* AGRICULTURE: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the hike in refined edible oil import duty to 10% from 7.5% earlier.
* AVIATION: Tata SIA Airlines has finalised a deal to lease 20 Airbus A320 planes.
* BANKING: Reserve Bank India has allowed close relatives of Non-Resident Indians to be joint bank account holders.
* BROADCAST: The Cabinet approved the guidelines for television rating agencies in the country as proposed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
* CORPORATE: The government needs to focus on boosting the manufacturing sector and smoothening conditions for doing business in India , Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.
* ENERGY: The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons has proposed stringent norms for extending oilfield contracts of private firms. The oil ministry plans to go to the Cabinet seeking a minimum $65 per barrel price for state oil and gas explorers like OIL & NATURAL GAS CORP.
* EXCHANGE: MCX Stock Exchange has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India to launch interest rate futures.
* FDI: The Reserve Bank of India has relaxed foreign direct investment norms by allowing an exit option clause in shares and debentures issued to foreign investors subject to a minimum lock-in period.
* FINANCE: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs accepted the proposals of the finance ministry on the Specified Undertaking of UTI. The Union Cabinet has deferred its earlier decision to create an asset management company for Specified Undertaking of UTI, paving way for sale of its holdings in ITC, LARSEN & TOUBRO and AXIS BANK.
* FREIGHT: Indian railways carried 92.16 mln tn of revenue-earning freight traffic in December, up 4.5% on year.
* GOVERNMENT: An Empowered Group of Ministers may decide on the composition of basket for the proposed public sector enterprises exchange traded fund Friday. The finance ministry is looking at Feb 14 as a possible date for presenting the vote on account for the next financial year starting April.
* INSURANCE: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has said it will allow insurance companies to invest in exchange traded funds and has come out with draft guidelines for such investments.
* LAW: The Supreme Court pulled up the Sahara group for its conduct in the debentures case, and said it may call for an enquiry into the source of over 230 bln rupees that the company claims to have refunded to investors.
* POWER: Distribution companies in Delhi have told the Delhi government that they are running out of money to pay generation and transmission companies, because electricity rates in the city state are too low. Maharashtra State Cabinet is expected to discuss the proposal to cut electricity tariff in the state by about 15% today. The union power ministry is planning to make it mandatory for power distribution companies to buy electricity for hydro projects.
* PRIVATE EQUITY: Motilal Oswal Private Equity Advisors is looking to sell its remaining stake in Parag Milk to a private equity investor.
* PUBLIC SECTOR: Some public sector companies may be unwilling to pay special dividend.
* REGULATORY: The Securities and Exchange Board of India has notified new regulations streamlining the process for settlement of administrative and civil proceedings. The regulator may not allow a person to serve more than five listed companies as independent directors.
* STEEL: Finance Minister Chidambaram to meet state-run steel companies Friday to discuss their capital expenditure plans and dividends expected in 2013-14.
* TAX: The finance ministry has withdrawn tax exemptions given to four state cricket boards.
* TELECOM: The government is likely to levy a spectrum usage charge of more than 3% of telecom companies' annual adjusted gross revenue, for spectrum acquired though auction. The Department of Telecom plans to continue with 500 mln rupees as upper penalty limit for operators for any violation of licence conditions.
* TRADE: The government has changed the rules for import of cars and motorcycles used in racing events.
* AVIATION: Tata SIA Airlines has finalised a deal to lease 20 Airbus A320 planes.
* BANKING: Reserve Bank India has allowed close relatives of Non-Resident Indians to be joint bank account holders.
* BROADCAST: The Cabinet approved the guidelines for television rating agencies in the country as proposed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
* CORPORATE: The government needs to focus on boosting the manufacturing sector and smoothening conditions for doing business in India , Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.
* ENERGY: The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons has proposed stringent norms for extending oilfield contracts of private firms. The oil ministry plans to go to the Cabinet seeking a minimum $65 per barrel price for state oil and gas explorers like OIL & NATURAL GAS CORP.
* EXCHANGE: MCX Stock Exchange has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India to launch interest rate futures.
* FDI: The Reserve Bank of India has relaxed foreign direct investment norms by allowing an exit option clause in shares and debentures issued to foreign investors subject to a minimum lock-in period.
* FINANCE: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs accepted the proposals of the finance ministry on the Specified Undertaking of UTI. The Union Cabinet has deferred its earlier decision to create an asset management company for Specified Undertaking of UTI, paving way for sale of its holdings in ITC, LARSEN & TOUBRO and AXIS BANK.
* FREIGHT: Indian railways carried 92.16 mln tn of revenue-earning freight traffic in December, up 4.5% on year.
* GOVERNMENT: An Empowered Group of Ministers may decide on the composition of basket for the proposed public sector enterprises exchange traded fund Friday. The finance ministry is looking at Feb 14 as a possible date for presenting the vote on account for the next financial year starting April.
* INSURANCE: The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has said it will allow insurance companies to invest in exchange traded funds and has come out with draft guidelines for such investments.
* LAW: The Supreme Court pulled up the Sahara group for its conduct in the debentures case, and said it may call for an enquiry into the source of over 230 bln rupees that the company claims to have refunded to investors.
* POWER: Distribution companies in Delhi have told the Delhi government that they are running out of money to pay generation and transmission companies, because electricity rates in the city state are too low. Maharashtra State Cabinet is expected to discuss the proposal to cut electricity tariff in the state by about 15% today. The union power ministry is planning to make it mandatory for power distribution companies to buy electricity for hydro projects.
* PRIVATE EQUITY: Motilal Oswal Private Equity Advisors is looking to sell its remaining stake in Parag Milk to a private equity investor.
* PUBLIC SECTOR: Some public sector companies may be unwilling to pay special dividend.
* REGULATORY: The Securities and Exchange Board of India has notified new regulations streamlining the process for settlement of administrative and civil proceedings. The regulator may not allow a person to serve more than five listed companies as independent directors.
* STEEL: Finance Minister Chidambaram to meet state-run steel companies Friday to discuss their capital expenditure plans and dividends expected in 2013-14.
* TAX: The finance ministry has withdrawn tax exemptions given to four state cricket boards.
* TELECOM: The government is likely to levy a spectrum usage charge of more than 3% of telecom companies' annual adjusted gross revenue, for spectrum acquired though auction. The Department of Telecom plans to continue with 500 mln rupees as upper penalty limit for operators for any violation of licence conditions.
* TRADE: The government has changed the rules for import of cars and motorcycles used in racing events.
