Kumar Dipankar And Ashish Agashe

Stories by Kumar Dipankar And Ashish Agashe

Will RBI's new Guv usher a growth-propping rate cut in 2025?

Will RBI's new Guv usher a growth-propping rate cut in 2025?

Rediff.com   22 Dec 2024

The RBI under former governor Shaktikanta Das resisted pressures to cut interest rates through 2024 as it kept its 'Arjuna's eye' trained on inflation, but the central bank under a new detail-oriented head will soon have to take a call if it can continue sacrificing growth. Das, a career bureaucrat who in 2016 oversaw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's highly disruptive demonetisation move, left a lasting legacy as he demitted office towards the end of 2024 after expertly navigating monetary policy for six years, the highlight of which was steering India's recovery through the pandemic.

PSU banks urged to review their gold loan portfolio

PSU banks urged to review their gold loan portfolio

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2024

The finance ministry has directed all state-owned banks to review their gold loan portfolio as instances of non-compliance with regulatory norms have been noticed by the government. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) in a communication addressed to heads of public sector banks has asked them to look at their system and processes related to gold loan. "We have asked banks to undertake comprehensive review of the gold loan business," financial services secretary Vivek Joshi told PTI.

How much tax did the govt mop up in the past 2 years?

How much tax did the govt mop up in the past 2 years?

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2024

The income tax department has garnered about Rs 4,600 crore in taxes from 56 lakh updated I-T returns filed by taxpayers in the past two years, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chief Nitin Gupta said. In a post budget interview to PTI TV, Gupta also said the I-T department has set up a demand management centre at Mysuru, Karnataka, which is focusing on disputed pending large tax demands of above Rs 1 crore. "We are continuously improving the services and creating litigation free environment. We have come out with a facility for updation of return.

Amritpal Singh: Rise of 'Bhindranwale 2.0' in Punjab

Amritpal Singh: Rise of 'Bhindranwale 2.0' in Punjab

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2023

Donning a flowing white chola' and a navy blue turban and often escorted by armed supporters, radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh has been quite active in Punjab for some time.

Modi wants G20 to draw inspiration from 'vibrancy of Indian economy'

Modi wants G20 to draw inspiration from 'vibrancy of Indian economy'

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed hope that G20 will draw inspiration from the vibrancy of the Indian economy and work towards bringing back stability, confidence and growth on the global landscape.

Das urges G20 nations to resolutely address global challenges

Das urges G20 nations to resolutely address global challenges

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2023

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday called upon G20 nations to resolutely address the challenges, like threats to financial stability and debt distress that confront the global economy. Addressing the inaugural session of the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors, Das said although the outlook for the global economy has improved in recent months and there is now greater optimism that the world may avoid a deep recession and only experience slow growth or softer recession,"yet uncertainties lie ahead of us." "Together we must resolutely address the challenges that confront us, including those that are of medium to long-term nature such as threat to financial stability, debt distress, climate finance, fractures in global trade and strains on global value chains.

Jhunjhunwala: The RARE big bull and unabashed wealth creator

Jhunjhunwala: The RARE big bull and unabashed wealth creator

Rediff.com   14 Aug 2022

Stock market investments are always said to involve risks and people who made big fortunes often made headlines as scamsters, leading to Dalal Street always being looked at with suspicion, but Rakesh Jhunjhunwala was broadly an exception. Jhunjhunwala, a partner at RARE Enterprises, who rose to amass a $5.8 billion fortune and earn the tag of the country's biggest individual investor, leaves behind a relatively cleaner slate, as was seen in the most common description for him -- 'India's own Warren Buffett'. Unlike names like Harshad Mehta and Ketan Parekh, whose rise in fortunes in post-liberalised India was tainted with scam links, the newest 'Big Bull' in the more-regulated market had lesser baggage on this front.

Rescue acts, growth measures dominate RBI's platter in 2020

Rescue acts, growth measures dominate RBI's platter in 2020

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2020

Delivering a public speech hours after the RBI launched a rescue act for Yes Bank on March 6, Governor Shaktikanta Das reiterated the RBI's affirmation to do whatever was needed to combat the coronavirus impact. On that day, India had only one confirmed COVID-19 infection, the World Health Organisation was five days off from declaring it as a pandemic and the financially debilitating lockdowns were not even on the horizon. Das' promise on efforts to mitigate COVID-19 impact appeared as a footnote in news reports from the event.

Why migrants cycle hundreds of kms to reach home

Why migrants cycle hundreds of kms to reach home

Rediff.com   12 May 2020

After five weeks of lockdown, migrant workers' patience ran out and so did the money, which forced them to leave Mumbai on bicycles.

Will 2020 bring cheer to Indian banking sector?

Will 2020 bring cheer to Indian banking sector?

Rediff.com   30 Dec 2019

Amid slowdown blues, the government has unveiled a raft of measures over the past few months aimed at improving liquidity in the system, moderating interest rates as well as credit growth apart from addressing stress in the NBFC sector.

Busy Mumbaikars take break, join in anti-CAA protest

Busy Mumbaikars take break, join in anti-CAA protest

Rediff.com   19 Dec 2019

Denizens of the fast-paced financial capital, who value their time over everything else, came out to protest against the controversial legislation.

Tale of two sets of passengers on a rainy night

Tale of two sets of passengers on a rainy night

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2019

'There were no airhostesses and stewards to bring us food, water and the news of when the journey would resume.'

From PNB scam to Patels's exit, events that shaped India's banking sector

From PNB scam to Patels's exit, events that shaped India's banking sector

Rediff.com   26 Dec 2018

For the baning sector, 2018 was a 'Year of Exits' - borrowers fled from the country as loans went kaput and many bank CEOs were forced to leave

'Can you drop me till wherever mob allows': Woes of a Mumbaikar

'Can you drop me till wherever mob allows': Woes of a Mumbaikar

Rediff.com   3 Jan 2018

A first person account of the train-walk-bike-taxi journey on Wednesday to the office, which is usually covered in an hour, took five-long but enlightening hours, as the city observed a bandh called against violence on the anniversary of a battle fought 200 years ago.

As rains paralysed Mumbai, people slept in offices, train stations

As rains paralysed Mumbai, people slept in offices, train stations

Rediff.com   30 Aug 2017

The place of work turned into place of stay or a dormitory for the office goers and almost all the offices, especially those of state-run institutions that dominate the south Mumbai area, hosted employees for the night.

India lauds Brazil's support for actions to combat terror: Modi

India lauds Brazil's support for actions to combat terror: Modi

Rediff.com   17 Oct 2016

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked Brazilian President Michel Temer for "understanding India's aspiration" for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

I blacklisted Agusta, not the UPA: Jaitley

I blacklisted Agusta, not the UPA: Jaitley

Rediff.com   4 May 2016

Rubbishing Congress' claim of having blacklisted AgustaWestland, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said he had as defence minister in June 2014 put the transaction to buy 12 helicopters from the Italian firm on hold and in July barred any future contract with it.

Jaitley vows corruption-free governance, reasonable tax rates

Jaitley vows corruption-free governance, reasonable tax rates

Rediff.com   19 Nov 2015

Seeking investments to boost growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday vowed a corruption-free governance.

Tale of two quakes: Horror @ Everest, tremors in Kolkata

Tale of two quakes: Horror @ Everest, tremors in Kolkata

Rediff.com   12 May 2015

The strong temblor that shook Nepal and parts of northern and eastern India on Tuesday brought back chilling memories of the April 25 earthquake for 47-year-old mountaineer Lipika Biswas who was at the Everest Base Camp when it had hit the Himalayan country.

FinMin thinks out of the box, to get best talent for ailing PSBs

FinMin thinks out of the box, to get best talent for ailing PSBs

Rediff.com   2 Jan 2015

The Finance Ministry is considering a proposal to rope in professionals from the private sector for appointment of chairman and CEO-cum-managing director in state-owned financial institutions as it looks for talent from a wider pool of applicants.