Debarghya Sanyal &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Debarghya Sanyal &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Modi Prepares Govt For Harsh Summer

Modi Prepares Govt For Harsh Summer

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2023

Prime Minister Modi last week called for optimal grain storage, fire audits and mock drills in hospitals as preparations for the harsh summer forecast by the meteorological department.

Foreign Medical Graduates On Tenterhooks

Foreign Medical Graduates On Tenterhooks

Rediff.com   9 Mar 2023

There is confusion around the registration guidelines and the cut-off dates for acquiring the degrees.

Farm sector to grow 3.7% in Oct-Dec on kharif output

Farm sector to grow 3.7% in Oct-Dec on kharif output

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2023

The Gross Value Added (GVA) in agriculture and allied activities is projected to clock its best growth in FY23 during the October-to-December quarter, at 3.7 per cent, on the back of a strong kharif harvest, according to the second advance estimates of national income. In the third quarter of FY22, GVA in the sector was 2.3 per cent at constant prices. At current prices, the growth in the third quarter of this financial year is projected at 8.6 per cent, which is almost at the same level in the corresponding quarter of FY22.

Farm to fork: Going in favour of the grain

Farm to fork: Going in favour of the grain

Rediff.com   27 Feb 2023

In the coming few weeks, agriculture markets in North and Central India will be full of wheat, mustard, and chana - the three main rabi crops grown in these parts. Not only will the price trajectory of these determine the course of food inflation in the months to come, but it could also have a wider impact on the rural economy in the main growing states for these crops. Wheat and chana are largely grown in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

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.

Big Tech Is Rushing To Train AI In Local Languages

Big Tech Is Rushing To Train AI In Local Languages

Rediff.com   21 Feb 2023

Indian mobile and Web consumers speak in 30 languages and around 1,600 dialects.

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.'

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.

In an era of EVS has Auto Expo run out of gas?

In an era of EVS has Auto Expo run out of gas?

Rediff.com   25 Jan 2023

This year's edition, three years lost to the pandemic and scheduling, wore a distinctive shade of green, and, as would befit an era of technology shift from internal combustion engines to electric motors, had a clutch of high-technology exhibits and concepts. But the excitement of the expo's heyday was missing.

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.

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.

Out Of Africa: The Real Story Behind World Cup

Out Of Africa: The Real Story Behind World Cup

Rediff.com   15 Dec 2022

More than 50 Africa-born or African-origin players are spread across 11 teams -- excluding sides from the continent -- that are part of the tournament in Qatar.

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.

Sunflower oil shipments to India from Russia, Ukraine return to normal

Sunflower oil shipments to India from Russia, Ukraine return to normal

Rediff.com   6 Dec 2022

Shipments of sunflower oil to India have started normalising after imports from war-torn Ukraine resumed beginning September after a gap of four months, leading to further normalisation of supplies. Ukraine has been the largest supplier of sunflower oil to India. However, after the Russia-Ukraine war broke out in February, supplies from Ukraine dwindled as Russia denied it access to the Black Sea ports.

IMD forecasts warm winter, crop yields likely to feel the heat this year

IMD forecasts warm winter, crop yields likely to feel the heat this year

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2022

Brace for some warmth this winter as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its December-February forecast on Thursday said that the minimum and maximum temperatures could remain 'normal' to 'above normal' over most parts of Northwest and Northeast India. Both the minimum and maximum will remain below normal in Southern Peninsular and Central India in these winter months. While this could give some respite from the intense cold of North India, it could have a negative impact on the standing rabi crops if the temperature rise is unusual and abnormal.

How CCI's Google orders impact innovation for apps

How CCI's Google orders impact innovation for apps

Rediff.com   1 Nov 2022

As Google evaluates its response to two recent penalties slapped by the Competition Commission of India (CCI), here is a look at the app economy. Apps are bread and butter for mobile operating systems. India ranks second in the number of mobile downloads, with nearly 27 billion downloads in 2021, according to Deloitte. Accounting for 11.6 per cent of global app downloads, the Indian smartphone user spends over 4 hours a day on apps.

From layoffs to cost-cutting, start-ups brace for long funding winter

From layoffs to cost-cutting, start-ups brace for long funding winter

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2022

On a cloudy Monday this month, Mohammed Irshad flew from Kochi to Gurugram to attend an exclusive investor networking event. Among a handful of founders selected for the event, Irshad was to pitch his peer-to-peer learning start-up Notespaedia for funding in front of top venture capital investors such as AngelBay, Elevation Capital, and Inflection Point Ventures. He failed to woo them, but the feisty entrepreneur was determined to continue his hunt.

GEAC clears environmental release of GM mustard

GEAC clears environmental release of GM mustard

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2022

The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) has recommended the environmental release of the genetically modified (GM) mustard variety DMH (Dhara Mustard Hybrid)-11, paving the way for the commercialisation of the country's first GM food crop. The GEAC said the recommendation was valid for four years from the date the approval letter was issued. Further studies and coordinated trials will have to be conducted jointly with the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) within two years, according to the minutes of the GEAC meeting held on October 18, which was released on Wednesday.

Reduce sugar production, focus on ethanol: Gadkari tells sugar mills

Reduce sugar production, focus on ethanol: Gadkari tells sugar mills

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2022

Increasing sugar production shall create problems for the industry, whereas boosting ethanol output can bring rich returns, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari told sugar mills on Wednesday. Speaking at a conference on sugar and ethanol, organised by the Indian Sugar Mills Association, Gadkari surprised the audience comprising senior executives of sugar mills by stating that the future will become bleak for the industry if it continues to churn out high quantities of sugar. "We need more ethanol than sugar. Also, bio-ethanol is the way to go as it can be stored for a longer duration as compared to conventional ethanol. "If you increase sugar production, it will create more problems for you.