Dilasha Seth &Amp; Raghavendra Kamath

Stories by Dilasha Seth &Amp; Raghavendra Kamath

Maharashtra RERA blacklists 644 residential projects

Maharashtra RERA blacklists 644 residential projects

Rediff.com   1 Aug 2021

MahaRERA, the authority under Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, in Maharashtra, has blacklisted 644 housing projects in the state for not meeting project deadlines. The authority has prohibited them from being sold, advertised or marketed in the state. These projects were supposed to be completed and handed over to homebuyers in 2017 and 2018. Even though most of the projects are being developed by local developers, one big name on the list is Lavasa Corporation promoted by HCC whose registration expired in 2017.

Covid impact: Imports of digital thermometers rise 2,410%

Covid impact: Imports of digital thermometers rise 2,410%

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2021

From Covid-19 essentials, such as Vitamin C supplements and thermometers, to bicycles, laptops, and personal weighing scales, demand for certain items galloped during last financial year as the pandemic altered what Indians used on a day-to-day basis. Imports of outdoor sports equipment, handbags for women, and dentures, among others, plummeted. With outdoor activities coming to a halt last year and schools functioning virtually, imports of sports goods witnessed a decline, while inbound shipments of laptops and battery chargers saw a sharp uptick, according to the import data for the financial year 2020-21.

Over 400 top-level posts lie vacant in the Income Tax department

Over 400 top-level posts lie vacant in the Income Tax department

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2021

Amid economic uncertainties owing to the pandemic, the government's key revenue agency, the Income Tax Department, has close to 400 vacancies at commissioner level and above, affecting its functioning. Seventy-three of the 91 chief commissioner positions are lying vacant, with some for more than a year. Chief commissioner is the second-highest post in the department, below principal chief commissioner, which is at par with secretary in a ministry.

Why India may have to withdraw 2% equalisation levy on firms by 2023

Why India may have to withdraw 2% equalisation levy on firms by 2023

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2021

India conceding ground to bring only top 100 digital companies like Google, Facebook, and Netflix into the global taxation pact may have revenue implications. This will mean that New Delhi will have to withdraw the contentious 2 per cent equalisation levy on e-commerce operators by 2023. This may have revenue implications for India, experts pointed out, as the equalisation levy has a much lower annual revenue threshold of Rs 2 crore (euro 0.2 million) as against euro 20 billion agreed by 130 countries at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). India, along with other developing countries, was pitching for at least euro 1 billion threshold to cover at least 5,000 global entities. India collected Rs 2,057 crore from the equalisation levy in 2020-21, an 85 per cent growth over Rs 1,136 crore in the previous fiscal.

How house designs are changing post Covid

How house designs are changing post Covid

Rediff.com   11 Jul 2021

Realty - Sunday

'GST execution has been extremely bad'

'GST execution has been extremely bad'

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2021

'From the tiniest to mid-level organisations and even some at the lower end of the large-scale ones would say that computerisation and the extensive documentation and regulatory requirements for GST have made the compliance process worse in many cases.'

Housing sector hopes for boost from pent-up demand

Housing sector hopes for boost from pent-up demand

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2021

The key demand drivers -- such as low home loan rates and income tax sops, particularly for affordable housing -- that supported the recovery in H2 FY2021, remain in place and will spur recovery again, feel experts.

Mumbai has 4-fold jump in property registration in June

Mumbai has 4-fold jump in property registration in June

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2021

Mumbai recorded a 4x growth in property registrations on a yearly basis in June this year, as restrictions imposed by the state government ended. Mumbai and its suburbs recorded property registrations of 7,857 units in June, compared to 1,839 units registered in June 2020. The registrations for June were also 39 per cent higher, compared to the same month in the pre-pandemic period of June 2019, said a new report by Knight Frank India.

Mall developers may offer rent waiver during 2nd Covid-19 lockdown

Mall developers may offer rent waiver during 2nd Covid-19 lockdown

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2021

While there was a sharp drop in footfalls in malls in H1FY21, there was reasonable recovery in H2. However, the second wave derailed the recovery.

'I'm willing to give more than Rs 35,000 crores for vaccines'

'I'm willing to give more than Rs 35,000 crores for vaccines'

Rediff.com   8 Jun 2021

'I'll give it to the vaccine manufacturers without guarantees, take the payment in advance and give me the supplies.' 'The moment you give me one lot of supply, I'll give you more.'

'Strong economy attracts investment'

'Strong economy attracts investment'

Rediff.com   8 Jun 2021

'I'm not sure it's a bubble.'

Manpower shortage affects I-T operations

Manpower shortage affects I-T operations

Rediff.com   2 Jun 2021

The vacancies are learnt to be impacting the I-T department's day-to-day functioning.

Home sales in Tier II and III cities fall in April

Home sales in Tier II and III cities fall in April

Rediff.com   31 May 2021

With the arrival of the second Covid wave in April, the numbers fell by almost 50 per cent.

Sharp slowdown in economic activities; e-way bills @ 1-year low

Sharp slowdown in economic activities; e-way bills @ 1-year low

Rediff.com   18 May 2021

GST mop-up likely to fall in May, June after touching record levels in April and March.

Covid: HCL Tech to HUL, corporate India extends a helping hand

Covid: HCL Tech to HUL, corporate India extends a helping hand

Rediff.com   17 May 2021

From helping their employees infected with the Covid-19 virus to vaccinating them or supporting the families of those who might have succumbed to the infection, several companies in India are trying to do their bit in this difficult time. Some have even widened their support net to include all stakeholders as well as an extended community. To the families of the employees it lost to Covid-19, Noida-headquartered IT services and consulting company HCL Technologies is, for instance, paying salary for a year, medical insurance for three years and extending support for their children's education for five years.

As Covid surge hits businesses, malls see rentals plunge

As Covid surge hits businesses, malls see rentals plunge

Rediff.com   14 May 2021

Consultants who help lease these properties say this is the steepest decline at least in a decade.

E-way bills likely to fall to 5-month low amid lockdown

E-way bills likely to fall to 5-month low amid lockdown

Rediff.com   11 May 2021

E-way bill generation, which is related to paying Goods and Services Tax (GST) and a key high-frequency indicator of economic activity, may have fallen to a five-month low in April as more cities experience lockdowns due to a surge in Covid-19 cases. In April e-way bill generation may decline to 55-58 million, which is the lowest since at least November. On the higher side, it is a 17 per cent decline over March.

Made-in-America tax plan may hit India's manufacturing firms

Made-in-America tax plan may hit India's manufacturing firms

Rediff.com   3 May 2021

US proposal to raise the global corporate tax rate to 28% from 21% might face resistance from countries unwilling to give up their edge and compete with America on its terms.

Google tax: American IT and steel lobbies back action against India

Google tax: American IT and steel lobbies back action against India

Rediff.com   3 May 2021

The group has called for a retaliatory tariff action against India, if New Delhi does not roll back the 'unilateral and discriminatory' equalisation levy or Google Tax.

Despite grim outlook, fiscal stimulus unlikely for India Inc this year

Despite grim outlook, fiscal stimulus unlikely for India Inc this year

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2021

They say that a stimulus package may not be necessary because, unlike last year's total lockdown, public transport, including the railways and airlines, is running and the restrictions on movement are localised and, in some cases, are partial rather than total.