Subhayan Chakraborty &Amp;Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Stories by Subhayan Chakraborty &Amp;Amp; Sanjeeb Mukherjee

Be Warned! Haldi Prices Will Soar!

Be Warned! Haldi Prices Will Soar!

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2023

Usually, turmeric is grown over 290,000-330,000 hectares of land. But in 2022-2023, according to official estimates, there has been a drop of about 10,000 hectares.

Higher discounts likely to prompt India to buy more crude oil from UAE

Higher discounts likely to prompt India to buy more crude oil from UAE

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2023

Higher discounts on crude oil offered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to wean India away from Russian crude may soon see Indian refiners ramping up purchases from the Gulf nation, officials at multiple refiners said. They also pointed to the recent agreement on trade settlement in national currencies signed between India and the UAE as a reason for this. "While discussions are underway, the UAE has offered discounts on crude, which will be more than that of the current level of Russian discounts.

Govt portal pins 285,000 missing mobile phones, but only 20,771 recovered

Govt portal pins 285,000 missing mobile phones, but only 20,771 recovered

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2023

The Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) of the department of telecommunications (DoT) has traced 285,000 lost or stolen mobile phones and blocked 680,000 devices since being launched. However, recoveries remain relatively low at 20,771 devices. According to government estimates, around 50,000 mobile phones are stolen every month in the country. Launched nationwide on May 16, the CEIR is a part of the DoT's Sanchar Saathi portal. It is the primary government platform aimed at protecting mobile phone users from various frauds such as identity theft, forged KYC, theft of mobile devices and banking frauds.

Oil marketing cos to ride the low crude oil gravy train in Q1

Oil marketing cos to ride the low crude oil gravy train in Q1

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2023

Lower crude oil costs and higher marketing margins are expected to raise the fortunes of oil marketing companies (OMCs) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023-24 (FY24), while city gas distribution (CGD) companies could also benefit from lower spot prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, in a break from the past, growth trends are expected to diverge for various segments within the broad energy sector. Analysts expect the earnings from gas production to go down for upstream national oil and gas companies such as Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Oil India (OIL) due to the introduction of the new domestic gas pricing regime on April 1. After showing steep losses over the first half of 2022-23 (FY23), the marketing margins of OMCs have steadily recovered in four months.

Cooler Weather Halts Milk Crisis

Cooler Weather Halts Milk Crisis

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2023

Cooler weather meant that demand for milk products and value-added items like buttermilk and ice-cream did not show the usual rise.

Tomato Prices Increased By 1315%!

Tomato Prices Increased By 1315%!

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2023

8 out of 10 households are planning to cut their tomato consumption if prices stay in the Rs 75-150 kg range over the next three months.

Trai to update quality of service parameters soon; to meet telcos next month

Trai to update quality of service parameters soon; to meet telcos next month

Rediff.com   6 Jul 2023

State-level reports every quarter for service quality and artificial intelligence-based solutions may be officially mandated as part of a set of more stringent, updated quality-of-service (QoS) norms by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) soon. The new norms will also factor in user experience for 5G networks, officials informed Business Standard. In February, Trai asked telecommunication (telecom) service providers (TSPs) to submit updates on measures taken to reduce call drops and lags and raise the quality of connection.

Farmer's to get a bird's eye view: IFFCO to purchase 2,500 agri drones

Farmer's to get a bird's eye view: IFFCO to purchase 2,500 agri drones

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2023

At a time when climate change poses significant challenges and the need for sustainable and efficient farming practices has never been more critical, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) allow farmers to gain a bird's-eye view of their crops from ground level. Drones have become a new force in precision agriculture, helping increase productivity while prioritising sustainability and resilience. Fertiliser major IFFCO is exploring this very transformative power of technology in agriculture.

Jeera prices up 73% since January 2023 amid rising demand, supply shortage

Jeera prices up 73% since January 2023 amid rising demand, supply shortage

Rediff.com   28 Jun 2023

Jeera July futures in NCDEX touched a record high of Rs. 58,085 per quintal on Monday, before coming down to around Rs. 55,500 on Tuesday. This was due to profit booking and extension of additional surveillance margin of 2.5 per cent till July 18, including on all contracts to be launched in the future. The softening, according to some reports, is also because of fears of regulatory action on jeera traders over allegations of excessive speculation.

'Technology' appears 44 times in Modi-Biden statement, up from 5 three years ago

'Technology' appears 44 times in Modi-Biden statement, up from 5 three years ago

Rediff.com   24 Jun 2023

From the seas to the stars, this partnership will now be deepened by the defining role of technology, the statement said.

Don't panic! Bad June doesn't mean bad monsoon

Don't panic! Bad June doesn't mean bad monsoon

Rediff.com   22 Jun 2023

The southwest monsoon has started on a weak note and this has delayed the sowing of kharif crops. Though a cause for concern, the situation hasn't reached a stage where it warrants any panic response. Moreover, according to meteorologists and industry players, monsoon rains will witness a revival in the coming few weeks.

PM Modi's US visit: India's entry into critical mineral alliance on table

PM Modi's US visit: India's entry into critical mineral alliance on table

Rediff.com   21 Jun 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the US is expected to see discussion on India's possible entry into a US-led global alliance on critical minerals, officials told Business Standard. In June last year, the US, the European Union, and other G7 partners launched the Minerals Security Partnership to ensure that China did not further strengthen its grip on supplies of critical minerals the world over. Various ministries, including the Ministry of Finance, have communicated to the Ministry of External Affairs to explore the possibility of India joining the partnership, officials said.

NCDEX all set to relaunch groundnut futures after more than 13 years

NCDEX all set to relaunch groundnut futures after more than 13 years

Rediff.com   19 Jun 2023

After a gap of more than 13 years, the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX) is all set to launch a futures contract in groundnut (in shell) to fill a void in oilseeds complex futures because of a ban in several high-volume commodities.

War Over Amul's Plans For South India

War Over Amul's Plans For South India

Rediff.com   14 Jun 2023

'As long as Amul was coming in with products it was not a problem because it was something value added and with a shelf life.' 'When it gets into the local market by procuring locally, it cuts into the market-share of local cooperatives.'

'We are not saying everybody has to pay that much'

'We are not saying everybody has to pay that much'

Rediff.com   12 Jun 2023

'If you are going to have only a handful of telecom players on whom the entire dream of Digital India rests, it's important they are financially sustainable.'

Citing National Security, India Bans Chinese Cos

Citing National Security, India Bans Chinese Cos

Rediff.com   8 Jun 2023

The government believes firms which are subject to China's laws could be forced to hand over information to Beijing's security services.

Will 2023 Be A Repeat Of 2015?

Will 2023 Be A Repeat Of 2015?

Rediff.com   5 Jun 2023

States have been told to prepare in advance to counter any impact of an adverse southwest monsoon.

India's progress on digital inclusion stalled in 2022, says GSMA report

India's progress on digital inclusion stalled in 2022, says GSMA report

Rediff.com   1 Jun 2023

Released on Wednesday, the report shows that 81 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women in India owned a mobile phone as of 2022, translating to a gender gap of 11 per cent. The numbers drop steeply in terms of mobile internet adoption. While 52 per cent of Indian men use mobile internet, women are way behind, with only 31 per cent of them accessing mobile internet, the report pointed out.

India asks for $55-million funding in first call with Pandemic Fund

India asks for $55-million funding in first call with Pandemic Fund

Rediff.com   30 May 2023

In a significant development, India is believed to have placed a funding request of around $55 million in its first call with the Pandemic Fund of the World Bank, sources said. The fund has been set up to finance critical investments in a bid to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. It was created in the aftermath of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Govt holds meetings to prepare for adverse monsoon, works on action plans

Govt holds meetings to prepare for adverse monsoon, works on action plans

Rediff.com   19 May 2023

With different agencies showing divergent predictions regarding the southwest monsoon, the central government and states are gearing up to face adversity with various line ministries reportedly being directed to undertake mock drills and hold preparatory meetings. Around 56 per cent of the net cultivable area of the country is rain-fed, accounting for 44 per cent of foodgrain production. The June-September rains contribute around 73 per cent of the annual precipitation.