Deepak Patel &Amp;Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Deepak Patel &Amp;Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

How did SKM lose unity and direction post repeal of farm laws?

How did SKM lose unity and direction post repeal of farm laws?

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2022

Centre's move to form a 29-member panel on making the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism effective and keeping three positions vacant in it for SKM representatives has triggered strong disapproval from it.

Poor rains hits paddy sowing, likely to affect final rice output

Poor rains hits paddy sowing, likely to affect final rice output

Rediff.com   30 Jul 2022

Trade and market players have already started factoring in at least 10 million tonnes drop in production in rice in the kharif season as compared to last year due to delayed sowing.

Wheat prices at record high of Rs 23,547/tonne

Wheat prices at record high of Rs 23,547/tonne

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2022

A head of its meeting, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) can take some solace from the softening food commodity prices. However, the events surrounding the last few weeks show that the fall may not be uniform across all commodities, and cereals like wheat and rice could be the outliers. A Reuters report said that local wheat prices jumped to a record Rs 23,547 per tonne on Wednesday. That is a 12 per cent rise from the recent lows that followed the government's surprise ban on exports on May 14.

DGCA begins 2-month-long special audit of airlines after technical snags

DGCA begins 2-month-long special audit of airlines after technical snags

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2022

The DGCA conducted the spot checks as there have been many technical malfunction incidents in Indian carriers' planes during the last 45 days.

Eight months after rolling back farm laws, Centre sets up MSP panel

Eight months after rolling back farm laws, Centre sets up MSP panel

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2022

Nearly eight months after the government repealed the three controversial farm Acts, it has constituted a high-powered panel under the chairmanship of former agriculture secretary Sanjay Agarwal to make the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism more effective and transparent as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his televised address announcing the repeal. The names of three members from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), the main grouping that spearheaded the year-long agitation at Delhi's borders, have been withheld, pending receipt by the government, stated a gazette notification. NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand, Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad Professor Sukhpal Singh, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative chairman Dilip Sanghani, secretaries of the Departments of Agriculture, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Food and Consumer Affairs, Cooperation and Textiles, along with representatives from the state governments of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Odisha will also form part of the panel.

Decoded: Why you feel hotter than it is in Delhi in July

Decoded: Why you feel hotter than it is in Delhi in July

Rediff.com   14 Jul 2022

While the experience of summers has been uncomfortable, the actual readings on thermometers may cause wonder about the exaggerated discomfort. This is what meteorologists call 'real feel temperature' or 'real feel heat'. Sanjeeb Mukherjee explains.

SpiceJet again! China-bound freighter returns to Kolkata as radar fails

SpiceJet again! China-bound freighter returns to Kolkata as radar fails

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2022

SpiceJet said its freighter aircraft, which was heading to Chongqing in China, returned to Kolkata on Tuesday as the pilots realised after take off that its weather radar was not working.

Peak power demand in India drops 12.5% as monsoon picks up pace

Peak power demand in India drops 12.5% as monsoon picks up pace

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2022

With the cooling down of heatwaves as the monsoon spreads across the country, power demand has fallen by 12.5 per cent from the start of this month till Monday. Peak power demand of the country had touched a record of 210 Gw last week, mostly due to rising temperatures and opening up of the economy. Compared with the beginning of this month, almost all states have seen a fall in power demand. Punjab, however, is an exception where the power demand on Monday was 17 per cent higher than on June 1.

Globally, airlines' losses will be down to $9.7 bn this year

Globally, airlines' losses will be down to $9.7 bn this year

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2022

The airlines' losses globally are expected to be down from $52 billion in 2021 to $9.7 billion this year and industry-wide profit should be on the horizon in 2023, Director General of IATA Willie Walsh said in Doha on Monday. International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents some 290 airlines comprising 83 per cent of global air traffic. Walsh, in his inaugural speech at the 78th annual general meeting of IATA here, said that while the outlook for airlines globally is positive, the business environment remains challenging.

Air India plans to buy over 200 new planes

Air India plans to buy over 200 new planes

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2022

Tata Group-owned Air India is considering buying more than 200 new planes with 70 per cent of them being narrow-bodied aircraft, aviation industry sources said on Sunday. While Air India has zeroed in on Airbus's A350 wide-bodied aircraft for the procurement, the talks with Airbus and Boeing for narrow-bodied aircraft is still on, they said. A wide-bodied plane like Airbus A350 has a bigger fuel tank that allows it to travel longer distances such as the India-US routes.

Monsoon rains 37% below normal in first week of June

Monsoon rains 37% below normal in first week of June

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2022

It's still early days, but the southwest monsoon has been nearly 37 per cent 'below normal' in the first seven days (June 1-7) of this month. According to the data furnished by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), between June 1 and June 7, India received 14.5 millimetres (mm) of rainfall, against a 'normal' 23.1 mm. Among places where rains have arrived, monsoon in Kerala in the first seven days has been 48 per cent 'below normal', while in Puducherry, it has been 56 per cent 'above normal'. In Tamil Nadu, rains were 21 per cent 'above normal' between June 1 and June 7.

PM Modi may hold first in-person meet of NITI Aayog since 2019

PM Modi may hold first in-person meet of NITI Aayog since 2019

Rediff.com   6 Jun 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers of states may soon have an in-person interaction on a common platform for the first time since 2019. The seventh meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog is likely to be held in late June or early July, Business Standard has learnt from sources in the Centre and a state. While the date and other details are yet to be finalised, it is learnt that there will be a conclave of chief secretaries of states and Union Territories in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, on June 14 and 15, which will decide the agenda of the Council meeting to be held at a later date.

Vistara fined for letting improperly trained pilot land a plane in Indore

Vistara fined for letting improperly trained pilot land a plane in Indore

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2022

The pilot, who was the first officer on the flight, landed the aircraft at the Indore airport recently without first getting the requisite training in a simulator, they said.

Around 31 mn households demand work under MGNREGA in May

Around 31 mn households demand work under MGNREGA in May

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2022

Around 31 million households have demanded work under the flagship MGNREGA in the month of May this year, which is almost 11 per cent more than the same period last year and much higher than the corresponding pre-Covid period, data sourced from the website showed today. In April 2022, around 23.26 million households have sought work under the scheme which as per the provisional data for May has risen to almost 31 million households. The April 2022 work demand was almost 11.15 per cent less than the corresponding period of April 2021.

IndiGo to conduct study on how to better handle the specially abled

IndiGo to conduct study on how to better handle the specially abled

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2022

The aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had last week imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the airline for denying boarding to a specially abled child at Ranchi airport on May 7.

Skymet questions IMD's monsoon announcement, says parameters not met

Skymet questions IMD's monsoon announcement, says parameters not met

Rediff.com   31 May 2022

Skymet says the IMD ignored the required criterion of two days of necessary rainfall to declare a proper onset of monsoon, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.

India's wheat procurement subpar despite export ban

India's wheat procurement subpar despite export ban

Rediff.com   30 May 2022

After a ban on wheat exports, India's cereal grain procurement for the central pool was struggling to rise significantly until the middle of last week, informed trade and market sources. Farmers have been holding on to their produce as the price of wheat in the open market recouped some of the losses it suffered in the aftermath of the ban. According to trade estimates, around 18.12 million tonnes (mt) of wheat was procured in the central pool up until May 18. Before the export ban was enforced on May 13, it was 17.96 mt.

Indonesia to lift palm oil export ban, likely giving India 'big relief'

Indonesia to lift palm oil export ban, likely giving India 'big relief'

Rediff.com   20 May 2022

Indonesia, the world's biggest supplier of palm oil, said on Thursday it will lift a ban on exports from Monday, likely helping India and other importers. India annually imports around 13-13.5 million tonne of edible oils, of which around 8-8.5 million tonnes (around 63 per cent) is palm oil. Of this, 8-8.5 million tonnes of palm oil, 45-50 per cent comes from Indonesia and the rest from neighboring Malaysia.

Air India bans smoking, consumption of intoxicating substances at workplace

Air India bans smoking, consumption of intoxicating substances at workplace

Rediff.com   19 May 2022

The Tata Group-run Air India has banned smoking and consumption of intoxicating substances at the workplace and any employee violating this order will be "dealt with appropriate consequences", the airline's Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Suresh Dutt Tripathi has stated. It was not clear what was the trigger for Wednesday's communique. Air India did not respond to PTI's request for statement on this matter.

'We should pay more attention to China'

'We should pay more attention to China'

Rediff.com   18 May 2022

'Our competitiveness with China is very important.' 'If the exchange rate depreciates, it is good for us because it helps in our competitiveness.'