The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, July 15, 2004

ECONOMY
`Build on our strengths and gain from globalisation'
THE following is the transcript of questions fielded by the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, during his interaction with legislators in Hyderabad on Wednesday: Mr D. Sridhar Babu, of the ruling Congress (I) wanted to know how India ... More

ENVIRONMENT
Kalam inaugurates Green Business Centre
HYDERABAD: The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has asked the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to consider generation of energy efficient building codes that would promote green building in the country. Addressing a gathering ... More

Dakshina Kannada, Udupi districts woo eco-friendly industries
THE elected representatives from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have said that environment-friendly industries in the region are welcome. They were speaking here at a function organised by the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industries ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Dutch Association to foster co-op in infotech sector
IN the coming years, there is substantial scope for economic co-operation between the southern states of India and the Netherlands, said Mr Evert van Wageningen, Chairman of the Indo Dutch Association, at its recent launch in Chennai. Despite ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
2 Singapore cos keen on Bengal infrastructure projects
TWO Singapore urban infrastructure development companies - Subana and Semb Corp - are likely to participate in some of the infrastructure projects in Bengal, through the joint venture route. Talking to newspersons here today at the ... More

POWER
Power Grid, NHPC sign pact with REC for rural electrification
POWER Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) have today entered into an agreement with Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) for taking up projects to electrify villages and households in the ... More

STEEL
DEPB scheme for steel with prospective effect — Industry stands to lose Rs 150 cr
THE Government on Wednesday clarified that the Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) scheme for the steel sector is to be revived with prospective effect and not retrospectively. According to official sources, the steel exporters have also been ... More

TAXATION
`Indirect tax revenue targets realistic'
THE Finance Ministry on Wednesday maintained that the Centre's Budget estimates on indirect tax revenues for 2004-05 are "realistic" and that there should be no doubt over its ability in meeting the indirect tax revenue targets. "I have no ... More

TEXTILES
Commissionerates in textile belt zone — Duty relief may burn a hole in excise revenue
THE Union Budget is likely to leave a big hole in the revenue mop-up of Central Excise commissionerates located in the hot textile belts, thanks to the excise duty exemption granted to the entire cotton textile spectrum by the Finance ... More

SSI
SSI sector unimpressed by Budget proposals
THE recent Budget has provided the small-scale sector "one more evidence" to suggest that the Government is paying only lip service to the SSI units. The Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, announced in the Budget a proposal to raise certain ... More

WATER
Punjab water dispute divides parties on State lines
EVEN as the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, continued to grapple with the river waters dispute between Punjab and its neighbouring States on Wednesday, the issue has divided political parties on State lines. While the Haryana Congress has ... More

Kerala action plan to conserve freshwater bodies
THE State Government proposed to initiate an action plan for protecting freshwater lakes and work towards this direction has already begun, according to the Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony. The Chief Minister said this while intervening in a ... More

TERRORISM
Lalu orders fresh probe into Godhra incident
THE Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad, on Wednesday ordered a fresh probe into the Godhra incident, in which 59 people were burnt alive when a fire devastated a coach of Sabarmati Express in Gujarat. Winding up a discussion on the Railway ... More

RADIO/TV
Tatas meet I&B Minister on DTH
AFTER the Star Group Chief, Ms Michelle Guthrie, met the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr S. Jaipal Reddy, urging a speedy clearance of its direct-to-home (DTH) venture, it was the turn of its partner Tata group's, Mr Ishaat Hussain, to ... More

Chennai cable operators feel DTH is no threat
THE direct-to-home (DTH) market is all set to see more action with the entry of Doordarshan's DD Direct service, but cable operators in the city seem convinced that it won't pose a threat to their business. During a seminar organised by the ... More

EDUCATION
Gemological Institute opens education centre in Mumbai
THE Gemological Institute of America (GIA) has expanded its global education services by opening a new education centre in Mumbai on Wednesday to help meet growing worldwide demand. The new education centre at Nariman Point has two classes, ... More

CARS
`Diesel car sales to grow 50 pc by 2010'
Global diesel light vehicle sales will increase from 12.5 million in 2003 to 27 million by 2015 with India and South Korea being the drivers in Asia. More

HCV/LCV/TRACTORS
Tractor makers cut prices by 4%
Eicher and Escorts have already announced the reduction, others are expected to do so in the next couple of days. More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
CII-Kerala meet
KOCHI: As part of the CII-Kerala's efforts to provide a platform for relevant issues to be taken up with the decision makers, an interactive session on customs, central excise and service tax was organised here on Tuesday. Addressing ... More

READYMADE GARMENTS
Ban on apparel quota transfers may go
WITH nearly 50 per cent of apparel exporters under the threat of losing confirmed export orders from the US, the EU and Canada, the Government is likely to roll back the ban on quota transfers announced last week. Export orders in the pipeline ... More

BIO-TECH & GENETICS
Bioinformatics policy draft aims at $2.5-b turnover
A NATIONAL bioinformatics policy that is in the making aims to catalyse the emerging industry so as to achieve a turnover of $2.5 billion by the end of the Tenth Plan. The policy that is being steered by the Department of Biotechnology and ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Indo-German talks on for research collaborations
IN order to improve cooperation in the science and technology area between India and Germany, the two countries are in the process of setting up an Indo-German research training group on nano-materials. They are also looking at the option of ... More

TCS bio-suite unveiled
THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, on Wednesday unveiled `Bio-Suite', a comprehensive bioinformatics product developed by a consortium headed by Tata Consultancy Services under the New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative of the ... More

SMALL SAVINGS
Savings scheme for senior citizens from Aug 1
THE Government said on Wednesday that the Senior Citizen Savings Scheme is expected to come into effect on August 1 this year. The scheme would have a maximum deposit ceiling of Rs 15 lakh and a tenor of five years with facility for premature ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Tap NRI resources to uplift rural areas, President tells AP
THE President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has asked the Andhra Pradesh Government to tap the vast diaspora of non-resident Indians (NRIs) from the State to jointly work in transforming the rural areas. In his special address to the Andhra Pradesh ... More

EVENTS

In Hyderabad today

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Gold imports may fall on monsoon impact
WITH weather-related concerns beginning to take toll and international prices unrelenting, gold imports into the country are likely to take a beating in the coming months. The Government, understandably, wants to play down the severity of ... More

Mango exports to UAE rising
EXPORT of Indian mangoes to the UAE has registered a 30 per cent jump in the last three years with improved storage and packaging methods and promotional campaigns resulting in positive growth figures, according to a senior official of the ... More

TOURISM
Renovated Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram to be inaugurated today
KERALA Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) has announced the reopening of its flagship property, Mascot Hotel in Thiruvananthapuram, after an extensive refurbishment and expansion programme. The Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, will formally ... More

ECONOMIC OFFENCES
Check on money laundering thru gifts — New income definition clause may complicate law, say tax experts
MONEY laundering through the medium of gifts is being sought to be curbed by the Union Finance Minister through the proposed insertion of a new provision, Section 2(24)(xiii), in Section 2 (clause 24) in the Income Tax Act. Hence, if you receive ... More