The Hindu Business Line : Friday, September 30, 2005

`Solar power will turn out to be best bet'
HIGHLIGHTING the business potential that exists for the private sector in solar electrification systems, especially with regard to employment generation in rural India, Mr Gon Chaudhuri, Director, West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency ... More

ECONOMY

Strike hits banking operations badly
The volume of transaction was down to Rs 1,356 crore, against over Rs 10,100 crore on a normal day. More

Producer price index to replace WPI next fiscal
THE wholesale price index (WPI), which is currently used to measure changes in the average price level at the wholesale and retail levels of transactions in the country, would be replaced by the producer price index (PPI) by the next ... More

`Growth of Kerala depends on political will'
THE successful implementation of the 10 missions spelt out by the President, Mr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, which could steer the State to economic prosperity, would depend on the exercise of a political will, according to Mr N. Sreekumar, President, ... More

FOREIGN TRADE

Nod for accession to Amended Kyoto Convention
THE Union Cabinet on Thursday approved accession to the Protocol of Amendment to International Convention on Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures (Amended Kyoto Convention) adopted by World Customs Organisation in 1999. The ... More

Exploration and production activities — India, Japan agree to work together in third countries
INDIA and Japan on Thursday said that they would look at promoting ventures in the exploration and production (E&P) sector in third countries and also examine the possibility of `swap' arrangements based on the convenience of geographical ... More

PETROLEUM

Cabinet okays two oil exploration contracts
THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today recommended bidders for award of two remaining blocks - one each in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh - under the fifth round of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP V). The consortium ... More

POWER

NTPC's hydro initiative gathers steam — Projects totalling 4,400 MW on the anvil
FACED with a massive fuel crunch at its thermal stations, the Rs 26,000-crore NTPC Ltd has stepped up its hydroelectric generation initiative, with eight hydel projects totalling 4,442 MW on the anvil. Of these, three projects with a cumulative ... More

Power distribution companies likely to turn around this year
What has contributed to the positive margins of the four distribution companies along with the subsidy support has been the reduction in power purchase costs. More

Cabinet panel clears revised cost for Tala hydel project
THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has cleared the revised completion cost of Rs 4,124 crore for the ongoing 1,020 MW Tala hydel project in Bhutan that would supply electricity to India's Eastern Grid. The estimated cost of the ... More

TEXTILES

Wage limit for relief to textile workers hiked
THE Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today enhanced the monthly wage limit for the workers of closed textile mills to Rs 3,500, from Rs 2,500 at present, to enable them to receive interim relief under the Textile Workers' ... More

SSI

Amendments in SME Bill mooted
THE Ministry of Small Scale Industries has suggested several amendments to Small and Medium Enterprises Development Bill on the basis of the recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee. Addressing a press conference here on ... More

SBI's Bengal circle to focus on small units
STATE Bank of India's Bengal circle has mounted a special effort to tap small enterprises, with particular focus on what has been termed as `cluster identification' for segments such as brass & bell metal, foundry and tannery. The bank has ... More

RADIO/TV

Indian TV Summit debates efficacy of rating system
Is the TRP rating system of the Indian television industry authentic? Is DTH a threat for the cable operators? Would the regulatory route taken by the Government bear fruits? These were some of the topics that came up for discussion at the second ... More

EDUCATION

Unaided institutions offer 50 pc seats on reservation — Demand freedom to fix fees
THE All India Convention of Unaided Professional Educational Institutions (engineering, medical and others) has expressed its willingness to offer up to 50 per cent of seats on reservation basis but demanded that flexibility of fixing fee ... More

PRECIOUS METALS

Spot gold may consolidate, rise
SPOT gold prices fell lower after testing 18-year highs on profit-taking and strength in the dollar. Gold is expected to remain in demand as an inflation hedge so long as oil and gasoline prices are near record highs and doubts persist about how ... More

KNITWEAR & HOSIERY

Production at Tirupur knitwear industry hit
PRODUCTION in the knitwear industry in Tirupur was paralysed by the 24-hour industrial strike as over 90 per cent of workforce in the town joined the strike. Most of the business houses there did not work today in view of the strike. Textile ... More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT

Essar among FDI proposals cleared
THE Essar group's proposal to bring in FDI worth Rs 217.50 crore from the Mauritius-based Hazira Steel 2 into ETHL Global Capital Ltd for making further downstream investments was among 36 FDI proposals approved by the Government today. The ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Smart bank for women
In drought-prone rural Maharashtra, a co-operative bank taps the collective strength of women and shows the way through innovative schemes. More

APCOB pact with Nabard
HYDERABAD: A recent move by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has benefited over five lakh farmers in Andhra Pradesh in the form of reduced interest payments. They paid Rs 33.41 crore less interest payments ... More

OVERSEAS INVESTMENTS

Direct overseas investments up
INDIA'S direct investments overseas have increased by $2.49 billion to $9.57 billion as on March 2005 from $7.08 billion in the previous fiscal. According to the figures released by the Reserve Bank of India on Thursday, the country's direct ... More

TRADE & LABOUR UNIONS

Rain or bandh, it's cricket
For these boys passing by the Calcutta Stock Exchange Building the bandh called by CITU on Thursday is a great blessing. Every deserted street becomes their playground. ... More

Bharat bandh paralyses Bengal
LIFE came to a standstill in West Bengal on Thursday, and all economic and industrial activities ceased, on account of the Bharat bandh called by the Left TUs, protesting against the economic policies of the UPA Government. Public sector banks ... More

Strike successful in AP: Left
THE trade union bodies affiliated to the Left parties have claimed that the one-day nationwide strike on Thursday in Andhra Pradesh was a total success. The strike call was given to protest against the UPA Government's economic policies and ... More

All quiet
The hub of Thrissur town, the Shakthan Thampuran market, sports an abandoned look on Thursday due to the strike.

Kerala: Strike hits normal life
THE nation-wide general strike called by the Left-backed trade unions crippled normal life in several parts of the State on Thursday. In the capital, banks, shops, restaurants and other business establishments in the city were closed for the ... More

EVENTS

3 trade fairs to be opened in Greater Noida
THREE trade fairs — Interkama India, Pharma India and Biotec India International 2005 — are scheduled to be inaugurated simultaneously on October 1 at the new India Exposition Centre in Greater Noida. The fairs, to be inaugurated ... More

In Hyderabad today

TOURISM

Kerala Govt to consult KITCO on tourism projects
THE Department of Tourism has appointed KITCO Ltd as consultant for implementing various tourism related projects throughout the State. Addressing the company's annual general meeting, Mr V. Janakiraman, Chairman, said KITCO is implementing 35 ... More

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