$400-m ADB loan for PM's rural roads
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide $400 loan per year against an interest rate of 3 percent for the on going central sector rural road projects, rural development minister Shanta Kumar has said.
US and Australia set for trade talks
The US is expected to announce that it will start formal negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement with Australia, as Sydney gears up to host a high level trade meeting likely to be overshadowed by violent protests. Robert Zoellick, the US trade representative, is set to invite Canbera to …
Indian economy stronger now, says WEF report
The Indian economy has shown a substantial strengthening in its global position even as the US became the most competitive economy in the world, a new World Economic Forum (WEF) report says. India's ranking improved by eight places - a jump from 57 to 48 - according to the Global …
Government redrawing poverty line
The ministry of rural development, which conducts a Below Poverty Line census every five years, has come up with new criteria for identifying the number of people below poverty line. Rather than using income or expenditure as has been done so far, the ministry proposes to take into account various …
US world's most competitive economy: WEF
The US has regained top spot as the world's most competitive economy and has the best prospects for growth over five to eight years, the World Economic forum said in a report published on Tuesday. The US pushed Finland into second place in the rankings of 80 countries for both …
India moves up in competitive strength
India may well have managed to improve its global competitive strength in the last one year, but in terms of its much hyped technological advancement, it still remains at 57th position. According to a Growth Competitive Index (GCI) Report for the year 2002, released by World Economic Forum on Tuesday, …
Only 130 mn Indians below the poverty line, not 260 mn: Surjit Bhalla
A new study by economist Surjit Bhalla estimates that the actual levels of poverty in India are exactly half those estimated by the government - that is, against the official estimate of 261 million people below the poverty line, Bhalla reckons the figure is actually 130 million. Bhalla, in fact, …
India-EU trade gets a fillip
India and the European Union (EU) have set a target of euro 35 billion by 2005, from the present Euro 25 billion generated through bilateral trade and hope to reach to Euro 50 billion by 2008. During the Copenhagen summit EU has agreed to render assistance for setting up of …
WB to prepare White Paper on India
The World Bank will come out with a White Paper on India in June next year in respect of its compliance with international corporate governance as prescribed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, according to World Bank executive and programme coordinator Olivier Fremond.
17 vehicles condemned for pollution
The Andhra Pradesh government had so far condemned only 17 out of the total 477 vehicles identified as causing pollution, minister for transport M Damodar Reddy told the State Assembly on Monday. The government was determined to phase out all of them progressively, he informed.
Assam studying 'Panchayati Raj' system
Madhya Pradesh government's 'Panchayati Raj' system appears to be evoking keen interest in the Assam government circles. A high level delegation from Assam had arrived in Bhopal on a six day study tour for taking stock of 'Panchayati Raj' system.
Eastward ho
The first-ever summit between India and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) at Phnom Penh, and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visits to Cambodia, Laos and Thailand last week, constitute an important landmark in the unfolding of India's "Look East" policy initiated at the beginning of the 1990s...editorial
Digital library
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is adding to its online offerings an electronic library for the already vast and mounting catalogue of scholarly materials born in digital form. The digital library called DSpace, initially will be managed by a federation of eight universities, including MIT.
Capital gains tax leviable in villages: Delhi HC
The Delhi High Court has held that capital gains tax can levied on rural areas of Delhi as they fall within the municipal area. While this ruling is binding on Delhi, other municipalities in India can follow it, said a senior advocate.
$50m, ADB loan for fisheries, tea sector
Sri Lanka signed deals on Friday for two soft loans worth $50 million from the Asian Development Bank to develop the tea and fisheries sectors as the island struggles to get its economy on track after 19 years of conflict. The bank will provide $20 million to develop inland fisheries …
E-governance rises 9% in India
India has registered a 9 per cent increase in the use of internet to access government services or products during the last 12 months, according to a study by Taylor Nelson Sofres. Thirtyone per cent of adults in India have used government online (GO) services in the last one year …
Centre considering changes in rural scheme funding
The Ministry of Rural Development is considering changes to the funding pattern of some schemes by which states will have to contribute a part of the cost. Addressing the Members of Parliament of the Consultative Committee attached to the Ministry, the Minister for Rural Development, Shanta Kumar said some of …
Innovation, patents regime fuel India's economic growth
India today stands at a crossroads. Already a major political power., the country has the potential to become a major economic power as well, playing a key role in the global economy. The government has set a course of political and economic reform that, if fully implemented, will help the …
Free trade area of the Americas takes shape
Trade ministers from the 34 democracies in the Western Hemisphere, minus Cuba, met in Quito for the latest round of negotiations on a possible Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The FTAA would expand the model of the North American Free Trade Agreement throughout the region, liberalizing trade and …
PM proposes free trade area with Asean
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee proposed an ambitious Free Trade Area (FTA) with South East Asian nations during the first ever India-Asean summit. Also taking note of the menacing shadow of terrorism in the region, Vajpayee called for sharing of intelligence and information to jointly counter the scourge.
