In a move aimed at providing relief to exporters affected by the global economic slowdown, the government has announced incentives worth Rs 325 crore for industries including leather and textiles, with effect from April 1, 2009.

Export incentives have already been provided for items such as technical textiles, stapling machine, handmade carpets and dried vegetables, Union minister of commerce and industry Kamal Nath said while announcing the annual supplement to India's foreign trade policy on Thursday.

According to government sources, exports fell for the fourth straight month in January.

In a further trade facilitation measure, the government has extended a provision to reduce export obligations in line with the decline in exports.

Nano, the cheapest car in the world, is all set to hit Indian roads by the end of March, turning Ratan Tata's dreams to produce 'the people's car' into reality.

The company will organise a function on 23 March in Mumbai to launch Nano in the presence of renowned personalities from business, political and social sector.

The company said in a statement, "The car will be on display at Tata Motors dealerships from the first week of April. Bookings will commence from the second week of April."

Finally the time has come to drive Tata Motors much awaited and the world's cheapest family car ‘Nano’.

Today, the company announced that it will roll out ‘Nano’ on March 23 in the Mumbai market.

The launch would happen at a function to be held in Mumbai.

The company also said that the bookings for the car will start from April 2009.

In a major declaration, the company said, “The cars will be on display at Tata Motors dealerships from the first week of April 2009. Bookings will commence from the second week of April 2009.”

Whoever wins the next polls, there are only hard choices left for the economy

The coming general election in April-May will be a good one to lose. Whoever wins will struggle to hold on to power; whoever loses will get an inside edge at the next elections, which may come as early as 2011.

Why? It's the economy, stupid. The UPA is leaving behind a right royal economic mess and the next government will be spending most of its time with a bucket and mop, trying to keep a listing boat from capsizing. That's assuming we have a halfway decent coalition, where the partners are at least on talking terms with one another. If that doesn't happen, it's finito.

Nariman Point drops to sixth rank on the list of world's most expensive biz districts

India's financial capital has emerged as the sixth most expensive office location in the world, according to Office Space Across the World 2009, a report by global property consultants Cushman & Wakefield. Nariman Point, the central business district (CBD) of Mumbai, slipped two positions from last year's fourth rank, giving way to Moscow (fourth) and Dubai (fifth).

The study compares office occupancy costs in 202 key locations in 57 countries around the world. After nine years, London has lost its premier status to Hong Kong as the world's most expensive office location as rental values corrected by as much as 23% at West End.

A Pune-based bio-technology company geneOmbio Technologies has bagged the prestigious Indian Steps and Business Incubators Association (ISBA) entrepreneurship award 2008. The award was handed over to the company at Chennai.

The award was given to geneOmbio for its excellent business achievements as a biotechnology and life sciences company of science and technology park (STP), University of Pune. The founder and director (Research and Projects) Bikash Aich and the director-general of STP Rajendra Jagdale received the award from the minister for higher education in Tamil Nadu.