Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) - Tamil Nadu plans to prepare a roadmap to enhance the competitiveness of healthcare sector in the state, and one of the main focus areas will be upgrading the primary health centres (PHCs) through public-private partnership (PPP). The industry chamber is also planning to promote solar energy, through pilot demonstration projects, with funding support from Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). R Nandini, chairperson, Tamil Nadu...

Detailed project report for the yard will be ready soon    Even as Tirupur grew exponentially to carve out a niche for itself in the world textile map, the city is yet to have some of the basic infrastructure needed to keep the area clean and hygienic. One of them is ‘modern compost yard', a project that was conceptualised many years ago but did not take off owing to bureaucratic red-tapism. No-objection...

THE Union agriculture ministry will redraft the seed bill following complaints by MPs, states and farmer groups. Their main grouse is that the bill, which aims to regulate the quality of seeds, does not monitor their prices, crucial for farmers. The Seed Bill 2010 was approved by the Cabinet in March and was to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha in mid-April. Sources in the ministry said MPs and state government...

Universities to provide infrastructure Courses will meet needs of specific communities CHENNAI: At least ten community colleges will be started by each university to provide vocational training to unskilled workers by September 1, a meeting chaired by Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy decided on Wednesday. A. Ramasamy, Vice-Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE), said universities would provide infrastructure and faculty support, while the Directorate of Technical Education would provide the...

The fight against Naxalites and development activity in rebel-affected areas are set to get a much-needed impetus over the next two years. Authorities in 11 rebel-affected districts of Jharkhand, which are among 33 across the country, have been told by the Planning Commission to prepare development plans to the tune of Rs 100 crore each for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 fiscals. Since the beginning of the month, deputy commissioners of...