Abhishek Waghmare &Amp; Amritha Pillay

Stories by Abhishek Waghmare &Amp; Amritha Pillay

Covid: India has highest number of critical cases

Covid: India has highest number of critical cases

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2021

To achieve herd immunity, rapid vaccination is the only hope.

Jobs for locals have remained on paper

Jobs for locals have remained on paper

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2021

While the Constitution makes everyone in India eligible to work anywhere in the country, states have used legal loopholes to frame laws.

Why costly diesel is a bigger worry than petrol

Why costly diesel is a bigger worry than petrol

Rediff.com   8 Mar 2021

While consumers feel that petrol pinches directly, diesel hurts indirectly, as it is an input in almost all the goods and services we use.

High fuel prices: Is Modi govt actually 'cheating' the states?

High fuel prices: Is Modi govt actually 'cheating' the states?

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2021

Consumers are paying an exorbitant 180 per cent tax on petrol, and 140 per cent on diesel in Delhi and in most other towns in India. Little wonder then that the central government expects a staggering Rs 3.46 trillion by levying excise duties on retail sale of the two fuels this year, and Rs 3.2 trillion the next. States would generally have had reason to cheer, as they command a 41 per cent share in Centre's tax revenues. But as the Centre has raised excise duties in the form of "cess," the revenue proceeds are by nature not shareable with states.

Why is govt borrowing from the market?

Why is govt borrowing from the market?

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2021

To make possible discretionary spending including capex and that on welfare, the government decided to borrow more than planned in FY21 -- Rs 12.7 trillion.

Personal tax brings more revenue to govt than corporate tax

Personal tax brings more revenue to govt than corporate tax

Rediff.com   3 Feb 2021

That's a big change that was made possible due to corporate tax cuts. Corporation tax collection in FY22 will be lower than even the FY18 levels, reports

Budget cuts revenue expenditure on welfare schemes, salary, pension

Budget cuts revenue expenditure on welfare schemes, salary, pension

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2021

The continuing fiscal stimulus is heavily tilted towards capex, to the extent that it chips away a part of revenue spending. Accounting for other areas of revenue expenditure, such as salaries, pensions, subsidies and defence (committed spend), the room to spend on welfare schemes, health and education will narrow in FY22.

Why Modi visited Serum's Covid vaccine unit

Why Modi visited Serum's Covid vaccine unit

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2020

The PM's visit would signal a strong intent towards making sure India becomes a beneficiary as vaccines become a massively traded commodity in the coming years.

Covid-19 effect: Small savings cross Rs 1-trillion mark in first 6 months of FY21

Covid-19 effect: Small savings cross Rs 1-trillion mark in first 6 months of FY21

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2020

Overall, small savings have amassed Rs 1.17 trillion from April-September - 26 per cent more than the previous year. But in those six months, the economy lost 24 per cent in the first three months, and is slated to lose 10 per cent in the second quarter.

Cash-to-GDP ratio could hit 14-15%, the highest since independence

Cash-to-GDP ratio could hit 14-15%, the highest since independence

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2020

It is a classic case of extremes: The worst contraction in GDP along with the highest-ever levels of cash in the economy; and a severe dent in consumption together with strong growth in bank deposits and digital payments.

India Inc's succession plan is seeing a gender shift

India Inc's succession plan is seeing a gender shift

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2020

Women leaders, succession planners and lawyers say doors in family businesses are opening but a stronger push is needed.

Agri Bills: Why Punjab and Haryana farmers are leading the protests

Agri Bills: Why Punjab and Haryana farmers are leading the protests

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2020

Data shows that the current system of decentralised marketing and centralised procurement helps Punjab and Haryana farmers the most, while its efficacy in other states has been poor. Experts and farm leaders say success of the laws rests heavily on implementation.

Each farmer is likely to get cash fertiliser subsidy of Rs 5,000 per year

Each farmer is likely to get cash fertiliser subsidy of Rs 5,000 per year

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2020

The government's main rate setting panel suggested that this be done in two tranches of Rs 2,500 each in the kharif and rabi seasons.

New hiring at RIL starts tapering; staff count declines

New hiring at RIL starts tapering; staff count declines

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2020

Experts attribute this trend to a combination of end of capital expenditure cycle, increased automation, RIL's preference for time-bound labour contracts, and telecom and retail's outsourced human resource model.

Women ride the ed-tech boom as opportunities click

Women ride the ed-tech boom as opportunities click

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2020

Experts point out teaching in its online avatar helps address women specific concerns, like care-giving responsibilities, lack of safe public and work spaces, and the inability to move to cities.

'Coronavirus strain predominant in India originated in Europe'

'Coronavirus strain predominant in India originated in Europe'

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2020

'Given that the globally most prevalent clade of SARS-CoV-2 is also predominant in India, any vaccine or drug that gets developed in the world should also prove effective in India'

Period leave doesn't hamper work or affect employability

Period leave doesn't hamper work or affect employability

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2020

There was a worry that such a policy would hamper businesses, create resentment among the male staff and perhaps also discourage companies from employing women. However, this has proved to be misplaced.

Why are young Indians dropping out of school?

Why are young Indians dropping out of school?

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2020

One in five students drop out from school.

Covid-19: India Inc going for antibody testing

Covid-19: India Inc going for antibody testing

Rediff.com   11 Aug 2020

Some of India's biggest employers are testing for antibodies to either comply with regulatory norms or gauge the effectiveness of precautionary measures.

Why did Mukesh Ambani's aide pledge 94% of RIL shares?

Why did Mukesh Ambani's aide pledge 94% of RIL shares?

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2020

In a curious move, Reliance Industries' (RIL) executive director and Mukesh Ambani's trusted aide PMS Prasad pledged 600,000 shares of the company last month, which is 93.75 per cent of the total shares he owns in RIL. Prasad owned a total of 640,000 RIL shares and his compensation stood at Rs 11.15 crore in FY20.