Manojit Saha &Amp; Shine Jacob

Stories by Manojit Saha &Amp; Shine Jacob

As Cases Rise, Questions About Kerala's Covid Strategy

As Cases Rise, Questions About Kerala's Covid Strategy

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2021

The Indian Medical Association states that cases are likely to rise further before coming down in Kerala as about 50 per cent of its population is still susceptible to the virus.

Why Stalin is Tamil Nadu's CM with a difference

Why Stalin is Tamil Nadu's CM with a difference

Rediff.com   1 Sep 2021

From social engineering to bearing the cost of COVID-19 treatment to financial reconstruction of Tamil Nadu's debt the debutant chief minister is emerging as a leader with a difference, says Shjne Jacob

CavinKare to split business into four different streams

CavinKare to split business into four different streams

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2021

In a first step towards succession plan, Chennai-based fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) major CavinKare on Monday announced the restructuring of its businesses and also roped in the generation next giving charges of separate business verticals. Announcing the restructuring on Monday, CK Ranganathan, chairman and managing director of CavinKare indicated that the business will be split into mainly four different streams - FMCG, ecommerce, retail and research and development.

PSB reforms only on paper; 10 don't even have chairman

PSB reforms only on paper; 10 don't even have chairman

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2021

The talk of governance reforms at public-sector banks seems to remain on paper, as a majority of them continue to be working with just a handful board members. Half of the board seat at these banks have been vacant. Ten of the 12 public-sector banks, even large ones like Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank and Union Bank of India - all except State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of Baroda - don't even have a chairman. In 2014, while splitting the post of chairman & managing director (CMD), the government had decided to appoint non-executive chairmen at these banks. SBI, which has an executive chairman and four managing directors, was an exception.

EXPLAINED: Why Kerala is seeing a rise in Covid cases

EXPLAINED: Why Kerala is seeing a rise in Covid cases

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2021

Bad management, an exhausted government vigilance mechanism, delay in roping in private players, relaxing norms, and over-dependence on antigen tests may be the reason behind the surge, reports Shine Jacob.

PSBs' loan write-offs twice as much as govt's capital infusion

PSBs' loan write-offs twice as much as govt's capital infusion

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2021

Public sector banks (PSBs) have written off a massive Rs 8 trillion of loans in the seven years of the Narendra Modi government in office. This is more than twice the capital infused by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government during the period. Between 2014-15 and 2020-21 (FY21), the Centre had infused Rs 3.37 trillion into PSBs. At Rs 1.06 trillion, FY19 saw the highest capital infusion.

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2021

The government may look at areas around Thonnakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram district, for the facility. If successful, this would be one of the few sites of Sputnik V owned by Russian firms outside that country. Shine Jacob and Sohini Das report.

Microsoft plans to set up Rs 15,000-crore data centre in Telangana

Microsoft plans to set up Rs 15,000-crore data centre in Telangana

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2021

US tech giant Microsoft is in the final stages of talks with the Telangana government to set up a data centre with a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore. According to sources in the state government, the company has zeroed in on a land parcel near Hyderabad for the facility. "In the information technology (IT) space, Telangana is already seeing some major investments. "Microsoft is establishing its data centre here, and it may come out with a public announcement soon," said a source.

Covid cuts Tirupur garment hub biz, 10% orders go to other nations

Covid cuts Tirupur garment hub biz, 10% orders go to other nations

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2021

India's largest garment hub Tirupur continues to reel from the effects of the pandemic, with almost 10 per cent of its orders for the upcoming season getting diverted to Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and China. The sector had seen a drop of about 9 per cent in exports during the first wave, but the impact is likely to be more this time, according to industry experts. Being one of the epicentres of Covid cases in the state, a majority of manufacturing units in the textile belt were closed for almost six weeks during the second wave.

Why this Businessman Quit Kerala

Why this Businessman Quit Kerala

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2021

Is there more than meets the eye to Kitex Garments, the world's second-largest children's garment producer, abandoning Kerala for Telangana?

Tamil Nadu inks deals with 35 firms; to see over Rs 17,000 cr investment

Tamil Nadu inks deals with 35 firms; to see over Rs 17,000 cr investment

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2021

The government of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with 35 companies that may see investment to the tune of Rs 17,141 crore, creating employment opportunities for 55,054 people. The major companies that would be coming up with fresh investments over Rs 1,000 crore in the state include JSW Renew Energy Two, TCS, ZF Wabco and Srivaru Motors among others. JSW Renew Energy Two will be coming up with a 450 megawatt (Mw) wind power generation unit at Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Tiruppur for Rs 3,000 crore. TCS will be coming up with its third phase of expansion at SIPCOT IT Park in Siruseri, ZF Wabco with an auto component unit at Kancheepuram for Rs 1,800 crore and a two-wheeler EV unit by Srivaru Motors for Rs 1,000 crore at Coimbatore.

Despite security risks, 95% Indian cos to continue with WFH

Despite security risks, 95% Indian cos to continue with WFH

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2021

The survey covered 1,210 IT executives and technology professionals from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and India. In India, 202 respondents from businesses with more than 500 employees across 18 industry verticals completed the survey. Overall, 89 per cent of the respondents said implementing a work-from-home policy had increased security challenges for their organisations. The risk posed by shadow IT was especially high, with 89 per cent of companies having no control over the software that employees purchase and install on their devices.

'RBI has given us 120 days to operationalise SFB'

'RBI has given us 120 days to operationalise SFB'

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2021

Only when we are part of the same family, which will happen down the line, then, of course, we will give them (PMC depositors) all the assurance and the comfort.'

Should RBI print money and finance govt's fiscal deficit?

Should RBI print money and finance govt's fiscal deficit?

Rediff.com   15 Jun 2021

Experts disagree with the idea and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which has the sole right to print money, is not comfortable with it as well.

Banks report loan fraud worth Rs 5 trn; SBI's amount largest

Banks report loan fraud worth Rs 5 trn; SBI's amount largest

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2021

Banks operating in India reported fraud of Rs 4.92 trillion as on March 31, 2021, which represents nearly 4.5 per cent of the total bank credit, showed Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, which was sought under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Saurabh Pandhare. The data showed 90 banks and financial institutions reported a total of 45,613 cases of loan fraud till March 31, 2021. State Bank of India - the country's largest lender - reported the highest amount of loans as fraud - Rs 78,072 crore as on March 31, 2021.

Stable rupee is bad news for foreign currency deposits

Stable rupee is bad news for foreign currency deposits

Rediff.com   27 May 2021

The flow of deposits from non-resident Indians (NRIs) hit a four-year low in the financial year 2020-21 mainly due to contraction in foreign currency deposits, latest data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shows. Total NRI deposits during FY21 were $7.3 billion as compared to $8.6 billion in FY20 - the lowest since 2016-17, when such deposits had contracted by $12.3 billion. Indian banks have three kinds of deposit accounts where NRIs or PIOs (persons of Indian origin) can park their funds: non-resident external-rupee account (NRE); non-resident ordinary rupee account (NRO); and foreign currency non-resident bank account (FCNR [B]).

Covid effect: Banks prefer govt bonds to giving loans

Covid effect: Banks prefer govt bonds to giving loans

Rediff.com   20 May 2021

Record liquidity infusion by the central bank in the banking system during the financial year 2020-21 amid sluggish economic activity resulted in banks investing more in safe government papers than in extending loans, data from Reserve Bank of India (RBI) showed. This trend has not been seen in nearly two decades, barring 2016 - the year of demonetisation.

Why Citi is exiting India

Why Citi is exiting India

Rediff.com   10 May 2021

The Indian regulatory framework forced Citi to hibernate -- contrary to the claim that it never sleeps!

Modi era: Private banks grow; PSBs don't

Modi era: Private banks grow; PSBs don't

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2021

Since 2014, the public sector banks' branch network in rural and semi urban has grown by a mere 4,000 while for private sector banks, it doubled from 9,673 to 18,437.

'Father of banking reforms', M Narasimham, passes away

'Father of banking reforms', M Narasimham, passes away

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2021

New-generation private sector banks such as ICICI, HDFC, Axis, Kotak etcetera owe their existence to the recommendations of the first Narasimham Committee.