New Delhi, Mar 13: Investor wealth rose by Rs 1.78 lakh crore, helped by a smart rally in the stock market, where the benchmark Sensex spurted by 611 points — its biggest single-day gain in two years.
Led by the robust surge in stocks, the total market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies went up by Rs 1,78,393.67 crore to Rs 1,44,52,009 crore.
The Sensex surged 610.80 points to end at 33,917.94.
“After 10 per cent correction from the all-time high levels surrounded by whole host of negatives (especially from banking sector), Indian markets had phenomenal day with frontline indices rallying +2 per cent offering much needed cheer and relief to the investors.
“Albeit today’s rally was on the back of heavy short-covering from large caps, still the market will take it with both hands,” said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, Sr VP and Head of Research (Wealth), Centrum Broking Limited.
From the 30-share Sensex basket, 28 stocks ended with gains led by Bharti Airtel , NTPC, ITC and Tata Motors.
Among sectoral indices, the BSE metal index rose the most by 2.32 per cent.
The BSE mid-cap index ended higher by 0.76 per cent and small-cap index 0.56 per cent.
“Key benchmark indices started the day on a positive note and extended gains in afternoon trade to hit fresh day’s highs as steady buying demand in index pivotals gave a fillip to the wider market. Positive Asian stocks boosted sentiment on the domestic bourses while global stocks gained as international trade-war concerns abated and were replaced by economic optimism following a stronger US jobs report released over the weekend,” said Karthikraj Lakshmanan, Senior Fund Manager-Equities, BNP Paribas Mutual Fund.
Mumbai, Mar 13: Under pressure from the opposition and ally Shiv Sena, the BJP-led Maharashtra government today accepted the demands of agitating farmers, including their right to till forest land, as thousands of agriculturists converged here in a sea of red.
In a major victory for the farmers who trekked 180 km from Nashik to here over six days under the blazing sun, some even barefooted, the state’s Revenue Minister Chandrakant patil said their “all demands” are being accepted.
He was addressing farmers camping at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai in the presence of CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Talking to reporters outside Vidhan Bhawan, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “We have agreed to set up a committee to hand over forest land used for farming, to tribals and farmers.”
“A meeting was held with representatives of farmers and adivasis at Vidhan Bhawan today. We have agreed to set up a committee to allot agricultural land to tribals provided they submit a proof of pre-2005 land cultivation. We have accepted almost all their demands,” Fadnavis said.
Earlier in the day, Fadnavis, who was under intense pressure to concede the demands of farmers, had said his government was “sensitive and positive” towards their issues.
“Around 90 to 95 per cent of the participants are poor tribals. They are fighting for forest land rights. They are landless and can’t do farming. The government is sensitive and positive towards their demands,” he told the state Assembly during a discussion on the ‘Long March’ of agriculturists.
Several parts of Maharashtra frequently face drought, and suicides due to rural indebtedness is common.
“A ministerial committee has been formed to discuss the demands with protesters. We will take a decision to resolve their issues in a time-bound manner,” he said.
The Azad Maidan turned into a sea of red today as farmers carrying red flags descended there.
The CPI(M)-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha led the protest, where farmers demanded an unconditional loan waiver, and transfer of forest land to tribal farmers who have been tilling it for years.
The farmers were also agitating against non-implementation of the Swaminathan Committee recommendation for fixing the minimum support price at one-and-a-half times the cost of production, and the Forest Rights Act, CPI-M leader Ashok Dhawle said.
The farmers were also demanding a change in the plan to link rivers in Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts so as to ensure that tribal lands are not submerged and water from the scheme is made available to these areas and other drought-prone districts.
They were also protesting against the state government’s land acquisition for projects, including high-speed railway and super highways.
The opposition Congress, NCP, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and also Shiv Sena, which is part of the BJP-led ruling coalitions in the state and at the Centre, had extended support to the farmers.
MNS chief Raj Thackeray and Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray met the farmers yesterday.
The Shiv Sena, BJP’s ruling alliance partner, threw its weight behind the farmers, saying that irrespective of their red flags the party would back them in getting their problems resolved.
In November last year, the state government announced a farm loan waiver, terming it the “biggest in Maharashtra’s history”.
The Mumbai police had heightened security following apprehension of breach of peace during the agitation.
As the farmers braved the sultry weather, the city’s famed ‘dabbawalas’ known for delivering tiffins to lakhs of Mumbaikars with clockwork precision, offered them food and water.
Subhash Talekar, the spokesperson of Mumbai Dabbawala Association, said, “We thought about helping the farmers with food as they are our food-providers and have come from remote parts of the state.”
A jubilant Yechury described farmers as the “new soldiers of India” who can “uproot governments” if they do not accept their demands.
As a resolution appeared in sight following their gruelling six-day journey, the farmers prepared to return home.
The authorities announced that they would be ferried back to Nashik. The Central Railway has decided to run a special train from Mumbai to Bhusawal, an official said.
Mumbai, Mar 11 : With increasing incidents of large scale cyber-attacks and governmental cyber espionage, the demand for professionals in the segment has gone up three time in past 12 months, according to a report.
“As companies seek to bolster their defence against data security breaches, the demand for cyber security experts in India has outstripped supply of these professionals by three times over the past 12 months,” according to a report by an outbound recruitment solution Belong.
This demand trend is likely to grow faster going forward with the rise in use of Internet and e-commerce and customer awareness on cyber security, Belong Co-founder Rishabh Kaul told PTI here.
The Belong research is based on data from postings by companies needing cyber professional on multiple platforms for a period of 12 months.
The report said, organisations are going on a hiring spree to secure their data and systems, and the demand for cyber security professionals is in both tech as well as non-tech companies.
According to the research, currently, there are 10,000-15,000 open jobs related to cyber security across tech and non-tech roles in India.
The bulk of the demand of hiring is triggered by the the technology and banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sectors, the report added.
Further, the report also revealed that within the technology sector, the demand is spread between ITeS (25 per cent), software product (non-security) or shared services or captives (24 per cent) and security companies (9 per cent), it said.
The bulk of the demand is likely to be in the top 10 IT hubs in the country, including Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune among others, Kaul said.
The demand for cyber security professionals is all across, but the majority of these openings is for the fresher level, he said.
“With the demand escalating, there may also be rise a in expats hiring, especially for the mid-level or senior level roles where experience is needed. There is also a possibility of companies hiring senior level professional, who will be based from some other country, to lead a team here in the country,” Kaul added.
Currently, most companies are struggling by either giving more responsibilities to their mid-senior level executives or depending on third-party players, he said.
With technology changing fast, many companies have begun focusing on cyber security and getting involved in training talent to reduce this demand-supply gap, he added.
New Delhi, Mar 10 : The Good and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday approved staggered rollout of E-Way Bill from April 1.
The Council at its 26th meeting here also deferred reverse charge mechanism till July 1.
“Intra-state e-Way Bill will be rolled out in phased manner with four groups of states. Each group will come under it every week after April 1 and efforts will be made to implement it across the country by April end,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the 26th GST Council meet.
“E-way bill system will be introduced with effect from a date to be announced in phased manner but not later than 1st June ’18,” a Ministry of Finance tweet said.
The states will be divided into 4 lots for staggered roll out of E-Way Bill. Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu are likely to roll out Intra State E-Way Bill from April 15, sources said.
Under the GST regime, an e-way bill needs to be generated and carried for movement of all goods valued at over Rs 50,000.
New Delhi, Mar 10 : India and Sri Lanka must promote greater progress in trade, commerce, connectivity and development cooperation, President Ram Nath Kovind said after Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena met him at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here on Saturday.
“India shares Sri Lanka’s emphasis on areas such as power, renewable energy, ocean resources, organic agricultural practices, port and airport facilities,’’ Mr Kovind said in a tweet.
He said the Sri Lankan President had played a stellar role in Sri Lanka’s active re-engagement with the world and his leadership had been reassuring for India and the region and beyond.
“Relations between India and Sri Lanka are unique. They are based upon shared historical, cultural, ethnic and civilisational ties and extensive people-to-people linkages,’’ he added in a series of tweets.
New Delhi, Mar 10: The Centre on Friday moved an application in the Supreme Court to quash the FIR registered against Major Aditya Kumar in connection with the Shopian (Kashmir) firing incident case.
Aishwarya Bhati, lawyer of petitioner Lt Col Karamveer Singh, father of Major Aditya of Indian Army, said, the central government has knocked the doors of the top court, seeking quashing of the FIR registered against Major Aditya. “It is a positive and good development in the case for us,” Bhati added.
The Supreme Court on March 5 had said that no probe would be initiated against Major Aditya Kumar till the next date of hearing, April 24, in connection with the Shopian firing incident case.
The apex court three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra and also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud had posted the matter for further hearing till April 24.
“No probe against the petitioner till April 24,” the three-judge bench of the apex court had said.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government had apprised the apex court that Major Aditya Kumar’s name was not there as an accused in the accused column.
Lt Col Karamveer Singh, a Kargil war veteran, had moved the top court against the FIR lodged by the Jammu and Kashmir Police against his son Major Aditya Kumar in Shopian firing incident in which two civilian died.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police had registered the FIR against Major Aditya Kumar under section 307 of the Ranveer Penal Code (RPC) for his alleged involvement in the Shopian firing incident case in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The police had named my son (Major Aditya Kumar) as an accused in the Shopian firing case, knowing fully well that he was not there and the Army personnel present there were doing lawful duty and were forced to take actions for protection of the government property and buildings without any excessive use of force, the petition of the father claimed.
Washington D.C. [USA], Mar. 10 : White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders stated on Friday that the US President would only commit to the scheduled meeting with Kim Jong Un if North Korea can prove “concrete and verifiable actions” towards de-nuclearisation.
“Let’s be very clear, the United States has made zero concessions,” Sanders said
“We have to see concrete and verifiable actions take place,” she added.
South Korea National Security advisor Chung Eui-yong, who also led a delegation to the White House, on Thursday made the surprise announcement that North Korean leader Kim was ‘committed’ to de-nuclearisation.
He also claimed President Trump had accepted an invitation from Kim and the two would meet by May.
Kathmandu [Nepal] March 9 : India on Thursday pledged 15.82 million dollars in assistance to quake-ravaged Nepal for its massive reconstruction programme.
New Delhi signed an agreement in this regard with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to build 50000 homes for the quake victims.
As per the agreement, the Indian Government will give 8.41 million US dollars to the UNOPS and 7.41 Million US dollar to the UNDP.
Sanjay Mathur, Regional Director, UNOPS, said, “It is significant that the Indian Government has decided to partner with the United Nations in this effort between UNOPS and UNDP. We have covered every district affected by the earthquake. We have strong partnerships and have strong relation with local governments and communities. The close collaboration with the Government of India, Government of Nepal, Provincial and Local Government and with our UNDP partners is an essential part of this programme.”
As per the agreement, the UNDP will build 26, 912 homes in Gorkha and 23,088 homes in Nuwakot districts of Nepal.
Yuvraj Bhusal, CEO of Nepal’s Reconstruction Authority, said, “The Government of India is the largest donor in this regard. We are very grateful to the Government of India and people of India for extending support to the cause of Nepal, and particularly for the earthquake victims.”
Manjeev Singh Puri, the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, said that the God, nature and our forefathers have bound India and Nepal together.
“We must do what we can do for each other, and your (Nepal’s) prosperity is a gain for India. We are very proud of this partnership, ” said Puri.
The earthquake of 2015’s April created havoc in Nepal, which claimed the lives of about 10,000 people and left 22,300 injured.
Gorkha and the Nuwakot were the districts which had the highest tolls and were enlisted as the “Crisis-hit” 14 districts.