Krishna Kant, Shine Jacob &Amp; Sachin P Mampatta

Stories by Krishna Kant, Shine Jacob &Amp; Sachin P Mampatta

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

CSR spends and the menace of ghost beneficiaries

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2019

Ghost beneficiaries aren't the only kind of issue companies face during a period of unprecedented CSR spending, touching nearly Rs 12,000 crore in 2018-19. Frauds related to procurement, construction, and end-use of funds have had companies engaging forensic auditors to keep tabs on how money is spent, revealed conversations with those involved in such investigations. Firms are also increasingly strengthening their own capabilities to better implement their programmes.

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

CSR spend by listed companies highest-ever in FY19

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2019

The biggest spend (Rs 4,406 crore) was for Schedule VII (II), which involves "promoting education, including special education and employment enhancing vocation skills, especially among children, women, elderly and the differently abled and livelihood enhancement projects". The FY19 spend was 17.2 per cent higher than Rs 1,0128.3 crore spent during the previous year.

Indian hedge funds way behind Asian peers

Indian hedge funds way behind Asian peers

Rediff.com   10 Dec 2019

Indian funds did better than Asian ones in only four of the 10 months -- till October. Despite much market optimism, presumably around policy interventions and guided by buoyant flows, India's macro backdrop may be turning for the worse.

Airtel is one of the most-loved large-cap stocks on the bourses

Airtel is one of the most-loved large-cap stocks on the bourses

Rediff.com   28 Nov 2019

The company has a valuation of Rs 2.22 trillion, up from Rs 1.33 trillion a year ago.

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

Only 48.3 per cent of the rural households used LPG, while the figures were much higher in urban areas at 86.6 per cent, according to a NSO report.

India Inc is hiring more contract workers these days

India Inc is hiring more contract workers these days

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2019

Lower cost and easier termination may well be among the reasons that companies seek to have employees on contract. The share of employees on contract has increased to 57.3 per cent of the total workforce this year as compared to 53.7 per cent in the previous year.

Why India Inc is unwilling to hire women

Why India Inc is unwilling to hire women

Rediff.com   22 Nov 2019

The lack of a strong diversity policy on the part of companies, a limited pool of women candidates as well as socio-cultural factors contribute to their low numbers.

If Voda-Idea goes belly-up, shareholders will lose Rs 1.68 trillion

If Voda-Idea goes belly-up, shareholders will lose Rs 1.68 trillion

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2019

Collapse of the mobile operator could translate into total loss of nearly Rs 44,000 crore for the AV Birla group.

Why stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Why stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

To prevent rise in air pollution levels, oil marketing companies and thermal power units were planning to procure stubble from farmers to make bioethanol and promote the central government's 'Agricultural Mechanization' for crop residue management. But both have seen minimal success.

5 superstar investors end Samvat 2075 with tepid gains

5 superstar investors end Samvat 2075 with tepid gains

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2019

While Rakesh Jhunjhunwala is up 14.9% during the year to Rs 12,381 cr, Ashish Dhawan is up 68.4% to Rs 810 cr, Ashish Kacholia is down 23.4% to Rs 515 cr, Rajiv and Dolly Khanna are down 74.6% to Rs 116 cr and Vijay Kedia is down 6.2% to Rs 294 cr.

R&D spend: Auto, pharma top the list

R&D spend: Auto, pharma top the list

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2019

The biggest spender was Tata Motors, with Rs 4,224.6 crore assigned under the R&D head.

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2019

A major reason for the decline in the consumption of kerosene was an increase in the number of LPG consumers in rural India after the government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. in 2016.

Economic slowdown makes small investors turn net sellers

Economic slowdown makes small investors turn net sellers

Rediff.com   14 Oct 2019

Session-wise data indicates small investors have taken money off the table in more sessions than they have pumped in additional capital.

India Inc still reeling under the menace of data theft

India Inc still reeling under the menace of data theft

Rediff.com   9 Oct 2019

Around 41 per cent of these companies saw such instances, compared to the global average of 29 per cent. India's number is higher than other countries such as the United States (26 per cent), the United Kingdom (32 per cent) and Japan (27 per cent). It is also worse than other emerging markets. China had 39 per cent of firms affected by data theft. It was 19 per cent and 16 per cent for Brazil and Russia, respectively.

How Saudi terror attack has hit Indian kitchens

How Saudi terror attack has hit Indian kitchens

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2019

A shortfall in LPG supply from Aramco has led to huge booking backlog across states. To meet the backlog, India has asked Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for two additional cargos of LPG, but that may take another 10 days to reach.

Is India's LNG deal with US a risky affair?

Is India's LNG deal with US a risky affair?

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2019

Majority of PLL's long-term deals are linked to crude, which faces price challenge from other fuels. Spot LNG is moving away from this linkage, which puts a question mark on crude linked contracts.

LIC's investment in private sector at 16-year low

LIC's investment in private sector at 16-year low

Rediff.com   26 Sep 2019

This is despite the private sector companies outperforming their public sector counterparts, reports Sachin P Mampatta.

India wakes up to rogue drone threat after Saudi attack

India wakes up to rogue drone threat after Saudi attack

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2019

While the Saudi drone strike has put the focus back on anti-drone measures, caution also stems from the fact that India has a number of large oil refining assets close to India-Pakistan border.

Another blow to India's beleaguered auto sector

Another blow to India's beleaguered auto sector

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2019

After the latest spike in crude oil prices, petrol prices could potentially go up to around Rs 90 a litre making a dent in the consumer's wallet. This, the analysts fear, will push the cost of vehicle ownership in the country, further reducing the demand potential for the industry.

Ambani gained Rs 22,000 cr in Friday's Sensex rally

Ambani gained Rs 22,000 cr in Friday's Sensex rally

Rediff.com   23 Sep 2019

In Friday's market rally post the corporate tax cut, the country's top business promoters recouped more than two-thirds of the losses that they suffered in the post-Budget sell-off in equity markets.