BUDGET
Kerala Budget thrust on creation of jobs
CREATION of a Rs 127-crore special package to improve employment opportunities in the industrial and agricultural sectors and the establishment of an `employment guarantee scheme' are two important features of the State Budget presented today. ... More

Tax regime restructured in Kerala Budget
The rate of tax on bullion and spices will be reduced to one per cent so as to bring it on par with the neighbouring States. More

Kerala Budget not conducive to industrial growth, say chambers
THE trade and industry has described that the State Budget was not conducive to industrial growth, as it does not contain any concrete proposals for the overall development of the State's economy. Mr P.M. Muraleedharan, President, Indian ... More

ECONOMY
India's GDP may touch $650 b: Report
The report examines India's economic revival and includes detailed cross-sectoral economic analyses by Financial Times specialists. More

Services sector a major contributor to Kerala economy: Survey
THE overall growth rate of the Kerala economy in 2002-03 was 6.1 per cent, with the services sector growing the fastest at 9.78 per cent, says the Kerala Economic Review 2003 released today by the State Planning Board. Not surprisingly, ... More

Healthy economy reflects sturdy accounting system: ICAI chief
WHEN the world of accounting turned topsy-turvy in the recent past, the Indian accountancy profession was not surprised at all. In fact, the rest of the world was perplexed why the Indian accounting profession was not surprised. The reason for ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Units in Kutch get more time to qualify for excise holiday
NEW industrial units coming up in the Kutch district of Gujarat have been granted more time to qualify for the five-year excise holiday. The Finance Ministry had in July 2001 stipulated that only units set up "not later than July 31, 2004" ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
DGFT gearing up for digital signatures
EVEN as the exporting community keeps its fingers crossed as to whether there would be any mini-export-import (Exim) policy on the lines of the Mini Budget unveiled by the Government on January 8, the Commerce Ministry is going ahead with its own ... More

HEALTH
Bio-ceramic launches Mega Bio products
VISAKHAPATNAM: Bio-ceramic health care system, a new alternative therapy, was introduced here on Friday by the Bangalore-based Mega Bio International Health Care Private Ltd. Launching the products of the company here, Mr K. Maniraj, the ... More

Medicos' stir called off in AP
THE six-week-old strike by 11,000 junior doctors in the State has been called off, with the striking doctors agreeing to the High Court's suggestion to form a committee to look into the issues raised by them. "We have decided to call off the ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Pharma export council likely from April 1
EFFORTS are on to make Pharmexcil, the dedicated export promotion council for pharmaceuticals, operational by April 1, the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) said here on Friday. A steering committee has been put in place and is ... More

STEEL
Coking coal flow halts; steel majors in a fix
STATE-OWNED steel producers, Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (RINL), are facing an acute shortage of coking coal with two Australian companies backing out from supplying the feedstock. "At a time when the steel ... More

TAXATION
Maintenance and repair services for ATMs to be taxed
THE Finance Ministry has held that maintenance and repair services for Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) would attract service tax. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has recently given a clarification to this effect, informed ... More

SSI
Lack of demand hits Bengal small sector
ABOUT 43 per cent of a total of 1.25 lakh permanent registered small-scale units covering various industry segments, have remained un-operative in West Bengal due to lack of demand for their products. Among these units, a section of them are ... More

EDUCATION
Flexibility in engg education urged
THE All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has given a call for flexibility in engineering education and multi-disciplinary approach so as to tap the opportunities and face the challenges in the field of science and technology in the ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Chennai property prices go up; so does the demand
DESPITE an increase in land and construction cost, the demand for both housing and commercial space has gone up in Chennai during the last eight to nine months. The cost of land in Chennai has gone up by at least 15-20 per cent during the last ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
CII call to tax farm sector
EXPRESSING concern over deteriorating fiscal situation in the Southern region, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), has called for bringing agricultural sector under tax net to bring in additional revenue. "Taxing agricultural income, as ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

RESORTS & AMUSEMENT PARKS
`Amusement sector poised for growth'
THE Indian amusement and theme parks industry has tremendous potential for growth, according to the Indian Association of Amusement Parks and Industries (IAAPI), the apex body representing the new and bubbling industry, which expects to see the ... More

CREDIT RATING
India Inc upbeat on Moody's rating
INDIA Inc has welcomed Moody's upgradation of India's currency rating to investment grade. Reacting to the upgradation, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said that the chamber believes that this is an ... More

CII hails Moody's rating upgrade
THE Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has welcomed the decision of the global rating agency, Moody's Investors Services, to raise India's long-term foreign currency rating. "The current re-rating reflects the improvement in the perception ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Germany to extend Rs 675-crore aid
GERMANY would extend financial assistance to the tune of Rs 675 crore for development programmes, including poverty alleviation and energy conservation projects in India. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed to this effect ... More

`Panchayats should raise more resources'
THE Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) need to do their best to raise as much resources as possible through various avenues, including own tax and non-tax, available to them, according to the Chairman of the Twelfth Finance Commission, Dr C. ... More

LABOUR REFORMS
Jobs for economically backward classes: 4-member commission set up
THE Government on Friday announced a four-member commission to work out modalities for providing job reservation to economically backward classes. The commission will have a one-year term and has been asked to suggest the quantum of reservation ... More

Social security plan for unorganised sector
THE Government on Friday launched the much-hyped country-wide social security scheme for the workers of unorganised sectors. Speaking on the occasion, the Union Labour Minister, Mr Sahib Singh Verma, said that social security to the unorganised ... More

INDUSTRIAL POLICY
In-principle nod to upgrade 19 industrial areas
THE Government has given its in-principle approval for developing 19 clusters/industrial locations to be taken up in the first phase of the Industrial Infrastructure Upgradation Scheme (IIUS) to be administered by the Department of Industrial ... More

EVENTS
`Third Sector Governance' meet
MANGALORE: Mr Justice K.S. Hegde Institute of Management at Nitte in Udupi district will conduct a seminar on "Third Sector Governance" on February 2. A press release by the Director of the institute, Dr M.S. Moodithaya, stated here that ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Further European alert on red dye in chillies
Chilli and all chilli-based products including curry powder can be imported into the EU provided they are accompanied by an analytical report showing absence of Sudan-I, Sudan-II, Sudan-III or Scarlet Red (Sudan-IV). More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
GIC chief heads task force on natural hazards management
GENERAL Insurance Corporation (GIC), the Ministry of Forest and Environment and individuals from various walks of life have formed a task force to understand natural hazards and its management. Talking to Business Line, the GIC Chairman, ... More

TOURISM
Plain recreation
Epic stories are played out by a small group of puppeteers. While they use a dhoti for a screen, the action is created by moving leather puppets with a single floodlight in the background with a designated rhyme and rhythm. AP Tourism is making ... More