-The Hindu Consumer demand started to decline before the pandemic and worsened after outbreak In September, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was anguished that industry was holding back from investing in manufacturing despite a significant cut in corporate tax rates in 2019. The slowdown in corporate investment did not happen because companies were making losses. In fact, private companies, boosted by considerable tax cuts, made windfall profits. A State Bank of India analysis shows...

-Frontline.in FAO’s latest report found world hunger rising. However, India’s data on food insecurity is missing. The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s “State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2022” report begins with a dismal piece of data: the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet has increased by 112 million to touch 3.2 billion, a reflection of rising food prices during the pandemic. The report, a joint effort...

-PTI/ The Hindu ‘The consumption decline in the rural markets continues to be led by both double-digit price increases and lower unit growth’ The country's FMCG industry continued to witness consumption slowdown in the September quarter, with rural markets registering a higher decline in volumes compared to the three months ended June, says a report. Also, consumers continued to prefer purchasing smaller packets amid companies hiking prices in response to broader inflationary pressures,...

-PTI/The Hindu The updation would ensure “continued accuracy” of Aadhaar-related information in the Central Identities Data Repository The government has amended Aadhaar regulations, specifying that supporting documents may be updated "at least once" by Aadhaar holders on completion of 10 years from the enrolment date. "Aadhaar number holders may, on completion of every 10 years from the date of enrolment for Aadhaar, update their supporting documents in Aadhaar, at least once, by submitting...

-The Hindu The provision has been introduced as “airwaves/frequencies are public property and need to be used in the best interest of the society” The Union Cabinet has approved the new guidelines for uplinking and downlinking of television channels in India, under which all the stations holding permission — except for the foreign channels and where it may not be feasible, -- would have to broadcast contents on issues of national importance...