The government is likely to take up as many as 49 proposals of foreign direct investment (FDI), including of Fabindia and Hughes Communications India, on Wednesday.

A meeting of the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) headed by Economic Affairs Secretary Mr R Gopalan is scheduled to be held on May 9, the Finance Ministry said.

The FIPB had cleared 22 proposals of FDI amounting to Rs 586.13 crore (about $ 110 million) in its last meeting on March 30.

Besides proposals of Fabindia and Hughes Communications India, those of US-based Diners Club International, Sun Pharma Research Company and Mauritius’ Mozart Limited are among others which are likely to be taken up by the Board.

India received $2.21 billion in FDI in February, showing an annual growth of 74 per cent, taking cumulative inflows to $28.40 billion for the April-February 2011-12.

While inbound FDI is on rise, Indian corporates too have been increasing their investments in foreign countries.

According to the latest RBI data, Indian companies invested $2.67 billion in different countries in April 2012.

With an aim at increasing FDI, the government has been easing and streamlining the procedure for foreign investment and also recently allowed FIIs to invest up to 23 per cent in commodity exchanges through automatic route.

India allows FDI in most of the sectors through automatic route, barring in certain sensitive segments like telecom and defence.

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