Shiva Rajora, Ruchika Chitravanshi

Stories by Shiva Rajora, Ruchika Chitravanshi

Will Jobs Be An Electoral Issue In State Polls?

Will Jobs Be An Electoral Issue In State Polls?

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2023

Youth unemployment (ages 15 to 29) is higher than the national average of 12.4 per cent in Telangana (14.2 per cent) and Rajasthan (13 per cent), followed by Chhattisgarh (6.7 per cent) and MP (6 per cent).

Regulatory framework for large unlisted firms by MCA in the works

Regulatory framework for large unlisted firms by MCA in the works

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2023

The ministry is of the opinion that there is a need for a rigorous regime for large unlisted companies, in contrast with the current "light-touch" regulation. "There is a defined regime for listed companies, by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). "There is a view in the ministry that it needs to look at a framework for large unlisted companies," the senior official said.

Household savings report: There is no distress, says finance ministry

Household savings report: There is no distress, says finance ministry

Rediff.com   22 Sep 2023

The finance ministry on Thursday sought to clarify that there was no distress in household savings and the data indicated that changing consumer preference for different financial products was the real reason for the change in the pattern of household savings. The clarification comes in the backdrop of Reserve Bank of India data showing that household net financial savings rate is at its lowest in decades, at 5.1 per cent of GDP in FY23 compared to 7.2 per cent of GDP in FY22. The divergence in the data for household gross financial assets and liabilities is not a cause for concern for the government, as the loans have largely been taken to buy real assets or automobiles, the finance ministry said.

'India's done magical work'

'India's done magical work'

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2023

'To get a 100 per cent consensus document without any reservation, any bracket, any chair summary is unprecedented in the history of multilateral forums.'

Why Auditors Quitting Big Clients Is Complicated

Why Auditors Quitting Big Clients Is Complicated

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2023

Auditors seem to have developed a heightened sense of risk and are not content to tick the boxes and sign the papers.

'We are not going back to licence raj'

'We are not going back to licence raj'

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2023

'I'm pitching India for the strengths we offer, including the English language, engineers, doctors, nurses, professionals, innovative talent of startups.'

Crypto can't be legal tender; blanket ban not easy: IMF-FSB paper

Crypto can't be legal tender; blanket ban not easy: IMF-FSB paper

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2023

Crypto assets should not be granted official currency or legal tender status, the much-awaited synthesis paper by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Financial Stability Board (FSB) has said ahead of the G20 leadership summit under India's presidency. However, the report has argued against a blanket ban on activities linked to crypto assets, explaining that such a move can be costly as well as technically demanding to enforce. Central banks should avoid holding crypto assets in their official reserve as they pose a risk to monetary and global financial stability, according to the synthesis paper.

Draft merger rules: Mega global deals likely to come within CCI ambit

Draft merger rules: Mega global deals likely to come within CCI ambit

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2023

The Competition Commission of India has introduced draft regulations for combinations or mergers, under the new competition Act, to bring global deals in the digital space, including those involving Big Tech companies, under its scanner. The draft regulations would provide guidance on the valuation of merger transactions and the criteria for assessing sustainable operations in India for companies. The proposed rules mention that if the number of users and subscribers, or the turnover or gross merchandise value in India is over 10 per cent of the global figure, the company would be considered to have substantial business operation in India and would need CCI approval for the merger.

Confident of meeting fiscal deficit, nominal GDP targets: DEA secy

Confident of meeting fiscal deficit, nominal GDP targets: DEA secy

Rediff.com   4 Sep 2023

The government is confident of meeting the fiscal deficit target of 5.9 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and the nominal GDP target of 10.5 per cent despite pressure in the initial months of FY24, Economic Affairs secretary Ajay Seth told Business Standard. Normally the initial months of any financial year see proportionally a higher fiscal deficit because the expenditure is evenly paced while revenue picks up in the later months, he said. "This year the proportional fiscal deficit so far is much closer to the target than in most other years.

MPLADS Fund: 14 Assam MPs Get Highest Share

MPLADS Fund: 14 Assam MPs Get Highest Share

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2023

'The pace of disbursement and project recommendation picks up as the tenure of the House draws near and usually all amount is released.'

Moody's report on India's economic outlook 'extremely disappoints' govt

Moody's report on India's economic outlook 'extremely disappoints' govt

Rediff.com   25 Aug 2023

The government is "extremely disappointed" with the latest report of the Moody's rating agency on India's economic outlook. The report, a senior government official said, was highly contradictory and called the rating agency's credibility into question. Referring to the Moody's statement that "India's fiscal strength remains a key weakness in the sovereign credit profile...", the official remarked: "How can my strength be my weakness? Moreover, they are unwilling to have a like-to-like comparison with India."

Inflation may stay elevated in coming months: FinMin

Inflation may stay elevated in coming months: FinMin

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2023

The finance ministry has cautioned that global and regional uncertainties and domestic disruptions may keep inflationary pressures elevated in the coming months, warranting "greater vigilance" by the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). "Russia's decision to terminate the Black Sea grain deal, along with dry conditions in major wheat-growing areas, caused a price spike in cereals. Domestic factors like white fly disease and an uneven distribution of monsoon exerted pressure on vegetable prices in India," the ministry said in its latest Monthly Economic Report for July, released on Tuesday. However, the report maintained, the recent price surge in certain food items "is expected to be transitory". "Tomato prices are likely to decline with the arrival of fresh stocks by the end of August or early September.

Corporate affairs ministry assessing need to ramp up bench strength of NCLT

Corporate affairs ministry assessing need to ramp up bench strength of NCLT

Rediff.com   22 Aug 2023

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) is contemplating an increase to the existing strength of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) benches to handle the growing case load. The ministry is currently analysing the time taken by each bench to dispose of matters and the total number of cases being handled by each bench. "We need to first determine our requirement, given that the NCLT handles both Company Act and insolvency and bankruptcy matters. "The latter constitutes the majority of the case burden.

Employment in India registered V-shaped recovery post-pandemic: Former CEA

Employment in India registered V-shaped recovery post-pandemic: Former CEA

Rediff.com   21 Aug 2023

Employment in India saw a V-shaped recovery after being adversely impacted between April and June 2020 during the Covid lockdown and during April-June 2021, when the second wave struck, said Krishnamurthy V Subramanian, former chief economic advisor, in a paper released on Friday. Subramanian is now serving as executive director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). From the official survey data of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), the paper titled 'Employment in India: Data Sources, Facts, and Trends' showed that both worker-population ratio (WPR) and labour force participation rate (LFPR) were higher, while the unemployment rate was lower during October-December 2022 when compared to the corresponding quarter in 2019.

Centre pushes for faster admission of corporate insolvency cases at NCLT

Centre pushes for faster admission of corporate insolvency cases at NCLT

Rediff.com   21 Aug 2023

Benches of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) should not get into questioning a company's default once it is established by the creditors, particularly financial creditors, for admission to the corporate insolvency process. This is one of the key themes of the draft guidelines for the NCLT, which are being finalised by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), a senior official said. According to the official, while the company law matters could involve the "principle of natural justice" and justify extended proceedings to hear all parties concerned, the same does not apply to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) proceedings.

India's growth trajectory secure: FinMin's monthly economic review

India's growth trajectory secure: FinMin's monthly economic review

Rediff.com   4 Aug 2023

Improved monsoon, solid fiscal performance, and capex push by the public and private sectors augurs well for India's macroeconomic stability and growth, the finance ministry's monthly economic review for June 2023 said. But the report said that while India's domestic fundamentals remain strong, negative cross-border spillovers and adverse global developments could act as a deterrent in achieving the high growth path this financial year. "An improved matching of aggregate supply and aggregate demand in the Indian economy underpins the progress made in the control of domestic inflation and the consequent strengthening of macroeconomic stability," the review said.

Export preparedness: Tamil Nadu takes top spot, Gujarat slips to 4th

Export preparedness: Tamil Nadu takes top spot, Gujarat slips to 4th

Rediff.com   18 Jul 2023

After topping it for two consecutive years, Gujarat slipped three places on the NITI Aayog's Export Preparedness Index (EPI) for 2022, as Tamil Nadu emerged as the most export-ready state, the central think tank said in its report released on Monday. In a continuing trend, coastal states were found to have the most robust export infrastructure, which officials attributed to the integration of maritime trade into the core of their economies. Maharashtra and Karnataka retained their positions -- second and third, respectively; Haryana was ranked first among landlocked states and fifth overall.

India poised for more durable growth than ever, says finance ministry

India poised for more durable growth than ever, says finance ministry

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2023

India appears poised to sustain its growth in a more durable way than before with the economy carrying the momentum from FY23 into the current fiscal year, the Annual Economic Review for 2022-23 released by the finance ministry on Thursday said. However, the report cautioned that escalation of geopolitical stress, enhanced volatility in global financial systems, sharp price correction in global stock markets, a high magnitude of El-Nino impact, and modest trade activity and FDI inflows, are factors that could constrain the pace of growth. "Should these developments deepen and dampen growth in the subsequent quarters, the external sector may challenge India's growth outlook for FY24," the finance ministry said.

Indian middle class will nearly double to 61% by 2046-47: PRICE Report

Indian middle class will nearly double to 61% by 2046-47: PRICE Report

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2023

The size of India's middle class will nearly double to 61 per cent of its total population by 2047, from 31 per cent in 2020-21, as continuing political stability and economic reforms with a sustained annual growth rate of between 6 per cent and 7 per cent over the next two and half decades will make the country one of the largest markets in the world. The findings are part of a report released on Wednesday by the People Research on India's Consumer Economy (PRICE) and India's Citizen Environment, a not-for-profit think tank. The report titled, The Rise of India's Middle Class, is based on an analysis of primary data collected by PRICE through its pan-Indian survey.