Andhra Bank recently announced plans to focus on infrastructure lending. Although relatively modest in volumes, at Rs 12,650 crore, the bank has devoted approximately 19 per cent to infrastructure.

A simple, innovative solution can help Mumbai's choked suburban rail system to increase frequency and reduce commute time.

It is ironic that while technological advancement can shrink space and cost, innovation need not always depend on nanotechnologies.

After making the right noises for four years, the current Budget finally makes a bolder move in making agricultural storage more scientific, more structured and more viable.

Going forward, a 25-28 per cent growth is envisaged in the cold storage industry. Even so, it will be a while before prices are arrested, exports of cold storage commodities take off, and indeed, before a heady rush of private participation is a reality, say the industry’s practitioners and best experts.

The low level of land holdings (below 1.5 hectare) in India means that that the average farmer needs to recycle his produce to cash in a short cycle.

India’s agricultural infrastructure, and in particular its fledgling cold chain industry, may have caught investor attention, particularly after news of farm produce rotting because of lack of suitable storage infrastructure.

The infrastructure investment will reach 8.37 per cent of GDP in the terminal year of the 11th Plan (2011-12). Net bank credit to infrastructure has increased by 59 per cent over previous year. However, total FDI inflows during April-November 2010 were 26.67 per cent lower compared to the inflows during the same period in the previous year.

Service tax exemption of 25 per cent from taxable value is being provided to services of transport of coastal goods and goods transported through national waterways or inland water with no CENVAT credit of taxes paid on inputs, input services and capital goods. The effective service tax rate is 7.725 per cent.