Aathira Varier &Amp; Ajinkya Kawale

Stories by Aathira Varier &Amp; Ajinkya Kawale

Will Poll Gamechanger Laadki Bahin Continue?

Will Poll Gamechanger Laadki Bahin Continue?

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2024

'I wonder if they will keep it up after the elections.' 'I fear they'll start questioning eligibility -- income, age, bank accounts -- and eventually stop the scheme altogether.'

Crypto or not: Industry to focus on user protection, licensing regime

Crypto or not: Industry to focus on user protection, licensing regime

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2024

User protection and a proposal for a licensing framework for companies seeking to operate in the cryptocurrency area will be part of an upcoming consultation paper on the sector, said a senior industry executive. Even as specific regulations around crypto are yet to take shape, companies are setting up baseline user protection processes, including a redressal mechanism, fraud detection, regular filing of suspicious transaction reports (STRs), among others.

Life insurers turn to policies with high value

Life insurers turn to policies with high value

Rediff.com   23 Nov 2024

Life insurers shifted their focus to selling high-value policies in October as the transition to new surrender value norms, effective October 1, limited their ability to roll out all products in their portfolio. This led to a 40 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) drop in the number of policies sold in October. Additionally, distributors engaged in a fire sale of policies in September due to uncertainty about the impact of the new norms on their commission structures.

Maharashtra farmers seek better pricing for produce

Maharashtra farmers seek better pricing for produce

Rediff.com   20 Nov 2024

A group of onion traders gathered at the Pimpalgaon Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), near Nashik, to inspect one of the season's final harvests of red onions as they look to place their bids. They were surrounded by farmers, who brought their produce here from different parts of the district. Farmers have reasons to be optimistic.

No plan to bring clawback clause: LIC

No plan to bring clawback clause: LIC

Rediff.com   12 Nov 2024

State-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has realigned its commission structures for its distributors in accordance with new surrender value norms but has no plans to introduce any "clawback", it said in a post-earnings analyst call on Friday. "It depends on our experience because the new products have been filed from October 1," said Siddhartha Mohanty, managing director and chief executive officer. The insurance regulator has revised the surrender value norms, and the revised ones came into effect on October 1.

Brand Vistara Ends Its Journey

Brand Vistara Ends Its Journey

Rediff.com   12 Nov 2024

Starting November 12, Vistara aircraft will be operated under the Air India banner, to be identified by a special four-digit flight code beginning with "2".

New biz premium of life insurers rises 13% in October

New biz premium of life insurers rises 13% in October

Rediff.com   11 Nov 2024

Life insurance companies reported a 13.16 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth in new business premium (NBP), totting up Rs 30,347 crore in October, even as the number of policies sold saw a sharp decline. The growth was largely driven by strong performance from private sector life insurers.

NPCI nod to onboard users may help Paytm streamline UPI operations

NPCI nod to onboard users may help Paytm streamline UPI operations

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2024

One97 Communications (OCL), the company that operates brand Paytm, received a nod from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to onboard new Unified Payments Interface (UPI) users. This comes nearly nine months after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) placed an embargo on OCL to add new customers.

Airfares Nosedive For Diwali!

Airfares Nosedive For Diwali!

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2024

'The past few quarters have seen prohibitive fares for advance bookings, only to dip closer to departure.'

Credit cards get a festive boost, spending increases 25% in Sep

Credit cards get a festive boost, spending increases 25% in Sep

Rediff.com   30 Oct 2024

Credit card spending in September recorded strong growth of 25 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y), marking the highest increase in six months. Even as many banks saw higher slippages during the July-September quarter of 2024-25, spending growth exceeded 20 per cent for the first time since February. According to the latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), September spending reached Rs 1.76 trillion, compared to Rs 1.42 trillion in the same period a year ago. In August 2024, credit card spending was Rs 1.68 trillion.

'Will Keep Working To Grow Value Of New Businesses'

'Will Keep Working To Grow Value Of New Businesses'

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2024

'Margins will be an outcome of that. They will likely remain somewhat range-bound.'

Modi's AI Mission Set To Take Off

Modi's AI Mission Set To Take Off

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2024

Under the India AI mission, supercomputing, comprising over 10,000 GPUs, will be made available to various stakeholders for creating an AI ecosystem.

WazirX creditors quiz founder, legal team on restructuring

WazirX creditors quiz founder, legal team on restructuring

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2024

In a recent townhall meeting, creditors of WazirX pressed founder Nischal Shetty and the restructuring legal team for solutions, seeking representation on the committee of creditors (CoC) and expeditious restructuring within four months, and asked for clarity on redistribution of potential gains from future crypto market upswings.

'Our higher growth is coming from retail lines'

'Our higher growth is coming from retail lines'

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2024

'There is more expansion in the industry happening in retail lines, so we will continue to focus on those lines.'

Banks record a higher deposit growth rate in Q2 FY25 than Q1 FY25

Banks record a higher deposit growth rate in Q2 FY25 than Q1 FY25

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2024

Banks recorded a higher growth year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in raising deposits during the second quarter of financial year 2025 (Q2FY25) compared to Q1FY25, owing to intensified efforts to raise liabilities by offering higher rates and innovative schemes.

LIC eyes less than 50% stake in standalone health insurance company

LIC eyes less than 50% stake in standalone health insurance company

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2024

State-owned Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) is not keen on a composite license but it is looking to buy less than 50 per cent stake in a standalone health insurance company to enter the health insurance segment such that they have a say in the management of the company, without having to run the company, sources in the know said. "LIC doesn't need a composite licence. "Even if it is introduced, they will not opt for it.

AI, ML Skills Are In High Demand

AI, ML Skills Are In High Demand

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2024

India leads the pack: 4.1 per cent of job postings demand such skills.

Singapore court grants WazirX four-month moratorium

Singapore court grants WazirX four-month moratorium

Rediff.com   27 Sep 2024

A Singapore court on Thursday granted a four-month moratorium to Indian cryptocurrency exchange WazirX, a period which the embattled firm will use to restructure its business without worrying about legal proceedings. A moratorium offers applicant temporary relief from legal proceedings. WazirX, India's biggest crypto exchange, suffered a major hacking attack in July this year losing close to $230 million.

'Looking to expand international business'

'Looking to expand international business'

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2024

'It is difficult to write business internationally, without an 'A-' rating. It becomes more expensive.'

Binance detaches self from liabilities after WazirX hack

Binance detaches self from liabilities after WazirX hack

Rediff.com   20 Sep 2024

Global cryptocurrency giant Binance has asserted that it never owned or controlled WazirX before or after the embattled Indian exchange was hacked in July that led to a security breach of more than $230 million. Binance added that there was no legal basis for the firm to be liable for claims made against the embattled crypto exchange. It refuted WazirX's claims that the global exchange owns the company, adding that it does not operate the platform.