International Business

Telangana toll: Tollywood takes Rs 7 crore hit a day

The Telugu film industry (popularly called Tollywood) is bleeding due to the spat over a separate Telangana statehood.

Ex-MPCC chief Deshukh demands Dy CM post for Vidarbha region

Former Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Ranjeet Deshmukh has urged the newly elected Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader and incumbent Chief Minister Ashok Chavan to give the post of deputy chief minister to an MLA from Vidarbha region.

IPL chief Modi denies rift with franchise owners

Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi today brushed aside concerns that the Twenty20 League"s franchise team owners are miffed at not being compensated for extra expenditure incurred during the 2009 event held in South Africa.

What about Hyderabad?

Business Standard / New Delhi December 11, 2009, 0:03 IST

Delhi govt allows retail sale of Tamiflu

The Delhi Government today allowed retail sale of Tamiflu, the only drug to treat swine flu, from authorised chemist outlets in the capital.

Reaction from double top

The Nifty has a strong support at the 5,000 mark.

Markets sustain strength

The markets have held on to their gains in the past one hour. The Sensex is quoting at 16,672, up 71 points, and the Nifty is at 4975, up 22 points. The mid-cap and small cap indices are up about a percent each. Metals, consumer durables and realty stocks have surged in morning trades, while the energy and IT space is subdued.

PSEB extends date to submit EoI for JV firm

Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) has extended the last date for submission of Expression of Interest (EoI) and date of opening of bids for forming a joint venture (JV) company for selection, allotment, development and mining of coal blocks to November 20, 2009.

Inflation turns positive after three months

Primary articles, especially food items, pushed the headline inflation rate, as measured by the wholesale price index (WPI), into positive territory at 0.12 per cent for the week ended September 5, after staying in the negative for 13 weeks.

GDP grows 6.1%, weak monsoon a worry

Expansion in manufacturing, services sectors contributed to growth

Hiring activity up 7.5% in Kolkata

Hiring activity for Kolkata increased by 7.05 per cent in November compared to October 2009, said a report from JobSpeak, the monthly job index released by Naukri.com.

HC tells Dalmia to appear before EOW tomorrow

Delhi-based businessman Sanjay Dalmia today approached the Bombay High Court seeking permission to go abroad but a Division Bench asked him to first appear before Economic Offences Wing (EOW) here in connection with a cheating case filed by Indiabulls Financial Service.

US markets end flat

US markets ended flat on Tuesday. The Dow dropped two points to 10,545 while the Nasdaq slipped three points to 2,288.

India Inc optimistic about economic situation in next 18 months

Corporate India is optimistic about improvement in the country"s economic situation in the next 18 months and believes developing nations will become more powerful as a fallout of the global slowdown, a survey says.

Maytas Properties looking at stake sale: Govt director

Maytas Properties, the real estate firm promoted by Satyam founder Ramalinga Raju’s younger son B Rama Raju, is looking at offloading a stake in the Maytas Hill County residential project. The company needs about Rs 150-200 crore to complete the project.

WHO to conduct survey on health conditions in IDP camps

The World Health Organisation(WHO) will conduct a survey in various relief camps in Sri Lanka"s North to check the health conditions of displaced Tamils, even as it described reports of the number of deaths due to diarrhea as "exaggerated".

PM assures Lanka of all support for resettlement of IDPs

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has assured Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa of all support for resettlement of the Tamil civilians, displaced due to fighting between security forces and the LTTE in the north.

Ban did not discuss Kashmir with Pak PM: UN

The Kashmir issue did not came up for discussion between UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani when the two leaders met on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Egypt.

Ratio of volatile capital to forex reserves moves up in FY09

The ratio of volatile capital flows, consisting of cumulative portfolio investments and short-term debt, to India’s foreign exchange reserve moved up to 51.1 per cent at March 2009-end from 45.4 per cent a year ago.

UPDATE:China doing copy cat in Indian handicrafts, say exporters

The lamps you light on Diwali or the "rakhi" you tie on your brother"s wrist may not have been made by domestic craftsmen. Chances are you may be tying your brother a China-made rakhi and lighting Chinese lamps.

UPDATE:VCs bullish on stepping up investments into India: Deloitte

With the global venture capital industry showing signs of recovery, investment levels into India are expected to increase the most compared to others in the Asia-Pacific region over next three years, says a survey by Deloitte.

Web Excl: Restoration of tax breaks on natural gas output

Section 80-IB (9) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (‘Act’) provides for a tax holiday to an undertaking engaged in commercial production of mineral oil or refining of mineral oil. Tax holiday is available for a period of 7 consecutive tax years, starting from the year in which the undertaking begins commercial production or refining of mineral oil.

Indian ADRs lose $4 bn in a week

Indian stocks trading on American bourses lost $3.85 billion (around Rs 18,000 crore) from their total market valuation last week, with HDFC Bank and Sterlite Industries leading the pack.

3 Balco officials arrested for Korba chimney collapse

The police have finally arrested top officials of Vedanta Resources charged with the collapse of an under-construction power unit chimney at Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco) in September, killing 41 persons.

HAL blames BAE Systems for Hawk delays

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is desperately short of aircraft for training its flight cadets. With the entire fleet of basic trainers — the HPT-32 Deepak — grounded after a series of crashes, advanced training is suffering equally due to unexpected delays in the manufacture of the Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) in India.

Pandit defies Schumer

At the Bank of America Corp office in Washington, employees are fielding as many as 10 calls a day from Capitol Hill, up from about two a year ago.

Vedanta to invest Rs 43,000 cr in expansion

The group also has plans to spend Rs 50,000 crore on power generation.

India voices concern over N Korean N-test

Voicing concern over the nuclear test carried out by North Korea, India today said the act amounts to violation of its international commitments and that the development could have "adverse effect" on peace and security in that region.

Disappointing show

While L&T’s December quarter results and cut in its 2009-10 guidance are disappointing, most analysts believe it to be a blip.

India, China in talks for FTA

A day after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao smoked the peace pipe, New Delhi today said it was in discussion with Beijing for a free trade agreement aimed at breaking the duty barriers for bilateral trade.

Escape routes

The prodigal son who returns but may not stay, the troubled, dying salesman on the road with his young son, negotiating with the censor to write a love story in Iran, depressurising in Ladakh: a to-read list for today.

India\'s move to sew defence pact with Ukraine miffs Russia

Russia, the country"s longtime and largest defence partner, appears to be miffed over India working towards sewing up a defence pact with Ukraine.

Orissa asks oil companies to open more LPG outlets

The Orissa government has asked oil companies to open more LPG outlets by appointing agents in all the 314 blocks of the state, official sources said.

US House passes Bill to overhaul health care

The Bill would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years

SFIO to visit Satyam office

A Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) team will visit Hyderabad soon to enquire into the siphoning of funds by promoters of the IT company Satyam.

PM says, corruption hurting eco growth, investments

Emphasizing on the urgent need of a multi-prong approach to curb corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said it is hurting India’s economic growth and discouraging investors from coming to this country.

Crime and punishment

SEC fines: Is the new cop on the US securities beat armed with a pea shooter? The size of the penalties meted out by boss Mary Schapiro’s team at the Securities and Exchange Commission makes it appear so. Schapiro should be applauded for cranking up the agency’s notoriously lax enforcement efforts. But letting companies off the hook so easily could undermine her new get-tough policy.

MMRCA trials to begin in Bangalore next week

India"s quest to buy 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will shift gear when the flight trials of the six global contenders will begin in Bangalore next week with US major Boeing"s warplane F/A-18 being the first contender.

GMR achieves financial closure of 1,050 Mw thermal plant

GMR Kamalanga Energy owned by GMR Energy of GMR Group, an infrastructure developer has achieved financial closure for its 1,050 Mw thermal power project being set up at Kamalanga Village, Dhenkanal District in Orissa.

Making money from games people play

Indian animation and gaming training institutes are gearing to scale up their businesses and open up new avenues for professionals who are passionate about animation and gaming technologies.

China\'s SAIC and GM form auto JV

Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation Group (SAIC) and General Motors, US, today announced the formation of a 50:50 joint venture exclusively to cater to the Indian market and to South East Asian countries. The new company will be called General Motors SAIC Investment Ltd (GMSIL) and will be based in Hong Kong.

Tata Motors Dec sales more than doubles at 51,627 units

The country"s largest auto maker Tata Motors today said its total sales during December last year more than doubled to 51,627 units, up from 25,219 vehicles sold in December 2008.

ISRO to launch 8 foreign satellites; also eyes acquisitions

India"s space agency has in its pipeline eight foreign satellites for launch and is scouting to acquire such spacecraft from abroad to expand capacity in the field of communication transponder back home.

Govt relaxes visa conditions for tourists

The government has relaxed the visa conditions that require a foreigner to take a two-month break before re-entering the country, Home Minister P Chidambaram said here today.

ISRO to launch 8 foreign satellites; also eyes acquisitions

India"s space agency has in its pipeline eight foreign satellites for launch and is scouting to acquire such spacecraft from abroad to expand capacity in the field of communication transponder back home.

Unity Infra PAT rises 22% at Rs 18 cr

Mumbai-based Unity Infrastructure posted a 22 per cent jump in its profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 18.75 crore for the September quarter of financial year 2010 as compared to Rs 15.4 crore it posted in the second quarter of last financial year.

Basu\'s condition turns serious

Veteran Marxist leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu was put on ventilator this morning after his condition turned serious.

Investors lap up DB Corp IPO

This is one of the few IPOs to be oversubscribed in the retail category this year.

International M&A deals to fall 56% in \'09: OECD

Global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are projected to fall 56 per cent in 2009 compared to last year, mainly on account of sharp declines in such activities in rich and emerging markets including India.

Adding beer to batter

Karen Anand, adding booze to dishes, whips up deliciously naughty delights in the kitchen.

Green designs

Archana Jahagirdar / New Delhi September 13, 2009, 0:48 IST

Painting a pretty picture

Artist Anita Chauhan cooks as well as she paints.

WB govt didn\'t reject Wipro, Infy proposals: CPI(M)

The West Bengal government today said it has not rejected proposals of IT majors Wipro and Infosys for setting up units near the state capital.

Satyam moves on; Raju awaits trial

It"ll be a year tomorrow since B Ramalinga Raju"s explosive admission about an accounting fraud at Satyam, but the iconic IT firm that he founded has managed to move on and out of the shadows of the country"s biggest corporate scam.

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar: The chorus against content

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar / New Delhi November 10, 2009, 0:55 IST

Mukesh's decision to take pay cut commendable: Govt

The government today lauded RIL chief Mukesh Ambani"s decision to take a pay cut and said the industrialist had shown a “remarkable sensibility” towards the prevailing scenario with this voluntary step.

Kishore Singh: Experiments with Bapu

- Kishore Singh: Inviting trouble">Kishore Singh: Inviting trouble - dawling/21/37/369834/" class="textMost" title="Kishore Singh: What's the matter, dawling?">Kishore Singh: What's the matter, dawling? - Kishore Singh: Mask and the man">Kishore Singh: Mask and the man - Kishore Singh: The time of our lives">Kishore Singh: The time of our lives - Kishore Singh: Luv's just a label, guys!">Kishore Singh: Luv's just a label, guys! - Kishore Singh: A pain in the rain">Kishore Singh: A pain in the rain

Hunger on the rise, warns UN

With over one billion people going to bed hungry, the United Nations has warned that the hunger index is rising and appealed to governments and civil societies to "leverage every tool" to combat it.

UN must change and reflect contemporary reality: Krishna

Noting that the global order has changed dramatically since the establishment of the United Nations some 65 years ago, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has asserted that the world body should also change and reflect the contemporary reality.

India asks developed nations to change their lifestyle

In a strong message, India today asked the developed countries to modify their ‘unsustainable lifestyles’ to significantly cut down carbon emissions by 2020 and to ensure that developing nations had enough resources to cope with climate change while pursuing accelerated development.

India plays down Chinese incursions in Leh

Playing down the latest Chinese incursions in Leh region of Jammu and Kashmir, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said these incidents were not a “cause of concern” and these will be “taken care of”.

Krishna talks resettlement with Lankan foreign minister

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna met his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama here and discussed the issue of resettlement of over 280,000 internally displaced persons in the island nation.

Bollywood may not benefit from Reliance-DreamWorks deal

Bollywood may not get any significant mileage from the deal between Reliance ADA Group and Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios as the share of revenue from Hollywood films that run in India is small, say industry experts. According to industry estimates, the Hollywood films generate only around 3 per cent of the Rs 12,000 crore Indian film industry’s annual revenues.

Ten new channels on BIG TV

BIG TV, the DTH service of Reliance ADA Group, is expanding its channel bouquet with the addition of 10 new channels from June 1, including Korea"s KBS (international offering) and WB the latest, English entertainment channel from the broadcasting major Turner International India Pvt Ltd in association with their sister company Warner Bros, the company said in a statement.

NASA signs agreement with ISRO for use of Indian satellite

US space agency NASA has signed an agreement with ISRO to use data from Indian satellite Oceansat-2, for various American agencies for research activities, including weather forecasting.

Global nuclear order cannot discriminate, Krishna to UN

India today said it supports a world free of nuclear weapons, but maintained that any international accord to achieve this goal cannot be discriminatory. “The international order cannot be discriminatory. States must fulfil the obligations they have undertaken,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said at the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly here.

Maytas Infra wants to recover Rs 380-cr inter-corporate debt

Maytas Infra Ltd, the troubled infrastructure company promoted by the family of Satyam founder B Ramalinga Raju, is making efforts to recover Rs 380 crore inter-corporate debt from Satyam Computer Services, according to Maytas Chairman K Ramalingam.

Govt moves application in CLB to recall nominated directors

The government has moved an application in the Company Law Board (CLB) to recall its nominated directors from the board of Mahindra Satyam, Corporate Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said on Saturday.

China threatens to ban import of Indian seafood

Beijing has threatened to ban import of seafood and other food products from India if New Delhi continues to restrict import of milk products from China, the government informed the Lok Sabha today.

Nokia: Netbook entry

Nokia, the dominant force in the handset industry, has spent the major part of 2009 guarding its turf against resurgent rivals like Samsung, LG, Sony Ericsson and Motorola, and also tech powerhouses like Research in Motion (RIM), Apple and HTC. Additionally, Nokia has also been deflecting blows at the operating system level, most notably from Google’s Android and Microsoft’s Windows Mobile.

US to consult India, China on its Burma policy

Announcing its policy to enter into a dialogue with Myanmar"s military junta, the Obama Administration today said it would actively consult and seek the help of countries like India and China as part of its new Burma policy.

ONGC strengthens ethical practices

The public sector Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has cleared the ground for implementing “whistle blower policy” another major voluntary initiative to promote transparency and ethics in personal conduct and decision process.

No violation by Vedanta at Niyamgiri, says report

The Vedanta Aluminium Ltd (VAL), part of Vedanta Resources, has not violated any forest and environment norms at its alumina refinery and bauxite mining site in Kalahandi district of Orissa, according to a report of the state government.

Centre, World Bank to ink pact for Ganga cleaning plan

The Centre would sign an agreement with the World Bank for about $3 billion for projects to cleanse the Ganga river as envisaged under the recently constituted National Ganga River Basin Authority.

United Bank gets govt nod for IPO

Public sector lender United Bank of India (UBI) today said it has got the government approval to float an initial public offer (IPO) which is expected to hit the capital markets latest by the first week of February.

Dow Not to be ALLOWED to Clean up TOXIC waste

State government has said it will not allow Dow Chemicals, the company which has acquired Union Carbide, allegedly responsible for world’s worst ever chemical disaster in Bhopal, to clean up the toxic waste present in the closed unit of Union Carbide. It has also said that it will open the premises permanently for public from January.

Surviving the nightmare

- A tear for reality - RIP sweet child - Evidence of Krishna - Old money - Beat it, no more - The ultimate high

M J Antony: Heartless against faceless

M J Antony / New Delhi October 14, 2009, 0:01 IST

\'The commission-free structure will kill the insurance industry\'

Shilpy Sinha / New Delhi September 22, 2009, 0:17 IST

NSG to have permanent base at new hubs

National Security Guard (NSG) commandos deployed at their new hubs in four cities and currently housed in temporary locations will have permanent structures at their earmarked lands by next year.

Trial not only against Kasab but also against LeT: Nikam

The 26/11 terror trial is not only against Pakistani gunman Ajmal Kasab, who was caught alive, but also against terror organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, which masterminded the Mumbai attacks, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said here today.

IOCL invests Rs 2,200 cr in Paradeep refinery

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), which is setting up a 15 million tonne per annum refinery at Paradeep, has so far invested Rs 2,200 crore in the project. While the cost of the refinery excluding the petro-chemical complex is estimated at Rs 29,777 crore, IOCL has already committed Rs 4,680 crore, said state industry minister Raghunath Mohanty.

ONGC eyes 20-25% stake in Iranian gas field

The state-owned oil exploration major ONGC is eyeing 20-25 per cent stake in a giant Iranian gas field even as it awaits Tehran"s nod for its plan to develop a gas field it had discovered two years ago.

MCL observes World AIDS Day

Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) organized an awareness camp at its headquarters at Burla near Sambalpur in association with the Young Men Christians" Association (YMCA) on the occasion of the World AIDS Day. Free comdoms and pamphlets on HIV/AIDS were distributed to the truck drivers on the occasion.

SFIO asked to stop Satyam probe to avoid duplication

However, it will file a chargesheet on company law violations

Disney mulls localised console, PC games

Disney Interactive Media Group (DIMG), a division of Walt Disney Company, is contemplating introducing localised console and PC games for the Indian market shortly.

Disney looks at regional languages

Walt Disney Company India Private Limited would design its Disney Channel (DC) and Hungama Channel programmes in regional languages, Vijay Subramaniam, strategic sales and market development director, Walt Disney Television International (India).

Kadak hai?

To really understand the power of execution, you need to be in the East Stand of Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium, when India is playing an opponent like Australia in a one day international. Every time Sachin Tendulkar touches the ball, an electric current passes through 60,000 spectators who let out a humungous roar of excitement. It is a zing that almost physically tries to reach out and touch this diminutive teacher’s son. A man who realizes a million dreams as he sends the ball scorching across the ropes.

India agrees to allocate extra funds for \'Gorshkov\' refitting

India and Russia have finalised a new price for the aircraft carrier "Admiral Gorshkov" after months of protracted negotiations and the refitted warship would be delivered to the Indian Navy by 2012, top Russian officials said today.

Pokran II row: Sethna slams Kalam, Iyenger says done in haste

Homi Sethna, the guiding force behind India"s first nuclear test in 1974, today waded into the 1998 Pokhran row when he slammed former President A P J Abdul Kalam suggesting he was no qualified authority to rubbish former DRDO scientist K Santhanam"s claim that the explosion was not a full success.

Indian Premier League: Returning home

Indian Premier League (IPL), the annual Twenty20 cricket championship aired on SET Max, will make a homecoming of sorts this year. In 2009, the second edition of IPL was played in South Africa because it coincided with the General Elections and the country’s security apparatus was stretched. This time it’s back to the country of its origin.

Defence pact with Russia to boost defence capability: India

India today voiced confidence that its agreement with Russia on a 10-year military and technical cooperation from 2011 would help enhance the operational capability of its defence forces in the next decade.

UP to start new recruitments to overcome staff crunch

Acknowledging the staff crunch in the state Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), the Uttar Pradesh government will start new recruitments and effect rationalisation of existing heads to tide over the crisis.

Astra air-to-air missile to make its first flight

To add punch to IAF’s fleet of Sukhoi, Mig-29, Mirage-2000, Tejas.

Mahindra Satyam to explore New Zealand market with Gen-i

IT outsourcing company, Satyam Computer Services Limited (rebranded Mahindra Satyam), has entered into a strategic alliance with Australasia’s information and communications technologies (ICT) provider Gen-I for migration services of Microsoft’s Windows 7, which was launched on October 22.

Excise duty uppercuts software firms

Windows 7, Adobe, Symantec software stuck at customs over excise duty

\'This is the highest-quality OS in the history of Windows\'

Kirtika Suneja / October 23, 2009, 1:09 IST

Art and the man

Jai Arjun Singh / New Delhi October 10, 2009, 0:51 IST

Don\'t get mad, get musical

What does a Taylor guitar worth $3,500 have in common with a pornographic comic-strip Indian bhabhi? The curves, sure, but they both also have songs protesting their mistreatment. In the process, they’ve got the Net buzzing.

A fine cut

A Sharma / New Delhi December 12, 2009, 0:05 IST

Jonathan Weil: Banks have the world flying blind on depth of losses

There was a stunning omission from the government’s latest list of “problem” banks, which ran to 416 lenders, a 15-year high, as of June 30. One outfit not on the list was Georgian Bank, the second-largest Atlanta-based bank, which supposedly had plenty of capital. It failed last week.

Needed: action, not words

Business Standard / New Delhi October 19, 2009, 0:49 IST

Preparedness of 2010 Games far from satisfactory: Hooper

Miffed by the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee removing him from the post of 2010 CWG Chief Executive, Mike Hooper has struck back by declaring that the preparedness of the mega-event was far from satisfactory.

Reliance Cap to venture into investment banking

Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Capital today said it plans to enter investment banking space by the end of the current fiscal.

Indiabulls Power fixes IPO price at Rs 40-45 a share

Indiabulls Power has fixed a price band of Rs 40-45 per share for its proposed initial public offering (IPO) through which the company aims to mop up more than Rs 1,700 crore from the market.

Ashok Leyland JV to produce die castings

Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland’s associate company, Ashley Alteams India Pvt Ltd (AAIPL) will commence manufacturing high pressure die castings. The production of the castings, which will primarily be for the telecommunications and automotive sector, will begin next month at the company’s new facility in Chennai.

Banks prepared to check fake currency menace: RBI

Banks are fully geared to check the menace caused by fake currency, a senior official of the Reserve Bank of India said.

Sunil Jain: What inclusion?

- Brokerages, fund houses whet Indian appetite for investments abroad - Any hardening of rates due to govt borrowings a worry: Jindal - 'Challenge is to raise credit flow' - RBI"s status quo, HUL numbers take toll - As it should be - RBI sees recovery, but wary of inflation

ICICI allots 30,158 shares under stock options

The country"s largest private sector lender ICICI Bank has allotted a total 30,158 equity shares pursuant to conversion of options under the Employees Stock Option Scheme, 2000 (ESOPS).

ICICI Bank for doubling returns; to be in top-5 listed cos

Unsatiated by trebling of its share price to Rs 750 since March, ICICI Bank has embarked on an ambitious plan to double return for investors in three years and be counted among the country"s top five valuable entities, CEO and Managing Director Chanda Kochhar has said.

Export growth turns positive after 13 months

After falling continuously for 13 months, the country’s merchandise exports registered a growth of 18 per cent in November, at $13.2 billion (Rs 61,800 crore) against $11.16 billion (Rs 52,250 crore) in the same month last year. However, cumulative growth since the beginning of the current financial year continues to show a decline.

Essar Steel approaches govt to denotify steel SEZ at Hazira

Essar Steel has approached the government to denotify a sector-specific Special Economic Zone developed by it in Hazira, Gujarat, as this would enable the company to sell the produce also locally.

Don't be bold on gold

- Getting rid of government controls - For the risk-takers - High on expectations - Commodity to the rescue - Policy to guide infra growth - Betting on bonds

High heels, high art, and a high bed!

Anjaleka Kriplani has a taste for all things fine in life. An interior architect, she is VP, interior design and sales, at the firm Renaisaance Homez. Understandably guarded about one of her prized possessions, a painting by Bose Krishnamachari, she won’t reveal its price to us. It’s a piece, she says, she wouldn’t even want to put a price to. The vibrant colours of this piece can lift her mood on any glum day and it even inspires her to make other people’s homes look good! “I prefer designing houses with good furniture, interior elevations, opulent accessories and luxurious fabrics,” she says.

Horror of Lehman\'s fall haunts global M&A space

The ripple effects of the fall of Lehman Brothers in September last year is evident in the field of global mergers and acquisitions (M&A), which have shrunk nearly 40 per cent since then.

Celebrity profs

India hasn’t reached the stage where top professors acquire celebrity status, but it could be getting there. At an event organised by the All India Management Association, a student asked IIM Bangalore Director Pankaj Chandra for his autograph. Professor Chandra was a bit taken aback and suggested the student get autographs of important persons at the function — the student was adamant, so Chandra obliged.

IIM-B selects SunGard Education\'s Banner UDC

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM-B), has selected SunGard higher education"s Banner Unified Digital Campus (UDC) solution to help increase its efficiencies in course administration, improve student services and enhance capabilities for collaboration with institutions in India and abroad.

Patnaik government faces illegal mining storm again

Five years after the Naveen Patnaik government was embarassed by the controversy over chromite mining at Tangarpada in Orissa"s Dhenkanal district, the government is now being pressured by opposition parties to order a CBI probe into "illegal" mining and mines lease to industrial houses and individuals.

Agreement on major GST issues still elusive: PwC

Amid fears that Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation will miss the deadline, a leading consultancy firm PiceWaterHouseCoopers (PwC) has said the Centre and states are yet to reach an agreement on major issues relating to the new tax regime.

Dual rated dual GST

The long-awaited meeting of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers (EC) was recently held in Delhi and, as was perhaps expected, the EC has come out with a recommendation on what can legitimately be called a “Dual Rated Dual GST System”. There were expectations in certain quarters that the dual GST would be a single rated one at the Federal and the State level for both goods and services. This has not been possible and the EC has now come out with a dual rate model for goods. There has been no mention of whether there will be a dual rate for services as well but the understanding and expectation is that services will be taxed at just the one rate, at the Federal and State levels respectively. This article discusses the dual rate dual GST model for goods in some detail.

The best vs the good

Business Standard / New Delhi September 18, 2009, 0:34 IST

Shobhana Subramanian: AMCs: Time for a shakeup

Shobhana Subramanian / New Delhi August 28, 2009, 0:44 IST

S Madhavan: We\'re a long way from being ready for the GST

From setting the rates, to the constitutional changes required and the training needed, it is unlikely we will be able to implement it by April 2010, says S Madhavan.

Analysts\' corner

Gail India

Pharma market in global top 10 by 2015: Report

The Indian pharmaceutical market will treble to $20 billion from $7.1 billion (2007 figure) by 2015, with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.3 per cent.

\'International exposure makes IMT-Dubai different\'

The Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Dubai is one of the few Indian business schools to have got an approval from the UAE’s ministry of higher education and scientific research to offer an accredited MBA programme and executive education to companies operating in the UAE. IMT Dubai’s director Farhad Rad – Serecht told Kirtika Suneja how the institute plans to remain different from other B-schools. Edited excerpts

Rolls-Royce scouts for second partner

Rolls-Royce is looking to add a second engineering and design services firm in India to cater to its design requirements. Under the government’s $10-billion defence programme, Rolls-Royce has a commitment to offset 50 per cent of its research and development requirements to Indian design companies.

Engineering exports down 26% in April

India"s engineering exports dropped 26 per cent in April as orders from the US and European markets dried up in the wake of the global recession.

Sensex opens weak on global cues

The Sensex opened at 16,339 and then slipped to a low of 16,182 on weak global cues. The index is now at 16,233, down 129 points and the NSE Nifty is at 54,847, down 35 points.

NHPC issue overbid by 3.5 times

The initial public offer (IPO) of NHPC Ltd, the state-run hydropower producer, was subscribed 3.54 times what was on offer today, the opening day.

As Stock markets rise, short sellers on the wrong foot

FIIs back in the game, buy shares worth Rs 769 crore.

Govt asks GAIL to assure gas supply to power projs

Resolving the issue of fuel supply guarantee to upcoming gas-based power projects, Oil Ministry has asked state-run GAIL India to extend "comfort letters" assuring gas supplies so that the developers can raise finances.

Markets in recovery mode

The markets are on the path to recovery, thanks to the strength in consumer durables, auto and metal sectors. The Sensex has retraced nearly 150 points from its intra-day lows and is now down merely 50 points at 16,300 and the Nifty is flat at 4878.

Micro Technologies launches innovative device for farmers

Leading IT-based security solutions developer, Micro Technologies (India) Ltd, today announced the launch of Micro Jai-Kisan, an innovative device for farmers.

EU settles anti-trust probe with Microsoft on web browser

The European Union has settled its decade-long anti-trust dispute with American software giant Microsoft, paving the way for consumers in Europe to have a wider choice of web browsers.

RCom partners Microsoft for Windows mobile solutions

Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCom) today announced its partnership with software major Microsoft for offering Windows Mobile solutions on its wireless networks.

Shettar\'s followers in dilemma

BJP MLAs from North Karnataka, particularly those loyal to Assembly speaker Jagadeesh Shettar, are in a dilemma. They do not know whether to support the candidature of Shettar as an alternative leader or to continue supporting CM Yeddyurappa.

Khan versus Khan

Dish TV’s new campaign presents Shahrukh in a new avatar to take on Tata Sky’s Aamir

Legislation on ground water use soon

In line with the initiatives taken by some other state governments, the Orissa government is mulling to bring in a separate legislation governing the control, utilisation and management of ground water in the state.

Steel cluster withers under power shortage

Entrepreneurs in Mandi Gobindgarh blame the state government for not taking concerted steps to support industry.

Handicraft exporters to turn focus on new mkts

Indian handicraft exporters are gearing up to explore new markets in South Africa and Latin American countries as demand from major importers like the US and the European Union (EU) continue to suffer from the global economic downturn.

Clock makers exit due to high taxes

Faced with a heavy tax burden, the small-scale wall clock makers of Morbi (Gujarat) are diversifying into ceramics, stationery items and retail. Besides, the industry is also losing ground to the metros and cities like Bangalore, where clock manufacturing has started picking up and taxation levels are lower, Morbi players claim.

Punjab to launch IPM technology in basmati growing area

The Punjab government has decided to launch a Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Technology in the Basmati growing areas of Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts covering 150 villages at a cost of Rs 1.06 crore in collaboration with Sir Ratan Tata Trust for the year 2009-10.

Utilisation of funds under NREGS declined in 2008-09

The utilisation of funds under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), the flagship programme of the United Progressive Allinace (UPA) government, declined to 75 percent in 2008-09 from 82 percent in 2007-08.

No plans to hike fuel prices for now: Deora

With crude touching the year’s high above $74 a barrel on Friday, the government has no plans to increase fuel prices in the near future.

Oil India IPO to hit market on Sept 7

Oil India Ltd (OIL), the nation"s second-largest state-run explorer, will hit the market with an initial public offering (IPO) on September 7.The offer will be open from September 7 to 11, a source close to the development said.

Current account deficit flat at $12.62 billion

India’s current account deficit (CAD) for the second quarter ended September 2009 was almost flat at $12.6 billion, compared to $ 12.57 billion in the same quarter in 2008, on lower net invisible surplus.

J K Lakshmi January sales up 38%

J K Lakshmi Cement today clocked a 38 per cent increase in sales at 5.06 lakh tonnes for the month of January, 2010.

Govt to raise Rs 12,000 cr from bond sale

A day after revised schedule for the borrowing for the first half of the current fiscal was announced, the government today said it would raise Rs 12,000 crore from sale of two government papers.

TCS recalls 1,200 from the US

In a bid to reduce costs and increased offshoring focus, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest information technology company, has recalled close to 1,200 employees from the US and has decided not to hand out any salary increment this year.

India to host Doha meet in Sept

WTO chief has confirmed his participation.

Pyramid to demerge two of its wings; to raise $100 mn

Entertainment firm Pyramid Saimira Theatre today said it will demerge two of its subsidiaries — Pyramid Saimira Content Distribution and Pyramid Saimira Production International — from itself.

Market likely to remain in corrective mode

The Sensex and Nifty closed near their trendline support of 17,400/5,220 on the back of weakness in world stocks and lack of buying interest in the futures and options (F&O) segment in the last couple days.

Hero Honda given more time to resolve land issue

Uttarakhand Chief Minister R P Nishank today said he was in favour of proper utilisation of 94 acres of vacant land leased out to auto giant Hero Honda for its Haridwar plant even as the government gave more time to the company to deposit the land premium.

Hero Honda to upgrade its models to meet BS-III norms

The country"s largest two-wheeler maker Hero Honda today said it will upgrade all its existing models to meet Bharat Stage-III emission compliant norms by the end of this financial year.

Dish TV to raise $200 mn via securities issue

Direct-To-Home company Dish TV today said it will raise up to $200 million (about Rs 1,000 crore) through issue of securities in the domestic and international market.

Govt decision on IHFL sale likely in 3 months: Official

Public sector lender IDBI Bank expects government"s decision on the sale of its Pune-based home loan subsidiary -- IDBI Home Finance (IHFL) -- in the next three months, a top official said.

IPL, Nano win BS derby by several lengths

A small car that redefined frugal engineering and a carnival that promises to evergreen the gentleman’s game have won Business Standard’s 13th annual Brand Derby. The Nano and Indian Premier League have been voted the biggest brand launches of 2008 by top marketers of the country.

V V: Eduardo Galeano\'s histories from below

Until lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter —African proverb

MTNL for JVs in India, overseas markets: MoU

Amid its falling revenues and net profit, state-run MTNL today said it is keen to expand its areas of operations by forming strategic alliances and joint ventures both within India and overseas.

BSNL mobile service draws flak in LS

Poor quality mobile services of state-run BSNL today came under sharp attack in the Lok Sabha, even as the government said it was the only operator which has taken maximum load for providing connectivity to rural areas.

Sunil Jain: Don\'t dial this merger

Sunil Jain / New Delhi July 27, 2009, 0:41 IST

Tata Sky tunes in to the power of plus

The second largest DTH player is way behind the market leader in subscriptions. But it is pushing value-added services to maintain its leadership in average revenue per user

Madhucon Projects bags Rs 196 cr order from NCL; shares surge

Construction firm Madhucon Projects today said it has bagged an order worth Rs 196.24 crore from Northern Coalfields (NCL) for an infrastructure-related work.

ABB Q2 net declines 21% to Rs 83 cr

ABB, a leader in power and automation technologies, has posted 20.73 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 83.06 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 as against Rs 104.79 crore in the corresponding period last year.

Tata Power with Norway firm to dev hydropower project

Tata Power and SN Power, Norway’s fast growing international renewable energy company, signed an exclusive partnership agreement to develop joint hydropower projects in India and Nepal.


News of the day
Maytas Infra bags Rs 790 cr road project
Infrastructure development firm Maytas Infra today said it has bagged an order worth Rs 790 crore from IL&FS Transportation Networks (ITNL) for road construction work.
Popular Articles

IOC wants 50,000 acres for biofuel cultivation in UP
New government policy on biofuels may consider financial incentives.
Polygraphy
Sebi okays longer trading hours
Markets can now be open 9 to 5, says regulator.