Indivjal Dhasmana, Sanjeeb Mukherjee And Arup Roychoudhury

Stories by Indivjal Dhasmana, Sanjeeb Mukherjee And Arup Roychoudhury

IMD tweaks monsoon forecast to help agri sector plan better

IMD tweaks monsoon forecast to help agri sector plan better

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2021

With rainfall and monsoons becoming highly unpredictable partly due to climate change and partly due to usual changes in weather patterns, it is such innovations by IMD which will help in planning better, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.

Almost 92% casual workers didn't get wages during lockdown: Survey

Almost 92% casual workers didn't get wages during lockdown: Survey

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2021

According to the latest report from Stranded Workers Action Network (SWAN), a voluntary effort started in March 2020 to mobilise relief for stranded migrant workers, almost 92 per cent workers, whom the group contacted between April 21 and May 31, had not received any money from their employer. This was after restrictions were imposed and work had stopped. The survey, which was conducted among 1,396 worker groups, adding up to 8,023 people that included 4,836 women and children, showed that 76 per cent of the workers had less than Rs 200 left with them.

Why inflation pain could get worse

Why inflation pain could get worse

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2021

As India looks to mend its Covid-battered economy, one thing that will grab the attention of all concerned is the path that both wholesale and retail inflation will follow. Even the Reserve Bank of India in its latest policy statement said, "Going forward, the inflation trajectory is likely to be shaped by uncertainties impinging on the upside and the downside.

As Yaas rolls in, fishermen rue absence of insurance scheme

As Yaas rolls in, fishermen rue absence of insurance scheme

Rediff.com   25 May 2021

The cover provided under the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, which is a vital safety net for them, ended almost a year back on May 31, 2020. Ever since, there hasn't been much progress on the higher insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh promised under the newly launched Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.

Tech driven farming still remains a pipedream

Tech driven farming still remains a pipedream

Rediff.com   19 May 2021

As India looks to scale up use of technology in agriculture, a recent study has found that with just 2 per cent of the cultivators in India using mobile applications for farm-related activities and real-time alerts, adoption of tech solutions such as Internet of Things (IoT) remains at a nascent stage. It also found almost 90 per cent of the existing start-ups and tech-based companies have solutions that are focused only on pre-harvest operations and not on post-harvest which has a higher investment potential due to the presence of big companies. In post-harvest operations, the study, Titled, IoT Adoption in Indian agriculture, that was conducted by industry body Nasscom along with Cisco India among more than 180 enterprises and 40 agritech start-ups found that unclear Return on Investments (RoI) is a big stumbling block for adoption of tech solutions like IoT.

Arabian Sea is now hotbed for cyclones

Arabian Sea is now hotbed for cyclones

Rediff.com   17 May 2021

Surface temperatures have increased rapidly during the past century, leading to an increase in the frequency and intensity of tropical storms in the Arabian Sea, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.

Tauktae, season's first cyclone, forms over Arabian Sea

Tauktae, season's first cyclone, forms over Arabian Sea

Rediff.com   13 May 2021

The intensity of rainfall is likely to increase with the likelihood of very heavy falls at a few places and extremely heavy falls at isolated places on May 15, reports Sanjeeb Mukherjee.

Made-in-America tax plan may hit India's manufacturing firms

Made-in-America tax plan may hit India's manufacturing firms

Rediff.com   3 May 2021

US proposal to raise the global corporate tax rate to 28% from 21% might face resistance from countries unwilling to give up their edge and compete with America on its terms.

Despite grim outlook, fiscal stimulus unlikely for India Inc this year

Despite grim outlook, fiscal stimulus unlikely for India Inc this year

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

They say that a stimulus package may not be necessary because, unlike last year's total lockdown, public transport, including the railways and airlines, is running and the restrictions on movement are localised and, in some cases, are partial rather than total.

Despite slew of records, problems still plague MGNREGA

Despite slew of records, problems still plague MGNREGA

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2021

MGNREGA scheme: A significant Rs 17,370.58 crore has been carried forward over to the next financial year as unpaid dues as demand for work continued unabated for the scheme in rural areas.

GST: Firms challenge constitutional validity of arrest rules in SC

GST: Firms challenge constitutional validity of arrest rules in SC

Rediff.com   9 Apr 2021

'There are obvious concerns regarding revenue leakage which is understandable, but there are also concerns about whether or not well accepted, judicially tested, fair and proper procedures are being followed during such arrests.'

Check the details of changes in the new ITR forms

Check the details of changes in the new ITR forms

Rediff.com   5 Apr 2021

However, the department has not changed ITRs significantly, considering Covid-19 crisis.

GST technical glitches behind input tax credit frauds: CAG

GST technical glitches behind input tax credit frauds: CAG

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2021

CAG recommended fixing a definite time frame for rolling out simplified GST return forms.

How these 5 states look to pacify disgruntled farmers

How these 5 states look to pacify disgruntled farmers

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2021

With the farmers' protest against the three new laws and in support of legalising the minimum support price (MSP) going strong, state governments have announced a slew of measures in their annual Budgets to placate farmers. The Centre kicked things off in the Union Budget by assuring farmers that the MSP would continue and coming out with a report card to demonstrate its commitment. However, these efforts don't seem to have yielded tangible results. In their respective Budgets, states chose to go a step further by announcing a variety of measures.

India's infra sector gets a major funding boost

India's infra sector gets a major funding boost

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2021

The Cabinet has cleared a Bill to set up a government-owned development finance institution (DFI) with initial paid-up capital of Rs 20,000 crore so that it can leverage around Rs 3 trillion from the markets in a few years to provide long-term funds to infrastructure projects as well as for development needs of the country. To put it in perspective, Rs 3 trillion constitutes slightly less than 3 per cent of the Rs 111 trillion to be spent on over 7,000 projects in the National Infrastructure Pipeline from 2019-20 to 2024-25. Besides, the government will give Rs 5,000 crore as grant to the institution, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday told the media after the Cabinet meeting.

Jobs for locals have remained on paper

Jobs for locals have remained on paper

Rediff.com   17 Mar 2021

While the Constitution makes everyone in India eligible to work anywhere in the country, states have used legal loopholes to frame laws.

Payments by Indian firms for foreign software not taxable: SC

Payments by Indian firms for foreign software not taxable: SC

Rediff.com   3 Mar 2021

The apex court has settled the long-pending dispute between companies such as Samsung, IBM, HP & others and the tax department.

NSE technical glitch cost us immensely, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

NSE technical glitch cost us immensely, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2021

Taking lessons from that, I would think seamless digital payments is something you have to clearly have a roadmap for, the FM said.

Modi: 'We need wealth creators to even distribute wealth'

Modi: 'We need wealth creators to even distribute wealth'

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2021

Demoralising the private companies and disregarding their contribution won't do any good to the country or its youth as our experience has shown that private enterprises in mobile manufacturing has lead to every poor family owning a mobile phone now, while the country's private sector in the pharmaceutical space has been serving humanity through vaccines and medicines during Covid times, Modi said.

4-day week likely for some firms as final rules of labour codes are set

4-day week likely for some firms as final rules of labour codes are set

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2021

Working hours cannot go beyond 48. Those who give a four-day week will have to provide three consecutive holidays after that.