Nivedita Mookerji &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Nivedita Mookerji &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Will budget for agri research get a big boost this year?

Will budget for agri research get a big boost this year?

Rediff.com   28 Jan 2025

Several leading scientists, academicians, and agriculturalists have called for raising government support for research and development to make Indian agriculture future-ready.

'India Not tougher Than Other Markets'

'India Not tougher Than Other Markets'

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2024

'Regulatory challenges exist everywhere. What we look for is regulatory stability over time.'

Have You Heard About The Potato Crisis?

Have You Heard About The Potato Crisis?

Rediff.com   16 Dec 2024

Amid the political blame game over Bengal's potato ban, which led to shortages in Jharkhand and Odisha, Uttar Pradesh farmers are the unlikely winners.

This Winter To Be Warmer Than Normal

This Winter To Be Warmer Than Normal

Rediff.com   3 Dec 2024

The cold wave days in December too are expected to be 'below-normal' this year.

Despite import cuts, govt seeks smooth supply of laptops

Despite import cuts, govt seeks smooth supply of laptops

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2024

As the Union government explores ways to restrict import of laptops and other electronic devices starting with a 5 per cent reduction from the current level, it is working to ensure that there's no supply disruption in India even if an import cap is introduced, it is learnt. The caveat assumes significance in the context of the government's announcement of its plan in August 2023 to issue licences for import of select IT hardware products to reduce the country's dependence on China.

Noel Tata To Debut At Tata Sons Board Meeting Today

Noel Tata To Debut At Tata Sons Board Meeting Today

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2024

Indications are that the Tata Sons stand on listing of the company may come up for a discussion even if it's not part of the agenda

PMAY-G survey to use 'face recognition' tools to identify new beneficiaries

PMAY-G survey to use 'face recognition' tools to identify new beneficiaries

Rediff.com   20 Nov 2024

A fresh survey to identify a minimum of eight million new beneficiaries of the flagship rural housing scheme, in addition to the 12 million already identified, will use the latest face-recognition tools to minimise gaps, a senior official said on Tuesday. The survey, which has already started across the country for building the fresh 20 million new rural houses over the next five years, can also be done by the beneficiary himself/herself as well through the Awaassoft mobile application specially created for this purpose.

Jio IPO may be pegged at over $6 bn; listing expected in Q2 or Q3 of 2025

Jio IPO may be pegged at over $6 bn; listing expected in Q2 or Q3 of 2025

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2024

Reliance Jio, the telecom business of the Mukesh Ambani-promoted conglomerate, is expected to go for an initial public offering (IPO) of over $6.25 billion either in the second or the third quarter of the calendar year 2025, sources said. Reliance Retail is likely to be listed around the same time with a short gap, it is learnt. The timing of the two IPOs, however, will depend on the company's assessment of the market conditions among other factors.

MGNREGA participation dipped in first 6 months this FY compared to last

MGNREGA participation dipped in first 6 months this FY compared to last

Rediff.com   28 Oct 2024

Fewer people participated in MGNREGA during the first six months of this financial year (April-September) compared to the same period last year, a recent analysis of the scheme's performance by LibTech showed.

Tomato price volatility exposes gaps in India's agriculture supply chain

Tomato price volatility exposes gaps in India's agriculture supply chain

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2024

Tomato prices have been on the boil for more than a month. Data from major cities show that the spike has been between 125 and 150 per cent at the wholesale level. Soaring vegetable prices, including tomatoes, pushed the retail inflation rate to a nine-month high of 5.49 per cent in September, according to government data. Though reports say prices are expected to come down in the next few weeks after supplies improve from Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh, how long will the respite last is anybody's guess.

Why Ratan Tata Really Fell Out With Cyrus Mistry

Why Ratan Tata Really Fell Out With Cyrus Mistry

Rediff.com   26 Oct 2024

Ratan Tata: A Life, the much awaited biography, reveals that after a year of 'parallel running', Tata began having second thoughts about Cyrus Mistry's 'suitability'. 'Mistry targeted Ratan, the man who had elevated him from virtual oblivion into the mainstream of the Tatas...'

Global firms form 'good rice alliance' for Indian farmers

Global firms form 'good rice alliance' for Indian farmers

Rediff.com   21 Oct 2024

Four big global companies - Bayer, GenZero (a wholly-owned arm of financial major Temasek), Shell and Mitsubishi - have decided to scale up their carbon credit programme in nine states to empower farmers. The credits are generated through the adoption of smart agriculture practices - Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Direct Seeded Rice (DSR). Since over a year, the project, which was being run on a pilot basis, has positively impacted 10,000 farmers, covering more than 25,000 hectares.

Foreign Brands Are Eyeing India Again

Foreign Brands Are Eyeing India Again

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2024

Whether it's Carrefour, Ford, or other foreign majors, they are ready to adjust their strategies and design their plans in a way that would address the Indian consumption story.

India's agriculture growth dips in Q1 as heatwave stings crop output

India's agriculture growth dips in Q1 as heatwave stings crop output

Rediff.com   2 Sep 2024

Gross Value Added (GVA) growth in agriculture and allied activities in the first quarter of the 2024-25 financial year (Q1FY25) dipped to 2.7 per cent at constant prices from 4.2 per cent in Q1FY24 due to a drop in output of some crops following heatwave in the main growing months. Low post-monsoon rains, which dried most of the reservoirs in several states across the country, also impacted the production of many crops. At current prices, the growth was estimated at 8.5 per cent as against 4.1 per cent in Q1FY24 due to a spike in food inflation during the April to June months of FY25.

Textile industry joins hands with ILO

Textile industry joins hands with ILO

Rediff.com   15 Aug 2024

With cotton still figuring in the list of commodities that are produced using practices such as child labour, the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) has entered into an understanding with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to create awareness, share technical know-how and knowledge about better labour standards. These standards, which are part of ILO Fundamental Principles and Rights to Work (FPRW), will be tried on a pilot basis in major cotton-growing districts of Madhya Pradesh for one year starting in 2024.

What Modi May Say In I-Day Address

What Modi May Say In I-Day Address

Rediff.com   14 Aug 2024

'Given our turbulent neighbourhood, the prime minister is likely to emphasise on democratic dividend as the reason behind India's continuous prosperity.'

Imports of pulses may dip in FY25 on good monsoon

Imports of pulses may dip in FY25 on good monsoon

Rediff.com   12 Aug 2024

After climbing to the highest level in more than five years to 4.7 million tonnes in FY24, India might import fewer quantities of pulses this financial year at 4-4.5 mt on the back of good monsoon and higher domestic production, Bimal Kothari, chairman of India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), said in New Delhi on Friday. Kothari was addressing reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on pulses titled "Bharat Dalhan-2024".

Hunger in India came down to 13.7% during 2021-23: UN-FAO report

Hunger in India came down to 13.7% during 2021-23: UN-FAO report

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2024

In what could come as a piece of good news, hunger in India - as measured by the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) - has come down from 16.6 per cent of the population in the 2020-2022 to 13.7 per cent in 2021-23, the latest report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2024) showed. This means that around 39.3 million people have come out of undernourishment between the two periods, NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand said on Tuesday.

'Jobs Have To Be Created Everywhere'

'Jobs Have To Be Created Everywhere'

Rediff.com   25 Jul 2024

'I found it unbelievable that L&T said 45,000 jobs were waiting to be filled because of unavailability of suitable skillsets.' 'So, when the Opposition sweepingly says there are no jobs, I'm sorry... I'm not saying it's raining jobs, but there are jobs. The (skill) gap has to be bridged.'

BJP States Go All Out With Populist Schemes

BJP States Go All Out With Populist Schemes

Rediff.com   20 Jul 2024

Several BJP-backed state governments have unveiled schemes targeting the poor, women, farmers and students, following the party's setback in the Lok Sabha polls.