SAI MANISH

All stories by SAI MANISH

Why Switzerland is as desperate as Adityanath for Noida airport to take off

Why Switzerland is as desperate as Adityanath for Noida airport to take off

Rediff.com5 Oct 2021

There is little that Andreas Schmid, the Swiss-born chairman of Flughafen Zurich AG (Zurich Airport International AG), and Yogi Adityanath, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), could have in common. But Schmid, whose company is building the Noida airport in partnership with the UP government, finds himself on the same footing as the firebrand Hindutva leader who rules the state. Both hope the Rs 30,000-crore ($4 billion) project, hanging fire for 20 years, shows some progress when UP goes to the polls in 2022.

Govt spending Rs 14,500 crore on airports before 'privatising' them

Govt spending Rs 14,500 crore on airports before 'privatising' them

Rediff.com1 Oct 2021

With six airports handed over to the Adani group for 50 years, the government is now all set to hand over another 25 airports to private players in a bid to 'monetise' them. Official figures reveal that since 2017-18, the government has spent and will be spending Rs 14,500 crore on significantly revamping infrastructure at most of these airports before handing them over to private players. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), which operates these airports for the government, has spent billions of rupees in building new terminal buildings, runways, reinforcing taxiways, upgrading aircraft landing systems, radars and a host of other heavy duty and capital intensive infrastructure works.

Navjot Sidhu: Trojan in Punjab Congress or rescuer?

Navjot Sidhu: Trojan in Punjab Congress or rescuer?

Rediff.com27 Sep 2021

While the Gandhi siblings have had their way with Amarinder Singh's ouster, the future of the party under the temperamental Navjot Sidhu's leadership is uncertain, reports Sai Manish.

The Mystery of Narayana Murthy's Retail Biz

The Mystery of Narayana Murthy's Retail Biz

Rediff.com2 Sep 2021

In a short span of time, with the help of Amazon, Cloudtail was able to devise a model that could protect it from the vagaries of online retail business.

Indian airlines brave Covid turbulence

Indian airlines brave Covid turbulence

Rediff.com21 Jun 2021

Though India's airlines are certainly bleeding, they haven't yet faced the ignominy of shutting down.

Covid Vaccine IP: How Big Pharma lobbied against India

Covid Vaccine IP: How Big Pharma lobbied against India

Rediff.com9 Jun 2021

Communications between the USTR and the world's most powerful pharmaceutical and trade lobbying groups reveal that many raised concerns about India's push to exempt Covid vaccines from intellectual property.

Will Amarinder's Malerkotla move help Cong in UP, Gujarat?

Will Amarinder's Malerkotla move help Cong in UP, Gujarat?

Rediff.com3 Jun 2021

'Congress will try to use Malerkotla to woo Muslim votes in UP. Muslims across the country have definitely taken note of this move in Punjab. But they vote only for a party that can defeat the BJP. The Congress doesn't seem to be capable of doing that'

Why Sidhu gets to bat for Congress despite tantrums

Why Sidhu gets to bat for Congress despite tantrums

Rediff.com8 May 2021

The Congress' top leadership realises the former cricketer's utility and mass appeal. His oratory skills and ability to whip up mass hysteria in election rallies is acknowledged as an asset

Meet the unseen forces behind farmers' protest

Meet the unseen forces behind farmers' protest

Rediff.com23 Jan 2021

Behind the movement are shock-workers functioning quietly to ensure that a seemingly spontaneous, apolitical, grassroots mobilisation sustains itself without dribbling into chaos or violence. Sai Manish lists some of them.

Plan to buy land in J-K? Read this first

Plan to buy land in J-K? Read this first

Rediff.com3 Dec 2020

All laws have been modified to omit the domicile clause for property rights in the valley. This effectively means that anyone with enough money to spend can now technically buy property there, writes Sai Manish.

How Kerala 'lost' the battle against Adani

How Kerala 'lost' the battle against Adani

Rediff.com11 Nov 2020

Court documents show that the Kerala government, whose case was treated as the 'lead case' among all the petitions filed against Adani, made four allegations to convince the court to cancel the contract for the Thiruvanathapuram airport. The state's legal team couldn't substantiate most of these allegations with documentary proof and its self-defeating arguments in court failed to convince the judges to cancel the contract given to Adani. The battle for the Thiruvananthapuram airport between the Communist-led Kerala government, the Adani group and the Modi government over the past year hasn't had a dull moment since the proceedings began. Claims of a smoking gun turned out to be a damp squib, says Sai Manish.

Can Modinomics derail Nitish?

Can Modinomics derail Nitish?

Rediff.com2 Nov 2020

An interplay of Modi government's outreach in Bihar and the sequence of events in Chirag Paswan's life could make Bihar a game of musical chairs when the results are out.

How Adani controls 26% of air passenger traffic

How Adani controls 26% of air passenger traffic

Rediff.com28 Sep 2020

While questions may arise over the sheer dominance of a single corporate group in running airports in the country, it pretty much fits into the government's plan to get out of this space and earn revenue without working for it.

Covid-19 gives India's private airlines a chance to go international

Covid-19 gives India's private airlines a chance to go international

Rediff.com11 Sep 2020

Over 600 slots at three major airports - Heathrow, Dubai and New York's JFK International - could be at stake.

India's oldest regional party faces an existential crisis

India's oldest regional party faces an existential crisis

Rediff.com28 Jul 2020

'The Badals have made the Akali Dal a family enterprise and undermined the Sikh faith. They have no right to call themselves Akalis. We have approached the Election Commission to register ourselves as the Akali Dal with a different nomenclature. We will impress on people's minds that we are the real Akali Dal' Sai Manish reports on the fight for supremacy over the Akali Dal.

How a spat revealed Punjab's liquor nexus

How a spat revealed Punjab's liquor nexus

Rediff.com25 May 2020

A look at licensed distilleries shows that many have connections with politicians and influential business families. Among politicians, a minister owns a distillery. Two others are owned by ex-Congressman Venod Sharma and ex-Akali MLA Deep Malhotra.

Barmer has a special place in its heart for Jaswant Singh

Barmer has a special place in its heart for Jaswant Singh

Rediff.com3 Dec 2018

In the BJP veteran's home district, some feel he has been harmed by his party, while some think he never gave back to the place he belonged to, and then there are some who believe son Manvendra Singh will have a tough time living up to his name.

Is Election Commission ready for 2019 polls?

Is Election Commission ready for 2019 polls?

Rediff.com21 Sep 2018

The poll watchdog faces two Heruclean tasks -- to produce over a million VVPATs in time for the 2019 elections and also iron out manufacturing tweaks in the machines which are already in use.

Red Fort gets adopted by Dalmia Bharat group

Red Fort gets adopted by Dalmia Bharat group

Rediff.com28 Apr 2018

Conglomerate has become the first corporate house in India's history to adopt a historical monument, in a Rs 250 mn contract spanning five years.

Busting fake news: Who funds whom?

Busting fake news: Who funds whom?

Rediff.com8 Apr 2018

Some unlikely celebrities are behind multiple campaigns to fight the fake news menace.

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