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Politics Business Expressions General Sports Leisure States Monday, March 23, 1998   Core sector projects to get fast clearance In a bid to kickstart infrastructure projects, the BJP-led coalition government is setting up an inter-ministerial panel to clear all proposals which have been hanging fire for a long time. The panel will consist of secretaries from all concerned ministries and will clear projects within a fixed timeframe.   FIs set terms for JCT sell off Financial institutions have set fresh terms for granting a no-objection certificate (NoC) to JCT's proposal to sell its synthetics division to its joint venture with Polysindo. The institutions want Polysindo to take the term loan of over Rs 170 crore on the books of the joint venture. Escorts plagued by massive inventory pile-up as sales dip The Rs 3,500-crore Escorts Ltd faces a huge inventory pile-up owing to a sharp drop in retail tractor sales over the past three months. Escorts is reportedly facing liquidity problems which have led to delays in payments to raw-material suppliers. Hyundai group plans takeover of Kia Motors South Korea's Hyundai group plans to takeover financially troubled Kia Motors Corp., a Hyundai spokesman said on Sunday. The spokesman said it was not clear which units of Hyundai would takeover Kia, but that a report for the acquisition had been prepared by Hyundai Motor Co Ltd and the group's research arm.   BSE president outlines sops for market revival The BSE president M G Damani has stated that reviving the market is going to be a tough task for Union finance minister Yashwant Sinha. Damani has, however, suggested several pills for recovery. Damani's main suggestion is that good companies with healthy reserves should be allowed to buy back their shares. Inflation remains static at 5.07% The annual rate of inflation remained unchanged at the previous week's level of 5.07% making it the fourth consecutive week without an increase in wholesale prices. Inflation had shed .12 percentage points and stood at 5.07% during the last week ending Feburary 28. The current level of inflation is the lowest till now during this year.     Trading in inside information   Quickbites   WB closes controversial PLA; another accounts scam simmers   Govt defends choice of PSU chief without PESB clearance   VRS to be introduced in mills   "Growth will pick up, the slump is a short term condition"