Somesh Jha, Arup Roychoudhury And Shrimi Choudhary

Stories by Somesh Jha, Arup Roychoudhury And Shrimi Choudhary

Karvy fiasco: How brokers exploited the loopholes

Karvy fiasco: How brokers exploited the loopholes

Rediff.com   9 Dec 2019

What's required is proper implementation of the rules and better coordination between market intermediaries such as stock exchanges and clearing members who play a key role in monitoring brokerages.

Controversy over cancellation of Tata Trusts' registration

Controversy over cancellation of Tata Trusts' registration

Rediff.com   6 Dec 2019

The contentious issue that Tata Trusts is challenging is the date of the order, which makes it liable to pay a much higher amount of tax under the new tax provision introduced in June 2016 concerning charitable trusts.

Brokers, investors come under scanner for fraudulent trades

Brokers, investors come under scanner for fraudulent trades

Rediff.com   5 Dec 2019

This was a fresh probe based on the inspection of certain derivative contracts both on the BSE and NSE.

Gig economy workers may now get insurance cover under ESIC scheme

Gig economy workers may now get insurance cover under ESIC scheme

Rediff.com   5 Dec 2019

Gig workers are usually spoken of in the context of the sharing economy, like Uber, Ola drivers, delivery persons for Zomato and Swiggy and so on. This is the first time such workers will be covered under India's social security law.

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Only 61% homes used LPG as of Dec 2018

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

Only 48.3 per cent of the rural households used LPG, while the figures were much higher in urban areas at 86.6 per cent, according to a NSO report.

Budget 2020: What Sitharaman has in store for you

Budget 2020: What Sitharaman has in store for you

Rediff.com   26 Nov 2019

Long-term capital gains tax may be scrapped and the burden of dividend distribution tax could perhaps be shifted from companies to shareholders. Also, the Budget could provide income tax relief for the salaried classes, while proposing tax sops for small, medium and micro enterprises.

Govt releases 5 survey reports but holds back study it junked

Govt releases 5 survey reports but holds back study it junked

Rediff.com   25 Nov 2019

The government's decision to release the reports comes two days after over 200 scholars from across the globe issued a statement demanding release of all withheld reports produced by the NSO, including the household consumer expenditure survey that was junked.

Consumer spend falls for the first time in over 40 years

Consumer spend falls for the first time in over 40 years

Rediff.com   22 Nov 2019

Experts said a dip in consumption expenditure indicated an increasing prevalence of poverty in the country.

This Bill will decide how India Inc hires and fires

This Bill will decide how India Inc hires and fires

Rediff.com   21 Nov 2019

Sitharaman said the Bill has proposed giving a legal framework for fixed-term employment through which contract workers serving a fixed-tenure will get equal statutory social security benefits as regular workers in the same unit.

Videocon case: Kochhar yet to return ICICI Bank bonus

Videocon case: Kochhar yet to return ICICI Bank bonus

Rediff.com   20 Nov 2019

Kochhar was directed to return about Rs 10 crore in cash bonuses she had received as CEO, and also give up close to 6 million shares of the bank she had as stock option, which was about Rs 350 crore.

Global leaks: Why ED can't probe these 'culprits'

Global leaks: Why ED can't probe these 'culprits'

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2019

This is because no prosecution complaint has been filed in any of these cases under the Black Money Act.

Govt scraps consumer expenditure survey over 'data quality'

Govt scraps consumer expenditure survey over 'data quality'

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2019

The findings of the report showed consumer spending falling for the first time in over four decades in 2017-18. The government has, however, termed it a "draft" report, reports Somesh Jha.

Unspent PM-KISAN fund may be diverted to MGNREGA

Unspent PM-KISAN fund may be diverted to MGNREGA

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

Sources said the rural development ministry has sought an additional Rs 20,000 crore for MGNREGA for 2019-20 over and above the budgeted Rs 60,000 crore for 2019-20. Though, all of the PM-KISAN savings may not be transferred to fund MNGREGA's extra needs, sources said a part of this could be transferred.

Why govt wants to classifying jobs based on skills

Why govt wants to classifying jobs based on skills

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

In the draft rules, among 681 listed professions, armed security guards, supervisors, surveyors, and carpenters (class I) are proposed to be treated as highly skilled professionals; electricians, tailors and drivers are skilled; cooks and cobblers as semi-skilled and dairy coolies, office peons and sweepers as unskilled.

Mudra loans led to a 28% rise in jobs

Mudra loans led to a 28% rise in jobs

Rediff.com   7 Nov 2019

After taking benefit of the scheme, jobs increased by around 11 mn in establishments that took loans.

Sebi chief Ajay Tyagi may get two-year extension

Sebi chief Ajay Tyagi may get two-year extension

Rediff.com   4 Nov 2019

In his first two years, Tyagi, a Himachal Pradesh cadre IAS officer, has implemented challenging stock market reforms and taken action against high-profile corporate entities.

July-Sep GDP growth may fall below 5%

July-Sep GDP growth may fall below 5%

Rediff.com   2 Nov 2019

'We expect a pick-up in the second half of the current fiscal. But before that, data is likely to show a further slowdown. The second quarter print is likely to be worse than the first quarter,' said a senior official.

30,000 individuals under I-T lens for remitting money abroad

30,000 individuals under I-T lens for remitting money abroad

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2019

The department apparently suspects the use of shell firms or front entities in some aspects of such remittance. Money might, it suspects, have moved in some cases from tax-free jurisdictions or tax havens to accounts in the UAE and some South Asian countries.

'For sustained growth, investment is absolutely critical'

'For sustained growth, investment is absolutely critical'

Rediff.com   31 Oct 2019

The economy could grow at 6-6.5 per cent this fiscal year (2019-20 or FY20), said Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian, revising his earlier estimate of 7 per cent in the Economic Survey. In an interaction with Arup Roychoudhury, he said supply-side measures, including corporation tax cuts, will boost consumption and demand, and non-tax revenue may make up for shortfall in tax revenues.

Bitter reminder for BJP that assembly polls are fought on local issues

Bitter reminder for BJP that assembly polls are fought on local issues

Rediff.com   25 Oct 2019

Dissatisfaction with the state leadership, along with caste and sectarian factors and economic issues -- particularly those relating to jobs and rural distress cost the BJP.