Page 12 - Subhomoy Bhattacharjee

The promise and pain of insuring natural disasters at the state level

While claims and compensation for victims are settled expeditiously, the pressures on revenues prevent many states from making top-up contribution to the SDRF and NDRF

Power sector's 'shocking' trinity to create a scorching summer this year

A new crisis is emerging owing to shortages in domestic coal supplies and railway rakes, coupled with rising electricity demand

PPI rapidly catching on as a bottom-of-the-pyramid transaction system

These PPI options are fast becoming the cards of choice for the vast majority of Indians as per capita income creeps upwards.

Do strategic interests rule over economic gains in India's new trade pacts?

While the commerce ministry expects the utilisation rate of the current round of trade deals to be higher, the choice of partners shows a close fit with India's geopolitical ambitions

Irdai may go for 100% FDI in 'new' insurance biz to expand scope of sector

In Budget FY21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced raising the cap of FDI to 74 per cent for insurance companies with effect from August 2021

Sri Lanka's economic crisis may encourage it to strengthen ties with India

International Monetary Fund (IMF) data shows the economy's net international reserves have been negative since December last year

CAG report flags humongous duplication and privacy gaps in Aadhaar

The National auditor is particularly critical about plans to issue identity numbers to children below five years of age

Govt puts Oriental Insurance's solvency ratio at a dismal 0.69

The number was flagged in a recapitalisation advice, sent by the department of financial services in the finance ministry to the company this week.

West Coast refinery could get a new home as demand for such plants revives

Renewed interest in adding refinery capacity in India owes to the long-term decline of the business in Europe; and in the short-run, the Ukraine war has been a key driver

Indian states and their propensity to exaggerate their GSDP numbers

The higher estimate of the GSDP for a state allows the concerned finance minister to project a higher level of expenditure, particularly when revenues are flat

Sagarmala project: Poor planning on container traffic haunting shippers

The lack of emphasis on expanding container traffic is haunting shippers

India scurries on green bond plans to secure energy needs ahead of Europe

Both regions seek to attract big money to build renewable capacity and prune reliance on Russian gas following the outbreak of the Ukraine war

GoI tracks the money trail: How PFMS will pull plug on spending slippages

The updated Public Financial Management System will complete one year in operation on March 31, but challenges to full integration remain

Govt works out math of keeping Russia supplies open as oil prices spike

Even if Moscow relents and sells oil for rupees to India, European insurers may be reluctant to underwrite; in any case a bigger Russian tilt would involve a larger financial switch by New Delhi

Why India may not get a sizable role in post-war reconstruction of Ukraine

New Delhi's ability to maximise its role in the post-war reconstruction may be hamstrung by its modest position in key multilateral institutions

Opportunities and challenges for India as Russia reaches out amid sanctions

Gains likely with working of a crucial corridor, revival of Rupee-Ruble trade and benefits for Indian insurers; setback for New Delhi's financial sector foray into Moscow

BBNL's cancelled tender for connecting villages shows complexity in bidding

To offer the higher service requirement, operators would need to ensure uninterrupted power, safety of cables and so on

How the Centre plans to use tax data to settle social justice issues

The govt committee on EWS might have set the template for future; EWS limits and income tax exemption limits are now twinned, if the Supreme Court accepts the panel's report

CAG report on Noida shows why accountability is a myth in India's cities

The first-ever CAG report on Noida highlights the fact that most of India's megacities rarely have their accounts audited

Despite privatisation of PSU banks, low-cost banking needs digital approach

The scope of banking is much more than can be read from the current rate of credit growth to industry, which has only picked up to 4.1% in October 2021 from a contraction of 0.7% a year ago