Ministry plans bids for basic, cellular circles by year-end
The ministry of communications plans to go in for the fourth round of bidding in basic telephone circles and the second round in cellular circles by this year-end.

Export data for 1998-99 revised to $32.77 billion
The updated export data for 1998-99 stands revised to $32.77 billion, up by about $63 million from $32.70 billion estimated by the commerce ministry earlier.

OIDB slashes lending rate for Numaligarh refinery to 10%
The Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) has slashed the lending rate for the Rs 2,600 crore Numaligarh refinery to 10% from 14%, a move that will result in annual savings of Rs 50 crore.

  PC sales down 4% -- Mait
  Planning Commission draws road map for power sector reforms-II
  Centre announces 14 new national highways, covering 11 states
  Briefing
  Energy Management Centre to map small hydro potential of Kerala
  New Campaigns
  Fiscal deficit well above target rate
  Executive Briefing
  Hegde calls for withdrawal of quantitative restrictions
  US cautions Pak against linking Kargil pullout to Siachen
  DoT official denies pact on 15% interim revenue share
  Dependence on rain-fed crops causes rise in edible oil imports
  The Kargil Cause
  Fierce fighting in Dras, Batalik sectors
  Khusro urges Bihar to improve revenue from natural resources
  Patnaik hails foodgrain allocation decision
  Pakistan may again initiate proxy war in Jammu & Kashmir, warns Advani
  `Coffee Board must focus on weather-friendly seeds'
  Cotton textile exports decline 4 per cent, says Texprocil
  Singapore's monetary authority says it tried to weaken currency
  Briefing