Consequent to the union budget '98, the upward revision in prices takes into account the changes in the excise duty rates, said a company release. The Armada is now dearer by Rs 13,497, the Commander by Rs 11,210 and the Mahindra Voyager (non AC) by Rs 16,775.

Centre urged to open up ISP market: Lashing out at the "monopolistic" attitude of the telecom department and the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL), former minister of science and technology, MGK Menon, today made a strong case for opening up internet services to private internet service providers (ISP). ``There is no rationale for the monopolistic (internet) structure operated today by the DoT and VSNL. Everybody in the country should be enabled to be connected to information..To internet, for which the ISP market has to be thrown wide open to competition,'' hesaid.

Separate ministry for core sector sought: The union government is considering creating a new portfolio for infrastructure to take care of the country's need for development of the core sector, civil aviation minister Ananth Kumar said today. "It is loud thinking why we should not have a separate portfolio for infrastructure bringing under it all means of transportation as they are all complementary to each other,'' the minister told a seminar on "building the sub-continent hub of the next millenium in india" here.

Paper industry facing dumping threat: The crisis ridden Rs 9000-crore Indian paper industry faces the threat of dumping due to lop-sided duty provisions in the budget for 1998-99, the apex paper associations have said. Government has opened the floodgates for import of paper through a new categorisation even as it increased the import duty on paper and paperboards in the budget, Indian Agro Paper Mills Association (IAPMA) secretary general PG Mukundan said.

Maruti plansexchange offers: Maruti Udyog (MUL) has pressed into service two of its financial sector joint ventures to help select dealers offer new Maruti vehicles for old ones under the exchange offer scheme, MUL managing director RSSLN Bhaskarudu has said.

Website Creators sets Rs 50 cr turnover target: Website Creators DBS Internet Services has targeted a turnover of Rs 50 crore by the turn of the century, its director Viraj Savant said today. DBS internet, which registered a whopping 300 per cent growth in the last financial year, is currently serving about 80 firms in the country including Raymond, National Stock Exchange, Microsoft India, ABCL and Bajaj, backed by the Rs 250-crore DBS group which has invested Rs 6-crore in the internet business.

Escorts may hike two-wheeler price: The Delhi-based Escorts Yamaha Motor Ltd (EYML) is considering a hike in prices of its two wheelers, following the customs duty hike on components and cold rolled steel. "A price hike now is inevitable due to therevision of the duty structure. In fact, all two-wheelers are going to increase prices," EYML joint managing director Nikhil Nanda said here today.

Ganesh Benzoplast sales up: Ganesh Benzoplast, part of the Rs 300-crore Ganesh group of industries, have declared higher income from operations for the year ended March 31, 1998. Sales, at Rs 12,452.69 lakh is higher than that of the previous year which stood at Rs 7,401.76 lakh.

Profit before interest, depreciation and taxation (PBIDT) for the year stood at Rs 4249.97 lakh, net profit was Rs 2032.53 lakh and cash accruals were Rs 3038.76 lakh.