Ifci should reorient its focus, says chamber:
Industrial Finance Corporation of India (IFCI) should give priority to rehabilitation of viable sick units and new entrepreneurs, the Phd Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Phdcci) said onSunday. In a background paper, the chamber said that since new entrepreneurs need to establish themselves in greenfield projects, agro-based industries and software projects, they require active support of financial institutions. "IFCI should reorient its strategies by diversifying the sources of finance and give more focus on management of liabilities, ensuring adequate finance and service packages to industries at competitive rates," the chamber said.

Radisson to set up hotel-management company :
American hospitality major, Radisson Hotels Worldwide, plans to set up a joint-venture hotel-management company in the country to impart training in various aspects of hotel management. Radisson, which has two operational hotels in the country, would use the new company in honing the skills of its employees and others in the field, Radisson Hotels International senior vice-president (development) James W Olson said on Sunday. The new company will be known as RHW Management Services India.

Newtoffee industries entitled to sales tax exemption in UP:
The Supreme Court has ruled that toffee is not a "sweetmeat" or commodity of a like nature and, hence, new toffee industries in Uttar Pradesh were entitled to sales-tax exemption under 1991 notification by the state.

Setting aside a high court order, a three-judge bench directed the state government to grant required eligibility certificate to such industries and extend the benefit of sales tax exemption as legally available.

`Increased input costs to squeeze margins':
Increase in prices of industrial inputs will further squeeze industry's profit margins and affect investment prospects, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has said. While prices of raw materials and fuel and power used by the industry had gone up in the second quarter, prices of industrial goods have remained constant, raising fears that the corporate sector's profits would be reduced if this trend continued in the second half of thefiscal year, chamber president L Lakshman said in a statement on Saturday. British delegation to visit country: A 25-member delegation from the British healthcare industry will be visiting India from October 12-17, as part of an ongoing programme of Indo-British partnership.

The delegation, led by Euromedica chairman John F Fulford, comprises representatives of 23 British healthcare companies, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Association of British Healthcare Industry. These British companies are seeking distributors and partners for joint ventures and collaborations.

Two-day conference at Brussels:
Commerce minister Ramakrishna Hegde, Worldtel chairman Sam Pitroda and top government functionaries are among the officials who are taking part in the two-day conference on "Doing business with India" at Brussels commencing from today. The conference is the first of the series proposed.