Nitin Sethi And Archis Mohan

Stories by Nitin Sethi And Archis Mohan

CAG audit of GST reveals systemic flaws, not just glitches

CAG audit of GST reveals systemic flaws, not just glitches

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2019

The CAG audit and other data suggests it could be far from the efficient new alternative that was once conceptualised. A conclusive review remains elusive till the government begins to release more granular and comparable data on the complex backend of GST to a deeper scrutiny, by researchers, auditors and the public.

Rahul to follow Rajiv's path to connect with people

Rahul to follow Rajiv's path to connect with people

Rediff.com   13 Aug 2019

Rahul Gandhi and young leaders close to him are planning to connect with party workers on the ground and are preparing to embark on a nationwide yatra, reports Archis Mohan.

Meet the Opposition's grand marshall in the Rajya Sabha

Meet the Opposition's grand marshall in the Rajya Sabha

Rediff.com   10 Aug 2019

Despite the Congress having nearly four times as many members in the Rajya Sabha as the TMC (48 to 13), Derek O'Brien has been informally leading the coordination of Opposition parties, rallying other parties to demand a discussion on electoral reforms and to protest the government's disinvestment plans, report Rahul Jacob and Archis Mohan.

Will this be the 'most productive' Parliament session?

Will this be the 'most productive' Parliament session?

Rediff.com   4 Aug 2019

Union ministers said Parliament passing over two dozen Bills was evidence of increased productivity of Narendra Modi government 2.0.

BJP's total assets swell by 22%, Cong sees 15% fall

BJP's total assets swell by 22%, Cong sees 15% fall

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2019

According to a report by the Association of Democratic Reforms, the ruling party's assets rose to Rs 1,483.35 crore in 2017-18 over its previous financial year's declaration of Rs 1,213 crore.

A rare politician with immense grace

A rare politician with immense grace

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2019

In her death, the Congress has lost a leader who brought old world grace to politics but was open to new ideas.

'Climate change could push up cereal prices by 29%'

'Climate change could push up cereal prices by 29%'

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2019

A report authored by UN's panel of scientists from across the world on climate change and sent to the governments of 197 countries has ominous news on the climate change front.

PAN cards not linked to Aadhaar will be cancelled from Sep 1

PAN cards not linked to Aadhaar will be cancelled from Sep 1

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2019

To validate and continue using the existing PAN cards, citizens will have to link them to Aadhaar. Or else, they will be permitted to use Aadhaar instead for filing returns and while making other high-value transactions, specified under the Income Tax Act.

Budget 2019 - Is the Rs 6.63 trillion GST target too ambitious?

Budget 2019 - Is the Rs 6.63 trillion GST target too ambitious?

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2019

A well-established tax system would have a predictable buoyancy - how fast the collections grow as a proportion to the growth of the economy. But that is not the case with GST. It is still undergoing substantial changes as the government responds to structural as well as administrative glitches.

Will Congress see a non-Gandhi at its helm?

Will Congress see a non-Gandhi at its helm?

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2019

Senior leaders Sushil Kumar Shinde and Mallikarju Kharge could be elected as next party chief.

How Haryana govt helped Patanjali to buy lands illegally

How Haryana govt helped Patanjali to buy lands illegally

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2019

When agricultural holdings get fragmented over years, the state government has the power to step in and help farmers pool their land parcels for improving land productivity, after which the pooled land is divided up into larger plots. Instead of the fragments they hold, a farmer gets a single contiguous patch of an equal size. But, it is done only for agricultural holdings. In Kot village, however, the consolidation has been ordered for the entire village land, including the hilly forested commons, which are already pooled. This is not the first time that the Haryana government has attempted such a consolidation of Kot common lands.

Patanjali's maze of firms that do shady land dealing in Haryana

Patanjali's maze of firms that do shady land dealing in Haryana

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2019

Restricted by state government orders, the ownership of such land could not be formally registered, so the advances made continued to be reflected in the accounts as 'advances against land'.

How Patanjali 'broke' laws to acquire land in Aravalli hills

How Patanjali 'broke' laws to acquire land in Aravalli hills

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2019

The land acquisition, the consolidation process in Kot and a slew of other decisions by the Haryana government to open the hills to privatisation and commercial activity run contrary to court orders, environmentalists' demand, and at times the Union government's measures to protect the Aravalli hills, say Nitin Sethi & Kumar Sambhav Shrivastava.

Manmohan retires from Rajya Sabha

Manmohan retires from Rajya Sabha

Rediff.com   15 Jun 2019

Will DMK send former PM to the Rajya Sabha next month?

BJP membership drive to focus on Bengal, South

BJP membership drive to focus on Bengal, South

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2019

The exercise would culminate into the election of a successor to Amit Shah.

How Amit Shah delivered 303 seats to Modi

How Amit Shah delivered 303 seats to Modi

Rediff.com   7 Jun 2019

For the 2019 polls, the BJP chief deployed over 7,000 leaders to oversee the work of polling committees on the over 400 seats the BJP contested. These committees were asked to focus on 120 seats the party had lost in 2014, but believed it could win in 2019.

Modi's message in portfolios for new ministers

Modi's message in portfolios for new ministers

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2019

He dropped those perceived to be non-performers or whose integrity came into question, and also where it was felt they needed to learn a lesson or two in humility.

Reimagining environmental governance won't be easy

Reimagining environmental governance won't be easy

Rediff.com   30 May 2019

Successive governments focused on altering the clearance processes but largely gave a pass to the second, and essential, element of environmental regulations for monitoring pollution levels and how industries followed conditions laid down for clearances.

Young Dalits waiting for a new icon in UP

Young Dalits waiting for a new icon in UP

Rediff.com   26 May 2019

Jatav youth ask tough questions about surgical strikes, expenditure on statues and organising of the Kumbh festival.

Modi's new Cabinet: Shah may debut, Jaitley uncertain

Modi's new Cabinet: Shah may debut, Jaitley uncertain

Rediff.com   24 May 2019

Will it be home or defence for Amit Shah?