Manmohan: This is why we need N-deal
PRIME Minister Manmohan Singh was perhaps targeting the in-house critics of the Indo-US nuclear deal when he said that the government is "committed' to developing civilian nuclear energy at a func
Economic Times
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Coke admits Pepsi ahead in India
US cola giant Coca Cola has said that rival Pepsi is slightly ahead but the Atlanta-based company is determined to push India among its top five markets on the strength of its
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Auto cos scout for designers
Tata Motors, GM, Ford, Toyota Among Firms Hiring Auto Designers from IITs, NID Pramugdha Mamgain NEW DELHI
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Accenture planning to expand pharma R&D
With global pharma companies waking up to technology outsourcing services as a tool to reduce the time to market of their R&D harvest, Accenture is looking at expanding the scope and scale of its life
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Hard times likely for soft drinks
The government is increasingly getting conscious about the health of its people.
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Right to Education Bill stuck again
THE Right to Education bill seems to have run into rough weather yet again.
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Pepsi to save more water than it sells
AFTER labeling all its products with a quality seal last year to put the pesticide row behind it, PepsiCo India is again set to roll out a global first.
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Agri trade barriers causing food inflation
CONCERNED over rising food prices, the government on Wednesday said that agricultural trade barriers within the country were making commodities costlier in some states. "Why should food prices be different across states in a national economy...that is because there are barriers to agricultural trade,' finance minister's adviser Shubhashis Gangopadhyay said at a post-Budget meeting at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India here on Wednesday. The ability to control price inflation at the point where it is occurring is a big problem because commodities don't move in some areas, he said. He said expenditure-driven growth is going to give rise to more inflation. Food prices were high in the states wherever the disbursement of funds from various government programmes such as NREG was more, he noted. Last year, agricultural labour wage rate went higher than the food price inflation, he added. Mr Gangopadhyay said wherever necessary, the government would intervene to check the rising trend. Earlier during the day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the government was committed to maintaining "reasonable' price stability at 4-5%, but it will not be at the cost of farmers. HIGH PRICE CONCERNS The ability to control price inflation at the point where it is occurring is a big problem because commodities don't move in some areas Food prices were high in the states wherever the disbursement of funds from various government programmes such as NREG
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IFC to help municipal bodies with energy audit
INTERNATIONAL Finance Corporation (IFC) will soon start providing assistance to municipal bodies in carrying out energy audits (details of energy availability and consumption). Based on these audits, the corporation will provide financial assistance to energy-saving companies working with municipal bodies. IFC would also provide technical assistance to municipal entities in floating energy tenders. "We are in talks with more than 200 municipalities across the country. IFC would be providing these municipalities assistance in energy audits. IFC would also provide financial support to energysaving companies if they are not being completely supported by the municipal corporations,' IFC chief investment officer (south Asia) Anita Marangoly George told ET. IFC, a World Bank arm, has prepared a new manual in association with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and Alliance to Save Energy to bring out the energy audits. IFC claims 20-30% of India's energy requirements could be addressed if municipalities adopt the energysaving mechanisms suggested in the new manual. IFC would provide support to the municipalities throughout the bidding process for bringing the energy audits as well as awarding contracts to the energy-saving companies for the implementation of energy-saving techniques in the towns.
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Green drive: High excise duty lane may be reserved for fuel-inefficient vehicles
TAX TO CONSIST OF 8% ADDITIONAL EXCISE FOR BELOW-90% EFFICIENCY OF AVERAGE, INCREASING TO 24% THE government is planning to impose higher taxes on manufacturers of personal vehicles with high emissions. The gas guzzler tax would be an additional 8% excise duty for vehicles at efficiency of below 90% of the average and would increase to a maximum of additional 24% duty as the fuel economy drops. The government hopes the calibrated excise duty structure would result in better compliance of fuel efficiency norms by car makers. Tax incentives for manufacturers with relatively low pollutant emissions and high fuel efficiency is also on the cards. The committee