-PTI/ Business Standard On November 22, Sitharaman would meet agriculture and agro processing industry, representatives from financial sector and capital markets Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will kick-start the customary pre-budget meetings beginning Monday with a special focus on issues concerning climate change and infrastructure. The minister would hold virtual meetings on November 21 in three groups with industry chambers, infrastructure sector and environment experts seeking suggestions for the 2023-24 Budget making from stakeholders. On...

-Hindustan Times The cost has been revised following recommendations by a review committee constituted last year that included representatives from the ministries of education, finance and labour, besides independent experts. The central government has increased the cost of cooking school midday meals by 9.6% from October 1 that will be valid for financial year 2022-23, the education ministry has told the state governments and union territories, which will offer some relief to...

-The Hindu Business Line Why access to capital for MSME entrepreneurs has the potential to alter India’s social fabric India’s social fabric has undergone a series of transformations since Independence. After the liberalisation of the economy in the 1990s, the market opened up and employment opportunities grew, as did the spending power and standard of living of the average Indian. As financial access grew, so did social mobility. However, certain sections have lagged...

-The Hindu Business Line Employment increased by about four lakh in the January to March 2022 quarter as against the previous quarter in nine selected sectors of the economy. The Fourth Round of Quarterly Employment Survey (QES) by the Labour and Employment Ministry revealed that the estimated employment increased to 3.18 crore in the fourth quarter of 2021-22 in the selected sectors as compared to 3.14 crore in the third quarter of...

-The Hindu The study calls for raising it to 1.6% to 2.2% of GDP The government expenditure in India on early childhood education (ECE) for children between the age of three years and six years is a mere 0.1% of the GDP, and the average spend per child of ₹8,297 per annum is at least a fourth of desired levels, according to a new study. The research conducted jointly by the Centre for...