The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, September 29, 2005

New `low' forecast as monsoon exits northern rim
SOUTHWEST monsoon was declared as having exited west Rajasthan and parts of northwest India on Wednesday even as the pre-existing cyclonic circulation over north-central Bay of Bengal gained in strength. True to predictions by the National ... More

NON-CONVENTIONAL ENERGY

Solar photo-voltaic project in Bengal
ENVIRON Energy-Tech Service Ltd, the major solar photo-voltaic solution provider for electrification in the eastern region, is in the process of setting up a large solar photo-voltaic (PV) module manufacturing unit in collaboration with a US ... More

ECONOMY

Kerala Govt forms task forces to implement Kalam's plan
THE State Government has formed five task forces to implement the 10-point mission spelt out by the President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, to ensure sustainable development of the State. The mission, outlined by the President in his address to the ... More

ENVIRONMENT

Coca-Cola can't tap ground water, says Jayalalithaa
Coca-Cola has to get its water only through SIPCOT. More

HEALTH

Metropolis ties up with UAE hospital for lab outsourcing
LABORATORY testing and diagnostic services outsourcing is set to become a big business in India. "For hospitals in the UK and the US, it is cheaper to outsource laboratory and diagnostic tests to India. The prevailing rates there are ten times ... More

Survey calls for timely steps to promote blood donation
A SURVEY on `Barriers to blood donation' has shown that the State Government needs to launch awareness programmes for blood banking services, including donor motivation, in order to ensure adequate availability of safe blood. Conducted under ... More

PETROLEUM

Left says vote on Iran will have severe implications
THE Left parties have cautioned the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) that India's stand against Iran's nuclear programme in the International Atomic Energy Commission's (IAEA) meeting on Saturday may have severe implications on the supply of ... More

LNG deal still in force: Iran
"We did not expect India to do so. But friends should not judged by a single action." More

Volatility may continue in crude oil market
A MAJOR debate in western business and financial circles is now in the offing amid concern about high oil prices. Although the oil price is hovering round $65 a barrel mark (against $70 last month) most analysts have breathed a sigh of relief ... More

PLASTICS

Bengal to set up polymer parks
TO attract more investment in the petrochemicals downstream sector, West Bengal Government is considering setting up more poly parks in the State in collaboration with Indian Plastics Federation (IPF). The State Government and IPF are ... More

POWER

Nuclear power plant to come up in Ratnagiri district
MUMBAI: Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd will set up its second nuclear power plant in Maharashtra over the next five years. Located at Jaitapur, Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, the plant will generate 6,000-8,000 MW of ... More

APERC outlines co-generation norms
FOLLOWING the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, the Andhra Pradesh Electricity Regulatory Commission (APERC) on Wednesday announced salient features of co-generation and its requirements. This decision is based on a discussion paper ... More

STEEL

Orissa clears steel projects
THE Orissa Government has cleared proposals by private companies for the establishment of two more steel plants and a titanium complex in the State. The proposals were cleared on Monday by a high-level project clearance authority headed by the ... More

RADIO/TV

Zee, Malaysia's Astro team up to launch customised Hindi channel
ZEE Network has announced a collaboration with the Malaysian multi-channel pay-TV operator, Astro, to launch a new dedicated channel with Hindi content, for its Indonesian, Malaysian and Brunei Direct-To-Home service. With this partnership, ... More

EDUCATION

IIM-A students get attractive placements
STUDENTS of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad have reaped in a rich haul of pre-placement offers following their summer placements and 38 have already received jobs. According to an IIM-A press release, all the students who ... More

New Zealand woos Indian students with job prospects
NEW ZEALAND currently faces a shortage of skilled people across all sectors of the economy and is very keen to attract the vast Indian talent pool, according to the New Zealand Trade Commissioner, Mr Paul Vaughan. Addressing newspersons after ... More

FOODS & FOOD PROCESSING

Minister for zero duty VAT on perishable items
IN order to give greater thrust to food processing and agri-business, the Ministry of Food Processing is finalising a Cabinet note, which aims at reducing the excise and other domestic levies below four per cent in these sectors, said Mr Subodh ... More

GEMS & JEWELLERY

Costly glitter
Gold bars displayed at a jewellery manufacturing unit in Thrissur. Gold prices have been on the rise for the past few weeks and even jewellers are reluctant to buy old ornaments. There is hope that the prices will come down before the marriage ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

AP proposes permanent housing in flood-hit areas
The State Government proposes to build 1.4 lakh pucca houses in upland areas. More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

Kerala chamber gets ISO certification
KOCHI: The Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the first trade organisation in south India to achieve the ISO 9001-2000 certificate from International Certifications Ltd, Switzerland for the service in the promotion of trade and ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

PM concern over science grads not finding gainful jobs
What is equally worrisome is the finding that many people employed in science-centred jobs are insufficiently qualified. More

Kasturirangan gets Asia-Pacific SatCom award
BANGALORE: The former ISRO Chairman and Rajya Sabha Member, Dr K. Kasturirangan, has been given the prestigious Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC) Lifetime Achievement Award for 2005. The award is in recognition of ... More

MINING & QUARRYING

Conference on mining industry begins in Goa
THE Union Minister for Mines, Mr Sis Ram Ola, will soon convene a meeting of the Mining Ministers of the States to resolve the grievance about the procedural delays in regard to clearing of mining leases and the issue of environmental clearances ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE

Sania joins film stars to help out ailing kids
SANIA Mirza, the tennis star, will endorse wristbands and teddy bears with the insignia of SACH (Save A Child's Heart) and write thanksgiving letters to those who contributed to the fund promoted by the Apollo group of hospitals. The wristbands ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

`Be innovative on farm credit' — As rural income rises, so does credit need, says Rakesh Mohan
BANKS need to change their strategy towards agriculture lending, from `directed' credit to one that is business opportunity-led. As the agriculture sector becomes more commercial, there would be higher need for credit, said Dr Rakesh Mohan, ... More

ITC seeks Rs 200-cr carbon credits
ITC Ltd is seeking carbon credits for its massive farm forestation programme, and expects about Rs 200 crore over the next 10 years. But the company will not (cannot) keep the money — it will go to the tribals who own the land. ITC, which ... More

Nabard sanctions Rs 51.87 cr to Kerala
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 51.87 crore to the State Government for construction of bridges and rural roads. According to a Nabard press release, this amount has ... More

INDUSTRIAL POLICY

Goa offers single window clearance for IT projects
GOA'S new information technology (IT) policy cleared by the State Cabinet on Tuesday has promised a single window clearance on-line for investment projects and cut-down on `Inspector Raj'. The State Government has expressed its plans to set up ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS

Strike may disrupt air travel, banking — Rlys, BSNL, MTNL workers to stay away from stir
AIR travel and banking operations throughout the country will be disrupted tomorrow due to the one-day strike call given by trade unions to protest against the Government decision to privatise profit making public sector entities. However, ... More

Smoke-screen
The chimneys may stop belching smoke on Thursday when industrial activity across the country come to a halt in response to a strike call issued by CITU to protest the UPA Government's policy on disinvestment and `unfriendly' labour laws. ... More

BHPV unions to join strike
ALL unions in the Bharat Heavy Plate and Vessels Ltd (BHPV) here are supporting the strike call given by the Leftist unions — the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) — in protest against ... More

EVENTS

In Hyderabad today

INCOME TAX

Plan for EET-based savings taxation system by Oct 31
A DETAILED plan to migrate towards an EET-based taxation system for all kinds of savings is likely to be ready by October 31. An expert committee set up by the Finance Ministry to prepare a roadmap for this purpose has been asked to submit its ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS

Jute exports on the upswing
JUTE exports from India during the first five months of the current fiscal is up by 22 per cent, according to Mr Arun Bal, Secretary of Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC). He was talking to reporters after attending the 80th annual ... More

Soyameal exports: Trade on wait & watch mode
1.5 lakh tonnes shipments contracted; China buys 50,000 t
AT least 1.5 lakh tonnes of soyameal have been contracted for exports even as the trade has adopted a wait-and-watch attitude to get a clear picture of the soyabean crop. Of this, China has bought about 50,000 tonnes for delivery next month, ... More