Dilasha Seth And Sohini Das

Stories by Dilasha Seth And Sohini Das

Serum Institute to keep 200 mn doses of Covid vaccine ready by Jan

Serum Institute to keep 200 mn doses of Covid vaccine ready by Jan

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2020

'SII has started stockpiling the vaccine and now has roughly 40 million doses ready. It is using some of the capacities it had for under development products for the COVID-19 vaccine and by January we will have a capacity to make 100 million doses per month and a stockpile of 200 million doses.'

'Economy is touching pre-Covid levels'

'Economy is touching pre-Covid levels'

Rediff.com   11 Nov 2020

'It is entering growth territory on a month-on-month basis.'

Abu Dhabi sovereign fund first to get 100% tax exemption in infra

Abu Dhabi sovereign fund first to get 100% tax exemption in infra

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2020

The government, under the Finance Act, 2020, had allowed tax exemption for SWFs and pension funds in the case of incomes from investment in 34 key infrastructure sectors, including hotels, cold chains, educational institutions, hospitals, and gas pipelines.

Pandemic pushes up demand for CT scanners; firms gear up to meet surge

Pandemic pushes up demand for CT scanners; firms gear up to meet surge

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2020

Siemens Healthineers, one of the largest manufacturers of made-in-India CT scanners, has sold 80-100 such machines in the last 45 days. The medical technology firm typically sells 250 machines in a year.

Bharat Biotech starts Covaxin's at-risk manufacture

Bharat Biotech starts Covaxin's at-risk manufacture

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2020

The first vaccine candidate will be an intra-muscular one, followed by intra-dermal and nasal ones, depending on test results.

Why Dr Reddy's had to shut all its units

Why Dr Reddy's had to shut all its units

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2020

Security breach came days after the firm got approval to conduct trials for Covid-19 vaccine candidate Sputnik V.

The Kerala minister who's fighting for states in GST Council

The Kerala minister who's fighting for states in GST Council

Rediff.com   23 Oct 2020

Thomas Isaac has been in and out of the national news in his role as Kerala's finance minister since 2018 for various path-breaking tax initiatives. But it is 2020 that he has become more prominent, principally in the GST council.

Worsening Centre, states relation poses a 'threat to federalism'

Worsening Centre, states relation poses a 'threat to federalism'

Rediff.com   20 Oct 2020

When the Centre tries to encroach upon the subjects that are under the prerogative of the state, or where the centre tries to evade from any responsibility guaranteed to a state through a constitutional provision/obligation, it poses a threat to federalism.

Dissenting states want full borrowing by Centre for GST

Dissenting states want full borrowing by Centre for GST

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2020

Dissenting states including Chhattisgarh and Kerala, have made it clear they are in no mood to relent. They want the Centre to borrow the entire Rs 2.35 trillion this fiscal citing bleak fiscal position.

Covid-19 impact: Low interest loans likely for vaccine companies

Covid-19 impact: Low interest loans likely for vaccine companies

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2020

While there has been no commitment from the government on the procurement of vaccines, initial volumes, or distribution plans, there is a likelihood that the low interest loans may be made available to these players only when the time to scale up manufacturing arises.

Rise in exports helps India nearly halve trade gap with China

Rise in exports helps India nearly halve trade gap with China

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2020

Exports to China saw sustained double-digit growth for the fourth straight month in August, led by eightfold rise in iron and steel shipments.

Covaxin: How Bharat Biotech plans to boost immunity

Covaxin: How Bharat Biotech plans to boost immunity

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2020

Adjuvants may be added to a vaccine to produce more antibodies and longer lasting immunity thus minimising the dose of antigen needed.

Sales of Biocon's itolizumab surge as phase-4 clinical trials begin

Sales of Biocon's itolizumab surge as phase-4 clinical trials begin

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2020

In India, itolizumab, known by the brand name Alzumab, has been priced at Rs 8,000 per vial. Most patients require four vials for Covid-19 treatment, taking the cost of the therapy to Rs 32,000.

Covid vaccine: Pharma firms ready expansion plans

Covid vaccine: Pharma firms ready expansion plans

Rediff.com   6 Oct 2020

The Indian vaccine industry largely feels there are two ways in which vaccine innovation can be spurred - one, get a high price for the product and two, have the government buy a few hundred million doses of the product at a certain price.

I-T department readies safeguard measures for e-assessment

I-T department readies safeguard measures for e-assessment

Rediff.com   1 Oct 2020

Any additions in demand made by a tax officer under the faceless assessment process for over Rs 5 lakh of income will undergo a rigorous review process before a final demand order is passed.

21 states opt for Rs 97,000-crore RBI window to meet GST shortfall

21 states opt for Rs 97,000-crore RBI window to meet GST shortfall

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2020

This may leave those not opting for any of the two options offered by the Centre before the GST Council meet scheduled for October 5 in the lurch. It is clear from the present situation that these states will have to wait till June 2022 to get their compensation, subject to the council extending the cess collection period beyond June 30, 2022.

Advance tax mop-up declines 25%

Advance tax mop-up declines 25%

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2020

Mumbai, which contributes about 30 per cent of country's direct collections, saw the rate of contraction in advance tax collection lower to 20 per cent as against an over 33 per cent decline in Q1.

How India is gearing up to distribute Covid-19 vaccine

How India is gearing up to distribute Covid-19 vaccine

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2020

A model being considered is to have a combined cold chain approach - where the agricultural cold chain would be combined with vaccine cold chains.

Panel bats for abolishing LTCG on start-up investments

Panel bats for abolishing LTCG on start-up investments

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2020

A strong start-up ecosystem can propel investment, jobs, and demand creation, and for that, substantial growth capital is required.

Labs bet on Covid tests for next growth phase

Labs bet on Covid tests for next growth phase

Rediff.com   14 Sep 2020

The bouquet of Covid-19 tests that most diagnostic labs are offering include antibody tests (blood tests), rapid antigen tests (point of care tests that detect the presence of an antigen from a nasal or throat swab in case of SARS-CoV-2), and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests.