Vrishti Beniwal, Sanjeeb Mukherjee And Shine Jacob

Stories by Vrishti Beniwal, Sanjeeb Mukherjee And Shine Jacob

Modi to review ministries' work in quest for turnaround

Modi to review ministries' work in quest for turnaround

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2020

Starting today, Modi and top officials in the Prime Minister's Office will be briefed by various central ministries and departments on their plans as well as agenda for the next five years. They will also apprise the PMO of the work they have done so far in realising the agenda of government's second term in office.

Will Indian Railways be privatised?

Will Indian Railways be privatised?

Rediff.com   31 Dec 2019

Railways to hive off all production units and workshops into new govt-owned company; may invite bids from private players to run passenger trains in next 15 days, with ownership vesting with the government.

Govt for UPA-style bailout of NBFCs

Govt for UPA-style bailout of NBFCs

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2019

In 2009, the UPA government, had announced a slew of measures to boost liquidity in NBFCs. These included a scheme for providing liquidity support to NBFCs having assets size of over Rs 100 crore through a SPV.

Govt to break 150-yr tradition, gives nod to Railway board restructuring

Govt to break 150-yr tradition, gives nod to Railway board restructuring

Rediff.com   25 Dec 2019

The new board will have a leaner structure on functional lines headed by the chairman and four members - covering infrastructure, operations and business development, rolling stock, and finance.

Railways in talks with Reliance Jio on tower use

Railways in talks with Reliance Jio on tower use

Rediff.com   23 Dec 2019

Indian Railways is in talks with Reliance Jio Infocomm to allow the Mukesh Ambani-led telecom major's use of its towers. The aim is seamless mobile and internet connectivity for passengers along the 67,368-km of tracks. The Railway Board has entrusted its RailTel Corporation arm to work on the modalities with Jio. The Jio tie-up is expected to bring down its telecom bill by at least 35 per cent from this financial year.

Modi, team to start pre-Budget consultations next week

Modi, team to start pre-Budget consultations next week

Rediff.com   14 Dec 2019

In the 2020-21 Budget, the prime minister and the finance minister are keen to stamp their narrative, after various rollbacks following the previous Budget, said top government sources. Besides the scheduled meetings, the sources said, the Prime Minister's Office is expected to hold several meetings with top secretaries and officials on various ongoing schemes, their performance and also how some of them could be tweaked for better results.

Centre halves onion stock holding limit for retailers

Centre halves onion stock holding limit for retailers

Rediff.com   4 Dec 2019

India exported $102 million worth of dehydrated onions in 2018-19.

NITI Aayog on how India can become $5-trillion economy

NITI Aayog on how India can become $5-trillion economy

Rediff.com   2 Dec 2019

Though the NITI Aayog did not give its estimates for the required GDP growth at constant prices, economists pegged it at 9 per cent, a feat not seen since the GDP series was revised with 2011-12 as the base year.

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.

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 stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Why stubble burning will continue to choke NCR

Rediff.com   13 Nov 2019

To prevent rise in air pollution levels, oil marketing companies and thermal power units were planning to procure stubble from farmers to make bioethanol and promote the central government's 'Agricultural Mechanization' for crop residue management. But both have seen minimal success.

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.

Why govt fund and monsoon failed to lift rural economy

Why govt fund and monsoon failed to lift rural economy

Rediff.com   22 Oct 2019

Although demonetisation and improper implementation of GST along with falling prices are being blamed for much of the distress in rural India for some time, experts believe those may not be the only reason.

Why it makes sense for farmers to rear birds

Why it makes sense for farmers to rear birds

Rediff.com   21 Oct 2019

A data shows the number of backyard poultry has risen by 46 per cent between 2012 and 2019. The development is extremely positive because it provides an incentive for small and marginal farmers to rear birds.

Why India's milk production has grown at over 6% past few years

Why India's milk production has grown at over 6% past few years

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2019

As the number of cross-bred female cattle rise, the entire concept of lean and flush seasons for milk will go away, as these animals give similar quantities in all seasons.

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Subsidy on kerosene likely to go by FY21

Rediff.com   15 Oct 2019

A major reason for the decline in the consumption of kerosene was an increase in the number of LPG consumers in rural India after the government launched the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. in 2016.

In a first, BJP meets SJM, others over joining RCEP

In a first, BJP meets SJM, others over joining RCEP

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2019

The BJP's effort comes in the wake of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal set to attend the eighth RCEP ministerial meeting in Bangkok from October 10 to 12.

Govt may now cap prices of antibiotics

Govt may now cap prices of antibiotics

Rediff.com   7 Oct 2019

The intention of the government is to cap prices of drugs that are essential and which the public widely uses.

How Saudi terror attack has hit Indian kitchens

How Saudi terror attack has hit Indian kitchens

Rediff.com   4 Oct 2019

A shortfall in LPG supply from Aramco has led to huge booking backlog across states. To meet the backlog, India has asked Abu Dhabi National Oil Company for two additional cargos of LPG, but that may take another 10 days to reach.

Is India's LNG deal with US a risky affair?

Is India's LNG deal with US a risky affair?

Rediff.com   3 Oct 2019

Majority of PLL's long-term deals are linked to crude, which faces price challenge from other fuels. Spot LNG is moving away from this linkage, which puts a question mark on crude linked contracts.