Centre to float Rs 100-crore fund to boost infotech industry
The Centre will float a Rs 100-crore venture capital fund before the end of the current fiscal to boost the information technology (IT) industry. The Small Industries Development Corporation (Sidbi) and ICICI will contribute Rs 40 crore and Rs 20 crore respectively, while the balance will come from union department of electronics (DoE) and IT industry.

Small savings surge may prompt ministry to hawk 2 sets of deficit figures
The finance ministry plans to prominently peddle two sets of figures on the fiscal deficit on February 27. One would be net of small savings while the other would incorporate it. This is being contemplated following a forecast that small savings may swell the fiscal deficit by a whopping Rs 12,000 crore instead of the earlier estimate of Rs 10,000 crore.

Draft telecom policy spells out new targets
Telephone on demand by 2002, tele-density of 7 by the year 2005, achieving 100% telecom coverage of villages and international subscriber dialing (ISD) services in towns with two lakh population by 2002 are among several new targets spelt out in the draft discussion paper on telecommunications.

  Oil ends higher on US products strength
  Anti-dumping duty on styrene rubber mooted
  Commodity Briefing
  Banks, agencies need to pull up socks to offset duty hike
  Minister for talks with ICMA to formulate pollution control
  World Gold Council may team up with banks for refinery
  Stock pile-up in Grasim, SIV Industries backyard
  UK's banks wear designer brands to rivet youngsters
  Corporate Results
  Sinha may trim subsidies in Budget
  Reserve Bank spikes Khan panel suggestions
  Executive Briefing
  In brief
  SP Talwar chides analysts for painting bleak NPA picture
  Link economic policies to job creation
  Export growth negative in April-Dec
  Separate supervisory body for institutions suggested
  Universal primary education can raise GDP by 20%