Manojit Saha, Subrata Panda

Stories by Manojit Saha, Subrata Panda

'Jeevan Kiran offers a risk cover at no cost'

'Jeevan Kiran offers a risk cover at no cost'

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2023

'At the policy's maturity, the total premium is refunded.'

'ICICI Pru's focus is on value of new business growth'

'ICICI Pru's focus is on value of new business growth'

Rediff.com   15 Aug 2023

'If through growth and serving the customer we become number one, we will be very happy and very proud.'

As food prices spiral, fight against inflation not over: RBI report

As food prices spiral, fight against inflation not over: RBI report

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2023

The spike in food prices at the onset of the monsoon season has corroborated the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) view that the fight against inflation is far from over, the State of the Economy report of the central bank said. At the same time, the report said that the country is poised to become the fastest-growing major economy in the world, notwithstanding some sequential moderation in economic activity in June. Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation rate increased to 4.8 per cent in June 2023, from 4.3 per cent in May, primarily on account of an increase in food inflation.

'The first priority is to ensure seamless customer service without any disruption'

'The first priority is to ensure seamless customer service without any disruption'

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2023

'We created war rooms -- from an IT perspective and also a customer war room -- to address any challenges that come up.'

HDFC Bank gets six months to move HDFC clients to external benchmark

HDFC Bank gets six months to move HDFC clients to external benchmark

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2023

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given HDFC Bank six months to migrate HDFC's home loan customers to external benchmark linked lending rate (EBLR), top sources in the bank told Business Standard. Almost half of HDFC's 5.4 million customers are home loan customers. It is mandatory for banks to link retail loans and loans to micro, medium and small enterprises to an external benchmark. Non-banking financial companies do not have such a mandate.

'Growth is fragile'

'Growth is fragile'

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2023

'If all goes well, we may well hit or even surpass the forecast growth rate.'

Why Don't These Banks Have A Chairman?

Why Don't These Banks Have A Chairman?

Rediff.com   29 Jun 2023

UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, Indian Bank, and Central Bank of India don't have a non-executive chairman.

'India is fastest-growing large economy in the world'

'India is fastest-growing large economy in the world'

Rediff.com   23 Jun 2023

'India has formed tremendous resilience and still a strong growth.'

'We should not call it demonetisation'

'We should not call it demonetisation'

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2023

'...because it is still a legal tender.'

What Links Rs 30,252 Crore And Banks?

What Links Rs 30,252 Crore And Banks?

Rediff.com   7 Jun 2023

Private sector banks reported the maximum number of frauds in 2022-2023.

CBDC Pilot May Continue For One More Year

CBDC Pilot May Continue For One More Year

Rediff.com   2 May 2023

One reason why volumes have not increased in the retail segment is that users are not aware of merchants who accept digital currency.

Remittances decline 23% sequentially to $2.1 billion in February

Remittances decline 23% sequentially to $2.1 billion in February

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2023

Outward remittances in February under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) liberalised remittance scheme (LRS) fell 23 per cent over January, latest data released by the central bank, in its monthly bulletin, revealed. In February, Indians remitted $2.1 billion under the RBI's liberalised scheme. On a year-on-year (YoY) basis - aided by international travel - LRS jumped 15.24 per cent. Further, in April 2022-February 2023, outward remittances under LRS stood at $24.18 billion, an all-time high.

Supply shocks led to price rise during pandemic, says SBI report

Supply shocks led to price rise during pandemic, says SBI report

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2023

The price hikes during Covid were more because of supply chain and logistics disruptions caused by the pandemic and the Ukraine war rather than firms increasing prices because of higher pricing power, a report by State Bank of India (SBI) said. "It is thus incorrect to infer that concentration power dictated pricing capacity of firms, thus resulting in unyielding core inflation," the report authored by Soumya Kanti Ghosh, group chief economic adviser, SBI, said. A recent research article by former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) deputy governor Viral Acharya had observed that persistence of core inflation in India is due to purchasing power of top-five corporate houses.

HDFC Bank to continue opening branches at same speed in FY24 as last year

HDFC Bank to continue opening branches at same speed in FY24 as last year

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2023

After opening close to 1,500 branches in 2022-23, HDFC Bank, the country's largest private sector lender, will continue expanding its branch network at the same speed in the current financial year. The lender says branch expansion is crucial for deposit mobilisation. As of March 31, 2023, HDFC Bank had 7,821 branches, up from 6,342 a year ago.

LIC's knock-on effect: New business premium of insurers drops 12%

LIC's knock-on effect: New business premium of insurers drops 12%

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2023

Contrary to expectations, the new business premium (NBP) of life insurance companies dropped 12.62 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in March 2023 due to an over 30 per cent drop in Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India's premiums, albeit on a high base. Data released by the Life Insurance Council shows the industry racked up NBP of Rs 52,081 crore in March 2023, compared with Rs 59,608.83 crore in the year-ago period. NBP is the premium acquired from new policies in a year. It is the sum of the first-year premium and single premium, reflecting the total premium received from new businesses.

Pause now, lower later: Repo rate cuts may start by year-end

Pause now, lower later: Repo rate cuts may start by year-end

Rediff.com   18 Apr 2023

Higher for longer' may be the narrative in the developed markets, but interest rates might not stay high for very long in India, with a section of the market expecting rate cuts to begin this year. The six-member Monetary Policy Committee of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to keep interest rates unchanged at 6.5 per cent in the April review - after hiking the policy repo rate in six previous meetings. RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das emphasised that the pause was only for the April policy and that the central bank was ready to act if the situation demanded.

Market share of PSU general insurers shrinks 800 bps in 5 years: Irdai

Market share of PSU general insurers shrinks 800 bps in 5 years: Irdai

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

The four public sector general insurance companies -- New India Assurance, United India Insurance, Oriental Insurance, and National Insurance Company -- have lost 800 basis points (bps) in market share in last five years to their private counterparts, the data from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (Irdai) revealed. In 2018-19, the four had a cumulative market share of 40.04 per cent, with New India Assurance having a market share of 14 per cent and United India Insurance with a market share of 9.63 per cent. But, gradually in the past five years, these state-backed firms have lost their market share to private sector players, due to the declining health of their business.

After Tax Blow To Debt MFs, HNIs May Turn To AIFs

After Tax Blow To Debt MFs, HNIs May Turn To AIFs

Rediff.com   11 Apr 2023

'Given that debt AIFs, by nature, target a higher portfolio return, it is likely to attract investors like HNIs, family offices, etc, looking for a higher yield debt product.'

Many cases may have to be reopened after SC ruling on borrowers' voice

Many cases may have to be reopened after SC ruling on borrowers' voice

Rediff.com   4 Apr 2023

The Supreme Court's decision to allow borrowers a chance to be heard before their accounts are flagged as fraudulent by lenders is expected to result in several cases being reopened where the borrower is aggrieved because of such classification, bankers said. Still, the reopening of cases would not be automatic. A borrower who is aggrieved by the 'fraud' classification will have to approach the bank and consequently, the bank will take the necessary steps so that the apex court's order is followed in letter and spirit, they said.

'Rs 2,000 note is not easily available'

'Rs 2,000 note is not easily available'

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2023

By the end of March 2022, only 2,140 million pieces of Rs 2,000 denomination currency notes were in circulation, or 13.8 per cent of the total value of notes.