Vajpayee promises faster, firmer reforms
The setback suffered by the Bharatiya Janata Party at the hustings will have no impact on the momentum of economic reforms, prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has said. Vajpayee further asserted that the government's agenda was to catalyse large flows of foreign and NRI investments in priority areas.

Site clearance mandatory for mega power projects
The ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) has made it mandatory for all mega power projects to get a site clearance before they are tendered. This was decided at a meeting called by environment minister, Suresh Prabhu, with the ministries of power and railways.

Cabinet clearance for textile upgradation fund on cards
The Union cabinet is likely to clear within a fortnight the Rs 25,000-crore textile Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) mooted for the modernisation of weaving and processing sector. The proposal has already been approved by the group of ministers (GoM).

  Congress not to bring down BJP government
  Export target scaled down by 5% to 15%
  Streamlining distribution chain can help boost agro-business
  Belgium, India look forward to stronger ties
  Executive Briefing
  Ficci favours package for revival of cement industry
  Kerala to setup agency for nurturing seeds
  Reimbursement of building loan interest taxable as income from "salary"
  Inflation rate falls sharply to 8.54%
  IASC believes in harmonisation of accounting standards
  Eurofer calls for probe against six nations for hot-rolled coils import
  Financial Briefing
  Tax muddle may undo firms' buyback plans
  Corporate moghuls feel polls round the corner
  Singapore refines bid to improve financial sector
  Jiang fails to get atrocities apology from Japan
  China for breaking links with public sector units
  Russia will meet IMF norms
  Malaysian recession deepens but "worst is over", says report
  Truck freight rates to remain steady
  Japanese recession, Chinese muddle affect domestic seafood industry
  New Opec chief seeks immediate output cuts
  Night temperatures above normal
  ISO sets up panel on standardisation of chemical pumps
  Saudi oil sector opened to investors
  Australia's Victoria state to open gas market from October '99
  Nigeria to maintain high oil budgets
  Cess reduction on coal to benefit speculators
  Heating oil imports in Japan, Korea may fall on high inventories, poor demand
  India needs to improve quality of textiles
  Cotton arrivals flood markets but low demand from mills worries traders
  Garment exports in Jan-Aug up 21%
  Spinning mills ask government to ban exports of waste cotton
  Polyester staple fibre exports hit nadir
  Rajasthan cement industry in doldrums
  Improving quality will give a fillip to ginger exports
  Cotton crop in Punjab, Haryana plagued by American ballworms