CII moots four-step path to power nirvana
The Confederation of India Industry (CII) has suggested a four-pronged strategy to ensure that the power transmission and distribution (T&D) system in the country gets a facelift for better functioning. CII has pointed out to the Union power ministry that in the absence of an effective transmission and distribution system, the entire process of power capacity addition and private funds would suffer a setback.
The Index
The removal of the cost-plus formula for the transportation of crude from April 1 would be beneficial for the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). The cost-plus formula had actually come into existence when the World bank gave a loan to SCI for the purchase of 5 to 6 crude oil tankers. Under the cost-plus formula, the SCI was ensured a 12% return on capital.
"Innovation is key to competing globally"
The country must leap from the era of import-substitution into that of knowledge-creation to compete internationally, feels Hindustan Lever Ltd's (HLL's) former chairman Ashok S Ganguly. Ganguly, also a former Unilever board member, was speaking at a function for the release of a book on "Strategic Manufacturing for Competitive Advantage" in Mumbai on Monday.
Public-private alliance for cheap housing
The concluding part of the `Cheap housing via infrastructure financing' article gives a further insight on how the financing techniques used in the provision of infrastructure influence the housing affordability. It further reinstates as to how the merging infrastructure financing practices have significant implications on the cost of housing.
A desperate move
After trying to `persuade' assessees not to claim modvat, the central excise department has tried to withdraw the RG 23 registers to `verify the entries'. These registers are maintained for claiming modvat benefits, and the photocopies of the relevant entries are sent to the excise department on a monthly basis.
Playing field and a level view
The concept of a level playing field has been elevated to the status of a self-evident truth in economics. By dint of constant and boring repetition, the level playing field is now up there in the pantheon with all those other great economic shibboleths -- balanced budgets, comparative advantage, capital account convertibility (though the shine is a bit less on CAC these days, after the Asian flu).
