 per cent due to a steep drop in crude oil imports.
Common norms on VAT planned -- Central sales tax rate to be retained at 4 pc
THE Finance Ministry has decided to prepare common guidelines for a value-added tax (VAT) legislation that can be replicated by States.
Telecommunications
BSNL slashes STD tariff
PEAK time STD rates will fall by over 60 per cent from January 14 as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today announced historic rate cuts in long distance calls to take head-on the private national long distance (NLD) operators.
Cell operators cry foul
REACTING to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL)'s decision to slash STD rates lower than what Bharti Telesonic has offered, some cellular operators have raised the issue of `predatory pricing' by the operator.
Govt nod for VSNL special interim
VIDESH Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) has obtained Government approval for its special interim dividend of 750 per cent for this year. The dividend was recommended by the company's board of directors on December 14.
