Ruchika Chitravanshi &Amp;Amp; Aneeka Chatterjee

Stories by Ruchika Chitravanshi &Amp;Amp; Aneeka Chatterjee

Glitches in MCA portal: CAs, CS seek extension in annual filing deadline

Glitches in MCA portal: CAs, CS seek extension in annual filing deadline

Rediff.com   1 Nov 2022

In a multi-city protest on Monday, a large number of company secretaries (CS) and chartered accountants (CAs) came together to seek extension of the deadline for annual filing due to glitches in the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) portal. According to the Companies Act, firms are supposed to submit Form AOC 4 for filing of the balance sheet within 30 days of holding the annual general meeting (AGM). This deadline was over on October 29.

Number of Covid symptomatic kids jump, post-recovery issues a concern

Number of Covid symptomatic kids jump, post-recovery issues a concern

Rediff.com   14 Jan 2022

While the infection has been mild in most reported cases, those below two years of age are showing signs of acute infection.

'We have to do everything to avoid a super spreader event'

'We have to do everything to avoid a super spreader event'

Rediff.com   1 Jan 2022

'Health will continue to be at the centre of the government's attention as it underpins economic recovery and our collective well being.'

Omicron in India: 'Surge likely in January'

Omicron in India: 'Surge likely in January'

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2021

'Whether the substantial hybrid immunity present in India can protect against severe consequences of the disease remains to be seen.'

How govt plans to plug gaps in the bankruptcy code

How govt plans to plug gaps in the bankruptcy code

Rediff.com   25 Dec 2021

In a move to plug gaps in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has proposed robust norms against avoidance transactions, wrongful trading, and inordinate delays via changes to look-back period and fixed timelines for the tribunals to reject or approve plans, among other measures. The MCA has proposed that the IBC should provide the adjudicating authority with 30 days for approving or rejecting a resolution plan under Section 31. If a decision is not made on the resolution plan within that period, the adjudicating authority will record reasons in writing for the same, the ministry has proposed.

Is A Vaccine Booster Needed?

Is A Vaccine Booster Needed?

Rediff.com   20 Dec 2021

'There is no emergency of a third wave that we are rushing for booster doses.'

Omicron: Europe-like surge may mean 1.4 mn cases a day

Omicron: Europe-like surge may mean 1.4 mn cases a day

Rediff.com   18 Dec 2021

'We have to ensure the European situation does not occur in India and we don't see a spread like theirs.'

Health expenditure's share in GDP down

Health expenditure's share in GDP down

Rediff.com   7 Dec 2021

The share of total health expenditure as part of the gross domestic product (GDP) went down to 3.3 per cent in 2017-18 from 3.8 per cent in the previous two years, according to the national health account data released on Monday by the health ministry. The share of government expenditure as part of total expenditure as well as GDP has gone up from from 3.78 per cent to 5.12 per cent between 2013-14 and 2017-18, which could also explain a decline seen in out of pocket expenditure in 2017-18. Health ministry also emphasised the increase in the government health expenditure as part of the total GDP from 1.15 per cent in 2013-14 to 1.35 per cent in 2017-18.

Omicron: 'Vaccine immunity may be less effective'

Omicron: 'Vaccine immunity may be less effective'

Rediff.com   7 Dec 2021

'Antiviral treatment will have no change. Spike protein change may affect the immunity protection.'

10 mn unused Covid vaccine doses lying with private hospitals

10 mn unused Covid vaccine doses lying with private hospitals

Rediff.com   1 Dec 2021

With around 2 million Covid vaccine doses likely to get wasted in December, leading hospital chains have now started to give it gratis to citizens. Sohini Das and Ruchika Chitravanshi report.

Govt targets 'left-out' people in fresh Covid-19 vaccination push

Govt targets 'left-out' people in fresh Covid-19 vaccination push

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2021

The Union health ministry has directed states to identify all left-out people and ensure everyone gets their Covid jab through initiatives such as workplace vaccination, as part of the government's "Har Ghar Dastak" campaign. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a review meeting on vaccination progress with Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Puducherry on Monday. In a tweet, the minister said, "Spoke about augmenting Govt's #HarGharDastak vaccine campaign. Requested help from religious leaders, NGOs & political groups to speed-up vaccination coverage." Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan has asked state officials that workplace vaccination should be organised for targeting people due for their doses.

Focus on second dose as India inches closer to 1 billion jabs

Focus on second dose as India inches closer to 1 billion jabs

Rediff.com   18 Oct 2021

Experts, however, feel that given the intensity of the second wave and the high single dose coverage, India is in a good position to avoid any drastic wave in the near future.

India's digital health mission likely to face privacy issues

India's digital health mission likely to face privacy issues

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2021

Lack of clarity on data-sharing persists, public health experts sceptic about the pilot that was run in six Union territories as benchmark for national roll-out

'Vaccine hesitancy has more or less gone'

'Vaccine hesitancy has more or less gone'

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2021

'Demand is wonderful. We have crossed 10 million on many days.' 'The Swedish trade commissioner recently said, "You guys are vaccinating the entire Sweden in one day".'

India may fully vaccinate all adults by April next year

India may fully vaccinate all adults by April next year

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2021

With the maximum dose gap of four months for Covishield, a large part of the population would not even be eligible for the second dose by the end of this year, report Ruchika Chitravanshi and Ishaan Gera.

Companies get 2-month extension to hold AGMs

Companies get 2-month extension to hold AGMs

Rediff.com   24 Sep 2021

The government said it had received many representations seeking extension of time citing many difficulties due to the second wave of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. MCA has asked the registrar of companies to approve the extension of the time limit to hold the AGM.

India's high antibody count could mean less severe Covid 3rd wave

India's high antibody count could mean less severe Covid 3rd wave

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2021

While some experts believe that a large part of India is still vulnerable to the virus that could trigger a third wave, others feel the country is not likely to be engulfed by another deadly wave unless a new variant emerges.

Bird flu: The Rs 90,000 cr poultry industry is in a fix

Bird flu: The Rs 90,000 cr poultry industry is in a fix

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2021

The death of a 11-year-old boy due to 'bird-flu', even before the devastating effects of the second Covid wave have waned, has alarmed the medical fraternity though they assert that human-to-human transmission of H5N1 virus is extremely rare. The event has also put the Rs 90,000 crore domestic poultry industry which was seeing some uptick in demand after months of low sales last year into a spot of bother, as any curb on sale or production of eggs or chicken could have a devastating impact on its revenues. It is estimated that around 60 million people are directly impacted by the poultry sector in India. H5N1 virus, also commonly known as bird flu, is known to spread from chickens but other birds such as ducks and crow are also carriers of the virus.

Why is NCDC not in the centre of managing the Covid-19 crisis?

Why is NCDC not in the centre of managing the Covid-19 crisis?

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2021

'We have the technical expertise, and international collaborations. We also have robust real-time data. We are a university of pandemic management. If the ministry neglects the role of NCDC, it is the loss of the country'

Fear and myths injecting Covid vaccine hesitancy

Fear and myths injecting Covid vaccine hesitancy

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2021

A June 11 survey by cLocalCircles across 299 districts puts overall vaccine hesitancy levels at 18 per cent, with 11 per cent of the respondents saying they were not convinced if the currently available vaccines would protect them against the new strains; and 5 per cent said they do not plan to take the vaccine at all.