BusinessLine Podcasts

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan released a white paper on the state of the State's economy. The paper focused on the State’s “dire” fiscal situation -- the debt was increasing while the revenues have fallen. What did the document say? Listen in to the latest edition of the News Explained podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/m...

The Lok Sabha, on August 2, passed a Bill that would allow the government to reduce its shareholding in state-owned general insurance companies. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the bill which amends the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 in the Lok Sabha on July 30. The law says that the central government will hold not less than 51 per cent of the equity capital...

The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Amazon against the proposed ₹247, 13-crore merger deal between Future Retail Limited and Reliance Retail. A Bench of Justices Rohinton F Nariman and BR Gavai upheld the validity and enforceability of a Singapore-based Emergency Arbitrator award, which restrained Future Retail Limited from going ahead with its deal with Reliance Retail, under the Indian laws. Wh...

As Kumar Mangalam Birla exits Voda-Idea as chairman, is this the end of the road for the company? Its travails are emblematic of the intractable mess India's telecom sector is in. What gives? TR Vivek is in conversation with BusinessLine's Mumbai bureau chief and ace telecom reporter Thomas K Thomas. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

No, it's not a laughing matter. Livestock emit more greenhouse gases than vehicles. The methane burped out by cows traps 25 times more heat than carbon dioxide accelerating global warming. Raghavendra Bhatta, director, National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology shares Indian scientists' innovative battle against cow belch. For comments and feedback write to vivek.tr@thehindu.co.in. Edit...

As an indication that the new promoters of Jet Airways have set in motion the process to start operations again, the company has invited applications from experienced pilots. After its grounding in April 2019, this is the first time the airline has issued a job posting recently. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

Rahul Gandhi met members of fifteen Opposition parties on Tuesday and they decided to build pressure on the govt to discuss the Pegasus spyware issue and the ongoing farmer protests.  Meanwhile, in the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chastised the Opposition for disrupting the Parliament. With the ruling BJP and the Opposition sticking to their respective stands, will...

In this episode of BL Podcast, Harsh Mariwala, the chairman of Marico Industries talks about his new book Harsh Realities that chronicles the struggles of running a family business and the making of a homegrown FMCG multinational. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

Who owns science? Who funds science? Grim realities that will have to be confronted as the “IP waiver” proposal, put forward by India and South Africa, gets discussed at the highest level at the World Trade Organization. In this week's episode of the pulse podcast, Leena Menghaney, South Asia Head, MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) Access Campaign, helps breakdown the complex maze of intellectual pro...

India's largest fertilizer co-operative IFFCO has begun the mass production of nano urea invented by a 33-year-old Indian scientist Ramesh Raliya.  In this episode of Field Notes, Raliya tells TR Vivek how the nano urea could save India billions of dollars and protect its ecology, and why he offered Indian farmers his lucrative invention for free.  For feedback and comments write to: vivek.tr@theh...

Rakesh Jhunjhunwala has set the bull among the aviation pigeons by announcing the launch of a new low-cost airline called Akasa. K Giriprakash, BusinessLine's aviation expert decodes the chances of his success in a country that's proved to be the graveyard of many such ambitions. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

Twitter is losing its status as the go-to communication tool for many Indian government departments. Recently, several Union Ministers have switched to Koo, the home-grown rival of the US-based social media giant. But, why are Indian ministers promoting Koo? Listen in. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

The Union Cabinet has approved the amendment in the General Insurance Business (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 to facilitate privatisation of one general insurance company in the public sector. How would this impact the insurance space?  Listen to this episode of News Explained by Shishir Sinha. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed several issues like the state of the public health system, food security and employment. India had a stringent lockdown and the impact was felt the most by labourers and low-wage earners. Millions of migrant labourers decided to go back home in 2020 as they lost their jobs. This had lead to a big question: how to address the problem of urban unemployment? Swati Dhingr...

On Monday, at least six people, including five police officers, were killed and more than 60 hurt in clashes between Mizoram and Assam. The violence has something to do with the long-standing border dispute between Assam and Mizoram. Tensions soared last month when Assam’s police allegedly took control of the hilly area of Lailapur, accusing Mizoram of encroaching on the territory. Here’s all you...

In India, be it manufacturing, services or in agricultural supply chain, companies are asking employees, associates and workers to take the jab. Some are incentivising it while others are dis-incentivising it by restricting access to workplaces. At the State level, too, Gujarat made it mandatory for commercial service providers, including shopowners and their staff, to get at least the first jab b...

After months of speculation over his exit, 78-year-old BS Yediyurappa has stepped down as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. The four-time CM of the state submitted his resignation to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, who accepted the resignation and dissolved the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.  Yediyurappa is an important figure in the BJP as he headed the party's first-ever government in...

Have you invested in the stocks of JSW Steel? Then listen in for we can help you make the right decisions. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

There is a power struggle going on in Afghanistan – the Taliban is seeking to establish itself once again and the Afghan govt is going all out to stop them. The situation in that nation has deteriorated since the US started to pull out its troops last year -- over 2,70,000 Afghans have been displaced since January this year and the number of civilian casualties has risen enponentially. In this pod...

Blue-chip global management consultancy, Bain, in a recent report estimates that Indian agritech companies would create new value to the tune of $35 billion by 2025 thanks to technological and policy changes. In this episode of Field Notes, TR Vivek speaks to Parijat Jain, the lead author of the report on whether this is irrational exuberance or a prediction based on hard reality. For feedback and...

The Kerala government had decided to ease certain Covid restrictions on Tuesday owing to Bakrid. This move comes amidst the rise in Covid cases across the State. The move was criticised by the Supreme Court. Listen to the podcast.  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

Over 300 mobile numbers, including those belonging to some of India's prominent journalists, have been tapped via an Israeli spyware. What does this mean for the average citizen's safety and press freedom? BusinessLine's Political Editor, Poornima Joshi, explains in this episode of News Explained. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message

Vav Life Sciences, a little known nanotech research company, made an “accidental” entry into making specialised lipids used in targeted drug delivery. This has put the company in a small circle of just four global players making phospholipids, for mRNA vaccines. Vav Life Sciences' Managing Director Arun Kedia explains the significance of targeted drug delivery, which is hailed as the medicine of t...

Looks like we have to gear for the third wave of Covid-19. According to the WHO Chief - Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , there has again been a spike in Covid-19-related deaths. He said that this comes after a 10-week decline in the numbers.  What must we be wary of during the third wave? Listen to the podcast. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/messa...

The Maharashtra government announced its new electric vehicle policy on Tuesday unveiling its benefits.  There are 3 major parts of the policy. Listen to learn more. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/business-line/message