Ruchika Chitravanshi &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Ruchika Chitravanshi &Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Can we ever keep China out of Indian industries?

Can we ever keep China out of Indian industries?

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2020

Experts say while the increasing demand for a ban on Chinese goods might make for good optics, the reality is that India is still heavily dependent on that country in a wide range of industries like electronics, mobile devices, auto, pharma, telecom equipment, and fertilisers.

COVID-19: Govt panel recommends capping private hospitals' rates

COVID-19: Govt panel recommends capping private hospitals' rates

Rediff.com   20 Jun 2020

The committee has recommended Rs 8,000-10,000, Rs 13,000-15,000, and Rs 15,000-18,000 including PPE costs for isolation beds, and ICUs with or without ventilator, respectively, to all hospitals. Currently, hospitals are charging Rs 24,000-25,000, Rs 34,000-43,000 & Rs 44,000-54,000 (excluding PPE cost).

Health expenditure in April trebles to Rs 13,000 crore

Health expenditure in April trebles to Rs 13,000 crore

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2020

Experts say a large part of the expenditure in April was spent on heads such as creating infrastructure for testing capacity and procuring testing kits, among other things.

Why there's such a gap between wholesale and retail food inflation?

Why there's such a gap between wholesale and retail food inflation?

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2020

Since March 2020, WPI food inflation rate continued to fall but the CPI-food inflation rose, signaling a breakdown in supply chain from the mandis to the final household.

ICMR study hints at much wider spread of COVID-19

ICMR study hints at much wider spread of COVID-19

Rediff.com   10 Jun 2020

ICMR's serological survey, whose findings will be made public next week, suggests that the rate of contagion may be a lot higher in most-affected cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune.

MP, not Punjab is now the top wheat-procuring state

MP, not Punjab is now the top wheat-procuring state

Rediff.com   9 Jun 2020

Till date, MP has procured around 12.77 million tonnes of wheat, which is expected to reach 13 million tonnes by the time the process ends in the next few weeks.

Centre's agri market reform ordinance comes under fire

Centre's agri market reform ordinance comes under fire

Rediff.com   7 Jun 2020

Kiran Vissa, co-convenor of National Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, said that amendments to the EC Act have nothing to do with farmers' welfare but instead meant to please big players and agriculture companies. This is because small and marginal farmers don't have the storage capacity to attract provisions of the EC Act.

Senior citizens account for 50% of India's COVID-19 deaths

Senior citizens account for 50% of India's COVID-19 deaths

Rediff.com   4 Jun 2020

Nearly half of all coronavirus patients in the country have been cured, taking the recovery rate to over 48 per cent.

Agriculture grew 4% in FY19-20, but what about this year?

Agriculture grew 4% in FY19-20, but what about this year?

Rediff.com   30 May 2020

As the growth figures relate to pre-Covid lockdown period it does not reflect the real picture of distress which unfolded from April onwards in the sector, when acute supply disruption led to sharp drop in prices of many commodities largely perishables impacting farmers.

Locust invasion puts summer crop in many states at risk

Locust invasion puts summer crop in many states at risk

Rediff.com   27 May 2020

The locusts initially entered Rajasthan from Pakistan and from there the swarms moved towards Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab over the last few weeks and are now threatening to enter Uttar Pradesh, putting at risk the summer crop.

No signs of Covid curve flattening, cases to peak in Jul-Aug

No signs of Covid curve flattening, cases to peak in Jul-Aug

Rediff.com   18 May 2020

'We don't know how complicated things will get with the onset of the monsoon.'

'Centre takes decisions without consulting states'

'Centre takes decisions without consulting states'

Rediff.com   17 May 2020

'The spirit of cooperation between the Centre and states has been diluted in many ways.' 'The level of consultation which used to be there earlier has reduced significantly.'

How Centre plans to enable free inter-state agri trade

How Centre plans to enable free inter-state agri trade

Rediff.com   17 May 2020

The government is looking at tweaking provisions of the Indian Contracts Act of 1872 to bring agreements between farmers and companies under its ambit, aiming to prevent exploitation of farm people.

Sitharaman likely to focus on poor, farm sector next

Sitharaman likely to focus on poor, farm sector next

Rediff.com   14 May 2020

Later, there may be some tax relief aimed at the middle class and measures to benefit the sectors worst hit by Covid-19 and the resultant nationwide lockdown.

As India learns to 'live' with COVID-19, hospitals brace for new normal

As India learns to 'live' with COVID-19, hospitals brace for new normal

Rediff.com   12 May 2020

Most feel as the movement of people normalises, the in-patient volumes in hospitals will grow and by the end of May, occupancy should be around 50 per cent, and 75 per cent over a period of time.

Audit cos to go digital for clearing lockdown hurdle

Audit cos to go digital for clearing lockdown hurdle

Rediff.com   11 May 2020

There has been an exponential increase in the use of technology to validate financial numbers, with a greater reliance on electronic evidence, use of live videos where possible, data analytics, and project management software to overcome the physical limitations in verifying transactions and accounts.

Explain how you contracted COVID-19: Delhi govt to medics

Explain how you contracted COVID-19: Delhi govt to medics

Rediff.com   2 May 2020

A letter sent out by Delhi government asked all medical directors to provide a written explanation on how the health workers contracted the disease despite wearing protective gear, maintaining safe distancing and taking all precautions.

Wheat procurement finally picks up

Wheat procurement finally picks up

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2020

In total, the Centre plans to purchase around 40.7 million tonnes of wheat from farmers this year, which is almost 19 per cent more than last year.

Can disinfectant tunnels actually spray out the virus?

Can disinfectant tunnels actually spray out the virus?

Rediff.com   27 Apr 2020

These are becoming one of the most in-demand commodities in the COVID world with malls, offices, banks, and shops lining up to install the structure at their entrances. The company swamped with these orders is a relatively new one, Chennai-based Nanolife, which has patented its Rajat Bhasma formula or the silver nanoparticles solution as a healthy disinfectant. Sceptics, however, say if a person is potentially exposed to the COVID-19 virus, spraying the external part of the body would not kill the microbe, which is inside the body.

Bankruptcy: India Inc gets breather for 6 months

Bankruptcy: India Inc gets breather for 6 months

Rediff.com   24 Apr 2020

Govt has decided to suspend Sections 7, 9, and 10, which are used to trigger insolvency proceedings for six months or a period not exceeding one year from the date they commence.