The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, September 15, 2005

IFC, Rabo bank agree to fund Southern Online's expansions
TWO of the leading international funding agencies - International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Rabo Bank - have agreed to fund the future expansions of Southern Online Bio Technologies Ltd (SBT), the Hyderabad-based company that is ... More

ECONOMY

Kharif output prospects bright, says Pawar
GOOD rains in several parts of the country have brightened the prospects of a higher production this year compared with last year, the Union Agriculture and Food Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, has said. "By and large, rains have been good so far. ... More

Global economy expanding despite high oil prices
THE perplexing phenomenon in oil and fuel markets is that despite record high prices, investors on both sides of the Atlantic are basically ignoring American fears over supply position and the equity markets have moved up. Today OPEC ... More

TN signs pact with World Bank
THE Tamil Nadu Government has signed an agreement for credit assistance of $120 million from the World Bank for a poverty alleviation project and another for a $300-million loan for urban development. According to a World Bank press release, ... More

FOREIGN TRADE

Move to B2B relations: Russian Ambassador
RUSSIA has called for a shift in bilateral trade from State-to-State relations to business-to-business relations to trigger growth in trade volumes. For long, the bilateral agreements were based on State-to-State relations. This, however, ... More

Bangla Minister promises to plug loopholes at land customs stations
The Minister expressed anguish over the inadequate infrastructure at LCS points on the Indian side. More

Dubai looks to boost trade ties with India
DUBAI is pushing to improve business ties with India, and hopes to attract more Indian companies to invest in Dubai. At a seminar on business opportunities in Dubai, organised on Tuesday by the Confederation of Indian Industry - Southern ... More

HEALTH

HC orders notice to Centre on stoppage of garlic import
THE Madras High Court has admitted a batch of writ petitions challenging the cancellation of import licence of over 80 tonnes of garlic from China and separate orders detaining them in the quarantine section of the Chennai Port. Mr Justice R. ... More

PSU

Sharing PSU strategies?
(From left) Mr Ashok K. Puri, CMD, BHEL; Mr M.S. Zahed, CMD, HMT; and Mr S. Baul, MD, Braithwaite Burn & Jessop Construction Co Ltd, at the inauguration of the conference of CEOs of public sector enterprises under the Department of Heavy ... More

PESTICIDES

Agrochem cos likely to post good numbers
DESPITE the delay in the onset of monsoon rains, agrochemical companies are expected to turn in a fairly good financial performance during the crucial quarters of September and December 2005, analysts and industry representatives say. "Recent ... More

PETROLEUM

NCDEX to launch Brent crude futures today
THE Forwards Market Commission (FMC) is due to submit a report on the participation of mutual funds and financial institutions in multi-commodity exchanges. Mr S. Sundereshan, Chairman, FMC, on Wednesday said the report is being finalised by ... More

PHARMACEUTICALS

Now, an initiative to develop drugs for neglected diseases
Research-oriented DNDi is founded by Medecins Sans Frontieres in collaboration with global public sector institutions and the WHO. More

US Pharmacopeia sets up subsidiary here
The local subsidiary called US Pharmacopeia-India will collaborate with its parent-outfit to educate local companies on reference standards, besides supporting USP's existing customers. More

PLASTICS

Maharashtra notifies ban on plastic bags
THE Maharashtra Government order seeking to ban the use of plastic bags was issued on Wednesday. The order is dated September 13, 2005. The order states that the Government has decided to declare the entire state "Plastic Bag Free Area". It ... More

RADIO/TV

TRAI sets the ball rolling for digitisation of cable TV — Sets 2010 Commonwealth Games as deadline
SHARPER pictures for a better viewing experience will become a reality, if digitisation of the cable network takes off in the country. Setting the 2010 Commonwealth Games as a deadline, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ... More

EDUCATION

Govt scheme to improve schools in Karnataka
MANGALORE: The Karnataka Government will launch `Pancha Soulabhya' - a scheme aimed at augmenting basic infrastructure in schools in the State - on November 1. Basic requirements such as classrooms, drinking water, toilets, ground ... More

Singapore bid to attract student community from India
SINGAPORE, which has always promoted itself as a tourist destination, wishes to broaden its visitor profile to include the student community as well. The city-state has decided to promote itself as a `global school house'. In keeping with ... More

TWO/THREE WHEELERS

Top moves in two-wheeler cos
IT is a season of movements for key officials at two-wheeler companies. In fact, top officials from at least four two-wheeler companies have put in their papers in recent months. Most recently Mr Atul Sobti who was Executive Director ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Info Edge launches real estate portal
INFO Edge Ltd, creators of Naukri.com and Jeevansathi.com, today launched a real estate portal — 99acres.com for information exchange on buying, selling and renting of residential as well as commercial property. "The portal will cater to ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

SIMA to tie up with more tech institutes for training
THE Southern India Mills Association is planning to work with engineering colleges in training manpower for the textile industry. The SIMA has also proposed to help with job placements for these candidates in its member-textile mills. The ... More

DISINVESTMENT

Govt open to selling residual stake in MUL
By selling the entire 18.28 per cent stake, the Government can get more than Rs 2,000 crore. More

EVENTS

`Indian IT cos must offer better customer solutions'
DR Robert Kaplan, creator of Balanced Scorecard, a widely used tool in strategy management, on Wednesday said that Indian IT companies should look at offering better customer solutions rather than just providing `low-cost options.' He was ... More

Space week celebrations
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, is conducting a Statewide competition for `non-formal inventors' as part of the space week celebrations. Entries should be working models of inventions ... More

INCOME TAX

Madras HC grants interim stay on fringe benefit tax
ENFORCEMENT of the fringe benefit tax introduced by the Centre in the 2005-06 Budget has been stayed in the Madras High Court, in respect of a city-based chartered accountant firm. Mr Justice K. Raviraja Pandian, who heard the counsel for ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS

Edible oil imports up 27 pc
IMPORTS of edible oils including palm oil, soya oil and sunflower oil during the 10 months of current oil year (November 2004-October 2005) have increased 27 per cent to 41.73 lakh tonnes from 32.95 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period a ... More

Shrimp prices begin to recover in US market
THE relatively steady fall in Indian shrimp prices in the US markets have been arrested and some varieties have reported price recovery. Sources in the trade are optimistic that this could prove to be the turning point for the export driven ... More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES

Meet on opportunities in medicinal, aromatic plants
THE Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) will organise a three-day programme to educate prospective entrepreneurs and other stakeholders on the opportunities in medicinal and aromatic crops. The programme will begin on ... More

PEOPLE

New SIMA chairman

Comments & Letters to the Editor to: bleditor@thehindu.co.in
Subscribe to: Business Line