Arup Roychoudhury, Sanjeeb Mukherjee &Amp; Archis Mohan

Stories by Arup Roychoudhury, Sanjeeb Mukherjee &Amp; Archis Mohan

India limits wheat exports through the govt route as prices rise

India limits wheat exports through the govt route as prices rise

Rediff.com   27 Feb 2023

India has put curbs on wheat exports through the government route, starting November last year. This comes amid a surge in domestic prices of the cereal. In December, India exported 391 tonnes of wheat to Bangladesh and Bhutan. In November 2022, it had exported 375 tonnes of wheat only to Bhutan.

March heat to shape up wheat output this year in North India: Experts

March heat to shape up wheat output this year in North India: Experts

Rediff.com   22 Feb 2023

Temperatures in March will be critical to determining the impact of any unusual heatwave conditions on this year's wheat crop in North India. It is that time of the year when the crop enters its vital grain-filling stage, say meteorologists and crop experts. So far, the high day temperatures in the North are not believed to have any significant impact on the final yields since the crop hasn't entered a stage where heat affects yields.

5 PSU insurers have Rs 347-cr exposure to Adani firms: FinMin

5 PSU insurers have Rs 347-cr exposure to Adani firms: FinMin

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2023

Five state-run general insurance companies have a total exposure of Rs 347.64 crore, or 0.14 per cent of their total assets under management (AUM), in Adani group of companies, the finance ministry said on Monday. In a written reply to a question by Congress' Manish Tewari, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said Life Insurance Corp (LIC) held Rs 35,917.31 crore in debt and equity of Adani group of companies as on December 31, 2022. This is 0.97 per cent of its total assets under management (AUM) of Rs 41.66 trillion.

Government Cracks Down On FCI Racket

Government Cracks Down On FCI Racket

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2023

'The corruption charges in FCI are not the first and won't be the last.'

'If we want to fly some kites, we can fly them in different ways'

'If we want to fly some kites, we can fly them in different ways'

Rediff.com   10 Feb 2023

'... and without necessarily calling them Economic Surveys.' 'One should stick to the main focus, which is to give people a good perspective on how the economy is doing.'

'Private Sector Is Not Firing At 100%'

'Private Sector Is Not Firing At 100%'

Rediff.com   4 Feb 2023

'They have started becoming an important player, but not at the same level as they were in the earlier part of the decade.'

'We are closing loopholes exploited by highest level of taxpayers'

'We are closing loopholes exploited by highest level of taxpayers'

Rediff.com   3 Feb 2023

'...Market-linked debentures, high-value insurance, exemptions from capital gains by investment in real estate, etc.' 'So, there are a number of measures directed at collecting a fair share from higher income individuals.'

As El Nino returns with hotter summer, India braces for impact on monsoon

As El Nino returns with hotter summer, India braces for impact on monsoon

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2023

Several global models are predicting El Nio to appear around the second half of the year, which are the crucial rain-bearing months.

Budget 2023 likely to steer clear of populist measures

Budget 2023 likely to steer clear of populist measures

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2023

Ahead of the 2023-24 Union Budget, the thinking at the top level of the central government is clear: Gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6-6.5 per cent is a comfortable enough target for FY24 and the focus should be on fiscal consolidation to ensure that the sovereign cost of borrowing does not become prohibitively expensive in a high-interest rate environment, according to people in the know. Those aware of deliberations between the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry of Finance said while the Budget would look to strike a balance between infrastructure investment and welfare schemes, it is unlikely to be populist, though it will be the last full-year Budget before the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Incidentally, 6-6.5 per cent GDP growth is what the upcoming 2022-23 Economic Survey is expected to project for FY24.

Budget 2023-24: T V Somanathan to Ajay Seth, meet the FM's crack squad

Budget 2023-24: T V Somanathan to Ajay Seth, meet the FM's crack squad

Rediff.com   27 Jan 2023

Coming Wednesday, Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman will present the 2023 Union Budget - the last full Budget ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While India exited 2022 as a relatively bright spot in the global economy, the FM will endeavour to present a Budget that insulates India's economy against global headwinds and recession in advanced economies, while sticking to the path of fiscal consolidation. In this, she is being helped by her core team of trusted advisors.

Budget 2023: PMAY-G May Get A Big Push

Budget 2023: PMAY-G May Get A Big Push

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2023

It may plan a significant hike in budgetary support aimed at completing the balance 8.4 million dwellings by March 2024.

Budget 2023: FM May Go Slow On Capex

Budget 2023: FM May Go Slow On Capex

Rediff.com   17 Jan 2023

For fiscal year FY23, the 2022 Union Budget had targeted a capex outlay of Rs 7.5 trillion, which is 35.4 per cent higher than the FY22 Budget Estimate of Rs 5.54 trillion.

Industry urges RBI to refrain from hiking rates further

Industry urges RBI to refrain from hiking rates further

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2023

Government's focus on infrastructure is the biggest positive for the Indian economy, followed by the improvement in tax collections and good consumption recovery.

The Theme Of Budget 2023 Will Be....

The Theme Of Budget 2023 Will Be....

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2023

'It has been an ongoing process, talking to the relevant ministries about eliminating leakages and curbing non-core expenditure in various schemes.'

Consumption, infra investments show recovery

Consumption, infra investments show recovery

Rediff.com   7 Jan 2023

As a percentage contributor to nominal GDP, PFCE's share was 60.1 per cent in FY23, compared with 59.6 per cent and 60.8 per cent in the two preceding fiscal years. "Although PFCE is expected to grow 7.7 per cent in FY23, we believe it is still short of a broad-based recovery. "The current consumption demand is highly skewed in favour of goods and services consumed largely by the households falling in the upper income bracket. "A broad-based consumption recovery, therefore, is still some distance away," said Sunil Kumar Sinha, principal economist with India Ratings.

Why Govt Must Worry About Fiscal Deficit

Why Govt Must Worry About Fiscal Deficit

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2022

In November, the fiscal deficit widened by Rs 2.2 trillion, the highest ever in any month this financial year.

Covid fears in China may have cascading impact on India's exports, imports

Covid fears in China may have cascading impact on India's exports, imports

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2022

The importance of China as India's top trading partner cannot be understated.

India to face export shocks from global recession

India to face export shocks from global recession

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2022

India has been relatively insulated from the severe headwinds in the West. However, with a third of the global economy expected to slip into recession in calendar year 2023, the impact will strongly be felt on India's exports and trade economy, leading economists said in a panel discussion at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit in Mumbai on Wednesday. The panel comprised former Reserve Bank of India executive director and former Monetary Policy Committee member Mridul Saggar, State Bank of India Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Citibank India Chief Economist Samiran Chakraborty, ICRA Chief Economist Aditi Nayar, and IndusInd Bank Chief Economist Gaurav Kapoor. The topic of the panel discussion was No recession in sight: Is India decoupled from developed economies?

Grim global situation casts shadow on Budget 2023

Grim global situation casts shadow on Budget 2023

Rediff.com   21 Dec 2022

Ahead of the Union Budget for 2023-24, Budget makers have welcomed the global consensus view that India will remain one of the bright spots in calendar year 2023. But there is some alarm over the grim global situation and how that might impact the Centre's projections and assessments for next financial year. The big global headwinds include a deep and sustained recession in the West, including India's biggest trading partners in North America and Europe, continuing volatility in commodity markets, and renewed Covid-19 fears, as lifting of strict curbs by China could potentially lead to a massive spread again.

Centre seeks info from embassy on Iran's bar on rice, tea imports

Centre seeks info from embassy on Iran's bar on rice, tea imports

Rediff.com   8 Dec 2022

The department of commerce has urged the agriculture ministry as well as the diplomatic mission in Tehran to apprise it of details as to why Iranian buyers have stopped import of rice and tea from India, a senior government official said. Exporters said that exports of items such as high quality tea and rice have stopped since last week. As of now, there has been no confirmation from the authorities and the response from the embassy in Tehran is also taking time, they said.