THE fate of the three notified special economic zones (SEZs) in Goa

Economic think tank NCAER on Tuesday forecasted the Indian economy to grow by 8.5 to 8.9% during 2008-09, despite a slowdown in global economic growth and rising commodity prices. "While the GDP growth in the base case is projected to be 8.5%, in the more comprehensive case, GDP growth is projected at 8.9%,' the latest quarterly review of the economy by NCAER said. The short-term prospects are less attractive than a year earlier despite the fundamentals of growth remaining intact, it said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday called upon the corporate sector to perform its social responsibility in other sectors such as education, social service, power and development by working together with the people and the government. Addressing a session on public-private partnership at a national convention on "Corporate social responsibility' in New Delhi, Ms. Raje said the corporate sector's collaboration with other stakeholders would bring prosperity to it and help evolve its positive role in the progress of the nation.

The proposed coastal industrial corridor by the Infrastructure Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (INCAP) along the Andhra Pradesh coastline from Srikakulam to Nellore has attracted objections from the environmentalists, mass and some rights organisations.

While the Earth may have 10 more years before the effects of global warming begin to take place according to a recent report and climate change is being interlinked with the global food security crisis, the Thirteenth Finance Commission (TFC) headed by Vijay Kelkar is already looking at various measures for managing the ecology and climate change in consistence with sustainable development.

India's current phase of economic growth has highlighted both the disparities in benefits of growth as well as enhanced capacity of the government to do more for those who may not have benefited directly from growth. If the current bout of inflation is on account of faster growth in demand as compared to growth in production capacity, then we need to be more attentive to the needs of those who may be priced out of the market. A few indices such as the consumer price index for agricultural labour do tell us how the cost of living for the rural poor may be affected by inflation.

In what could open new doors towards development, Russia is keen to invest in areas like oil and gas, tourism, power and infrastructure development in Assam. Russian ambassador to India, Vyacheslav Trubnikov, disclosed this to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi at a meeting attended by senior officials of the Government of Russian Federation and the Assam Government at Gogoi's official residence here today, a press release stated. Trubnikov, during the meeting, said that his country wants to develop close ties with the North East part of India and help the region in the process of development.

Iceland Prime Minister Geir Haarde, who since 2006 has presided over this small country that derives 80 percent of its energy needs from renewable sources, has been named the greenest political leader by NEWSWEEK. Iceland's happy status

Power shortage in neighbouring States has turned out to be a boon for the Bhiwadi industrial area in Alwar district of Rajasthan, with the entrepreneurs making a beeline to establish their new units at one of the popular destinations for industrialists. The industrial area, falling in the National Capital Region, has been exempted from load-shedding by Jaipur Vidyut Vitaran Nigam in view of its proximity to Delhi. This has especially attracted industrialists looking for prolonged manufacturing hours.

The new industrial policy of the State government has been framed in such a manner that there is industrial development in all districts, Electricity Minister N.Veeraswami said here on Saturday. Presiding over a seminar at the First World Tamil Economic Conference and Tamil Diaspora Meet, organised by the Madras Development Society, he said new industries were being set up in Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts, neighbouring Chennai. In future other districts would also get units. This would pave the way for all-round development of the State.