News for 'Centre for Sustainable Development'

A Budget With An Eye On Elections

A Budget With An Eye On Elections

Rediff.com10 Feb 2023

Nirmala Sitharaman's messaging was clear when she presented a well-balanced Budget with an eye on state elections in nine states followed by a general election next year, observes Ramesh Menon.

Biological E's Corbevax cleared as Covid booster dose

Biological E's Corbevax cleared as Covid booster dose

Rediff.com4 Jun 2022

BE's Corbevax is the first such vaccine in India to be approved as a heterologous COVID-19 booster in the country.

S M Krishna, Kumar Mangalam Birla among those given Padma awards

S M Krishna, Kumar Mangalam Birla among those given Padma awards

Rediff.com22 Mar 2023

Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna, noted industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla and famous playback singer Suman Kalyanpur were given Padma awards by President Droupadi Murmu at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday.

IT firm Atos plans to hire 15K people in India by mid-2023

IT firm Atos plans to hire 15K people in India by mid-2023

Rediff.com7 Jan 2022

French IT firm Atos is planning to hire 15,000 people in the next 12-18 months in India, including climate experts, as it moves towards decarbonisation by 2028, chief operating officer (COO) Nourdine Bihmane said. "India is a strategic market for Atos. "We have been present here for the last 30 years, and we have grown organically since. "People and innovation are our two key drivers to build momentum. "India represents one-third of our total workforce," Bihmane said. Atos has around 40,000 employees in India.

Tibet developments may put pressure on India

Tibet developments may put pressure on India

Rediff.com7 Jan 2018

Samdong Rimpoche's visit to China materialised against the backdrop of strained India-China relations consequent to the face-off between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam, says former RAW officer Jayadeva Ranade.

War Over Amul's Plans For South India

War Over Amul's Plans For South India

Rediff.com14 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.'

Tata Power, IIT Delhi to collaborate in clean energy space

Tata Power, IIT Delhi to collaborate in clean energy space

Rediff.com23 Oct 2021

Tata Power on Saturday said it has inked a pact with IIT Delhi to work together on clean energy and other projects that can be transformed from research and development level to pilot stage. Tata Power, one of India's largest private sector integrated utilities, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in areas like smart grid technology, clean energy solutions, a company statement said. Considering the large number of experts with their excellence in different fields in IIT Delhi and Tata Power, there is an immense potential to collaborate between academia, research and domain experts from business with a high transformational impact, it added.

Under attack Centre suggests anti-conversion laws

Under attack Centre suggests anti-conversion laws

Rediff.com11 Dec 2014

Facing accusations of pursuing communal agenda against the backdrop of conversion in Agra, government has asserted in Lok Sabha that it was committed to maintain communal harmony and suggested that all states as well as the Centre should have anti-conversion laws.

Industry lauds PM's vision of 'techade'

Industry lauds PM's vision of 'techade'

Rediff.com15 Aug 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to make this decade a "techade" for India and the push for 5G, semiconductors and transformation through digital services is going to boost the technology sector in the country, industry players said on Monday. Modi, in his speech on the 76th Independence Day, touched upon all-round development of technology in the country, from 5G to push for electronic chips, laying of optical fibre cable (OFC) network across villages and enablement of digital entrepreneurship in villages through Common Services Centres, making the present decade as "techade" for India. Homegrown mobile devices maker Lava International's Chairman and Managing Director Hari Om Rai said electronics and technology sectors create about $4 trillion of revenue.

Shinde's maiden Budget offers Rs 6K aid, free crop cover to farmers

Shinde's maiden Budget offers Rs 6K aid, free crop cover to farmers

Rediff.com9 Mar 2023

Announcing a Re 1 crop insurance scheme for farmers, the deputy CM said the government will bear the financial burden of Rs 3,312 crore.

Follow Gujarat's water management model: Centre to states

Follow Gujarat's water management model: Centre to states

Rediff.com20 Jun 2014

The National Democratic Alliance government has asked states to emulate the Gujarat water management model to address the problem of water scarcity.The Centre has forwarded a compact disc received from Gujarat government's Water and Sanitation Management Organisation on the subject "The state-wide water supply grid" to the states to study how the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state managed the problem of water scarcity.

Cyclone Yaas to intensify into very severe cyclonic storm in next 12 hours

Cyclone Yaas to intensify into very severe cyclonic storm in next 12 hours

Rediff.com25 May 2021

The maximum sustained wind speed is 55 knots gusting to 65 knots around system centre. Sea condition is rough to very rough, it stated.

Defence budget hiked by Rs 69,000 cr to Rs 5.94 lakh crore

Defence budget hiked by Rs 69,000 cr to Rs 5.94 lakh crore

Rediff.com1 Feb 2023

The defence budget was increased to Rs 5.94 lakh crore for 2023-24, up from last year's allocation of Rs 5.25 lakh crore.

Rumble of discontent over jobs runs through support for Modi in Gujarat

Rumble of discontent over jobs runs through support for Modi in Gujarat

Rediff.com1 Dec 2022

Nearly 3.64 lakh educated and "semi-educated" youngsters had registered with employment exchanges across Gujarat till December 2021, according to state government data.

The ancient Indian myth that could save our oceans

The ancient Indian myth that could save our oceans

Rediff.com19 May 2017

Today humanity is churning the ocean with a thoughtless vengeance -- with toxic wastes, plastics and hazardous substances being dumped into our once pristine seas. And there is no benign Lord Shiva to rescue us from our collective greed, says Shyam Saran.

Pakistan-China sign pacts to strengthen 'iron-clad friendship'

Pakistan-China sign pacts to strengthen 'iron-clad friendship'

Rediff.com22 Mar 2022

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed ways to further strengthen the "iron-clad friendship" between the two countries as the two sides signed five agreements to deepen their bilateral cooperation in various fields, the foreign office said on Tuesday.

Indigenous vaccine for lumpy skin disease ready; Aadhar for animals: Modi

Indigenous vaccine for lumpy skin disease ready; Aadhar for animals: Modi

Rediff.com12 Sep 2022

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the Centre along with states is making efforts to control lumpy skin disease in cattle.

As aviation opens up, GE bets on India's wide-body aircraft market

As aviation opens up, GE bets on India's wide-body aircraft market

Rediff.com26 Mar 2022

The slot constraint in Indian airports is also going to play a role in pushing airlines to have wide bodies.

Singh, Obama meeting to boost strategic Indo-US ties

Singh, Obama meeting to boost strategic Indo-US ties

Rediff.com26 Sep 2013

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United States President Barack Obama will meet in Washington on Thursday to chart a course for "future cooperation" in areas such as civil nuclear technology, trade, investment, defence and counter-terrorism, amid perceptions that bilateral strategic ties have plateaued.

Adani says his group's success depends on India growth story

Adani says his group's success depends on India growth story

Rediff.com26 Jul 2022

Gautam Adani on Tuesday said his ports-to-energy conglomerate never slowed or stopped investing in the country as the group's success is based on its alignment with the India growth story. Speaking at the annual shareholder meeting of the group companies, he said the previously announced $70 billion investment in new energy business will help turn India from being a net importer of oil and gas to an exporter of clean energy. "Never have we walked away from investing in India, never have we slowed our investments," he said. "We believe our scale, our diversified business, and our track record of performance positions us very strongly to continue to perform well in a variety of market conditions."

Adani now keen to produce world's cheapest hydrogen

Adani now keen to produce world's cheapest hydrogen

Rediff.com11 Nov 2021

Billionaire Gautam Adani on Thursday said his logistics-to-energy conglomerate will invest $70 billion over the next decade to become the world's largest renewable energy company and produce world's cheapest hydrogen. Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL), the world's largest solar power developer, is targeting 45 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and will invest $20 billion to develop a 2 GW per year solar manufacturing capacity by 2022-23. Adani Transmission Ltd (ATL), India's largest private sector power transmission and retail distribution company, is looking to increase the share of renewable power procurement from the current 3 per cent to 30 per cent by FY 2023 and to 70 per cent by FY 2030.

Financial inclusion a key driver of economic growth: Das

Financial inclusion a key driver of economic growth: Das

Rediff.com15 Jul 2021

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said financial inclusion will continue to be a "policy priority" for the central bank to make the post-pandemic recovery more equitable and sustainable. The Reserve Bank of India will very soon be coming out with the first financial inclusion index, which will assess progress in terms of access, usage and quality, Das said, while speaking at the Economic Times Financial Inclusion Summit. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that the financial ecosystem (including the digital medium) is inclusive and capable of effectively addressing risks like mis-selling, cybersecurity, data privacy and promoting trust in the financial system through appropriate financial education and awareness, he added.

Celebrate Constitution by practicing its ideals every day: CJI

Celebrate Constitution by practicing its ideals every day: CJI

Rediff.com26 Nov 2022

Justice Chandrachud said unlike many countries, India's Constitution was forged by Indians here in New Delhi

Infra Brushstrokes For The Budget

Infra Brushstrokes For The Budget

Rediff.com30 Jan 2023

7 key areas that the Budget must address to re-energise the infrastructure sector, suggests Vinayak Chatterjee.

'When the rates of interest fall, EMIs will come down'

'When the rates of interest fall, EMIs will come down'

Rediff.com26 Oct 2022

'Marginal rates will definitely affect the consumer's decision in entering a new transaction, but in reality, they don't affect much because banks/financial institutions have come up with step-up EMIs: 50% of home loans which exceed 15 years in India are prepaid, within 7-8 years.' 'This doesn't happen anywhere in the world.'

Realtors hope for sunny 2022 with better sales

Realtors hope for sunny 2022 with better sales

Rediff.com27 Dec 2021

India's real estate industry staged a rebound from 2020's downturn, with housing sales seen rising by over 50 per cent. The performance, though short of pre-COVID levels, has property developers hoping for stronger gains in the New Year and the beginning of a long upcycle. A strong foundation has been laid this year for revival in the Indian real estate sector, which is projected to reach $1 trillion mark by 2030 from $200 billion in the pre-pandemic year.

India gets $1.75 bn World Bank loan for health, private investment

India gets $1.75 bn World Bank loan for health, private investment

Rediff.com1 Jul 2022

The World Bank has approved loans totalling $1.75 billion (about Rs 13,834.54 crore) to fund India's PM Ayushman Bharat scheme and private investment to boost the economic growth. Of the total loan, $1 billion will go towards the health sector, while the rest $750 million will be in the form of development policy loan (DPL) to fill the financing gaps through private sector investment in the economy. The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved two complementary loans of $500 million each to support and enhance India's health sector.

Major improvement in J-K security scene post Aug 2019: Top Army commander

Major improvement in J-K security scene post Aug 2019: Top Army commander

Rediff.com5 May 2022

Asserting that the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has seen a "tremendous improvement and stabilisation" since August 2019, a top Army commander said the Union territory is regaining its past glory and peace through sacrifices of the security forces and people.

'We are sitting on a time bomb'

'We are sitting on a time bomb'

Rediff.com27 Feb 2023

'An earthquake of a slightly higher magnitude in the Western Himalayan region is going to be catastrophic -- not just because of the fragility of the region but because of how densely we have occupied it.'

Grim global situation casts shadow on Budget 2023

Grim global situation casts shadow on Budget 2023

Rediff.com21 Dec 2022

Ahead of the Union Budget for 2023-24, Budget makers have welcomed the global consensus view that India will remain one of the bright spots in calendar year 2023. But there is some alarm over the grim global situation and how that might impact the Centre's projections and assessments for next financial year. The big global headwinds include a deep and sustained recession in the West, including India's biggest trading partners in North America and Europe, continuing volatility in commodity markets, and renewed Covid-19 fears, as lifting of strict curbs by China could potentially lead to a massive spread again.

Sukhwinder Sukhu takes oath as Himachal's 15th CM, Agnihotri dy CM

Sukhwinder Sukhu takes oath as Himachal's 15th CM, Agnihotri dy CM

Rediff.com11 Dec 2022

Mukesh Agnihotri, the leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly, was administered the oath as the deputy chief minister.

In Godhra, Hindutva and Modi still key factors, but corruption an issue too

In Godhra, Hindutva and Modi still key factors, but corruption an issue too

Rediff.com26 Nov 2022

Twenty years after the burning of a train in Godhra killed 59 'karsevaks' and triggered one of India's worst post-Partition riots, the poll-scape reflects the yawning gulf between the two communities.

India, Bangladesh satisfied with smooth implementation of boundary pact

India, Bangladesh satisfied with smooth implementation of boundary pact

Rediff.com25 Sep 2015

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina had a 'very good meeting'

Clarity needed on tax framework for IT industry: Nasscom

Clarity needed on tax framework for IT industry: Nasscom

Rediff.com1 Feb 2021

The government has created a comprehensive budget with sharp focus on sustaining economic activity and investment but more clarity is needed on areas like taxation framework for adopting remote working on a long-term basis, IT body Nasscom said on Monday. The industry association noted that the IT/ITeS (Information Technology-enabled Services) industry has been a key driver of growth and jobs in 2020 and there is an opportunity to significantly accelerate it further. "For the IT sector, one of the biggest needs ahead of us is the development of future business models, with hybrid working becoming a reality. "We look forward for the government to provide clarity on providing a framework in direct taxes and indirect taxes for the industry to adopt WFH/remote working on a long-term basis," Nasscom said in a statement.

WOW! A Fashion Show In The Metaverse!

WOW! A Fashion Show In The Metaverse!

Rediff.com5 Jul 2022

'You can choose who you would like as your showstopper.' 'You have the freedom to create your own background -- sun, moon and the stars, which may sometimes not be possible in a physical show.'

Grand Prix of Bharat: India set for MotoGP in 2023

Grand Prix of Bharat: India set for MotoGP in 2023

Rediff.com17 Sep 2022

MotoGP, the pinnacle of two-wheel racing, could come to India in the winter of 2023 if all goes ahead as planned, providing a massive boost to the stagnant motorsport scene in the country.

How FM plans to tackle air pollution and save environment

How FM plans to tackle air pollution and save environment

Rediff.com1 Feb 2021

The Centre on Monday earmarked a separate Rs 2,217 crore for 42 urban centres to tackle air pollution and announced the much-awaited voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and polluting vehicles, even as it shrunk the budgetary allocation for the environment ministry from the last fiscal by nearly eight percent. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech for 2021-22, announced a total of Rs 2869.93 crore for the ministry, Rs 230 crore less than the last fiscal. Officials said the outlay has been lesser this time as the economy is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Modiji, A Sure Shot Way To Win 2024

Modiji, A Sure Shot Way To Win 2024

Rediff.com12 May 2022

Ramesh Menon, the veteran journalist suggests Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi what he should do if he wants to win 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

What Googly Will Modi Bowl in 2024?

What Googly Will Modi Bowl in 2024?

Rediff.com6 Apr 2023

It is not unlikely that ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the BJP government comes up with more imaginative schemes aimed at constituency-building. The party under Modi's leadership has a more modern thinking in such matters unlike its rivals, which are still steeped only in ideology, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

L&T plans to exit road, power concessions, incubate digital business

L&T plans to exit road, power concessions, incubate digital business

Rediff.com30 May 2022

Engineering giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is looking to divest its exposure to road and power concessions and incubate digital and e-commerce businesses as part of its new five-year plan ending 2025-26 (FY26). The base year for the plan is 2020-21 (FY21). The blueprint, called Lakshya 2026, is intended to help the company exit sub-scale businesses, concentrate on high-technology (tech) manufacturing, construction and green energy projects, and increase its share from information technology (IT) and digital services. The lending operations of the financial services business, meanwhile, will be reorganised, with focus on retail lending.