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Inflation comes to an eight-month low

     New Delhi: Coming down to a eight-month low, inflation shed another 0.12 per cent to come down to 5.25 per cent for the week ended January 29, despite costlier fruits and vegetables. The point-to-point wholesale price index inflation has come down from last week's 5.37 per cent mainly due to the fall in the price of edible oils. On the other hand, the fuel prices remained firm, although there was a dip in global markets ahead of the OPEC meeting. General price index in the previous year period was as high as 5.91 per cent.

Plan panel asks government to shut down sick PSEs

     New Delhi: The Planning Commission wants the government to shut down all the sick public sector enterprises (PSEs), according to reports. Unperturbed by the continuous criticism from the Left parties, commission's chairman, Montek Singh Ahluwalia is going ahead with the economic reforms agenda. It has been said that 27 chronically sick PSEs have been identified. The Planning Commission has also recommended speeding up the process of winding up other sick PSEs. Planning Commission has also asked the government to be careful while announcing revival packages for loss-making PSEs, keeping in mind that previous attempts have usually failed. It has suggested the government to look into the aspect of revival after some key measures. First, government should consult a professional institute before trying to revive a sick PSE. Second, government should ask PSEs to take loans from different financial institutions rather than the Finance Ministry doling out loans to PSEs. It has also suggested the government to invite the private sector to participate in the revival process.