The Hindu Business Line : Thursday, March 29, 2007

CHILDREN & PARENTING
SatNav in pact for pre-school chain
SatNav Group has launched Sunshine, a pre-school and daycare chain in association with the UK-based Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) Education Trust. Christened as SatNav Preschool Pvt Ltd, the joint venture would have 25 schools over the ... More

COURTS/LEGAL ISSUES
HC directs relocation of LPG godown in residential area
The Madras High Court has directed the owner of a LPG godown in Ayanavaram in Chennai to stop permanently use of the place for locating the said LPG godown as in the absence of approval from the fire service, continuance of the godown could be ... More

India, UK will take up legal market access issues next month
Bar Council participating in discussions More

ECONOMY
Indian crude basket up at $62
Oil prices could spike again, say analysts More

Re surges to eight-year high
On the back of a cash crunch, the rupee surged to an eight-year high of 43.04/05, last seen in 1999. Banks swapped dollars for rupees to meet immediate needs, giving a fillip to the domestic currency. The rupee opened at about 43.14/15 and ... More

Rise of China and India — Resetting the terms of world trade
China and India have changed the world trade pattern. While China dominates the goods trade, India plays a pivotal role in services. More

Kerala revenue receipts fall short of budget estimates: CAG report
Actual receipts higher under `stamps-non judicial' More

EXCISE AND CUSTOMS
Drawback panel report by April 15
The Government has constituted a three-member committee for the formulation of the all-industry duty drawback rates for 2007-08. The three-member committee comprises Mr Saumitra Chaudhuri, Member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory ... More

FOREIGN TRADE
Afghan entry to SAARC will lead to $2-b gain for sub-continent
More

HEALTH
Mediclaim: A premium trouble
Unlike LIC premium and other payments under Section 80C, medi-claim premium should be paid out of taxable income only to claim the benefit of deduction. More

INFRASTRUCTURE
Mega growth centre near Shantiniketan coming up
Land parcel owned by WBIIDC; developed rights transferred to SPV co More

PETROLEUM
IOC automating 2,000 retail outlets
Indian Oil Corporation has embarked on a project to automate more than 2,000 retail outlets. In the first phase, 1,250 outlets of IOC and IBP would be automated by September at a cost of Rs 169 crore to be followed by 1,178 outlets at Rs 163 ... More

Overseas projects: ONGC plans exploration services subsidiary
To improve production efficiency, check flight of human capital More

TAXATION
Ministry modifies tax forms
The Finance Ministry has modified the format of certain tax deduction at source (TDS) certificates (Form 16, 16A) and also the certificate of collection of tax at source (form 27D). An official release said that separate space has been assigned ... More

3% Central sales-tax to take effect from April 1
Bill gets Presidential nod; also paves way for higher VAT on tobacco More

Coonoor tea prices fall; volume low
Lowest volume witnessed so far for the year More

TRAVEL & PLACES
Kuoni ties up with Dnata for Marhaba services
The Kuoni Travel Group is to offer Marhaba's passenger assistance services to its customers transiting and travelling via Dubai. Dnata, the travel management services company in the UAE, has partnered with Kuoni Travel to sell the service for ... More

RADIO/TV
BIG 92.7 FM sees more ad revenues from local retailers
BIG 92.7 FM, the Reliance ADA Group's radio channel, bets on local retail players to keep its cash box jingling. "When we finish launching the channel across the country, we hope to see at least 50 per cent of our ad revenues from the bottom ... More

EDUCATION
`Credit insurance strengthens process across borders'
Though pessimism is part of life, optimism lends to furthering productive activity and credit insurance strengthens the process across the borders, said Mr P.S. Murali, Assistant General Manager, Export Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECGC) of ... More

ELECTRICAL GOODS
Quality is in the stars
Big push for `energy efficiency' labelling of electrical goods More

MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS & HOSPITALS
Fortis launches boutique hospital for women
Fortis Healthcare launched its first `La Femme' a boutique hospital for women. The 50-bed, Rs 30-crore hospital that Fortis will manage for Sunrise Medicare, will offer obstetrics, gynaecology, neonatal care and even cosmetic surgery. "It's a ... More

REAL ESTATE & CONSTRUCTION
`Maintaining data bank will bring transparency in realty'
A research-based data bank prepared by a third-party agency should help the real estate industry bring in transparency and curb speculative market. Mr P.N.C. Menon, Chairman, The Sobha Group, said, "When the real estate industry does well, ... More

Digihome solutions for smart homes
Digihome offers builders integrated communication features More

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT
FIPB meet may take up Vodafone deal today
UK co's Director meets Telecom Secretary on stake acquisition More

FDI in tobacco sector: Trade stance flayed
Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the tobacco sector, a proposal accepted by the Union Commerce Minister, Mr Kamal Nath, will usher in major changes and will remove many ills plaguing the sector for years, according to Dr Y. Sivaji, President of ... More

SOCIAL WELFARE
Garib Rath syndrome
The other day my college-going son made me look sheepish by asking me whether we are really so poor so as to book our return ticket from Chennai to New Delhi by Garib Rath, the Railway Minister, Mr Lalu Prasad's new mascot, which he hopes, would ... More

RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Modern retailing can give fair deal to farmers, says Montek
If one wants to give a fair deal for farmers, it is a good idea to bring in a modern retailing system. "We will not be able to get over the present situation where the gap between what the consumer pays and what the producer gets is so large ... More

Coimbatore gets Rs 6,047-cr credit outlay
The 2007-08 Annual Credit Plan for Coimbatore District envisages a total credit outlay of Rs 6,046.85 crore, the highest among all districts in the State, it is said. The outlay, according to the District Collector, Mr Neeraj Mittal, is 18.79 ... More

EVENTS
`Media brands must connect emotionally with the audience'
In a world of new technologies, short attention spans and multiple forms of media, one way to build a media brand is to connect emotionally with the audience. "Building brands is about creating friendship," said Ms Monica Tata, Vice-President ... More

EXPORTS & IMPORTS
Relief likely for lower grade iron ore exports
The Government is likely to provide some respite to the iron ore exporters by restructuring the export duty of Rs 300 per tonne imposed in the Budget. Some Relief As of now, an across the board export duty is ... More

TOURISM
Medical tourism: Centre considering visa on arrival
To be introduced in Mumbai and Delhi initially More