The Hindu Business Line : Wednesday, February 07, 2007

URBAN DEVELOPMENT
World urban population to exceed rural this year
For the first time in the history the world's urban population, estimated to be over three billion people, will exceed the number of those living in rural areas this year. Given this trend by 2030, some two-thirds of the world's people will be ... More

ECONOMY
Underlining the challenges posed by capital flows
The RBI's latest review of the Monetary Policy responds to several issues, including containing inflationary pressures without affecting growth, overheating concerns, and the challenges posed by capital flows. But its measures are modest and need to be supplemented by bolder regulations. More

Nagaland annual Plan pegged at Rs 900 cr
GDP growing at an average of 11.2%: CM More

Unit-linked plan for HNIs from Birla Sun Life
Birla Sun Life Insurance has launched `Supreme Life', a unit linked plan aimed at high net worth individuals. The plan combines investment and insurance and gives customers the option to choose from six fund options, depending on the risk ... More

Productivity measure will aid economic growth: CII
The Indian Government needs to develop a measure of productivity to be able to improve it for economic growth, according to Mr R. Seshasayee, President, Confederation of Indian Industry. Mr Seshasayee, who is also the Managing Director, Ashok ... More

Kerala bid to control price rise
The Kerala Government has initiated steps to control the rise in prices of essential commodities. At a meeting that the Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, had with representatives of the Hotel and Restaurants Association and other traders ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
International olive oil body bullish on India
Special promotion efforts planned during 2007-09 More

HEALTH
Blood donors' meet
The blood donors' forum of the Indian Medical Association and surgicals major Terumo Penpol are jointly hosting a meeting of Club 25, a grouping of voluntary blood donors, on February 24 here. Club 25 encourages young people to ... More

INFRASTRUCTURE
FIPB clears Salim Group's investment in Bengal SEZ
Proposal now goes to CCEA for approval More

Ansal to invest Rs 10,000 cr in Punjab
Upbeat on the realty prospects in Punjab, Delhi-based Ansal Properties and Infrastructure Ltd plans to invest Rs 10,000 crore in the State in the next 3-4 years. ``We will launch 15 projects in Punjab in the next six months, apart from the ... More

Singur SEZ package is ideal, says Yechury
`There is nothing wrong in acquiring agricultural lands, if it was absolutely necessary.' More

India agrees to price formula for Iran gas pipeline project
Hopes to sign final pact in June; meet with Pak officials next week More

PETROLEUM
ONGC to have clean development mechanism project
First PSU to have it with UN registration More

PHARMACEUTICALS
GlaxoSmithKline, Ranbaxy to expand R&D alliance
Ranbaxy Laboratories and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) are expanding their existing R&D association. The new agreement could, claims Ranbaxy, help it earn over $100 million (Rs 440 crore) in potential `milestone payments' and up to double digit in ... More

POWER
SIMA plans captive power plant at Tuticorin
To set up a special purpose vehicle More

Power Finance public issue subscribed 72 times
The initial public offering of Power Finance Corporation was oversubscribed 72.26 times on the BSE and NSE at 7:00 p.m. Bids were received across the price band of Rs 73-Rs 85. 8,47,70,58,640 bids were received against the issue size of ... More

SSI
PSBs set to top target for SME credit
The Finance Ministry expects the public sector banks' (PSB) overall credit exposure to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to exceed the targeted growth of 20 per cent this year. SME credit of these banks stood at Rs 1,73,460 crore as on ... More

WATER
Cheaper power for drinking water schemes
Drinking water schemes promoted by beneficiary committees affiliated to local bodies in Kerala will now get relief in applicable electricity charges. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has decided to implement a relevant policy ... More

RADIO/TV
SET announces World Cup cricket schedule
Sony Entertainment Television Network has announced the schedule for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 to be shown on its channels MAX, SAB and PIX. The World Cup fever is to start from March 13 and go on till April 28, during which the broadcaster ... More

TRAI submits recommendations on CAS to Govt
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on Tuesday sent its recommendations on digitalisation of cable television to the Government. A TRAI release said that a round table meeting on February 1 had been conducted with various stakeholders to ... More

EDUCATION
Math institute becomes university
Chennai Mathematical Institute has been recognised as a university by the Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development under the University Grants Commission Act. Backed by this move, the institute plans to offer more ... More

Royal Asiatic Society member
UGC's Professor Emeritus of Political Science Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain's highest society relating to Asian studies. The election of ... More

Tech institute signs MoUs with IBM
The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) at Surathkal near here has signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU) with IBM for academic and research collaboration. A press release said here that Dr Sandeep Sancheti, Director of NITK; ... More

UGC to provide financial assistance
To provide financial assistance to a larger number of M.Phil/Ph.D scholars in Central Universities, who are non-fellowship holders, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has introduced a scheme of fellowship. The commission will award a ... More

CONSULTING
Gateway HR solutions to offer more services
More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
Cement price rise inevitable, say analysts
More

IDBI Bank's property sale today
More than a dozen bidders are to participate in tomorrow's electronic auction for IDBI Bank's property on Boat Club Road, a prime residential locality in Chennai. It may be recalled that IDBI Bank had called prospective bidders to participate ... More

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS
Bangalore chamber concern over bandh call
The Bangalore Chamber of Industry and Commerce (BCIC) has expressed concern at the proposed Karnataka Bandh call given by certain organisations on February 8 to protest against the award given by the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. In a ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Micro-finance homilies at Satyagraha Centenary
Delhiites are quite blasé about international conferences. First, there are too many of them happening all the time. Two, the common Delhiite does not get a chance even to enter the venues of such meetings that are, however, covered by the ... More

EVENTS
`Leadership qualities can be imbibed'
To say that leaders are born and not made is a myth and the qualities of leadership can be imbibed, according to Mr P. Selvaganesh, Additional Director of Investigations, Department of Income-Tax, Madurai. A leader is one who makes things ... More

Subcon 2007 from Feb 23
The subcontracting expo, Subcon 2007, to be organised by the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia), will be held from February 23 to 25 at the Codissia trade fair complex here. In a press release, Mr J. ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Import of sensitive items up 12% in April-Dec
The aggregate import of sensitive items being monitored by the Department of Commerce in view of their fallout on domestic prices and supply has shown an increase of 11.7 per cent during the first three quarters of the current fiscal at Rs 14,472 ... More

TOURISM
Mauritius tourism initiative
The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority is undertaking a strategic initiative, including enhancing flight capacities of its national carrier, to boost business and leisure tourism from western India. Kicking off a roadshow in Pune, Mr Vijaye ... More

PEOPLE
Escorts announces senior appointments in group cos
The Escorts Group on Tuesday announced key appointments at top levels in its two group companies. Mr Kamal Bali has joined the group as CEO, Escorts Construction Equipment Ltd (ECEL). Till recently he was the Managing Director and CEO of the ... More

Elected
Mr K.O. Kuriachan (left), a practising Company Secretary, has been elected Chairman and Mr S.P. Kamath, General Manager and Company Secretary of the Amalgam Group, Vice-Chairman of the Cochin Chapter of the Institute of Company Secretaries of ... More