* AVIATION: About 2,100 Air India employees across all categories are set to get their promotion letters soon. AirAsia's Thailand unit will scrap its Kolkata-Bangkok flight from March because the company is losing money on this route.
* BANKING: Asian Development Bank is examining fundraising through issuance of offshore rupee bonds. All regional rural banks will be required to maintain minimum capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 9% on an ongoing basis from Mar 31, RBI has said.
* COMMODITIES: Farmers' union has called a bandh on Thursday and Friday in Maharashtra after talks on hike in sugarcane prices between the state and prime minister failed.
- The Cabinet is likely to take a call Thursday on a proposal to extend powers given to states to impose stock limits on rice and paddy.
- Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association has asked the state government to quash the first information report against promoters of two private mills.
* CORPORATES: Less than five months after it joined the ranks of aspirants for a bank licence, Tata Sons has withdrawn its application.
* EXCHANGES: The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange will introduce day spread limit order type on its platform in select commodities in a phased manner starting Saturday.
* FINANCE: India Infoline Housing Finance plans to raise at least 2.5 bln rupees through public issue of secured redeemable non-convertible debentures maturing in 60 months.
* FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: The Cabinet is likely to take up the proposed revised policies on foreign direct investment in the pharmaceutical and realty sectors on Thursday.
* INFRASTRUCTURE: The road ministry has approved 14 highway projects to be bid under the engineering, procurement, and construction model.
* MINING: The Directorate of Mines and Geology, Goa , will undertake re-verification of iron-ore inventory in the state.
- The government's decision to cancel allocation of 11 captive coal blocks to 18 companies may turn 240 bln rupees invested into developing these mines into sunk capital.
* PHARMACEUTICALS: KKR is set to acquire a 35% stake in Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma for a little over $200 mln (around 13 bln rupees).
- ICICI Venture is close to finalising a deal to sell its 67% stake in Medica Synergie to Singapore-based Quadria Capital for 1.60 bln rupees.
* REGULATORY: SEBI has allowed limited liability partnerships to become members of stock exchanges. SEBI is now planning to tweak periodic call auction norms to improve efficacy.
* TAXATION: The Central Board of Excise and Customs will lower the threshold of mandatory payment of excise and service tax through internet banking from 1 mln rupees to 100,000 rupees from Jan 1.
* TELECOM: Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India has set a cap on tariff for mobile banking services at 1.50 rupees per transaction. The trial court has concluded prosecution evidence and recording of CBI witness' statements in the 2G-scam case probe.
- Government is set to approve lower spectrum usage charges for telecom companies, while also paving way for a lenient penalty regime for minor offences. The Competition Commission of India will undertake a probe to see if Swedish mobile infrastructure player Ericsson is indulging in anti-competitive practices.
* TRADE: Government is bargaining hard at WTO to ensure pharma industry and spices exporters are not adversely hit by the proposed pact on trade facilitation.
* BANKING: Asian Development Bank is examining fundraising through issuance of offshore rupee bonds. All regional rural banks will be required to maintain minimum capital to risk-weighted assets ratio of 9% on an ongoing basis from Mar 31, RBI has said.
* COMMODITIES: Farmers' union has called a bandh on Thursday and Friday in Maharashtra after talks on hike in sugarcane prices between the state and prime minister failed.
- The Cabinet is likely to take a call Thursday on a proposal to extend powers given to states to impose stock limits on rice and paddy.
- Uttar Pradesh Sugar Mills Association has asked the state government to quash the first information report against promoters of two private mills.
* CORPORATES: Less than five months after it joined the ranks of aspirants for a bank licence, Tata Sons has withdrawn its application.
* EXCHANGES: The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange will introduce day spread limit order type on its platform in select commodities in a phased manner starting Saturday.
* FINANCE: India Infoline Housing Finance plans to raise at least 2.5 bln rupees through public issue of secured redeemable non-convertible debentures maturing in 60 months.
* FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT: The Cabinet is likely to take up the proposed revised policies on foreign direct investment in the pharmaceutical and realty sectors on Thursday.
* INFRASTRUCTURE: The road ministry has approved 14 highway projects to be bid under the engineering, procurement, and construction model.
* MINING: The Directorate of Mines and Geology, Goa , will undertake re-verification of iron-ore inventory in the state.
- The government's decision to cancel allocation of 11 captive coal blocks to 18 companies may turn 240 bln rupees invested into developing these mines into sunk capital.
* PHARMACEUTICALS: KKR is set to acquire a 35% stake in Hyderabad-based Gland Pharma for a little over $200 mln (around 13 bln rupees).
- ICICI Venture is close to finalising a deal to sell its 67% stake in Medica Synergie to Singapore-based Quadria Capital for 1.60 bln rupees.
* REGULATORY: SEBI has allowed limited liability partnerships to become members of stock exchanges. SEBI is now planning to tweak periodic call auction norms to improve efficacy.
* TAXATION: The Central Board of Excise and Customs will lower the threshold of mandatory payment of excise and service tax through internet banking from 1 mln rupees to 100,000 rupees from Jan 1.
* TELECOM: Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India has set a cap on tariff for mobile banking services at 1.50 rupees per transaction. The trial court has concluded prosecution evidence and recording of CBI witness' statements in the 2G-scam case probe.
- Government is set to approve lower spectrum usage charges for telecom companies, while also paving way for a lenient penalty regime for minor offences. The Competition Commission of India will undertake a probe to see if Swedish mobile infrastructure player Ericsson is indulging in anti-competitive practices.
* TRADE: Government is bargaining hard at WTO to ensure pharma industry and spices exporters are not adversely hit by the proposed pact on trade facilitation.
