06.11.2006

• SEZ Act amendments demanded by the left parties
• In West Bengal, the SEZ developers are required to utilize 50% of the total area for manufacturing activities and the remaining area for non-processing activities such as houses, roads, parks and restaurants.
• As per the SEZ rules framed by the Centre, only 35% of the area must be used for processing activities. The remaining 65% area can be used for non-processing activities.
• They also want a ban on acquisition of farm land for SEZ activities.
• Country specific restrictions on FDI to be given up
• The ministry of home affairs wants security clearance to FDI proposals on two counts:
• If the proposal relates to a sector perceived by security agencies as ‘critical’ and
• It it is proposed to be located near the international border or in close proximity to any of the vital installations of the country.
• The NSC (National Security Council) has mooted enlarging the scope of restrictions on source of FDI by including China, HongKong, Macau, Taiwan and DPR Korea in the list of ‘countries of concern’.
• The sectors identified for case-to-case security clearance included telecom, petroleum, aviation, ports, drugs and pharmaceuticals, defence industries and media.
• The issue arose out of objections to the proposed investments at Vizhinjam deep sea water port in Kerala by CHEC (China Harbour Engineering Corporation) and KEPC (Kaidi Electric Power Co.) of China.
• NSC feels CHEC has the potential to act as one of the nodes of the Chinese military to monitor sea lanes of communication in the Indian Ocean, the other nodes being Gwadar and Coco Islands where the Chinese have installed signal intelligence facility. There is a possibility of sensitive information being passed on to Pakistan intelligence agencies.
• Death sentence for Saddam Hussein, the former President of Iraq
• On being tried over a wave of revenge killings carried out at Dujail (where 148 Shiite civilians were killed) following a 1982 assassination attempt on him, Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by the trail court.
• Types of pension plans
• Defined benefit: It is based on the final salary and years of service divided by the stated factor.
• Defined contribution: Annuity purchased from the notional contributions on the annual salary.
• Data on Indian households
• There are about 2. 5 mln households with over Rs. 5 lks income per year.
• Personal care industry
• India’s personal care industry is pegged at $38 mln
• Global industry is at $430 mln; growing at 12%.
• Coke companies to bring out value-added drinks
• There is a fall in sales of carbonated drinks by as much as 40% due to pesticola controversy.
• The variants introduced in the last two years have met with limited success.
• Hence the cola majors are looking at introducing value added products like health and wellness drinks – diet, functional, organic and naturally healthy beverages. These are now making up 44% of the global soft drinks market i.e., about $138 bn in 2005.
• India is now a leading country code
• The .in domain registrations have crossed the 2 lk mark, almost double since last year.
• Steel production
• Touched 42 mln tonnes last year.
• Import duties are at 5%.
• TAMP: Tariff Authority for Major Ports. It sets the tariff to be charged by major ports for various services rendered by them.
• Secretary General of OPEC
• Mr. Edmund Daukoru, Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum