Telecom unions threaten strike on Nov 12: Five telecom unions have threatened to go on a day's token strike on November 12 in protest against the corporatisation of the telecom department. Over 2 lakh employees across the country will join the token strike, unionsources claimed.

No affidavit on CVC ordinance in Supreme Court: The Union government is yet to file any affidavit in the Supreme Court in the case where the constitutional validity of the controversial Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) ordinance has been challenged. Non-filing of any affidavit assumes significance as Attorney General Soli Sorabjee last month had sought only 15 days time to prepare a detailed note regarding the fine tuning of the ordinance and place it before the Cabinet.

Marginal decline in inflation rate: The annual rate of inflation fell further by 0.12 percentage points to 8.10 per cent for the week ended October 10, despite the continued increase in prices of food articles. During the week, inflation rate, based on the wholesale price index (WPI), fell to 8.10 per cent (provisional) from 8.22 per cent in the previous week.

Trinamool Congress workers on rampage: Trinamool Congress activists went on a rampage in Calcutta on Sunday after alleged manhandling ofparty chief Mamata Banerjee. Police said the party workers put up road blocks at several points bringing the movement of vehicles to a halt resulting in massive traffic snarls. Banerjee, who is continuing her sit-in demonstration in protest against the eviction of ``illegal occupants,'' demanded that the evicted be immediately rehabilitated.

Bokaro hopes to regain lost HR coil market: The Bokaro Steel Plant is optimistic to regain its lost HR coil market with world-class products after stabilisation of its modernised units, according to its managing director B K Singh. He claimed that Bokaro's continuous caster is "the best available in the country".

Titagarh to restructure operations: Titagarh Industries Ltd, the flagship of J P Chowdhary, has decided to restructure its operations and float a separate company for its wagon manufacturing, steel and engineering operations. Only its operations in paper production will remain with the organisation.

Rs 130cr term loan for Sidbi: TheMaharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, a nodal agency for growth of industries in the state, has received a shot in the arm with Sidbi agreeing to provide Rs 130 crore term loan to three self-supporting infrastructure projects.

Excise department go-slow: The excise department is going slow in initiating prosecution proceedings against some large corporates as it hopes that a number of these will opt for the Kar Vivad Samadhan Scheme which closes on December 31. Sources said the go-slow strategy was being adopted specially in the case of tyre companies.

DGFT asks carmakers to specify import content: The Director General of Foreign Trade has sent notices to all joint car ventures, including Maruti Udyog, to furnish details on the import content in cars manufactured by them. "The notices have been sent as a matter of routine," director general NN Lakhanpal told PTI.

Centre to allow private firms for CBM exploration: The government has decided to offer blocks of coalbed methane, the new energy resource, to private and national oil companies for exploration and exploitation, Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Santosh Gangwar said in New Delhi.

Mining, machinery expo from today: Minister of steel and mines Naveen Patnaik will inaugurate the fifth international mining and machinery exhibition on Monday.

Patel rules out postponement: Karnataka chief minister JH Patel on Sunday ruled out postponement of the legislature session scheduled to begin from October 29 and said the legislature party would meet only after the session. He said he had decided to hold the legislature party meeting after the session.