Parliament panel says foreign retailers flouting norms

September 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has constituted an expert group to examine and give its recommendations on pricing of petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene, the petroleum ministry said Thursday. The panel, to be headed by former Planning Commission member Kirit S.

August 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In an effort to keep abreast with international norms, hotels in India will adopt changes to become disabled friendly by next year, the tourism ministry said here Wednesday. The ministry has tried to address major concerns to make the classification norms of hotels friendlier for the differently abled persons by adopting the international best practices, said the ministry in a statement issued here.

July 28th, 2009 UK retailers say sales dropping in JulyLONDON — Most U.K. retailers say that sales are declining in July, though grocery and shoe stores are bucking the trend with rising volumes, the Confederation of British Industry said Tuesday.

July 15th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Two government colleges, flouting rules laid down by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), have asked students to write the contact details and mobile phone numbers on the currency notes when paying their admission fees from Tuesday. The directive by the Government College and the Government College for Girls, both in Sector 11, is in stark violation of the RBI's "Clean Note Policy" that prohibits any writing on currency notes.

July 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Very small dust particles that lodge inside the lungs were at a level above prescribed norms in residential areas of 86 out of 125 Indian cities last year, according to data collected by the government. Called Respirable Suspended Particulate Matter (RSPM), these particles of dust and soot are known to cause respiratory diseases.

May 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued notices to private aviation companies for flouting norms on the use of choppers and private aircraft during the election campaign, a top official said here Tuesday. 'We have received reports from states and the Election Commission regarding violation of norms in the use of choppers and aircraft by political parties during the ongoing poll campaign,' S.N.A.

April 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Election Commission conveyed its 'displeasure' to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia for attending a meeting of a political party and violating the model code of conduct. In its April 23 letter, released Wednesday, the poll panel told Ahluwalia that he may be a political appointee and his term may be co-terminus with the term of the government, but his post is an office under the government.

April 13th, 2009 NEW DELHI - As political leaders brace for the Lok Sabha polls beginning Thursday, the Election Commission has asked all parties to scrupulously observe the Model Code of Conduct and set high standards of electoral morality. In a written communication sent to all recognised national and state political parties late Sunday, the poll panel said: 'The Election Commission expects that all political parties, their leaders, workers and supporters as well as their candidates shall scrupulously observe the Model Code of Conduct in letter and spirit.' While expressing unhappiness at the flouting of norms of the Model Code of Conduct, the Election Commission also asked parties to conduct their electoral campaigns in a way that set 'high standards of electoral morality so as to ensure the integrity and purity of the exercise'.

February 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India Tuesday notified the detailed norms on what constitutes foreign equity in companies that operate in sectors with a cap on overseas investment, after the cabinet rationalised the procedures last week to attract more foreign capital. A press note issued by the commerce ministry says foreign investment of any form in a holding company - equity, preference shares, investments by foreign funds, convertible bonds, American depository shares or global depository receipts - will be considered foreign equity.

February 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The new foreign investment norms will not extend backdoor entry for foreign retailers, Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said Friday, defending the clause that does not count minority overseas stake in a holding company as foreign equity. The minister said there was no change in India's retail trade policy that permitted foreign equity only for single-brand companies and cash and carry wholesale businesses.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has rationalised the foreign investment norms as there is a tightening in the global markets, but the cap on such investments in single-brand retail would continue, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here Thursday. 'The government has rationalised calculation of FDI (foreign direct investment).

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has rationalised the foreign investment norms as there is a tightening in the global markets, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath said here Thursday. 'Government has rationalised calculation of FDI (foreign direct investment).

February 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's cabinet Wednesday relaxed norms governing what constitutes foreign equity in companies that operate in sectors that have a cap on overseas investment in a bid to rationalise procedures. Announcing the cabinet decision, based on the advice of an empowered group of ministers, Home Minister P.

January 1st, 2009 CHENNAI - India's insurance watchdog Friday offered life insurers, and more particularly the private life insurers, a mega New Year gift by easing solvency norms for the third time in recent days. Solvency margin is the excess of assets that a life insurer has to maintain over its liabilities.

December 31st, 2008 MUMBAI - Retailers should cut prices in the next six months to clear inventories and push sales, an industry representative said here Thursday. 'Retailers may reduce prices in the next few months in an effort to make people buy more.