The Hindu Business Line : Saturday, March 01, 2008

TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Virgin Group to launch new biz in ‘communications’
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb. 29 This weekend, the UK-based Virgin Group is launching a new business venture that the group’s Chairman Sir Richard Branson believes “will make a big difference to Indians”. “It’s ... More

Bid to close teledensity gap
The outlay for National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) has been increased to Rs 16,000 crore as against Rs 12,000 crore in the previous year. The budget also emphasises on the development of rural infrastructure and agriculture. ... More

BUDGET
IT gets a raw deal
The Government has ignored the IT (information technology) and ITeS (information technology enabled services) sectors’ call to extend the tax holiday under Section10A of the Income-Tax (I-T) Act. The amendment expected in Section10AA for ... More

Service tax net expanded
Finally, I turn to my proposals on service tax. Fifty-five per cent of the GDP is contributed by the services sector, which is a growing sector that must contribute its legitimate share to the exchequer. I propose to bring under the ... More

Silence on STPI leaves IT industry dismayed
The IT and BPO industry, which had been hoping for an extension of STPI scheme beyond March 2009, was left disappointed today as the Union Budget did not offer any relief to companies amid a difficult market condition. To top it, the cost of ... More

Aggressive growth pace likely to continue
The Finance Manager adopted an upbeat tone for his Budget speech. He talked about supporting innovation and the recommendation of knowledge commission in creating a national knowledge network. We need to examine his Budget proposals in the ... More

Generous on personal taxation front
A $1.16-trillion economy growing at 8.7 per cent has aided strong growth in tax revenues. India’s fiscal position is comfortable with the fiscal deficit at 2.5 per cent and revenue deficit at 1.0 per cent for 2008-09.The FM has ... More

Boost for broadband services; wireless data card to be cheaper
New Delhi, Feb. 29 In a move aimed at enhancing Internet and broadband usage in the country, the Finance Minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, has abolished excise duty on wireless data modem cards. The move is expected to bring down the price of data ... More

Tax blues for Tier-II players
With no proposals in the 2008 Budget to extend the tax holiday on Software Technology Parks (STPIs), tax incidence for all of the IT majors could edge up in future, as the tax shelter under Section 10A/B is being phased out after March 31, ... More

‘No major sops for telecom sector’
New Delhi, Feb 29 Indian telecom sector expressed disappointment with the Budget proposals as none of its major demands have been addressed by the Finance Minister. The industry was expecting a reduction in the overall tax levied on the ... More

Neutral to positive

`Not positive to IT industry'

`IT also begets IT'

Software piracy levels may go up

SOFTWARE
‘Future is open source technology’
Madurai, Feb. 29 The future belongs to the open source technology (OST) and a decision to change from proprietary system will have to be made or perish, according to Mr C.Uma Shankar, Managing Director, Electronics Corporation of Tamilnadu ... More

Ramco Systems to invest Rs 90 cr in Chennai centre
Chennai, Feb. 29 Ramco Systems will invest around Rs 90 crore in a new software development centre in the heart of the city. The centre (in 22 grounds) will be ready in the next 18-24 months and can accommodate around 2,000 employees, Mr P.R. ... More

HUMAN RESOURCES
IT companies put new campus recruits on bench
Turn choosy and may raise assessment norms More

ALLIANCES & JOINT VENTURES
EBS, Hypersoft in pact
EBS (Eastern Business Software) Inc, a US-based system integrator, on Friday announced a strategic alliance with Hypersoft Technologies Ltd, aimed at providing technology integration services. The Managing Director of Hypersoft, Mr Dadi ... More

SECURITY
Bengal seeks information security course in IIITs
The West Bengal Government is trying to persuade the Centre to include ‘information security’ as a subject in the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT).Speaking at a seminar here on Friday organised by the ... More