Abhijit Lele &Amp; Sohini Das

Stories by Abhijit Lele &Amp; Sohini Das

RBI likely to hold rates tomorrow

RBI likely to hold rates tomorrow

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2015

Most say a rate cut could come in RBI's June policy.

Sanand: The new global auto hotspot

Sanand: The new global auto hotspot

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2015

Sanand has catapulted into the big league of automobile industry hubs.

Insurers see a change agent in new FDI rules

Insurers see a change agent in new FDI rules

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2015

Inflow of more funds is likely to widen the reach of insurance and drive M&A activities in the sector where growth has stalled.

Amul plans to bring camel milk to the breakfast table

Amul plans to bring camel milk to the breakfast table

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2015

Amul plans to bring camel milk to the breakfast table

Have a glass of 'happy' milk in Delhi and Bengaluru 'by invitation only'

Have a glass of 'happy' milk in Delhi and Bengaluru 'by invitation only'

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2015

Not everyone can have access to the Pride of Cows milk.

Amazing facts about the world's first solar aircraft

Amazing facts about the world's first solar aircraft

Rediff.com   16 Mar 2015

The aircraft has to fly through five consecutive days.

Insurers set the ball rolling on foreign stake hike

Insurers set the ball rolling on foreign stake hike

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2015

Bharti will move FIPB soon for increasing Axa's stake to 49%

Interest rate cuts only after March

Interest rate cuts only after March

Rediff.com   10 Mar 2015

Banks have not cut rates yet as March is typically a busy season.

From 2 laptops to Tata's mentorship, cardekho.com's founders' lives come full circle

From 2 laptops to Tata's mentorship, cardekho.com's founders' lives come full circle

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2015

The Jain brothers' $300 mn-worth Girnar Software has really humble roots.

Now, Nano plant and Jamnagar refinery are tourist attractions

Now, Nano plant and Jamnagar refinery are tourist attractions

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2015

Different circuits have been designed, depending on the tourists' preference, connecting the Rann Utsav at Kutch with the ports at Mundra and Kandla.

Ambani brothers seek faster approval for stalled projects

Ambani brothers seek faster approval for stalled projects

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2015

The Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil, came together on Thursday to raise the issue of stalled projects plaguing India Inc and implored the Maharashtra government and the Centre to make Mumbai, India's financial capital, an easier place for business and investments. "Several projects are stuck for many years in Mumbai and we would like to know how the government intends to improve the financing and execution of projects, including those relating to infrastructure and education which have been in limbo for long and are affecting the growth of the city," Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani told Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Seated on the same table was his brother, apart from Tata Group Chairman Cyrus Mistry and State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya. Jaitley was addressing the Mumbai Next MMR Transformation conclave, organised by the Maharashtra government and Mumbai First here, through video conference. In his reply, Jaitley said the government was exploring several options of infrastructure financing in India and that a number of international bodies were ready to fund infrastructure development projects. He added the government was keenly considering these funding sources. While praising Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for honesty, Jaitley also had a word of advice. Apart from being honest, the government had to be decisive, he said. On his part, Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani told the chief minister about his experience of decisions being delayed due to an indecisive bureaucracy and the need to protect officials who wanted to take quick decisions. "Through the past many years, we have faced a number of obstacles in decision-making," he said, adding he was speaking as someone who had lived and invested in Mumbai. Fadnavis responded by saying he would bring about a transparent process to ring-fence officials. Both the Ambani brothers have announced a number of infrastructure projects in and around Mumbai, including a world-class convention centre in Bandra Kurla Complex by RIL, but very few have actually fructified. RIL's special economic zone project failed to take off due to land acquisition problems in Raigarh, while a second SEZ near Mumbai is stuck due to lack of clarity in SEZ norms. The first phase of the Mumbai Metro, set up by Anil Ambani's Reliance Infrastructure, was marred by cost overruns and run-ins with the government over fares. Subsequently, the company withdrew from the second and larger phase, citing inordinate delay. Anil Ambani also withdrew from Mumbai's sea link project on the same grounds. The brothers had also bid for a trans-harbour sea link between Navi Mumbai and Mumbai under the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government, but their bid was rejected. Reliance Infrastructure is also the power supplier to more than half of this city. Participating in the conclave, some of India Inc's leading bankers said making Mumbai a financial hub would take at least a decade. SBI's Bhattacharya said the Indian currency should be made fully convertible and facilities should be created for it. "However, for this, the economy needs to look up and that will happen only in the next 7-10 years, not immediately," she added. Sunil Kaushal, Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered, India, pitched for strong infrastructure to support development. "We will take a long time to develop into a global financial centre. We need to solve transport bottlenecks in Mumbai and have lifestyle facilities for people working in and around these areas," he said.

Sun gets US trade regulator nod for Ranbaxy merger

Sun gets US trade regulator nod for Ranbaxy merger

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2015

Torrent to buy Ranbaxy's anti-bacterial generic

ZEE's Subhash Chandra bets on white-label ATMs

ZEE's Subhash Chandra bets on white-label ATMs

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2015

It is likely he will rope in an international ATM manufacturer as a strategic partner with equity stake.

Banks set for lending rate action this week

Banks set for lending rate action this week

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2015

A host of lenders, including State Bank of India, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank and Andhra Bank, have lined up meetings of their asset-liability committees this week, to review their lending and deposit rates.

40 years ago and now: Rasna fights to keep the love affair going

40 years ago and now: Rasna fights to keep the love affair going

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2015

Rasna was the ubiquitous soft drink served at home and large gatherings from the late-70s to the early-90s.

Vibrant Gujarat: Do the numbers add up?

Vibrant Gujarat: Do the numbers add up?

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2015

The tall claims that the state administration, particularly Modi's highly charged PR machinery has created to hardsell the state, and in turn Modi himself, are not reinforced by the numbers

Vibrant Gujarat model goes global

Vibrant Gujarat model goes global

Rediff.com   8 Jan 2015

A team from Serbia had participated in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit in 2013, and that country is participating in this year's summit as well.

Banks link fresh funds to Mallya's ouster from boards

Banks link fresh funds to Mallya's ouster from boards

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2014

Kolkata-based United Bank of India, which had earlier declared Kingfisher Airlines and its four directors, including Mallya as wilful defaulters, on Tuesday identified UBHL, the guarantor of the grounded Kingfisher Airlines, also a wilful defaulter.

Banks cut lending on gold as prices fall

Banks cut lending on gold as prices fall

Rediff.com   17 Nov 2014

Banks have swung into action as gold prices continue to slide. Reduced loan-to-value ratio (LTV), cautious lending, and a close monitoring of the gold loan portfolio have prompted them to hedge their loan books against the reduction in prices.

How Gujarat is luring investors with industrial parks

How Gujarat is luring investors with industrial parks

Rediff.com   14 Nov 2014

Companies are drawn to the parks by the infrastructure and ready-to-occupy land.