Shrimi Choudhary &Amp;Amp; Peerzada Abrar

Stories by Shrimi Choudhary &Amp;Amp; Peerzada Abrar

IT Hiring Slowdown Worries Students

IT Hiring Slowdown Worries Students

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2023

'Students of Tier-II and Tier III engineering colleges in the south may find 2023 to be one of the toughest years for getting jobs.'

Walmart-owned PhonePe crosses 500 million lifetime registered users

Walmart-owned PhonePe crosses 500 million lifetime registered users

Rediff.com   9 Nov 2023

Walmart-owned fintech firm PhonePe said it has crossed 500 million lifetime registered users on its platform. With this milestone, 1 in 3 Indians are now on PhonePe. The company said it is the first Indian internet company to have reached this scale globally. This milestone has been achieved in just over 7 years since the PhonePe UPI (Unified Payments Interface) payments launched in August 2016.

Divestment target for FY25 may be lower with no new lofty plan

Divestment target for FY25 may be lower with no new lofty plan

Rediff.com   9 Nov 2023

The Centre could further moderate its divestment target for 2024-25 (FY25), as it does not expect large receipts from asset sales - except some ongoing strategic ones, including IDBI Bank, which could spill over into next financial year. Also, it may drastically reduce its FY24 divestment target of Rs 51,000 crore. "We are still evaluating the Budget estimates for FY25. "New big-ticket asset sales are unlikely.

Byju's in talks with 3-4 strategic buyers to sell Epic for $450 million

Byju's in talks with 3-4 strategic buyers to sell Epic for $450 million

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2023

Byju's is in talks with three-four strategic buyers, including Joffre Capital Ltd and language learning platform Duolingo, to sell one of its key assets, US-based digital reading platform Epic, for about $400-$450 million, according to sources. With this, the beleaguered edtech firm wants to meet various commitments, including repaying its entire $1.2 billion term loan B (TLB) within six months. "The binding offers of the bidders to acquire Epic are expected to come in the next few weeks after the due diligence is complete," said a person familiar with the matter.

Finance Ministry Eyes Rs 50,000 Crore GST

Finance Ministry Eyes Rs 50,000 Crore GST

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2023

'This year's detection of frauds and probable recovery will be mainly driven by several compliance measures put in place, and amendments made to the GST regime to plug revenue leakages particularly in new-edge sectors.'

Aug tax mop-up gives boost to govt finances

Aug tax mop-up gives boost to govt finances

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2023

The Union government's finances witnessed significant improvement in August after a stressful first four months of the current fiscal year. India's gross tax revenue, comprising both direct and indirect taxes, for the first five months of 2023-24 surged 16.5 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) to Rs 11.8 trillion. During the April-July period, gross tax revenue increased by a mere 2.8 per cent compared to the Budget Estimate of 12.1 per cent growth for FY24.

How Amazon Works With Indian Railways

How Amazon Works With Indian Railways

Rediff.com   13 Oct 2023

'Building a whole product with the railways was challenging; we had to figure out how to load and unload a train when it stops for only about five minutes at a station.' 'We also helped them understand the revenues this would generate for them.'

Securities transaction tax mop-up on track to go past Budget target

Securities transaction tax mop-up on track to go past Budget target

Rediff.com   10 Oct 2023

The Union government's revenue from securities transaction tax (STT) is on track to exceed its Budget projection for the current fiscal year, with the mop-up already surpassing 50 per cent of the annual estimate. Provisional figures reveal that the Centre has collected approximately Rs 14,000 crore in the first half of this fiscal year up to September, according to a government official. This amount exceeds half of the full-year target of Rs 27,625 crore set for FY24.

PSU Disinvestment: Modi Missing The Bus

PSU Disinvestment: Modi Missing The Bus

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2023

'Inter-ministerial coordination, information on the proposed PSUs, and due diligence are taking longer than expected to conclude the process.'

'Yes, we are coming back'

'Yes, we are coming back'

Rediff.com   18 Sep 2023

'I want us not to underestimate Indian voters. They can tell good work from bad.'

'Many Indian unicorns have set up businesses in Dubai'

'Many Indian unicorns have set up businesses in Dubai'

Rediff.com   16 Sep 2023

'As part of our D33 strategy, the plan is to establish 30 unicorns in Dubai within the next 10 years.'

Edtech company Byju's plans asset sale to pay off $1.2 billion loan

Edtech company Byju's plans asset sale to pay off $1.2 billion loan

Rediff.com   12 Sep 2023

Byju's, India's most-valued startup, has decided to put two of its key assets -- Epic and Great Learning -- on the block to generate $800 million-$1 billion in cash, with an aim to meet the edtech firm's various commitments, including repaying the entire $1.2 billion term loan B (TLB) within six months, according to sources. The cash-strapped company has proposed repaying $300 million of the $1.2 billion loan in the next three months, depending on whether the lenders accept Byju's amendment proposal, said the people familiar with the development. "This loan repayment proposal has been submitted to the lenders and conversations are going in the right direction," said a person in the know.

Byju's changing fortune: From buying spree to selling crown jewels

Byju's changing fortune: From buying spree to selling crown jewels

Rediff.com   12 Sep 2023

From those highs, the Bengaluru-headquartered company founded in 2011 is now looking to sell two companies it lists as "well-known acquisitions" on its website - Epic and Great Learning. But strategic buys have been critical to its quick expansion. The company got a valuation of about $8 billion by January 2020 after becoming a unicorn in late 2017.

LIC may need 5 yrs more beyond 2027 to comply with public float norms

LIC may need 5 yrs more beyond 2027 to comply with public float norms

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2023

Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) may require at least five more years to comply with the minimum public shareholding of 25 per cent beyond the current exempted timeline of 2027. Formal communication in this regard had been shared recently with the finance ministry, underlining LIC's roadmap, plans of further dilution of stake, current norms around public float, and challenges ahead, a government source familiar with the matter said. "Going forward, we will have to take a call, along with Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India) and the Department of Economic Affairs on the roadmap for minimum public shareholding (MPS).

Expect Tax Refunds Now In 10 Days

Expect Tax Refunds Now In 10 Days

Rediff.com   4 Sep 2023

Almost all verification and assessments of returns selected for scrutiny are being done electronically through an anonymous back office, manned by tax experts and officials, without any personal interface between taxpayers and officers.

Gross tax revenue up 2.8% at rs 8.9 trillion so far in FY24

Gross tax revenue up 2.8% at rs 8.9 trillion so far in FY24

Rediff.com   1 Sep 2023

India's gross tax revenue, comprising both direct and indirect taxes between April and July, reported a growth rate of merely 2.8 per cent to Rs 8.9 trillion compared to the same period a year ago, as shown by government data on Thursday. This growth was dampened by direct tax figures, offsetting the healthy growth in goods and services tax collections and Customs duties. While net tax revenue contracted by 12.6 per cent to Rs 5.8 trillion up to July, accounting for 25 per cent of the Rs 23.3 trillion full-year target, this could be attributed to the increased tax devolution to states during the period.

Young Taxpayers Prefer New Tax Regime

Young Taxpayers Prefer New Tax Regime

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2023

'Most young taxpayers prefer income tax filing to be flexible yet straightforward.'

Edtech giant Byju's CBO Prathyusha Agarwal, two senior executives quit

Edtech giant Byju's CBO Prathyusha Agarwal, two senior executives quit

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2023

Three senior executives have resigned from Byju's at a time when the most valuable edtech company has been trying to address challenges such as due diligence issues, legal battles with lenders, challenges in raising fresh capital, and a markdown in its valuation by investors. Prathyusha Agarwal, the chief business officer of Byju's, has quit, according to sources. They said Himanshu Bajaj, business head of Byju's tuition centres, and Mukut Deepak, business head for Class 4 to 10, have also moved on.

'Inflation will reduce in next three months'

'Inflation will reduce in next three months'

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2023

'We are engaging in substantial open market sales of both wheat and rice to control food inflation; special measures of market intervention in vegetables, pulses and oil seeds were also taken to cushion the impact.'

We will reinvent the motorcycle category for the world: Ola Electric CEO

We will reinvent the motorcycle category for the world: Ola Electric CEO

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2023

Ola Electric, India's largest maker of electric scooters, launched its most affordable ride on Tuesday, in an attempt to woo more customers and expand its electric two-wheeler lineup.