Ruchika Chitravanshi, Dev Chatterjee

Stories by Ruchika Chitravanshi, Dev Chatterjee

Will a fresh wave of Covid-19 hit India?

Will a fresh wave of Covid-19 hit India?

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2023

According to Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman, national Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, the current scenario qualifies as a wave.

Cyrus Mistry's assets may be divided among wife and sons

Cyrus Mistry's assets may be divided among wife and sons

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2023

The billionaire Mistry family's estate is likely to soon change hands. The assets in the name of Cyrus Mistry, who died in September last year, may soon be divided equally among his wife Rohiqa and sons Firoz and Zahan, according to sources. The reorganisation will also include the 9.2 per cent stake in Tata Sons, which is currently in Cyrus Mistry's name and held through his investment company Cyrus Investments.

RCap lenders in a fix as Hindujas retract revised Rs 8,950-cr offer

RCap lenders in a fix as Hindujas retract revised Rs 8,950-cr offer

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2023

The Hinduja group is learnt to have backtracked from making a minimum Rs 8,950-crore offer for Reliance Capital (RCap) - a deal that it had belatedly put forth in December, after Torrent Investments emerged as the highest bidder for the bankrupt firm in the challenge process. The Hindujas' latest move has put Indian lenders, with an exposure of Rs 24,000 crore, in a spot as it was the former's revised offer that led to a call for a second auction and litigation by Torrent, which had placed a bid of Rs 8,649 crore in the first auction. Torrent has moved the Supreme Court and plans to wait for the apex court verdict before participating in any fresh auction. A banking source said there was an informal meeting of a few lenders of Reliance Capital with the bidders - the Torrent group and the Hinduja group on Friday when the latter changed its stand. The meeting of RCap's committee of creditors (CoC) is scheduled for Monday.

COVID-19 Cases: No Reason For Alarm

COVID-19 Cases: No Reason For Alarm

Rediff.com   16 Mar 2023

'The fortunate part is that the severity is less. New strains are continuously forming and the virus is getting less severe.'

Why M&A deals in India are down 80% so far in 2023

Why M&A deals in India are down 80% so far in 2023

Rediff.com   6 Mar 2023

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by Indian companies have declined sharply by 80 per cent so far this year, in contrast with the same period last year, as bankers predict lower deal volumes due to falling profit margins of Indian companies and feeble stock markets. The decline in Adani Group shares has also hit buyer sentiment. According to data from Refinitiv, M&As in India stood at $3.3 billion from 253 deals, year-to-date (YTD) - a fall of 80 per cent year-on-year (YoY). Cross-border deals by Indian companies were also down 84 per cent to just $1.5 billion.

Mega Push For Modi's Jal Jeevan Mission

Mega Push For Modi's Jal Jeevan Mission

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2023

'The first two years of the Jal Jeevan Mission were wasted in UP.' 'But after a push from the Centre, work has picked up pace in the state.'

Investors jittery as Vedanta stocks, bonds take a hit

Investors jittery as Vedanta stocks, bonds take a hit

Rediff.com   1 Mar 2023

Vedanta investors were jittery on Tuesday as its share price fell and bond yields of its parent firm rose following concerns raised by a rating agency on its capability to repay debt maturing later this year. Shares of the mining and metals major were down by 7 per cent on Tuesday to Rs 268 a piece on the BSE. The company has lost market valuation of 30 per cent in the last one year and 13 per cent since January 1 this year. Yields on the bonds of Vedanta Resources, the parent firm of the BSE-listed Vedanta, shot up to 39.8 per cent - showing investors' rising concern over the group's debt situation

How a new tax law has stumped Tata Trusts and top corporate donors

How a new tax law has stumped Tata Trusts and top corporate donors

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2023

Indian charitable trusts, including Tata Trusts and top corporate donors, are stumped by a new tax law proposed in the Budget, which reduces tax breaks for the donor organisations. The Finance Bill proposes that if a charitable organisation donates to another charity, then only 85 per cent of the donation will be considered as application of income for the donor organisation. Trust officials say this is a major setback for the donor organisations, including corporate foundations and intermediary organisations, which work with various implementing agencies at the grassroots level.

Adani says will complete infra projects on time, focused on financials

Adani says will complete infra projects on time, focused on financials

Rediff.com   16 Feb 2023

Adani Enterprises, the flagship of Adani Group, said on Wednesday new businesses of renewables, data centres, airports and roads account for more than 33 per cent of earnings and it will complete all infrastructure projects on time. "We are laser focused on continuing our business momentum, in this market volatility. "We are confident in our internal controls, compliance and corporate governance.

India a bright spot for investments despite current volatility: Blackstone

India a bright spot for investments despite current volatility: Blackstone

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2023

Despite the recent turmoil in the Indian markets after a scathing report on the Adani group from Hindenburg Research, American private equity major Blackstone is "bullish" on the India growth story and plans to invest more in the country's infrastructure and real estate projects. "We have a long-term view on India, as growth will be higher here. We have invested half of our Asia exposure in India. "Our extraordinary performance in India has made us bullish," said Jonathan Gray, president and chief operating officer of Blackstone.

Adani Ports to prepay Rs 5,000-crore debt

Adani Ports to prepay Rs 5,000-crore debt

Rediff.com   8 Feb 2023

A day after the promoters of Adani Group prepaid $1.1 billion loans, one of the group's listed entities - Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) - announced that it would prepay loans of up to Rs 5,000 crore by next month-end so as to improve its financial metrics. The company is targeting an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) of around Rs 15,000 crore this financial year. This was revealed by Karan Adani, chief executive officer (CEO) and whole-time director of APSEZ, while announcing the September-December 2022 results.

New competition law likely to open up settlement route for cartels

New competition law likely to open up settlement route for cartels

Rediff.com   30 Jan 2023

In a relief to industry, the government has accepted a parliamentary panel's recommendation on allowing cartels to opt for the settlement scheme under the Competition Amendment Bill, according to official sources. The proposed Bill seeks to introduce a clause for settlement and commitment that offers any enterprise against which an inquiry has been initiated to file an application for settlement. The Parliamentary Committee on Finance had suggested including cartels in the scope for settlement "as a pragmatic recourse to the whole process".

Are Wealthy Indians Paying Less Tax?

Are Wealthy Indians Paying Less Tax?

Rediff.com   25 Jan 2023

While movie stars like Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan are among the top I-T payers, very few of the wealthiest Indians figure on the list.

Doctors want govt to allow 4th booster

Doctors want govt to allow 4th booster

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2023

'The protective effect of the vaccine lasts for about nine months to a year.' 'For health workers that period is already over. This is the right time to augment their immunity.'

Indians Not Taking Booster Covid Vaccine

Indians Not Taking Booster Covid Vaccine

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2022

Less than 30,000 booster doses daily in December.

Mask Up, Covid Is Not Over Yet

Mask Up, Covid Is Not Over Yet

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2022

'If there are any symptoms/variants of concern, states can prepare accordingly.'

At $171 billion in 2022, India Inc clinches highest ever yearly M&As

At $171 billion in 2022, India Inc clinches highest ever yearly M&As

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2022

Aided by the $57.8-billion merger of HDFC Bank and HDFC, India Inc reported its highest ever mergers and acquisitions in calendar 2022 at $171 billion as against deals worth $145 billion announced last year. The acquisition by the Adani group across cement, media and ports dominated the headlines with the conglomerate making its foray into the cement sector by buying Swiss materials firm Holcim's stake in Ambuja Cements for $6.5 billion. The Adani family's additional $4-billion open offer for Ambuja did not get a response because shareholders preferred to stay invested with the new owner.

In 'white gold' rush, India starts talks with lithium-rich nations

In 'white gold' rush, India starts talks with lithium-rich nations

Rediff.com   13 Dec 2022

To ramp up domestic battery manufacturing capacity and reduce the dependence on imports, the government has initiated talks with a few lithium-rich countries to supply the mineral to Indian companies, industry sources informed Business Standard. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) held a meeting with the ambassadors of countries, including Argentina, Chile, and Bolivia, among others, to put forth its request.

SC junks Tata Power's plea on project award to Adani

SC junks Tata Power's plea on project award to Adani

Rediff.com   24 Nov 2022

In a setback to Tata Power, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the company's challenge to the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's (MERC's) decision to award a Rs 7,000-crore transmission project near Mumbai on a nomination basis to Adani Electricity. The court upheld the order by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) in this case and directed all State Electricity Regulatory Commissions to frame guidelines on tariff determination in accordance with Section 61 of the Electricity Act and the national policy. The verdict has implications for the Mumbai power market, said Ashok Pendse, an energy expert based in the city.

Guidelines to improve quality control at audit firms in place

Guidelines to improve quality control at audit firms in place

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2022

The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has issued guidelines to inspect select audit firms to identify areas and opportunities for improvement in the audit firm's system of quality control, a statement said. "Inspections will consist firm-wide review of audit quality and individual file reviews on test-check basis to evaluate the level of compliance with applicable auditing standards and quality control policy and processes," NFRA said. The selection of the audit firm or the auditor for such inspection by NFRA would be based on assessment of risks in the audit environment.