India’s new chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran

Morning Masala Tea
29 January, 2022

News Today:

BJP Assets at 4847 crores: ADR

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has declared 69% or 4,847.78 crore of the total 6,988.57 crore of assets declared by seven national political parties for 2019-20, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is a distant second with assets of 698.33 crore, followed by the Congress with 588.16 crore, the report added. HT

India Gold Consumption increasing

India’s gold consumption is expected to be 850 tonnes in 2022 from 797.3 tonnes in 2021 and 446 tonnes in 2020, the report said giving ample reason to the government to announce a duty rejig on the yellow metal in the Union Budget in order to check its illegal trade, which often rises in proportion to imports. Gold jewellery demand by the world’s second-largest gold consumer nearly doubled to 611 tonnes in 2021 from 316 tonnes in 2020.. Deccan Herald

India’s new chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran

India’s new chief economic adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran has a strong finance background with his expertise to come in handy in managing the risks that the domestic economy faces as the world economy recovers from the ravages of the pandemic. The Modi government appointed Nageswaran as CEA a few days ahead of the presentation of the Union budget and the Economic Survey. Telegraph

India third wave likely peaked

The daily national count of Covid-19 cases has been falling for a week now. Active cases have been going down for four days. The weekly positivity rate has remained almost stable for a week. By all indications, the third wave seems to have already peaked, and it has happened at a level well below the peak of the second wave. The cases can rise again, but current trends suggest that it is unlikely to go very high. Indian Express

India Pakistan religious relations

India is “positive” and “willing to engage” in talks with Pakistan on upgrading the 1974 joint protocol on religious pilgrimages to allow air travel as well as increase the number of shrines pilgrims from both countries could visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.. Hindu

 

Google Trends Today

NeoCov is an old virus 

A NeoCov virus does indeed exist, and it was indeed found in the bat population in South Africa some time ago. It is supposed to have very close resemblance to the coronavirus that caused the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012.

B S Yediyurappa’s granddaughter Dr Soundarya V Y allegedly ended her life

Former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s granddaughter Dr Soundarya V Y allegedly ended her life by hanging herself from the ceiling fan at her Vasant Nagar flat on Friday morning, police said. According to police, the reason behind the extreme step taken by the 30-year old doctor working in a private hospital was not known immediately.

 

Google Trends

Twitter Trends 

  1. More countries are cracking down on crypto. What are they afraid of?
  2. US official says Russian troop presence is a danger but Ukraine warns of causing ‘panic’ with rhetoric
  3. Bharti Airtel gets a $1 billion boost from Google

 

Compiled from Twitter

Startup
24 February, 2024

Byju’s, once heralded as a flagship in India’s edtech sector, is grappling with severe financial and operational challenges, marked by a dramatic valuation drop. The company, which sought to stabilize its operations and finances, is now raising funds at a valuation significantly lower than its peak. This development comes amid efforts to address a substantial debt burden, with Byju’s proposing a repayment plan for its $1.2 billion loan. Investor confidence appears shaken, with some stakeholders pushing for drastic changes in leadership to navigate the crisis effectively. The turmoil reflects broader sectoral pressures and raises questions about the sustainability of high-growth trajectories in the edtech industry

Energy
10 February, 2024

Australia’s energy market is witnessing significant transitions and investments aimed at bolstering renewable energy infrastructure and securing gas supplies. Key developments include a $179 million investment by the Queensland Government for community battery projects, Santos’ $5.7 billion gas pipeline project following a legal battle win, and a $206 million energy savings package for NSW households. Additionally, the Australian government has secured new gas supply deals to support the east coast market, emphasizing the role of gas in transitioning to a renewable grid.

India 2024
9 February, 2024

The latest opinion polls, including the Mood of the Nation survey by India Today, predict a comfortable victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), with a projected win of 335 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 general elections. This forecast suggests a slight decrease from the 2019 elections but still ensures a majority. The survey, involving interviews with over 149,000 respondents, reflects Modi’s enduring popularity based on his nationalist policies and economic reforms. Other polls echo these findings, although seat projections vary slightly. The opposition INDIA alliance is expected to secure a significant number of seats, yet not enough to challenge the NDA’s majority. These predictions highlight a political landscape that remains largely favorable to Modi and the BJP as the election approaches