Preeti Singh - The Purbottar

27 May

Scindia Rolls Out ₹236 Crore ‘Mission Queen Pineapple’ to Turn Tripura’s GI-Tagged Fruit into Global Brand

Preeti SinghTripura

Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Jyotiraditya M. Scindia and Tripura Chief Minister Prof. (Dr) Manik Saha on Friday jointly launched “Mission Queen Pineapple”, a ₹236 crore convergence-driven programme to boost cultivation, processing, and global marketing of Tripura’s GI-tagged Queen Pineapple. The three-year mission will run from Q2 FY2026 to Q4 FY2028 and aims to build a complete value chain around the state’s unique fruit. Anchored by MDoNER, the initiative brings together schemes and support from the Ministries of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Food Processing Industries, Commerce, MSME, APEDA, DPIIT, ICAR, CSIR, TRIFED, NERAMAC, and the Tripura government.…

24 May

Bonus Issues in Focus: LIC and PAE Limited Reward Shareholders with Free Shares to Boost Liquidity and Signal Financial Strength

Preeti SinghBusiness

Bonus shares and stock splits are key corporate actions companies use to reward existing investors and make their stock more accessible in the market. Bonus shares are additional equity shares issued free of cost to current shareholders, funded from a company’s accumulated reserves and surplus. While they increase the total number of shares held by an investor, the overall value of the holding remains unchanged immediately after the issue. Such moves are often seen as a sign of a company’s robust financial health and are aimed at reinforcing shareholder confidence.Stock splits work similarly in principle. In a split, the face…

22 May

Rs 376-Crore Flyover Named After Syama Prasad Mookerjee Inaugurated in Guwahati to Ease Lalganesh Traffic

Preeti SinghAssam

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday dedicated a new flyover to the public in a move aimed at easing traffic congestion in one of Guwahati’s most densely populated stretches. The flyover, named after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, connects Cycle Factory junction to Lal Ganesh Bazar. Speaking at the inauguration, the Chief Minister said the structure would significantly cut travel time from Pragjyotishpur Medical College to NH-27 and help decongest the Lalganesh area, which sees heavy vehicular movement daily. Constructed at a cost of over Rs 376 crore, the 2.8-km-long, three-lane flyover was completed in 26…

22 May

Nagaon to Host 3rd All Assam Yonex-Sunrise Badminton Ranking Tournament with 500+ Young Players from U-9 to U-19

Preeti SinghAssam, Sports

Nagaon is set to become the hub of junior badminton in Assam as the 3rd All Assam Yonex-Sunrise and Haripada Kumar Memorial Badminton Ranking Tournament gets underway tomorrow at the Indoor Stadium. Organized by the Assam Badminton Association under the initiative of the Nagaon Sports Association, the five-day event will run from May 23 to May 27. The tournament is dedicated to the memory of Haripada Kumar and carries ranking points crucial for state-level players. The competition will see participation from more than 500 young shuttlers representing 16 districts across Assam. Matches will be held across multiple age groups for…

15 Jan

Budget Countdown: Telecom Players Demand Sharper Cuts in Licence Charges

Preeti SinghBusiness

The telecom industry is lobbying the finance ministry for significant reductions in licence fees and a temporary suspension of compulsory contributions to the Digital Bharat Nidhi in the forthcoming Union Budget. They assert that the existing regulatory fees are hindering their ability to invest in next-generation networks. According to industry recommendations submitted in advance of the Budget, there is a request to reduce the licence fee from the current rate of 3% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) to a range between 0.5% and 1%. Additionally, it is proposed that the 5% AGR contribution to the Digital Bharat Nidhi be temporarily…

14 Jan

Regulatory Calm Drives Buying Interest in Swiggy, Eternal Shares

Preeti SinghBusiness

Shares of Swiggy Ltd. and Eternal Ltd., which manage Instamart and Zomato and Blinkit respectively, experienced a recovery from their lowest points of the day after government intervention encouraged them to suspend their 10-minute delivery service for the benefit of gig workers. On Tuesday, Swiggy's stock price initially dropped by 1.08% but ended the day with a slight gain of 0.43%. In contrast, Eternal's shares rose significantly by 3.24%. The broader market saw the S&P BSE Sensex decrease by 0.30% during the same period. Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with representatives from quick-commerce firms to address concerns regarding…

13 Jan

Apple Bets Big on Google AI to Finally Transform Siri

Preeti SinghBusiness

Apple Inc. has made a strategic decision to select Google Gemini as the foundation for its AI technology and Siri, entering into a multi-year agreement. This choice is regarded as a significant victory for Alphabet Inc., positioning it favorably against Sam Altman's OpenAI in the ongoing global competition in the field of artificial intelligence. Apple has concluded that Google Gemini serves as the most competent basis for their Apple Foundation Models, expressing enthusiasm for the innovative experiences this collaboration will offer to Apple users. This was communicated through a joint statement released by both companies on Monday, although the specifics…

12 Jan

Uncertainty Grips Markets as Executive Pressure Tests Federal Reserve Autonomy

Preeti SinghBusiness

The dollar declined and U.S. equity futures fell on Monday following comments from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell about threats from the Trump administration regarding a potential criminal indictment, raising concerns over the Fed's independence. The Swiss franc strengthened by 0.4% to 0.7979 per dollar, and the euro rose 0.17% to $1.1656, although traders noted uncertainty regarding the implications for interest rates. Fed funds futures indicate a slight increase of about three basis points in expected interest rate cuts this year, suggesting a potential for the Fed to act more aggressively. Gold prices reached a record high of over $4,600…

10 Jan

Jio Platforms May Enter Public Markets Without Heavy Equity Give-Up

Preeti SinghBusiness

Jio Platforms Ltd. intends to sell a 2.5% stake in its planned IPO for 2026, potentially establishing it as India's largest IPO at over $4 billion. Led by Mukesh Ambani, the parent company of Reliance Jio, which boasts over 500 million users, this IPO is the most anticipated in the country for the year. In November, Jefferies estimated Reliance Jio's valuation at $180 billion, meaning a 2.5% stake sale could generate $4.5 billion, surpassing Hyundai Motor India's $3.3 billion IPO. Over six years, Jio has diversified into AI and attracted investments from KKR, General Atlantic, Silver Lake, and the Abu…

09 Jan

Cash Flow Relief for Vodafone Idea as Dues Repayment Plan Fixes Yearly Outgo

Preeti SinghBusiness

Vodafone Idea (VI) has established a repayment plan concerning its adjusted gross revenue (AGR) obligations, which will limit its annual repayments to $13.79 million over the forthcoming six years. This strategic move is designed to alleviate immediate cash flow challenges for the company while maintaining the overall amount of its outstanding liabilities. The repayment schedule is a critical component of VI's financial management strategy, as it provides a structured path to meet its obligations without further compounding the fiscal pressures it currently faces. On December 31, the Indian government approved a partial moratorium on the dues of a telecoms company,…