Arindam Majumder &Amp; Shreya Jai

Stories by Arindam Majumder &Amp; Shreya Jai

New Covid wave may delay Air India, BPCL divestment

New Covid wave may delay Air India, BPCL divestment

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

The timeline for disinvestment of Air India and Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) may be pushed by two to three months due to impact of the second Covid-19 wave. However, the government is confident of wrapping up the sale of the two companies by FY22 and meeting the disinvestment target of Rs 1.75 trillion. This will be achieved by sale of government stake in core and non-core public sector undertakings (PSUs).

Ventilator shortage: 'Made in India' devices not picked up by govt

Ventilator shortage: 'Made in India' devices not picked up by govt

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

According to government data, the Centre procured only 35,179 ventilators out of the 50,000 originally ordered.

Ajay Singh's toughest challenge: How to save SpiceJet

Ajay Singh's toughest challenge: How to save SpiceJet

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2021

The fairy tale turnaround story has, however, taken a few knocks after a second wave of the pandemic has brought a series of default notices and has posed the toughest test for the 55-year old Singh to save the airline he founded and sold to the Marans only to assume control later.

Hero MotoCorp halts production as precautionary measure

Hero MotoCorp halts production as precautionary measure

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2021

The company will utilise this time to carry out maintenance work at its manufacturing plants.

Summer of discontent back to haunt India's airlines

Summer of discontent back to haunt India's airlines

Rediff.com   8 Apr 2021

Within two weeks of many airlines deciding to roll back salary cuts encouraged by a steady increase in traffic flow, a second wave of coronavirus along with rules of compulsory RT-PCR test has hit forward bookings. The fears of last summer, when the pandemic had overturned all the wisdom of airline boardrooms, have returned to haunt the aviation industry. According to an official in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, flight occupancy is down to 60 per cent from 70 per cent in the first week of March. Airline lobby group IATA estimates that low cost airlines need to fly at 80 per cent occupancy to be profitable.

Solar power in India is likely to cost 20% more. Here's why

Solar power in India is likely to cost 20% more. Here's why

Rediff.com   22 Mar 2021

Glass shortage in China and the rising prices of imported glass used in finished solar panels have already hit the cost of solar panel imports. The cost of solar modules imported by India have increased 22 per cent since June last year. India imports close to 90 per cent of its solar cells and modules, of which nearly 80 per cent is from China. Domestic solar equipment makers import glass panels and are the largest suppliers in China. The price of a solar module glass has increased 150 per cent in the past six months, revealed industry estimates.

How Gautam Adani plans to 'develop' Mumbai, Ahmedabad airports

How Gautam Adani plans to 'develop' Mumbai, Ahmedabad airports

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2021

Adani Airports is planning to centre its airport business around Mumbai and Ahmedabad by developing them as gateway airports, feeding them with traffic from other airports in the company's portfolio. The Ahmedabad-based conglomerate - with investments in logistics, transportation, utilities and energy - intends to spend Rs 35,000 crore in the airport business in the next five years. This forms the bulk of the conglomerate's total capex of Rs 50,000 crore. According to a presentation given by the company in an investor call with Bank of America, gateway airports of Mumbai and Ahmedabad will be connected with the feeder airports of Lucknow, Guwahati, Trivandrum, Jaipur and Mangalore.

IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta gets ESOP worth Rs 14 crore

IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta gets ESOP worth Rs 14 crore

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2021

IndiGo has proposed to issue 185,000 shares worth to Chief Executive and Whole-time Director Ronojoy Dutta under the company's Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP). The shares that can be exercised at a price of Rs 765 apiece is worth Rs 14,15,25,000. Dutta can exercise 25 per cent of that at the end of first year, 35 per cent at the end of second year, and the remaining in December 2023 when his current tenure ends.

'We will continue the Jet Airways brand and legacy'

'We will continue the Jet Airways brand and legacy'

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2021

'The government has assured us support.' 'The civil aviation ministry have told us that whatever we need, we will get prime airport slots and bilateral rights.'

Flying with just a cabin bag will be 10-15% cheaper

Flying with just a cabin bag will be 10-15% cheaper

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2021

On a busy corporate route like Delhi-Mumbai, hand luggage fare can be cheaper by at least Rs 500-Rs 800.

Green policy flip-flops spook foreign investment firms

Green policy flip-flops spook foreign investment firms

Rediff.com   26 Feb 2021

Foreign investment firms, especially private equity, are jittery about the Indian market as uncertainty continues to shroud the energy sector.

75 coal mines to go under the hammer in second round of auction

75 coal mines to go under the hammer in second round of auction

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2021

In order to keep the interest of new and small players intact, the coal ministry is offering only small- and medium-sized coal mines in the second round.

Pawan Ruia throws hat into the ring to buy out Air India

Pawan Ruia throws hat into the ring to buy out Air India

Rediff.com   17 Feb 2021

Ruia, a chartered accountant whose business ranged from sugar to textiles and heavy engineering to tyres, refused to comment on queries about his interest in Air India.

Drone maker ideaForge bags biggest order from armed forces

Drone maker ideaForge bags biggest order from armed forces

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2021

The Army signed a $20-million deal with the Infosys-backed drone maker recently.

Govt extends cap on domestic airfares till March 31

Govt extends cap on domestic airfares till March 31

Rediff.com   9 Jan 2021

However, airlines will need to sell 20 per cent seats below midpoint of the fare band on each flight instead of 40 per cent as mandated earlier.

Auto sales in December saw double-digit rise

Auto sales in December saw double-digit rise

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2021

The growth momentum that started during the festival season is likely to sustain in the new year, reports Arindam Majumder.

Airlines seek easier loan restructuring norms

Airlines seek easier loan restructuring norms

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2021

For any airline to be eligible for restructuring, the current ratio has to be equal to or higher than 0.4, while 'debt to Ebitda' has to be equal to or less than 5.5.

Air India's new owner can sack staff

Air India's new owner can sack staff

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2020

The new owner may be allowed to dispose of assets accruing from the 10-26 per cent of the net assets of the company.

In midst of holiday season, Dubai flights hit by seat allocation dispute

In midst of holiday season, Dubai flights hit by seat allocation dispute

Rediff.com   25 Dec 2020

Dispute arose as Indian carriers objected to Emirates flying passengers beyond Dubai, and Dubai authorities complained that Indian airlines have been flying more flights than allocated to its carriers.

IndiGo scraps leave without pay for staff, says 70% pre-Covid level reached

IndiGo scraps leave without pay for staff, says 70% pre-Covid level reached

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2020

In June IndiGo had implemented a mandatory leave without pay program for 1.5 days to 5 days. Subsequently, in July, IndiGo announced 5.5 additional days of LWP for its pilots, taking the effective number of LWP to 10 days. As cost cutting measure, the airline had also let go of 10 per cent of its employees and implemented a pay cut across the board.