Budget marks a step towards rule-based regime: Kelkar
The finance secretary, Vijay L Kelkar has said that budget '99 is a step in the direction of a rule-based regime which will improve the functioning of the economy.

`Measures will not boost banks profits'
The budget measures will have a marginal impact on bank profitability, a policy research paper released recently by SBI Capital Markets said. It added that though the budget contained a lot of provisions for the banking sector, many of its demands had not been met.

Seed giants increase sterile technology
Major international seed corporations have filed dozens of patents on new biologically-engineered seed technology that causes seeds to become sterile, according to non-governmental watchdogs on agriculture.

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