1.   

Booster dose: Anand Sharma signals export policy steps

Commerce minister Anand Sharma is expected to announce a slew of measures to boost India’s export sector, hurt by plunging shipment orders from economies in Europe that have been hit by sovereign debt worries and a severe economic crisis. “We have taken a number of measures and we are seriously looking at more measures...and a forward looking, pragmatic (annual supplement) Foreign Trade Policy will be announced on April 18,” he said while addressing the annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

2.   

'Govt to set up monitoring system to check implementation gap'

The government is putting in place a monitoring system to track down implementation gaps in the economy for the ongoing projects and evolving norms aimed at speedier execution in the future, an official has said. Stating this here today, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth spelt out a number of key decisions taken by the government in the recent past to speed up the implementation.

3.   

Customs Union has “several positive aspects for India” - Khristenko

After meeting Indian minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma in New Delhi, Board Chairman of the Eurasian Economic Commission Viktor Khristenko talks about the prospects for India's partnership with the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

4.   

Government to encourage private traders for buying wheat from farmers

Anticipating huge surge in wheat procurement this year, the government is considering options to encourage private traders to buy the grain directly from farmers, Food Minister K V Thomas said today. "Let the private traders come and procure this time. We are working out a mechanism. We don't want to give signal that we will procure wheat for private parties," Thomas said on the sidelines of CII AGM here.