-Livemint.com * Consumer goods companies are likely to post their worst revenue growth in the last 15 years, as per report * With slump in consumer demand, most firms are stepping up their efforts to entice consumers through discounts and offers Mumbai: Fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies are shifting their focus to consumer promotions to drive volume in a sluggish market while being cautious on investing heavily on advertisements to save cost,...

-The Hindu Business Line “Join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), but do not ignore your internal market and demand. Ninety per cent of our bad export story is domestic challenges, 10 per cent is external environment or external policy,” says Economist Surjit S Bhalla. Seventy-one-year old Bhalla has a tough task ahead — to make New Delhi’s voice louder at the international forums as he is set to take charge...

  Air quality in North India in general and Delhi National Capital Region (Delhi NCR) in particular plunged to its lowest point in recent years during October-November thanks to a variety of factors. Through media reports one comes to know that stubble burning (also called paddy straw burning/ crop residue burning) is chiefly responsible for the public health crisis in India's capital and its nearby regions. Data accessed from the website...

-IANS Consumers covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS) will soon be free to buy their goods from any ration centre under the 'one nation, one ration card' scheme, officials said. Consumers covered under the Public Distribution System (PDS) will soon be free to buy their goods from any ration centre under the 'one nation, one ration card' scheme, officials said. "Making available cheaper foodgrain and ensuring satisfaction of the consumers is the...

-Economic and Political Weekly The public Distribution system is the cornerstone of anti-poverty initiatives in India to address the issue of hunger and malnutrition, but is plagued with leakages and corruption. Though several possible reasons account for these problems, one factor that is generally overlooked is the lack of assessment of the preference of the beneficiaries in terms of product portfolio, selection, and delivery mechanisms. Through a mixed methods analysis across...