| POLICY WATCH |
|
Government clears Rs 25,000-crore support for NBFCs
The Union Cabinet has approved Stressed Assets Stabilisation Fund (SASF) to function as the special purpose vehicle (SPV) that would provide liquidity support of up to Rs 25,000 crore (US$ 5.12 billion) for non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). [More]
Cos offering VAS don't need licence: TRAI
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has said that companies offering value-added services (VAS) can continue to operate without a licence. [More]
CCEA okays four laning, six laning of NH18, 47
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved four laning and six laning of various sections of national highways 18 and 47 at a cost of Rs 3,084 crore (US$ 631.7 million). [More]
|
| PEOPLE |
|
NEWSMAKER: A R Rahman
A R Rahman has put India on the global entertainment map by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Golden Globe Award for the original music score for 'Slumdog Millionaire'. [More]
Forbes names India-origin Francisco D'Souza as one of the youngest CEOs
Francisco D'Souza, the India- origin chief executive officer (CEO) of software firm Cognizant Technology Solutions has been named as one of the youngest CEOs in the US by business publication Forbes in its list of '21 Youngest CEOs at the Nation's Biggest Companies'. [More]
Washington Post appoints prominent Indian journalist as managing editor
Raju Narisetti, a prominent Indian journalist, has been appointed as the managing editor of the leading US daily, Washington Post. [More]
|
|
|
| ECONOMY AND ENTERPRISE |
|
Consumers and companies are confident
India has topped in consumer confidence globally, with most Indians being optimistic that the country will come out of the economic recession in the next 12 months, reveals a study by Nielsen, a market research company. [More]
Fundamentals are strong, says PM
While inaugurating the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2009 on January 8, 2009, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, said that the fundamentals of the Indian economy are strong and that he expects a growth rate of about 7 per cent this year, which will be among the highest in the world. [More]
India Inc improves capital productivity by 36%
India Inc improved capital productivity by 36 per cent between 2001-02 and 2007-08, coinciding with the six-year period of high economic and corporate growth in the country. [More]
Industrial growth on track again
The Index for Industrial Production (IIP) registered a 2.4 per cent growth in November 2008 as against
(-)0.3 per cent in October 2008, according to data released by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. [More]
Telecom industry revenue touches US$ 7.62 billion in July-September 2008
The Indian telecommunications sector continued its robust growth with the wireless market increasing at 9.91 per cent and garnering revenues worth US$ 7.62 billion for the second quarter ended September 2008, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). [More]
3.3 million active internet users in rural India
Rural India has 3.3 million active Internet users, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International. [More]
NHPC bets big on overseas mkts,eyes Bhutan, Myanmar & Nepal
National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC), India's largest hydropower producer, is planning to give a major thrust to its overseas operations by setting up power projects in Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. [More]
After DTH, Airtel to soon launch IPTV
Bharti Airtel, a telecom services provider, will soon become the first private sector company to launch Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) services in India. [More]
ONGC inks pact with Australian co Arrow Energy
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Australia's Arrow Energy for cooperation in the coal bed methane (CBM) sector. [More]
TTSL, Quippo merge tower biz, create Rs 13k-cr entity
Telecom service provider, Tata Teleservices (TTSL), has merged its infrastructure business with Quippo Telecom Infrastructure (QTIL) to form the country's largest independently managed tower company with an enterprise valuation of Rs 13,000 crore (US$ 2.67 billion). [More]
Government earns a profit of US$ 577.41 million through 12 ports
The government has made a profit of US$ 577.41 million through its 12 major ports across the country during 2007-2008, registering a growth of 159.85 per cent over the last three years, said Mr T R Baalu, Union Shipping and Transport Minister. [More]
| |
|
|
|
Smartphones are clocking robust sales in India by capturing the professionals and youth segments, and are expected to witness a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23 per cent by 2011. Some of the most successful smartphones in India are from Nokia and Research-In-Motion (RIM), the maker of BlackBerry.
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
"We think the growth story in India remains and is still domestic driven to a certain degree. ...India appears to be on a stronger footing in the emerging market space."
Christopher Knight
Head-India Equity
JP Morgan |
|
|
|
|
The Rs 386-crore (US$ 79.13 million) Indian moon mission, Chandrayaan-1, which completes a flawless 100 days around January 30, 2009, has transmitted more than 40,000 images since its launch on October 22, 2008, which many in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) believe is quite a record compared to the lunar flights of other nations. [More]
|
|
|
|
|
Rustic Wisdom: Unilever to take Project Shakti global
Anglo-Dutch consumer goods major, Unilever, has begun replicating Hindustan Unilever's (HUL) innovative, rural micro-enterprise, Project Shakti, led by women entrepreneurs in several international markets. The project has emerged as a successful, low-cost business model and enhanced HUL's direct reach in rural regions. [More]
Reva drive to power sales
Electric car maker Reva Electric Car Company is set to launch lithium ion battery-powered cars during the middle of 2009 at a cost of Rs 7-8 lakh (US$ 14,448-16,512). [More]
Tata Power signs MoU with Gujarat govt to set up power plant
Tata Power Company Limited, an integrated private power company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat government to explore the possibility of setting up a geothermal power plant in the state. [More]
TERI keen to partner on climate change: Pachauri
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has suggested that the Orissa government needs to prepare a detailed estimate on the impact of climate change in the state and the institute is keen to partner the state government for such an endeavour. [More]
|
|
| |
