The Hindu Business Line : Monday, December 26, 2005

Seamen's PF: NUSI strike threat rocks the boat
The NUSI was the first to seek government support in making good the SPF loss. But, now, it is the FUSI, which is hogging the limelight. So the NUSI's position is understandable. No trade union can afford to lose credit for something it has done for its members. More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES

SC order on overloading — Truck rentals go up
TRUCK rentals have gone up by 10-18 per cent on trunk routes in the last four weeks though, traditionally, they move down this time of the year. This is due to a major increase in the operating expenses after a recent ... More

Let not the claimants be put to undue harassment
FOR a victim of motor vehicle accident, pain doesn't end with getting out of treatment. Nor does it come to a close with the winning of a case for compensation at the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT). Because, as a claimant, he or she has to ... More

ECONOMY

THE YEAR THAT WAS

Despite flooding, investments buoy TN hopes
There may not have been a flood of investments into the State, but there has definitely been a steady trickle. More

`Three-fold strategy likely to raise GDP growth'
THE Government is planning a three-fold strategy of removing the critical policy constraints on agricultural growth, quality of physical infrastructure, and improving the fiscal strength of the Centre and States. This is being done to raise the ... More

ENGINEERING

The line's growing
More manufacturing companies are embracing IT for their mainstream activity. A snapshot of the action. More

HEALTH

INSA meet on stem cells in Hyderabad
STEM cells, the current subject of controversy and excitement in the scientific world, will be the focal theme for discussion at the two-day annual meeting of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA), scheduled to be held here during December ... More

PETROLEUM

Oil Ministry favours realigning fuel prices to phase out subsidies — Final decision on pricing after Rangarajan panel report
According to the sources, international product prices, especially for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene and diesel, have increased much faster than crude prices. More

PHARMACEUTICALS

Drug cos may not have to swallow a bitter tax pill — New policy may prescribe sops for filing patents, clinical trials
The apex ministry for pharmaceuticals has recommended that tax sops given to drug companies be broadbased to include, among other things, expenses incurred on filing patents or during clinical trials. Filing patents abroad in developed markets ... More

POWER

Seminar on Kerala energy sector
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala State Electricity Board and the Press Club, Thiruvananthapuram are organising a seminar on Kerala's energy sector. The one-day seminar will be held in the city on December 28, says an official release. ... More

CCEA okays cost estimate of Tehri transmission system
THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the revised cost estimate of transmission system associated with 1,000 MW Tehri Hydro Electric Project. The project would entail a cost Rs 913.16 crore, including interest during ... More

TAXATION

Tax on garments in Kerala criticised
KOCHI: The Kerala Textile and Garments Dealers' Welfare Association has criticised the State Revenue Department's decision to impose four per cent tax on garments and textiles, including handlooms and silk items, despite the Union ... More

Compensation for VAT: Rs 274 crore disbursed to Kerala
THE Finance Ministry has disbursed a sum of Rs 274 crore to Kerala towards compensation of the tax revenue losses of the State for the months of August to November this year on account of value-added tax (VAT) implementation. Kerala had sought ... More

TEXTILES

Seminar on HR issues in textile industry at Coimbatore
A ONE-DAY seminar on `Human Resource issues and challenges in textile industry' will be held here on December 30. The seminar will focus on changing work practices needed in the globalised textile trade regime and maximising human resource ... More

Palladam weaving park achieves financial closure
The SPV now hopes to place the machinery orders for the weaving plants proposed in the park project by January 2006. More

Textile cos' concern over high ELS cotton prices
TEXTILE units producing finer count yarns using extra-long staple (ELS) cotton varieties fear the soaring prices of ELS cotton would render the conversion cost unremunerative for yarn producers. With the import price of ELS cotton going up, ... More

SSI

Book on SSI released
NEW DELHI: Small-scale industries are on the move worldwide because of the inherent strength of the SSI sector in boosting all round growth of the national economy, said Mr Santosh Bagrodia, MP and Chairman, Department-related Paliamentary ... More

WATER

Conservation council for small-scale water bodies
ANDHRA PRADESH is among the southern States identified by the Union Ministry of Water Resources for experiencing rapid degradation in small-scale water resources. There has been a steady decline in small-scale water resources and agriculture ... More

PERSONAL PRODUCTS

`FMCG sector will see 40 pc growth in urban areas'
The fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector would witness over 40 per cent growth in the semi-urban and urban areas, according to an analysis carried out by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India on `Future prospects of ... More

RADIO/TV

Prasar Bharati to have a new financial structure
PRASAR Bharati will soon have a "viable financial structure" to forge alliances and borrow from a variety of sources. A committee headed by the Secretary (Information and Broadcasting) will submit its report in a week, suggesting ways to put ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION

Real estate convention to be held from Jan 22-26
THE Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) is organising its annual event, National Convention (NATCON 2006), from January 22-26, with a view to drawing a five-year blue print for promoting and developing real ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

Poddar takes over as FICCI President
THE Chairman of Gillette India, Mr Saroj K. Poddar, has taken over as President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). In a statement, it said that Mr Poddar took over on Sunday at the conclusion of FICCI's 78th ... More

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

CUSAT plans seismic station, tidal gauge
THE Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) has proposed to set up a seismic station and a tidal gauge at a cost of Rs 50 lakh as part of a tsunami study centre being planned by the School of Marine Sciences. The seismic station ... More

FICCI award for missile scientist
DR V.K. Saraswat, distinguished missile scientist, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has been given the Individual Scientist/Technologist Award for 2004-2005 for innovation in space sciences by the Federation of Indian ... More

MINERALS

Ministry opposes captive iron ore mining by steel producers
THE Ministry of Mines has represented to the Government that it is opposed to, as a matter of principle, the proposals of captive iron ore mining by steel manufacturers. It has contended that this leads to an element of subsidy through ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE

AP Govt plans medical insurance for poor
Ms Sangita Reddy, Executive Director, Apollo Hospitals Group, said insurance was the key to extending modern medical care to the poorer sections of society. More

HUMAN RESOURCES

`Demand for professional managers to increase'
WITH globalisation throwing up lot of employment opportunities and even family-owned business in India increasingly looking for professional managers, the business graduates are much in demand and the country could do with more business schools, ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS

Tea prices down on fall in exports, rise in output
"If the falling trend continues, the average price for 2005 is not likely to be more than Rs 40 a kg and the price trend is indeed gloomy." More

NATURAL CALAMITIES

TSUNAMI - REBAHILITATION, A TASK WELL DONE

All-round praise for TIFAC's community sheds built in tsunami-hit coastal hamlets of Nagapattinam dt.
Right from the President to the lower-rung people, all are impressed by the project More

NGOs play a vital role in tsunami rehabilitation
J. Radhakrishnan, Collector, formed a district co-ordination committee with the NGOs More

Disaster taught savings habit
The sea had always been their past, present and future. There had been no uncertainty about the future as the sea was to them an abundance of wealth. For a majority of fishermen, a day's earnings were meant for that day alone. The ... More

Waves of nightmarish memories yet to recede — People of Thanjavur coast recalled the fateful with a sense of terror
People of Thanjavur coast recalled the fateful with a sense of terror More

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINES

`Global interest in ayurveda growing'
THE growing global interest in ayurveda indicates that there is a demand for alternative systems of medicine, said the Kerala Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy. Inaugurating `Arogya 2005', an exhibition on alternative medicine organised by the ... More

TOURISM

56 sites identified for eco-tourism in Kerala
OVER the past few years, eco-tourism has become a key focus area for Kerala's tourism authorities. The eco-tourism wing of the Department of Tourism has identified 56 places in the State that have the potential to be developed as eco-tourism ... More

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SC order on overloading — Truck rentals go up

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In Focus

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Trends in IT - 2005