Economic Survey for transport sector regulatory body

September 4th, 2009 German services sector sales fall 11 pct in Q2FRANKFURT — The German services sector saw second quarter sales fall 11 percent compared with a year earlier as the economic downturn continued to hurt demand. The Wiesbaden-based Federal Statistical Office said Friday that strong declines were seen in the business services sector, which saw sales fall 13 percent, while the transport and warehousing sector saw a 12 percent drop compared to the April-June period of 2008.

August 5th, 2009 Britain's services sector growing fastLONDON — Britain's services sector grew at its fastest rate in nearly a year and a half during July, a closely watched survey showed Wednesday. The Chartered Institute for Purchasing and Supply said its monthly purchasing managers index for the services sector rose to 53.2 in July from 51.6 in June.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Economic Survey the government presented in parliament Thursday called for revitalising the divestment policy so as to generate at least Rs.25,000 crore (Rs.250 billion/$5.22 billion) annually. List all unlisted public sector enterprises and sell a minimum of 10 percent of equity to the public, the survey stated.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's Economic Survey for 2008-09 released here Thursday has called for allowing private players - both domestic and foreign - to invest in the country's nuclear power sector. The survey, tabled in parliament by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, however, said the foreign direct investment (FDI) cap should be fixed at 49 percent.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - After the high growth cycle that followed the economic reforms of 1990s, India should now bring in sweeping changes in its investment climate for the next stage of growth, the Economic Survey for 2008-09 released here Thursday said. "The reforms of the 1990s created a competitive environment in which Indian entrepreneurship could flourish.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Owing to a shortage of long-term finance, it is difficult to achieve the investment target set for the infrastructure sector for the 11th Five-Year Plan period, India's Economic Survey for 2008-09 released here Thursday said. The government has estimated an investment requirement of $500 billion in the infrastructure sector for the plan period that ends in 2012 for achieving inclusive growth.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Indian exports could continue to remain subdued this year amid a dismal outlook for the trade sector and world trade volume output set to decline by 11 percent, the Economic Survey for 2008-09 released by the government Thursday said. Citing recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections of a negative growth of 1.3 percent in world output and falling import demand from major trading partners, the survey said: "India's export of goods and services is expected to be impacted." India's merchandise exports registered a decline for the second straight month in May with the value of shipments 29.2 percent lower at $11.01 billion compared to the $15.55 billion earned the same month last year.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Though comprehensive job loss data is not available for the current financial year, the Economic Survey Thursday said the financial crisis hit the Indian job market in the last quarter of 2008 but improvement in the employment situation was in sight. Quoting a labour ministry survey, it said during October-December 2008, there was decrease in employment of about half a million workers".

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Economic Survey tabled in parliament Thursday has sought the integration of diamond processing sector with jewellery manufacturing so as to boost exports. "Forward integration of the diamond processing sector to jewellery manufacturing, where the value addition achieved is the highest, will help in boosting the export performance once the existing economic downturn passes by, the survey said.

July 2nd, 2009 CHENNAI - Expressing satisfaction over pension sector reforms, the government in its Economic Survey 2008-09 has said the new pension system (NPS) will be offered to more segments. "Efforts are underway to extend the NPS to new segments (autonomous bodies, state governments and unorganised sector) and introducing micro-pension initiatives," said the survey tabled in parliament Thursday.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's Economic Survey for 2008-09, tabled in parliament Thursday, called for revising specific custom duties on the textiles sector to ensure that they match ad valorem tax rates. "Specific duties are intrinsically more opaque than ad valorem tariffs, tending to conceal high ad valorem equivalents.

July 2nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Economic Survey for 2008-09 Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee tabled in parliament Thursday has advocated sweeping policy changes like foreign investment in multi-brand retailing and higher foreign stake in insurance companies. The survey report card suggested the cap on foreign equity in insurance sector be raised to 49 percent from 26 percent currently.

June 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Delhi Government on Monday revealed through its budget that it would primarily focus its attention on transport sector, urban development and water and sanitation in the year ahead. The highest share in the budget 2009-10 has been earmarked for transport sector which was given Rs 3,069 crore (about 31 per cent) followed by Urban Development with Rs 1,524 crore (15 per cent) and Water and Sanitation with Rs 1,366 crore (14 per cent).

February 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India had an estimated 16.5 million service enterprises in 2006-07, with 60 percent of them in rural areas and 90 percent in the form of sole proprietorships, official data showed Friday. The data, which helps government frame policies, assists demographers and gives key inputs for marketing strategies by the corporate sector, also showed that 33.5 million people worked in the service sector, 54 percent in rural areas.

January 22nd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government will soon come up with a model regulatory act for the real estate sector, Minister of State for Poverty Alleviation and Affordable Housing Kumari Selja said here Friday. 'We will soon come up with a model regulatory act for states to follow.