ENVIRONMENT
Vallarpadam terminal gets environmental clearance
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests has given environmental clearance for the construction of the proposed international container transhipment terminal at Vallarpadam. The notification has been issued on November 9. ... More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Customs, excise board on course to total e-governance
Hinting at a paradigm shift in the Customs Department's approach to swiftly move towards a National e-Governance Action Plan (Negap), Mr A.K. Raha, Member (Legal, Judicial and Computerisation), Central Board of Customs and Excise (CBEC), said ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
India most secure place for business in South Asia
RiskMap 2007 ranks both political and security risk in India as low More

Pittsburgh woos investors
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania, the US) has called for collaborations in the areas of information technology, advanced materials, robotics, life sciences and biotechnology. Giving a presentation on the opportunities in the ... More

Indo-French alliance
GEARING UP FOR THE SUMMIT: The Ambassador of France, Mr Dominique Girard, and Dr Amit Mitra, Secretary-General, FICCI, addressing a curtain raiser press conference on Indo-French Business Meet to be held next month, in the Capital on Friday. ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
SIPCOT gearing up to meet industrial parks' water demand
May set up treatment facility to recycle Chennai's sewage water More

PHARMACEUTICALS
Panel asked to submit report on drug pricing by month-end
Committee's suggestions not binding in any way, say Govt sources More

Now, NRI researchers heading home
Opportunities opening up in pharma sector More

TAXATION
Chidambaram sees need to prune tax incentives
To improve tax to GDP ratio More

Service tax: Fresh summons being issued to shipping cos
Court hearing of shipowners' plea to come up on November 24 More

VAT: Ministry not keen to agree to TN request
The Finance Ministry is not inclined to accede to the request of the Tamil Nadu Government that the State should receive 100 per cent compensation on the revenue loss from VAT implementation during the calendar year 2007. Tamil Nadu is planning ... More

TEXTILES
Global textile union, Gap Inc form joint initiative
Promoting industrial relations thru corporate social responsibility More

TRAVEL & PLACES
UK launches skilled migrant programme
The first step towards a points-based system for managing migration to the UK was launched recently with the introduction of new rules for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK. The new test means that entrepreneurs and ... More

EDUCATION
After CAT, there may be DAT
After CAT and GATE, there may soon be DAT for graduates in the country. The National Institute of Design, along with other leading design and architecture schools in the country, is seriously considering the launch of a Design ... More

CARS
Global car designers eyeing India
`It is 50 pc cheaper here' More

TWO/THREE WHEELERS
Plea for battery-operated vehicles
The Sattur Chamber of Commerce and Industry has appealed to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr M. Karunanidhi, to encourage the private sector in the State to manufacture battery-operated two-wheelers as in Gujarat. In a letter ... More

MEDICAL & SURGICAL EQUIPMENTS
Concern over quality control compliance of laboratories
Out of over 1-lakh laboratories in India only 70 to 80 are accredited, says the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Laboratories (NABL). With clinical research to grow in a big way in the country, issues of quality ... More

BIO-TECH & GENETICS
GM crop row: Processors block herbicide resistant soya
`The variety was not required for small, marginal farms here' More

CINEMA
Now dubbing artistes speak for themselves
`We all depend on dubbed films. If they ban those films, we will be jobless.' More

Film Fest begins
FIESTA FOR FILM BUFFS: The West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, lighting a lamp to inaugurate the 12th Kolkata Film Festival on Friday. Also seen are the West Bengal Governor, Mr Gopal Krishna Gandhi (centre), and Bengali Film ... More

HUMAN RESOURCES
IIM-K closes summer internships
Yahoo! offers highest stipend of Rs 45,000 per month More

`Talent management is big challenge'
While technology companies globally recognise the significance of managing human capital, most companies lack the capability to manage issues pertaining to talent management and retention of employees, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers ... More

Training in corporate skills
Gateway Human Resources, a training company, plans to start training undergraduate students and lecturers at educational institutes, particularly in arts and science colleges in Tamil Nadu. This measure is aimed at bridging the gap between ... More

INTERVIEW
Tax structuring and planning via the Netherlands can be worthwhile
What is common to Ballarpur Industries, Crompton Greaves, NIIT, HCL Technologies, ONGC Videsh, Jubilant Organosys, Infosys, Wipro, Satyam and iGate? These are some of the Indian companies that have set up, or are in the process of setting up, ... More

EVENTS
Printing, packaging expo
Dr J. Geetha Reddy, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Major Industries, Tourism and Sugar, has inaugurated the five-day IPAMA 2006 (Indian Printing, Packaging and Allied Machinery Manufacturers' Association) at the HITEX facility at Madhapur. Stating ... More

Property expo in December
Real estate network provider Jaaydaad.com is organising a domestic and international `Expo-cum-Sale World Tour 2006-07' commencing December 15. After its debut in the Capital, the exposition will be organised at 17 other cities including Mumbai, ... More

International trade fair from Nov 14
The India International Trade Fair 2006 beginning on November 14 here would showcase the manufacturing excellence of domestic industry, complemented by State pavilions. Addressing a news conference here to announce the annual ... More

INCOME TAX
TDS: Senior citizens can breathe easy
The Reserve Bank of India has told several commercial banks not to deduct interest tax payable on fixed deposits of senior citizens. Senior citizens are eligible for tax exemption on the interest earned on fixed deposits for which they have to ... More

Help centres for e-filing of returns
To facilitate corporate assessees submit income tax returns in electronic format, the Commissioner of Income Tax, Andhra Pradesh Circle, has opened three help centres in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. These centres ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
`Canalise vanaspati imports from Nepal through Nafed'
The Indian Vanaspati Producers' Association (IVPA) has demanded that duty-free imports of vanaspati from Nepal be canalised through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (Nafed). In a pre-Budget memorandum ... More

VENTURE CAPITAL
Duke Equity plans to raise $300 m for Indian auto sector
To invest $1.8 m in Stokota's Indian arm More

NATURAL CALAMITIES
Tough job!
A TRACTOR WITH officials and members of the Central team that came to assess the flood damage crosses the Jilagalagandi drain on National Highway 214 in Krishna district on Friday. ... More

TOURISM
Jamaica tourism targets India via cricket cup
Tourist Board use World Cup `07 as platform for promotion More

Focuz inks medical tourism pact
The Focuz Group has entered into an agreement with the Canada-based `Unbelievable India' to promote medical tourism in Kerala. A new partnership company between Focuz Holidays and Unbelievable India called BestMed Tourism has been set up to work ... More