The Hindu Business Line : Monday, August 01, 2005

Banks, stock markets to remain open in Mumbai despite rains
THE rain-hit city of Mumbai is still out of gear. Train, bus and air services, restored partially from Friday, were disrupted again following heavy rains since last night. The State Government has ordered closure of educational institutions in ... More

Another rain alert in Mumbai
A MASSIVE cluster of rain-bearing clouds poured its contents over Mumbai on Sunday in a feared repeat of the inundation set off by a monsoon vortex last Tuesday. Civic authorities in the megalopolis have been warned about more heavy rain ... More

ENVIRONMENT

Ammonia movement by FACT — Greens see red
RESENTMENT IS building among environmental agencies over the transportation of liquefied ammonia gas (LAG) by the public sector Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd (FACT) through Kochi's congested seaport-airport ... More

FOREIGN TRADE

Formulate action plan on export potential in Africa, says FICCI
PHARMACEUTICALS and health, IT, water management, food processing and education are the engines of growth to fuel Indian trade with the African region, according to a study carried out by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE

`This is the first airport with a long-term master plan'
HE was sent to build the first Indian public-private funded greenfield international airport, but had to go back by the same flight to Malaysia, just 90 minutes after landing in Chennai. Mr Albert Brunner can now laugh at his first brush with ... More

TN keen on private role in core sector
TAMIL Nadu is taking up major public private participation initiatives (PPP) in infrastructure development in the State particularly in the areas of ports, roads, power and industrial parks offering scope of investments. The Secretary, ... More

PSU

KSFE to sell National Insurance products
THE State Government-owned non-banking finance company Kerala State Financial Enterprises (KSFE) has entered into an agreement with National Insurance Company Ltd by virtue of which it would be made a Corporate Agent for the general insurance ... More

Govt to cut guarantee fee on loans raised by PSUs
IN a significant policy decision, the Government has decided to prune the 1.2 per cent guarantee fee charged by it on outstanding multilateral loans sourced by Central public sector undertakings (CPSUs). To be decided on a case-to-case basis, ... More

PETROLEUM

Energy co-ordination panel to meet on Aug 6
THE recent fire in the ONGC oil platform at Mumbai High, the flare-up in global crude prices to $60 a barrel, and the need to ensure energy security to secure development objectives so as to keep the economy growing on a high trajectory, have all ... More

Natural gas sector may be treated separately under proposed panel
A Committee of Secretaries examining the Bill for the establishment of a Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has suggested separate treatment for the natural gas sector and incorporation of an affiliate code of conduct governing entities ... More

Gas trouble
Kochi is experiencing severe shortage of cooking gas, allegedly due to diversion of subsidised LPG for use in motor vehicles. The District Motor Vehicles Department has launched a drive against vehicles using domestic LPG. The indefinite lorry ... More

POWER

Power sector achieved 7.5 pc growth: Sayeed
THE power sector in the country has achieved growth of 7.5 per cent during the first quarter of the current financial year despite shortages in supply of coal and gas. The Union Minister for Power, Mr P.M. Sayeed who inaugurated the 14th ... More

Power generation resumes in Srisailam hydroelectric units
THE crest gates at Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna river in the State are likely to be opened in couple of days as the reservoir has been receiving copious inflows from Jurala project. With huge inflows, the reservoir level has reached about ... More

CERC rejects Reliance Energy plan to execute transmission project
THE Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has rejected the application of Reliance Energy Transmission Ltd for a licence to undertake construction of 20 transmission lines and 13 sub-stations in the western region. The company had ... More

TAXATION

HC asks TN to amend General Sales Tax Act
THE Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu Government to amend the State General Sales Tax Act through an ordinance "forthwith", making a provision permitting waiver or stay by the appellate authority of the pre-deposit tax assessed in ... More

TEXTILES

SIMA hails move to drop Textile Committee cess
THE apex textile body, the Southern India Mills Association (SIMA), has welcomed the Centre's move to abolish the Textiles Committee cess. The association in a statement described the recent announcement by the Union Textile Minister, Mr ... More

SSI

Help centre for AP small industries
HYDERABAD: An open house meeting was conducted at Nacharam Industries Association on Saturday to provide help centre services for small scale industries. The Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Hyderabad, Mr M.V.B. Sambasiva Rao, ... More

EDUCATION

How about a right to communicate?
A FRIEND tells me how some schools bar cell-phones on their premises, and that the rule applies not only to children but also to teachers and other employees. There is a coin phone near the principal's room and one can use it in case of need, ... More

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS & HOSPITALS

Apollo dental centre opened at Banjara Hills
HYDERABAD: The Chairman of Apollo Hospitals Group, Dr Prathap C. Reddy, on Sunday announced the opening up of Apollo dental centre at Banjara Hills here. Dr Reddy said on the occasion that this multi-speciality dental centre would ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Grundfos facility gets Gold rating from US council
GRUNDFOS Pumps' facility on the Old Mahabalipuram Road here has been awarded the Gold rating by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) under their LEED (leadership in energy and environment design) programme. The Green Building Rating System ... More

LEATHER

Leather goods exports clock 6 pc growth in 2004-05
EXPORTS of finished leather goods registered an increase of six per cent at $2.3 billion in 2004-05 against the previous year, according to PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), which has carried out a sector-wise analysis of the Indian ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Avinash Chander to take charge
HYDERABAD: Mr Avinash Chander is set to take over as Director, Advanced System Laboratory from Monday. He joined DRDO in 1972 and has pioneered major technology developments including Strapdown Inertial Navigation Systems, Long Range ... More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

Gurgaon incident won't impact FDI inflows, say MNC chiefs
THE Gurgaon incident involving labour clashes at the Honda facility is unlikely to adversely impact the confidence of foreign investors in India, according to 120 of the 150 MNC CEO respondents in an Assocham Business Barometer Survey. Most of ... More

Volkswagen envoy to hold talks with YSR, officials
A SPECIAL envoy of German carmaker Volkswagen AG is in Hyderabad to hold parleys with the State Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajashekhara Reddy, and other officials. Mr Frank Elbe, former ambassador to India during 90's, was nominated by the ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE

NGOs in Karnataka mid-day meal scheme
MANGALORE: Mr Jabbar Khan Honnali, Dakshina Kannada district in-charge Minister, has said that the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) should participate in implementation of the Government's mid-day meal scheme for school students. ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Rural business hubs to be set up
NEW DELHI: The newly set up Rural Business Hub Council has decided to set up 10 rural business hubs (RBH) as pilot project as part of a proposal for synergy between panchayats and industry in developing business units in rural India. It ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS

Vanaspati units oppose imports from Sri Lanka
STUNG by the large inflow of vanaspati (hydrogenated vegetable oil) from Sri Lanka despite there being no justification for such imports, the already enervated Indian vanaspati industry has demanded a level-playing field that would allow domestic ... More

NATURAL CALAMITIES

Frustrating battle for Mumbaikars
THERE was a time when the Mumbaikar was as predictable as the city's trains. An all-weather, 24x7 operation, who even in his deepest slumber could still be woken up to the day's grind. That was true until a few days ago when torrential rains ... More

Bajaj Allianz gears up for claims deluge
BAJAJ Allianz General Insurance Company Ltd (BAGICL) has received claims for at least 10,000 motor vehicles after the recent floods in Mumbai. Speaking to newspersons here, Mr Kamesh Goyal, Chief Executive Officer of BAGICL, said that more ... More

Mumbai pays for neglecting Mithi river
"THE Government machinery failed as the city registered its heaviest rainfall since 1974. I have instructed the officials concerned to have better coordination between the BMC, Navy, Central and Western Railways, BEST, MTNL and the police," said ... More

TOURISM

`Publicise open-sky policy info on time'
DESPITE India offering some of the most beautiful beaches, hill stations, historical monuments, culture, and antiquity of the world, poor air connectivity and lack of sufficient seat capacity continue to hinder the arrival of international ... More

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