Somesh Jha And Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Somesh Jha And Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Garg leaves without signing off on Jalan panel report

Garg leaves without signing off on Jalan panel report

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2019

Garg had refused to sign on the report finalised by the former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan-led committee reviewing the central bank's economic capital framework (ECF).

To ease compliance, govt plans major labour reforms

To ease compliance, govt plans major labour reforms

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2019

Single registration will be coupled with single licence, along with a single return, for executing projects for five years.

Govt to extend minimum wages to 100% of workforce

Govt to extend minimum wages to 100% of workforce

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2019

Under the New Code on Wages Bill 2019, employers will be required to give the minimum wages, notified by either the state or the Centre, to the unorganised sector, too.

States keen on linking central grants with reforms

States keen on linking central grants with reforms

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2019

The high-level panel also asked the government to work towards re-orienting subsidies in a targeted manner from the crop sector to the non-crop sector and redesign the electronic National Agriculture Market.

Farmer groups plan protest against spread of GM crops

Farmer groups plan protest against spread of GM crops

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2019

The groups, including those associated with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's parent organisation the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, have also threatened a big nationwide agitation if growth of illegal GM crops isn't checked.

Banks likely to freeze accounts of shell firms

Banks likely to freeze accounts of shell firms

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2019

Government suspects that many of these bank accounts were used to launder money, especially after the demonetisation in November 2016.

Devendra Fadnavis to head CMs' panel on agriculture reform

Devendra Fadnavis to head CMs' panel on agriculture reform

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2019

The committee has been tasked to come up with policy measures to boost agriculture exports, raise growth in food processing, attract investments in modern market infrastructure, value chains and logistics.

Scanty rain in June hits sowing of kharif crops

Scanty rain in June hits sowing of kharif crops

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2019

Till June 30, the southwest monsoon was 33 per cent lower than normal, which is among the worst in the last five years, with 28 of the 36 meteorological divisions recording deficient rain.

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: How govt plans to tackle India's water woes

Jal Shakti Abhiyan: How govt plans to tackle India's water woes

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2019

The aim of the programme is to increase the water table in the stressed areas through dams, ponds, and afforestation. According to a NITI Aayog study, by 2030, the country's water demand is projected to be twice the available supply, implying severe water scarcity for hundreds of millions of people and an eventual 6 per cent loss in the country's GDP.

Will Modi govt manage to push labour reforms this time?

Will Modi govt manage to push labour reforms this time?

Rediff.com   26 Jun 2019

After assuming power in 2014 with a full majority of its own, the BJP-led NDA government started an ambitious process of reforming labour laws in the form of codes aimed at making the framework less cumbersome with a variety of alterations. It had planned four codes each for industrial relations, wages, social security and welfare, and occupational safety, health and working conditions. To this end, 35 central labour laws were to be converted into four codes that would have had the virtue of streamlining labour relations. But none of the proposed code Bills could be converted into a law principally because neither trade unions nor industry representatives came on board. They hold the key to India's low-growth-high unemployment paradigm but the government may struggle to push them through this time as well. Somesh Jha explains why

Weak monsoon likely to increase demand for work under MGNREGS

Weak monsoon likely to increase demand for work under MGNREGS

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2019

Around 40 per cent of the country is staring at drought-like conditions ahead of the monsoon as water levels have receded sharply.

Modi 2.0: Rs 70,000-crore rural road building project on agenda

Modi 2.0: Rs 70,000-crore rural road building project on agenda

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2019

It would involve constructing over 125,000 kilometres of roads and would form part of the third phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

Modi starts pre-Budget meets to brainstorm on economy

Modi starts pre-Budget meets to brainstorm on economy

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2019

Tuesday's meeting at the PM's residence, attended by all the five secretaries in the finance ministry besides top officials of other economic ministries and NITI Aayog, cleared a five-year vision plan for the government to make India a $5-trillion economy by 2024.

RBI's new stressed asset resolution is 'practical'

RBI's new stressed asset resolution is 'practical'

Rediff.com   17 Jun 2019

'If there is a technical issue and the borrowers can resolve it within 30 days, you don't have to go through the bankruptcy court.' 'If the borrower is expecting a large disbursal of a facility or expecting a payment or receivables, in such cases it becomes practical to give a window for taking care of such circumstances. 'If banks had aggregated the assets and benefited with a long relationship with borrowers and now when assets get into a trouble, it is incumbent on banks to find resolution and take responsibility.'

Vayu weakens monsoon, raising spectre of drought

Vayu weakens monsoon, raising spectre of drought

Rediff.com   15 Jun 2019

By June 14, the monsoon should have reached central India. But this year it hasn't even covered Karnataka properly or entered the Northeast.

An insurance plan that will benefit both employers and employees

An insurance plan that will benefit both employers and employees

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2019

The scheme, which will be effective from July 1, 2019 would benefit 36 million employees and 1.28 million employers. The ESI Act applies to factories with 10 or more workers and provides for medical, cash, maternity, disability and dependent benefits to employees drawing a salary of up to Rs 21,000 per month.

On the govt's table: PSU general insurance consolidation

On the govt's table: PSU general insurance consolidation

Rediff.com   8 Jun 2019

'The plan is to secure nod of the Union Cabinet and other relevant regulatory approvals within the next three months,' a senior finance ministry official said, requesting anonymity.

'This time, it is about making Modi win'

'This time, it is about making Modi win'

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2019

'He has attacked our enemies in their own backyard.'

Brace for a hot summer in North India

Brace for a hot summer in North India

Rediff.com   5 Mar 2019

"The season averaged maximum temperatures in Himachal Pradesh, West Rajasthan, Konkan, Goa, Coastal Karnataka, Kerala and Arunachal Pradesh are likely to be higher than normal by 0.5-1.0 degree Celsius," the Met department has said in its forecast.

Winter rain won't cause large-scale damage to most rabi crops

Winter rain won't cause large-scale damage to most rabi crops

Rediff.com   4 Mar 2019

For potato farmers in the north and wheat growers in the eastern parts -- particularly in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Odisha -- the recent rains could in fact be beneficial.