India will sign production-sharing contracts in the petroleum sector with private firms, including some from the United States in the next few days. Five US oil-exploration companies are scheduled to sign contracts with the petroleum ministry for 11 blocks. Petroleum minister Vazhpadi Ramamurthy said these contracts would be in addition to the six signed last week.

Commodity board acts to be amended: The union commerce minister Ramakrishna Hegde said in Kochi on Wednesday that a revamp of the commodity boards was on the cards, to make them more effective and representative in character. He said most commodity board acts were outdated and there was an urgent need to amend them.