Vol 1 Issue 40

Sept. 09, 2012

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Price Re. 1 Only

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Motorists beware

Fuel price hike will cause a big hole in yourpocket next week

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The government may hike petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene prices simultaneously as early as next week, with Oil Minister S Jaipal Reddy on Friday saying "difficult and painful" decisions need to be taken. The Ministry, however, is wary of the fact that if oil firms are allowed to raise petrol prices today or tomorrow, the political opposition of the unpopular move may force the hands of the Cabinet into not hiking diesel, LPG and kerosene rates when it may meet next week. "There are no immediate proposals to raise prices of various oil products including petrol," Reddy told reporters. With oil firms losing a record Rs 560 crore per day on sale of regulated diesel and cooking fuels and another Rs 16 a day on petrol, the Oil Ministry is pushing for raising rates once the Monsoon Session of Parliament ends today. "We are of course facing crisis of unpredictable magnitude... Our oil companies will lose huge nearly Rs 200,000 crore (if rates are not raised)," Reddy said, adding that steps need to be taken to reduce this deficit. "We have to take some difficult, painful decisions." On the political opposition to raising fuel rates, Reddy said fuel pricing was a

classic case of "politics defeating economics". Reddy said he had moved a note for the consideration of the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) explaining the precarious situation facing the oil sector. "It is my duty as a minister to bring facts to the notice of CCPA. When will it meet, I have no idea". State-owned fuel retailers are losing over Rs 5 per litre on sale of petrol, a commodity which was freed from government control in June 2010 but whose rates haven't moved in tandem with cost. They sell diesel at a loss of Rs 19.26 a litre, kerosene at Rs 34.34 per litre and domestic LPG at Rs 347 per 14.2-kg cylinder. "I have circulated terrible facts (about prices to Cabinet). Subsidy burden is very high... There is no escaping the very difficult and painful part of taking a decision on petroleum prices," Reddy said. Besides hike in diesel, cooking gas and kerosene prices, the Oil Ministry is also seeking to limit supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to 4-6 per household in a year. The ministry's proposal to CCPA also includes barring households with income of more than Rs 50,000 per month or Rs 6 lakh in a year from getting subsidised LPG cylinders.

The Cabinet committee is likely to consider the hike on the first occasion it meets. "It is for the Cabinet S e c r e ta r y to fi x th e meeting," Reddy said, when asked when the CCPA was supposed to meet. Indian Oil Corp (IOC) Chairman R S Butola said even though the oil companies were free to raise petrol prices, they hold "consultations" with the government. "We are losing Rs 16 crore per day on petrol," he said, adding that the three oil marketing companies were holding discussions on the timing of raising petrol price with the government. Diesel, domestic LPG and PDS kerosene rates have not been changed since June 2011 even though cost of production has soared 28 percent. Oil PSUs are losing Rs 560 crore per day on sale of diesel and cooking fuel at present, and are forced to resort to short-term borrowings to meet funds needed for importing crude oil (raw material for making fuel). Borrowings of the three state fuel retailers, who in the first quarter reported biggest net losses in India's corporate history, shot up to Rs 1,57,617 crore at end of June from Rs 1,28,272 crore as on March 31.

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ALPHA TIMES

Sept. 09, 2012

Vol 1 ISSUE 40

Sept. 09, 2012

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For the week Sept. 09 to 15, 2012

Aries[ March 21 to April 21 ] Romantic relationships that may have created discomfort in the past week might actually give you reason to smile now. Be compassionate towards the work pressures of your beloved. Lucky colour: Mauve. Taurus [ April 21 to May 21 ] Even though you have paid attention to the details at work, you are overlooking something crucial. The financial situation will get better with time and steadily rise. Lucky colour: Rust. Gemini[ May 21 to June 21 ] Dont hold on to things, it will make you bitter. Be patient, things will be better than anticipated. An unexpected twist of fate will be a turning point for you in reaching your goal. Lucky colour: Mid-night blue. Cancer[ June 22 to July 22 ] You are determined to succeed. The right attitude and focus on the task will help you greatly. However, you cannot do it alone. When you least expect someone will come to your aid. Lucky colour: Yellow. Leo [ July 23 to Aug 23 ] Your life is abuzz with activity. But rather than participating, you intend to be an onlooker. This may not go down well with family members. Be flexible; see their point of view. Lucky colour: Green. Virgo [ Aug 24 to Sept 22 ] Your focus will shift from work to family. This might upset seniors and disrupt the work flow of your juniors. Believe your gut feeling before proceeding to the next level. Be decisive. Lucky colour: Olive. Libra [Sept 23 to Oct 23 ] You may not get along with people around you. Try to put yourself in their shoes. If nothing works, seek the council of an impartial elder. Sort out the differences before it gets out of hand. Lucky colour: Peach. Scorpio [Oct 24 to Nov 22 ] Dont get carried away; support those ventures you believe in. Stay away from people who might sweet talk to get their own way. Financially, a rewarding week . You will pay pending payments. Lucky colour: Red. Sagittarius [ Nov 23 to Dec 23] A tempting offer will lure. Before you take the plunge, review it thoroughly. You may encounter obstacles in your path. Take them in stride, smile and swim your way through. Lucky colour: White. Capricorn [Dec 24 to Jan 20] Be slow in money matters especially if you are planning to gamble or invest large sum. Trivial problems will cease to trouble you. A new exciting venture is on its way. Lucky colour: Orange. Aquarius [ Jan 21 to Feb 18 ] Ignore criticism and opposition. Dont let anything distract you from your goal. Straighten your affairs and refuse to accept less than what is your due. You can expect monetary gains. Lucky colour: Purple. Pisces [Feb 19 to March 20 ] You may feel lonely. Instead of moaning, mingle with friends and have fun. Its important that you change your attitude and open yourself up to those around you. Take care of your eyes. Lucky colour: Pink. - Dr. A. Ranganatha Sarma

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Sept. 09, 2012

ALPHA TIMES

Page 3
a park. People living in the adjacent slum areas, do not actually know that this is a park today. They continue to use it for such rituals, said R Govindaraj, President, Chennai District, Civic Exnora The meet also highlighted the fact that a separate building constructed by the Chennai Corporation for the purpose remains unused. In addition, the other key issues faced by the walkers include illegal activities like drug abuse and issues like insufficient lighting, poor maintenance, encroachments, water logging and lack of greenery. The lights which were built earlier are broken by miscreants, and the ideal solution to this would be to set up lights in a way that one cannot reach them, said Govindaraj. The Civic Exnora on its part proposed to meet the Chennai Corporation Mayor Saidai Duraisamy with the concerns on September 9. ENS

Intolerance causes another MTC bus jumping the bridge

Sharma Park - venue for rituals for the dead

A major accident involving an MTC bus was averted in North Usman road, here on Thursday night, proving to be a close shave for passengers of the bus and an SUV. The bus, running on MTC route 27 C, between Tiruverkadu and T Nagar, was making its way towards T Nagar when the accident took place. The bus driver was in the process of overtaking a vehicle as it exited a bridge. An oncoming SUV was left with no space and the two vehicles were moving towards a head-on collision. The bus driver attempted to avoid this by swerving the bus to the left, bringing down at least 10 m of the wall at the base of the bridge that cordons off a service lane area. The bus also damaged the front right door of the SUV. Pondy Bazaar Traffic Investigation responded to the distress call and the bus was removed within 30 minutes to ease the traffic. Sub-Inspector Munusamy told Express there were no casualties and the bus was in perfect running condition. He added that the bus driver was also perfectly alright when he got down from the bus. However, MTC officials claimed that the bus

driver Kasi (42), fainted on the wheel and was subsequently hospitalised after the accident. A technical team from MTC was also reviewing the bus. A case has been registered by the police. A woman traveller sustained minor injuries, according to police sources. MTC commuters are still struggling to shrug off memories of the MTC bus jumping off Gemini Flyover a few months ago on June 27.

At a time when city parks are witnessing renovation and implementation of management methods to make it convenient for visitors, there are a few parks like Sharma Park on Habibullah Road, T Nagar that lie abandoned and are in a state of neglect. The park is host to a number of civic issues which have been brought to light in

a recent meet organised by the Civic Exnora. Among them what stood out was the fact that the park serves as a spot for conducting rituals for the dead. Earlier the park was an open area, thus the residents from the adjacent slum areas used it for rituals that has continued as a constant practice even after the space was converted into

ALPHA TIMES Mikeless Kutcheri

ALPHA TIMES in a bid to promote young talents in Carnatic Music is palnning to hold mikeless kutcheris beginning from Vijaya Dasami - .24 October 2012 It will be a launch pad for young children, aged below18 years, to shed their inhibitions and give them confidence to perform in front of an audience. The selected persons will be intimated by email for an audition and subsequently they will be asked to perform on a specific day. For registration, email your profile along with age proof and photgraph to

atmikelesskutcheri@gmail.com
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Vishnu Sahasranamam recitation contest

Vishnu Sahasranama Satsangam, Besant Nagar, will conduct a competition on recitation of Vishnu Sahasranamam on September 30 at Dr. MGR Janaki College of Arts and Science for Women for school students. The syllabus is as follows: from Pre-KG to UKG, (first10 slokas); Class I and II, (first 25 slokas); Class III, IV, and V, (first 50 slokas); Class VI, VII, and VIII (first 100 slokas); Class IX and X (full text); and Class XI and XII (full text and the meaning of lords name will be asked). The contest will begin at 9 a.m. For registration details, contact 2445 1067 / 2445 4354.

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ALPHA TIMES

Sept. 09, 2012

Our Team

AlphA Times

Teachers Excellence Award

Editor S Raghunathan Advisor K Venkataraghavan Reporters Bharadwaj Krishnan K Gopinathan Production Layout: Anand Print production: Lakshminrisimhan Circulation R karthikeyan 99411 16677 Advertisement Desk 94449 43293 Office R V Publications Private Ltd., B4-2, Vijayaraghava Manor 1,Vijayaraghava Road, T. Nagar, Chennai 600 017 Ph: 42697393

Tamil Nadu Education Research & Development Organisation in association with Sri Krishna Sweets jointly organisird Teachers Day Function in which Teachers Excellence Award were conferred.

Pregnancy care programmes

Thaimai Essence of Motherhood, series of pregnancy care programmes is offered by Isha Arogya, Chennai. The programme begins on September 9, 10 a.m., at O2 Health Studio, Nungambakkam. Isha Thaimai Programme has been initiated keeping in mind the improvement in the health of both the foetus and the mother. The programme includes audiovisual teaching: scientific sessions in simple terms about motherhood and its beauty beginning with fertilization, changes during pregnancy to delivery, breast-feeding, child care, growth and development. It also includes simple, time tested yogic practices, asanas and pranayama to suit the mothers needs. Focus will be on nutrition too. Importance of food and nutritional needs during pregnancy is stressed upon through practical demonstrations of healthy recipes. For details, call 97898 56290 / 94425 90017

SV commemoration lecture on various religions

Sri Ramakrishna Mission will conduct a programme on Unity of Mankind through Harmony of Religions on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 3.30 p.m in Infosys Hall Ramakrishna Mission S c h o o l , - T N a g a r. i n commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Swami Gautamanandaji Maharaj - Senior Trustee, Ramakrishna Mission will delier the inaugural address. Also eminent persons as detailed below will give a lecture on various religions, B. Vinayagam on Buddhism in Tamil., Priyadarshana Jain - HOD, Jainology Dept., Madras University - on Jainism, Sardar Nanak Singh Nishter - Director, International Sikh Center - on Sikhism., K. P. Aleaz - Professor of Religions, Bishops College-on Christianity, Abdul Rahuman on Islam in Tamil, Sri Sukhi Sivam on Hinduism in Tamil. All are welcome

Sri Suprabatha Sabha Anniversary in Pictures

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Sept. 09, 2012

ALPHA TIMES
or television studios. Allow Parliament to function in Parliament office", he said. Taking further Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's contention that the session will be remembered for work not done, Bansal said the washout of the session has "inflicted a wound on the body politic of India". Minister of State for Planning Ashwini Kumar said, "lakhs of rupees of taxpayers' money have been spent on everyday in the stalled procedure of Parliament, which has not been accounted for". Dismissing as "constitutionally perverse" BJP's demand for the

Page 5
resignation of the Prime Minister, Kumar accused BJP of causing "incalculable damage" to institutional pillars of democracy and "disabling Parliament" to reflect the voice of the people

Each minute of running Parliament in session costs Rs 2.5 lakh

Tax payers do you know

Each minute of running Parliament during sessions costs the exchequer Rs 2.5 lakh. This was reminded by the government to the Opposition as the monsoon session of parliament was almost completely washed out over the controversy on coal block allocations with BJP insistent on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation. "In one year, Parliament runs for eighty days during s e s s i o n s . E a c h d a y, business in both Houses are transacted for around six hours. If we take into account the total annual

expenditure on Parliament, then for each minute of running the House costs Rs 2.5 lakh," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal told reporters here. He said 77 per cent of the session's business time in Lok Sabha and 72 per cent in Rajya Sabha was lost due to disruptions in this session and asked the Opposition to realise that "enough is enough". Bansal said Parliament will lose its relevance and significance if only disruptions take place in the House. "Parliament should not be taken to 11 Ashoka Road (BJP's headquarters here)

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ALPHA TIMES

Sept. 09, 2012

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Page 7

Consumer Rights

Market News
harassment and hardship caused to you as a result of the defects. You can also ask for costs of litigation. You can name only the retailer or both the retailer and the manufacturer as the opposite parties. The complaint has to be filed within two years from the day the cause of action arose. I would suggest that you first write a formal letter to the retailer and the manufacturer, explaining the defects and the fact that if they fail to resolve the issue immediately and give you a new replacement, you will be constrained to go to the consumer court. You can also point out that at this point, the company only needs to give you a new replacement with a fresh warranty, but if you go to the consumer court, they will have to spend on their lawyer and also pay you compensation and interest on the refund due to you. If they are smart, they will replace your machine immediately. Recently, I bought a kg of sweets from a halwai. When he weighed the sweets along with the box, I protested and he told me that the box weighed 100 gm and he would give me 100 gm of sweets extra to make up for it. After we had consumed the sweets, out of sheer curiosity, I weighed the empty packet and to my surprise and shock, I found that it weighed 250 gm. What action can I take against the shopkeeper? You can join up with other residents in your area or a consumer group, purchase a few more packets of sweets from the shop (be sure to collect the receipt) and check the weight of the boxes. If this proves that the shopkeeper is defrauding customers (that, if the boxes weigh more than what is claimed), then get witnesses to sign on a paper indicating the correct weight and file a complaint before the consumer court. Here, you can not only seek compensation, punitive damages and costs of litigation, but also a direction to the shopkeeper to credit to the account of the Consumer Welfare Fund, the amount earned by defrauding customers during the past one year. (This can be calculated on the basis of his sales). In the case of Hotel Nyay Mandir vs Ishwar Lal Jinabhai Desai ( RP No 550 of 2006, decided on December 14, 2010), the highest consumer court upheld such a plea made by the complainant and directed a seller to pay Rs 1,50,000 to the Consumer Welfare Fund and also pay the consumer, Rs 5,000 as compensation and Rs 1,000 as costs, besides refunding him Rs 22 extra charged on a soft drink. In addition, you should also lodge a complaint with the Controller, Department of Legal Metrology.
- Pushpa G - TNS

How do I file a complaint in the consumer court?

During Diwali last year, I purchased a washing machine. But from day one, it did not work properly and despite repeated repairs, the service centre has not been able to detect or rectify the problem. Now I want to file a complaint before the consumer court. How do I go about doing that? First and foremost, you need to put together some crucial evidence to back your complaint: (a) an attested copy of the receipt showing the date of purchase, the model and the retailer from whom you have bought the machine. (b) Job cards or the receipts of the service centre (or the person attending to your complaint) to show the repeated complaints and the repair work undertaken (c) copies of letters, if any, that you have written to the company complaining about the defects in the machine. (d) If there are any brochures about the product, extolling its virtues, keep them too- it would help you establish the fact that the product was different from what was promised. In addition, if you can get an expert to certify to the defects, it would further strengthen your case. Once you have these papers, you can write out your complaint, explaining briefly, the factors leading to the complaint and the redress that you seek a replacement or a refund and also compensation for the

MCX SX to usher in battle of the exchanges

With the MCX Stock Exchange (MCX SX) planning to start trading in equities and debt segment by Diwali, the battle of the exchanges is all set to begin. MCX would be the 3rd equity and derivative exchange in India, after the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock exchange. The exchange is promoted by FT and Commodity Exchange MCX, which is the only commodities exchange in India. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had granted MCX-SX permission to deal in equity and equity futures & options, interest rate futures and wholesale debt segments subject to a few conditions in the month of July. . MCX-SX, if reports are to be believed will go live with equity and debt market trading from Diwali. It has already started a membership drive, which is way below that of the NSE and which will now spark a fierce membership price war. According to a Business Standard report a broker will have to shell out nearly 80 per cent less, Rs 25 lakh for membership of MCS-SX compared to National Stock Exchange's (NSE) Rs 1.5 crore, during the offer period to become a trading member. The NSE membership is high, as it is a premium exchange and is a leader in the equity cash and derivative segment, followed by the Bombay Stock Exchange. Over the years, the NSE has dominated the capital market segments, over the Bombay Stock Exchange, despite the latter having the largest largest number of listed companies in the world. The MCX-SX in order to compete will have to break the dominance of the BSE and NSE, especially when volumes are dismal and market conditions are pathetic. Brokerage rates have already fallen to absymally low levels and the business prospects are pretty tough. How successful it is in its membership drive would also remain important, since this would help it develop a network. It's sure going to be a long way to go for the MCX-SX and the journey is unlikely to be that simple.

Different Strokes

Who is better-girls or boys?

a certain thing in it: the usage of words like mankind, chairman, businessman, etc. This usage, in my opinion, reflects nothing other than a male-dominated society in which women are subordinate to the chairmen, businessman, etc. The unconscious effects these words leave on our minds contribute very much in maintaining our patriarchal attitude, thus reducing the chances of creating a world which equally values the abilities of both genders. Therefore, I think we should endeavour to spread the use of gender-neutral words, e.g., businessperson rather than businessman, so that discrimination can be kept to a minimum, if not entirely eradicated. In addition, television is an extremely influential source of strengthening stereotypes. At first, young minds are free of any kind of bias. However, cartoon movies, more often than not, portray the protagonist as a boy. As a consequence, young people begin imagining that girls can never be powerful and audacious enough to secure the lead character in any story the one who is involved in the fierce struggle against the negative characters. There are protagonists such as Spiderman, Superman, Batman, etc., but no such woman exists in the cartoon world. The few female characters presented in these cartoons are either those that are the friends of the hero or main character, or at most their assistants. In the cartoon series Ben 10, for instance, the central character is Ben whereas Gwen (Bens cousin) plays only the role of a helper to Ben.

Whenever girls and boys gather at a place, a very controversial and oft-heard argument arises, Who is better girls or boys? Many people believe that boys are superior. Nevertheless, according to me, we ought to cease arguing on this issue because there is no question of superiority in genders. Both genders are equal and should be treated as such. A very common myth among us is that girls cant study science subjects. This myth appears very irrational. How can girls study these subjects when their friends and families discourage them from opting for these subjects? Even when some ambitious and motivated girl does succeed in being permitted to study the so called boyish subjects, her friends and relatives leave no stone unturned to direct towards her a torrent of disheartening remarks like, You would regret your decision when you fail this subject, You would barely pass this subject, etc. Psychological research has proved that girls are not inferior to boys in terms of Intelligent Quotient (IQ) level; girls and boys mental abilities are the same. Girls are bad at math is a popular stereotype held by many people. These people would be surprised to know that I got a total of 95 per cent marks in the Hr Secondary mathematics paper , and home-schooled. If girls are encouraged to study mathematics there is no reason why they will not do well. Every time I come across an article or a story or a novel, I cannot help noticing

But girls are shown in leading roles in some cases, such as in fairy tales and animation movies, such as Cinderella, Snow White, etc. However, here the girls are depicted as docile and vulnerable damsels in distress who need a prince/ hero to rescue them. In short, all these differences in the representation of female and male characters eventually result in a prejudiced outlook of youngsters whose minds previously possessed no such discrimination. No book enjoys as much popularity among teenagers as the Harry Potter series. In these books too, the protagonist is a boy i.e. Harry Potter, Hermione just played a side role in it, which is justified since the books are based on Harry Potter. Basically, the point I wish to make is this: what if instead of Harry Potter there had been a Harriet Potter; if instead of the boy who lived there would have been the girl who lived. I do not believe it would have made much difference in the stories if the central character had been a girl. Its time people (both girls and boys) change their conservative notions and start believing in gender equality. Boys usually find it difficult to perceive and accept girls as their equal. To them I would cite the example of Bertrand Russell a mathematician, philosopher and an active participator in politics who determinedly campaigned for womens right to vote. His character is absolutely contrary to the psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, who possessed so severe a prejudice against women that he could not even hold it back from entering his research findings!
- S Raghunathan

Lets Learn

What is a Monetary Policy Review?

Monetary policy deals with management and supply of money and credit in the economy. It refers to the actions of a central bank or other regulatory committee that determine the size and rate of growth of the money supply, which in turn affects interest rates and economic growth. It is so designed to maintain the price stability and direct economic growth in the economy. In India, the central monetary authority is the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI announces a credit policy every periodically, which aims to balance economic growth through actions by increasing the interest
Contd. on Page 8

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RNI No. TNBIL/2011/40609

ALPHA TIMES

REGISTERED TN/CC(S) DN/436/12-14

Sept. 09, 2012

Contd. from Page 7

What is a Monetary...
rate, or changing repo rates (rates at which the RBI lends to banks in the short run) and reverse repo rates (rates at which banks lend to the RBI.) Objectives of a monetary policy review The main objective of a monetary policy review is to attain economic growth, price stability, trade balance and exchange rate stability. Why is it necessary to review? Often, inflation in an economy like India spirals out of control. In such cases it is necessary for the RBI to tame inflation by increasing repo rates, which generally nudge interest rates upward. When interest rates move up, people borrow less and hence it is possible to reign in inflation. However, inflation cannot be controlled only by monetary measures, as there could be supply side issues. The problem with controlling inflation using monetary tools, is that it invariably hits growth. So, when the RBI increases repo rates to fight inflation, it increases interest rates, which could slow economic growth. The predicament central banks face during a monetary policy review is how to balance growth and inflation. Reducing interest rates could spur growth, but could lead to inflation. On the other hand increasing rates could lower inflation, but reduce growth rates in an economy, as people borrow less when interest rates are high. The other tools that are used include the cash reserve ratio (CRR), which is used by the RBI to control liquidity pressures in the banking system. When there is a severe liquidity crunch in the banking system the RBI cuts the cash reserve ratio (a proportion of bank deposit aggregates that banks have to keep with the RBI). When this requirement is reduced it infuses fresh liquidity into the banking system. The CRR rate at present is 4.75%, a 50 basis points cut leads to infusion into the banking system Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is also a vital tool for RBI, where in the financial institution must maintain liquid assets such as precious metals like gold or other approved securities as reserves other than the cash with the RBI. The reduction in SLR will infuse liquidity and boost the economic growth. Recently, the RBI cut SLR by 100 basis points to 23% to increase liquidity that can help bankers cut lending rates.

Published by K Venkataraghavan on behalf of R V Publications Private Limited, B4-2, Vijayaraghava Manor, 1, Vijayaraghava Road, T Nagar Chennai 600 017 and printed by him at KVP Printers 98/51, Jones Road, Saidapet, Chennai 600 015 Ph: 4269 7393 Editor S. Raghunathan