Month: November 2020

Gig economy: The future of workforce

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Authored by: Vanshika Goenka

The Gig Economy. Most people consider it to be the much-desired antidote to a humdrum nine-to-five existence, empowering them to work with freedom and flexibility. Others despise the uncertain nature of gig work and its potential for exploitation. Today, clearly the world is moving towards the gig economy and while it seems like the perfect rescue from a sinister pandemic that shut down the globe, we can’t help but wonder, what is the future of a gig workforce going to be like.

To find answers, let’s take a closer look at some interesting aspects of the gig economy and analyse what lies in store ahead.

The gig economy consists of people creating their career pathway through freelance and contract work—wherein the individual is paid per job, or ‘gig’, as opposed to receiving a regular salary or wage from an employer. While the term ‘gig economy’ was coined recently, there has always been a market for freelance, or pay-as-you-work jobs. As a matter of fact, before the industrial revolution and the rise of the employee-employer contract, this type of work was the norm.

If we try to delve into the intrinsics of human nature, it will become evident that the lack of freedom, flexibility and ownership can lead to people feeling dissatisfied and disconnected from their work meaning that full-time employment isn’t for everyone. The rise of the gig economy has made it easier for people to take charge of their work lives, giving them the freedom to work the way they want to. This aspect or feature of the gig economy can be particularly lucrative for creative or skilled professionals such as content writers, web developers, etc. who can optimise the use of their skills through an unbounded work set up.

In full-time employment, the employer essentially owns the employee’s skills; they have the right to use them as they desire and as in line with the employment agreement and job title. This way, the employer buys the rights to an individual’s skills for a monthly fee which is basically the salary. On the contrary, the gig economy allows individual full control over their skills and knowledge. And more often than not, this allows skilled professionals to increase their income, as their earning potential is unlimited.

Unlike traditional employment, gig work focuses on results rather than black and white processes. Gig workers are assessed and remunerated based on their ability to deliver outcomes, but how they achieve their targets is completely up to them. This allows gig workers to tap into their natural reserves of intuition, creative thinking and self-reliance.

The future of gig work holds great potential because it tends to be more meaningful and rewarding in more than just the monetary aspect. The simple fact that you are building your own brand instead of someone else’s makes this type of work intrinsically motivating in the long run. Also, the biggest advantage of gig work lies in its integration with technology because needless to say, the future of India’s start-ups and its gig economy lies in digital innovations and a robust digitised ecosystem. The government too has been endeavouring to democratise digital platforms across sectors.

A major part of the gig economy, digital marketplaces are now signing up demand-driven service providers skilled in niche areas such as beauty, fitness, plumbing, electrical repairs, etc. and offer these services to consumers on a contractual basis as per requirements. This business model allows for the service providers to communicate with the end-users directly through the app according to their terms and conditions. This opens up a world of opportunities for the freelance workforce.

To conclude, the gig economy has certainly led to the transformation of India’s work culture, with enhanced flexibility and autonomy,  overriding the traditional relationship shared between an employer and employee. In a developing country like India, the potential advantages of the gig economy are going to be numerous. Particularly for women, it portends to be an important step towards professional and financial freedom.

Workplaces are changing and so is the way people function at workplaces. The future holds limitless possibilities for the gig economy, as more and more organisations and employees are inclining towards independent work dynamics. It won’t be long before the gig economy becomes the new normal and working full-time will become a rarity.

—Vanshika Goenka is the founder of Kool Kanya, a platform that has evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic to support women and help them build financial security. The views expressed are personal

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bharat Biotech to launch Covaxin in the second quarter of 2021

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Bharat Biotech is planning to launch its vaccine for COVID-19 in the second quarter next year if it gets the requisite approvals from the Indian regulatory authorities, a top company official said.

It said its immediate focus is to conduct the Phase 3 trials successfully across sites in the country.

The company’s vaccine candidate -Covaxin- has been developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Virology (NIV) using inactivated Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus was isolated in an ICMR lab.

“If we get all the approvals after establishing strong experimental evidence and data, and efficacy and safety data in our last stage of trials, we aim to launch the vaccine in Q2 of 2021,” Bharat Biotech International Executive Director Sai Prasad told PTI.

After the company received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to conduct Phase 3 clinical trial to establish the efficacy of the vaccine candidate, it has begun site preparatory exercises for Phase 3, recruitment and dosage will begin in November, he added.

“The trial to be conducted in 25 to 30 sites across 13-14 states will provide two doses each for the vaccine and placebo recipients. About 2,000 subjects could be enrolled per hospital,” Prasad said.

Asked about the investment on the vaccine, he said: “Our investment is about Rs 350-400 crore for the development of vaccine and the new manufacturing facilities, which include our investments for conducting the Phase 3 clinical trial, in the next six months”.

On the company’s plan to sell the vaccine to the government or to private players, Prasad said: “We are looking to supply for both government and private markets. We are also in preliminary discussions with other countries for probable supply.”

Prasad said the price of the vaccine is yet to be determined, as the company is still looking at the cost of product development.

“Our immediate focus is to conduct Phase 3 trial successfully across sites,” he added.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

VIEW: The future of equalisation levy

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The 2020 Budget has extended the ambit of equalisation levy to non-resident e-commerce operators, signifying yet another step by India in its move to tax digital businesses.

Backdrop

Equalisation levy has its genesis in the G20/OECD BEPS Action 1, as one of the potential measures to tax digitised businesses that earn significant revenues from a jurisdiction without any physical presence therein. However, it was not a ‘recommended’ option as per the G20/OECD. Taking a cue from BEPS Action 1, the Report of the Committee on Taxation of E-Commerce was published in early 2016 which promulgated the introduction of equalisation levy in India. Soon thereafter, equalisation levy was introduced in the 2016 Budget at the rate of 6 percent to tax non-residents engaged in online advertisement and related activities. The scope has now been widened significantly in the 2020 Budget.

Enhanced scope of equalisation levy

Effective 1 April 2020, equalisation levy is payable by a non-resident e-commerce operator at the rate of 2 percent on consideration from e-commerce supply or services to (i) an Indian resident; or (ii) a non-resident in specified circumstances (sale of advertisement/data); or (iii) a person who buys goods or services using internet protocol address located in India. The equalisation levy is not applicable where the e-commerce operator has a permanent establishment in India, or where the turnover is less than Rs 2 crore during the financial year.

The definition of the terms ‘e-commerce operator’ and ‘e-commerce supply and services’ are very wide and may cover various digital transactions and services that go beyond the scope of equalisation levy or digital services tax introduced in other countries. Given the potential wide scope of equalisation levy, there are several issues open to interpretation, and taxpayers have been expecting clarifications from the government on several issues; no clarification has been issued so far.

Interestingly, the equalisation levy provisions are not part of the income-tax law, and accordingly, taxpayers may prima facie not be able to claim tax treaty benefits in relation to the equalisation levy. Consequently, there may be challenges for such taxpayers to get credit for equalisation levy in their home jurisdiction.

One may also note at this juncture that India has introduced the concept of ‘significant economic presence’ in the income-tax law to tax digital companies – however, practically this may not be very effective until tax treaties introduce this (or a similar) concept.

Global perspective

As part of the BEPS project, the OECD is working towards a consensus-based solution comprising of two pillars: (i) Pillar One focused on nexus and profit allocation; and (ii) Pillar Two focused on a global minimum tax intended to address remaining BEPS issues. These rules are likely to significantly impact digital companies, and it was initially targeted that OECD would come out with the common tax framework by the end of this year. However, due to the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the target date for global consensus has been pushed to mid-2021.

The delay in consensus for a global framework has led countries across the world to implement unilateral measures for taxing digital companies. This trend is led by European countries such as Austria, France, Hungary, Italy and the United Kingdom who have implemented a digital services tax or a digital advertisement tax, although the legislation or collection has been delayed in a few cases. Such a tax is typically being contemplated by countries in the European Union, as well as countries such as Australia, Brazil, Israel, New Zealand, etc. Accordingly, India is not unique in taxing digital businesses and is broadly aligned with most countries on its thinking around a digital tax.

The United States has a different perspective on digital taxes. The United States Trade Representative has initiated investigations in relation to India’s equalisation levy, as well as digital services tax introduced by various other countries and the European Union. India in its response to the investigations has responded by stating that the equalisation levy is not discriminatory and that it is consistent with India’s commitments under the WTO and international taxation agreements.

Crystal gazing

Let us first understand how collections on equalisation levy are shaping up in India. Media reports indicate that the equalisation levy collection after the second instalment deadline of October 7, 2020 is Rs 738 crore. The corresponding amount last year was Rs 545 crore, when the only online advertisement was covered within the purview of the equalisation levy. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, one will need to monitor these numbers for a few more quarters before a clear trend emerges in relation to additional tax collections, pursuant to the widening of the equalisation levy provisions.

It is expected that when there is a global consensus on Pillars One and Two as part of the OECD project, the Indian equalisation levy will be withdrawn, as it is an interim measure. As mentioned earlier, the target date for global consensus is mid-2021 and even if this deadline is met, the implementation, especially of Pillar Two, is going to be fairly complex and is expected around 2024. Given the fact that many countries have implemented, or are in the process of implementing, a digital services tax, it appears that unilateral measure to tax digital services is not going away any time soon. The question that only time can answer is whether equalisation levy and digital service tax will gradually become the ‘new normal’ for taxing cross-border digital transactions?

—Pritin Kumar is a Partner and Anil Kadam is a Senior Manager with Deloitte Haskins & Sells LLP. The views expressed are personal

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Delhi records season’s lowest minimum temperature at 11.4 degrees Celsius

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The national capital recorded a minimum temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning, the lowest this season so far, according to the India Meteorological Department.

Normally, the Safdarjung Observatory, which provides representative data for the city, records a minimum of 15 to 16 degrees Celsius in the first week of November. The mercury dips to 11-12 degrees Celsius by the last week of November, it said.

Kuldeep Srivastava, the head of the regional forecasting centre of IMD, said the absence of cloud cover was the major reason for the low minimum temperature.

Clouds trap some of the outgoing infrared radiation and radiate it back downward, warming the ground. Another reason is calm winds, which allow the formation of mist and fog, Srivastava said.

There hasn’t been much snowfall in the hills, so cold winds from that region are yet to start affecting Delhi’s weather, he added.

The month of October was the coolest in 58 years in the national capital, according to IMD.

The mean minimum temperature in October this year was 17.2 degrees Celsius, the lowest since 1962 when it was 16.9 degrees Celsius, it said.

Normally, Delhi records a mean minimum temperature of 19.1 degrees Celsius in October. The city recorded a mean minimum temperature of 17.5 degrees Celsius in October 2007, according to IMD.

On Thursday, Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 12.5 degrees Celsius — the lowest in October in 26 years.

The last time Delhi recorded such a low temperature in October was in 1994.

The national capital had recorded a minimum of 12.3 degrees Celsius on October 31, 1994, according to IMD data.

The city recorded the all-time lowest temperature (9.4 degrees Celsius) on October 31, 1937, Srivastava said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

IPL 2020 RCB versus Sunrisers Hyderabad: We weren’t brave enough with bat, says RCB skipper Virat Kohli

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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“We weren’t brave enough with the bat,” said a disappointed Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli after his side’s five-wicket defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad in an Indian Premier League match in Sharjah. Kohli said Saturday’s defeat has virtually made their last game against Delhi Capitals on Monday a must-win for a top-two finish in the standings.

RCB only managed 120 for seven after being put in to bat. SRH chased down the target in 14.1 overs to zoom to the fourth spot from seventh in the league standings.

It was RCB’s third consecutive defeat in the tournament but they stayed at second place in the table with 14 points from 13 games.

“It was never enough. We thought 140 might be a good total to sort of get into the game on that kind of wicket. We weren’t brave enough with the bat throughout the innings and credit to them (SRH) – they used the pitch well and the change of pace,” Kohli said after the match.

“It is a competitive tournament and you can’t take any games lightly or any teams for granted, the situation is in front of us – we have to win our last game to hopefully finish in the top two.”

Kohli said Monday’s game against Delhi Capitals in Abu Dhabi would be a cracker with both the teams locked at 14 points.

“I have always been a Bangalore boy in the IPL, never sort of drifted towards Delhi,” Kohli said.

Kohli said dew played an important role in the second innings.

“Things changed drastically in the second innings. There was a lot of dew which we didn’t quite predict. They got it right at the toss eventually. In the end it was very difficult to hold the ball.

“Strange one. In between, we thought the weather has become pleasant and there wasn’t any dew, but last few games in Dubai and here as well there has been dew. The pattern keeps changing but regardless (of that) you need to have runs on the board.”

SRH now have 12 points from 13 games and need to win their last league game against table-toppers Mumbai Indians to stay in the hunt.

Their captain David Warner said SRH’s goal was clear coming into the match — win the last two games and progress into the play-offs.

“We knew we had to beat the top two teams in order to progress. We got one more to go against Mumbai. Losing Vijay (Shankar) is a big miss. For us we have worked out, how to go about at the top of the order.

“With the bowling, all the credit goes to them. We are finding the right balance and the right partnerships. To go for less than 20 in 4 overs, it’s ridiculous,” he said.

“We knew we had to win today, and that’s the case in the next game. In 2016 we had to win three games and we did that.”

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Delhi’s air quality remains ‘very poor’ due to ‘unusually high’ farm fires

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Delhi’s air quality remained very poor on Sunday with an unusually high number of farm fires off-setting the effect of better ventilation, according to a government forecasting agency. The situation may improve by Monday, however, according to a PTI report. The city recorded an air quality index (AQI) of 366 at 8:30 am. The 24-hour average AQI was 367 on Saturday, 374 on Friday, 395 on Thursday, 297 on Wednesday, 312 on Tuesday, and 353 on Monday, it added.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered ‘good’, 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’, 101 and 200 ‘moderate’, 201 and 300 ‘poor’, 301 and 400 ‘very poor’, and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ air quality monitoring agency, SAFAR, the share of stubble burning in Delhi’s PM2.5 pollution was 32 percent on Saturday, the second-highest this season so far.

It was 19 percent on Friday and 36 per cent on Thursday—the maximum so far this season.

According to the central government’s Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, the fire count increased to an unusual high on Friday over Punjab (approx 4,266), Haryana (155), Uttar Pradesh (51) and Madhya Pradesh (381) impacting air quality in Delhi-NCR and other parts of northwest India.

Delhi: Air Quality Index at 331 in ‘very poor’ category at ITO pic.twitter.com/u0vBFPm4cN

— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2020

NASA’s satellite imagery showed a large, dense cluster of fire dots covering Punjab and parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

SAFAR said Delhi’s AQI did not improve much despite better ventilation, mainly because of highly favourable north-north westerly boundary level wind direction and perfect wind speed for the intrusion of pollutants from farm fires.

Increased local surface wind speed with faster dispersion conditions are counteracting with increased fire-related emission and associated intrusion. But still, AQI is likely to improve for the next two days as dispersion will eventually play a lead role, it said.

Delhi: Air quality remains in ‘very poor’ category in Wazirpur area, as per Central Pollution Control Board pic.twitter.com/chBEjbey3O

— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2020

According to the India Meteorological Department, the predominant wind direction was northwesterly and the maximum wind speed was 15 kilometres per hour on Sunday.

Calm winds and low temperatures trap pollutants close to the ground, while favourable wind speed helps in their dispersion.

The city’s ventilation index a product of mixing depth and average wind speed was expected to be around 8,500 metre square per second on Sunday favourable for dispersion of pollutants.

Mixing depth is the vertical height in which pollutants are suspended in the air. It reduces on cold days with calm wind speed.

A ventilation index lower than 6,000 sqm/second, with the average wind speed less than 10 kmph, is unfavourable for dispersal of pollutants.

—With inputs from agencies

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Coronavirus news highlights: BJP MLA slams Kejriwal; asks Delhi CM to discuss surge in COVID-19 cases

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Coronavirus news highlights : With 46,963 new coronavirus infections being reported on October 31, India’s COVID-19 caseload rose to 81,84,082, while the number of people who have recuperated from the disease was pegged at 74.91 lakh, data from the Union Health Ministry showed on November 1. The recovery rate, the ministry claims, is 91.54 percent. The country’s COVID-19 death toll has soared to 1,22,111 with 470 new fatalities reported across the country as of 8 am, November 1, 2020.

Here are the highlights of the top developments on the coronavirus pandemic from November 1:

Coronavirus news highlights: BJP MLA asks Kejriwal to convene all-party meeting to discuss recent surge in COVID-19 cases

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on Sunday asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the recent surge of COVID-19 cases and make arrangements to deal with the emerging situation. The chief minister should immediately call an all party meeting so that timely interventions to check the pandemic can be discussed, Bidhuri said, expressing concern over growing COVID-19 cases in Delhi. The city is witnessing a surge of COVID-19 with over 5,000 new cases being reported daily in the past few days from an earlier 2,000-3,000 cases per day. In a letter to the chief minister, Bidhuri said the Delhi government has claimed that the number of coronavirus patients will rise to 12,000 per day in November and more than 20,000 beds will be required.

Coronavirus news highlights: 2,618 fresh COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh
Another 2,618 cases were added to Andhra Pradeshs COVID-19 tally on Sunday, taking the gross to 8,25,966. A total of 3,509 patients recovered from the disease while 16 more succumbed in 24 hours ending 9 am on Sunday. The latest bulletin said the state now has 23,668 active cases after a total of 7,95,592 recoveries and 6,706 deaths. Chittoor district reported the highest number of cases with 423, followed by Guntur 387, Krishna 328, West Godavari 296, East Godavari 291 and Prakasam 255 in 24 hours. Kadapa and Anantapuramu districts added 125 and 123 respectively, while five others reported less than 100 each, with 40 in Kurnool being the lowest. Krishna saw four fresh COVID-19 fatalities and Chittoor and Guntur three each, the bulletin added.

Bhuvan Bam tests positive for COVID-19

Popular YouTuber Bhuvan Bam on Sunday said he has tested positive for coronavirus and asked his fans to not take the pandemic lightly. The 26-year-old comedian said he wasn’t feeling well and got himself tested for COVID-19. “I’ve not been feeling well for the last few days. Test results have come and I’m COVID positive. Don’t take this virus lightly.

Puducherry records fresh COVID-19 cases in two digits after six days; Tally 35,109

Daily COVID-19 cases in Puducherry dropped below the 100 mark on Sunday after a gap of six days as the tally rose to 35,109. Three more people, including a 71-year old woman, died of coronavirus in the last 24 hours ending 10 AM on Sunday, taking the toll to 595, the Health department said.

Bharat Biotech to launch Covaxin in the second quarter of 2021

 Bharat Biotech is planning to launch its vaccine for COVID-19 in the second quarter next year if it gets the requisite approvals from the Indian regulatory authorities, a top company official said.

 Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister Doraikkannu dies of Covid-19

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R. Doraikkannu, a Covid-19 patient, died on Saturday late night, said a senior official of Kauvery Hospital.

Thane sees 20% rise in COVID-19 cases in October

Thane district of Maharashtra reported a nearly 20 per cent rise in new COVID-19 cases in October, while the active cases dropped by 46 per cent last month, an official said on Sunday.

• AP tests more than 80 lakh samples for Covid, tally 8.2 lakh: Andhra Pradesh has tested more than 80 lakh samples for Coronavirus, even as 2,783 new infections increased the state’s tally to 8.23 lakh on Saturday. In the past 24 hours, the state tested 82,045 more samples for the virus, nudging the total tests to reach 80,28,905. Among the new infections, West Godavari district accounted for the highest, 469, followed by Krishna (425), East Godavari (371), Chittoor (351), Guntur (324), Anantapur (170), Kadapa (169) and Prakasam (134). Among other places, Visakhapatnam (113), Nellore (86), Vizianagaram (70), Srikakulam (67) and Kurnool (34). With the new additions, Covid tallies of the three districts of Kurnool, Nellore and Prakasam are inching towards 60,000.
• Here are the salient points from today’s COVID-19 data released by the Union health ministry:

-Total India cases near 82 lakh with an increase of 46,963 cases in 24 hours

-Active cases fall for 29 days in a row; slip to 5.70 lakh

-Active cases fall by 3.75 lakh in the last 29 days to fall to a 3-month low

-Active cases fall by 12,191 in 24 hours; last week average is 13,957 vs the previous average of 16,451

-Recovery rate rises above 91.5 percent; it’s at 91.54 percent vs yesterday’s 91.34 percent

-Mortality rate remains at 1.49 percent; the positivity rate slips to 6.97 percent

-Overall tests at 10.99 crore with last 24-hr testing at 10.91 lakh

-Single-day testing rises from yesterday; it’s above 10 lakh for 5th straight day

-Total cases rise by 46,963; additions of less than 50,000 for 7th straight day

-Deaths rise be less than 500 after 4 days; it’s up by 470

-Rise of deaths by 470, the lowest single-day increase in 4 months

-Total cases at 81.84 lakh, active 5.70 lakh, recoveries 74.91 lakh and deaths 1.22 lakh

• TN Minister Doraikkannu no more: Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu, who was battling Covid-19, has died, a private hospital said on Sunday. The 72-year-old Minister breathed his last late on Saturday night, Kauvery Hospital Executive Director Dr Aravdindan Selvaraj said in a medical bulletin. “With deep grief, we announce the sad demise of Honourable Minister for Agriculture R Doraikkannu,” on Saturday at 11.15 pm, he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family during this difficult period,” he added. Doraikkannu was undergoing treatment in Chennai, after being shifted from a government medical college hospital in Villpuram on October 13, where he was admitted to after he complained of uneasiness.

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu passed away on Sunday after a brief struggle with #COVID_19 pic.twitter.com/Yt2GErgPvm

— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) November 1, 2020

• 5,062 fresh COVID-19 cases take Delhi’s tally to over 3.86 lakh; death toll 6,511: The national capital recorded 5,062 fresh COVID-19 cases on Saturday, taking the infection tally to over 3.86 lakh, even as the positivity rate jumped to nearly 11.5 per cent amid festivities and rising pollution in the city. These fresh cases came out of the 44,330 tests conducted the previous day which also coincided with a festival. This is the fourth consecutive day when over 5,000 cases have been reported in a day in the city. The highest single-day spike till date here—5,891 cases—was recorded on Friday.
• 993 new coronavirus cases in Mumbai, 32 deaths: Mumbai reported 993 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, taking its infection count to 2,57,500, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said. The COVID-19 death toll in the city went up to 10,250 with 32 fresh fatalities, the civic body said. After a gap of three days, the single-day spike in cases dropped below 1,000. On Saturday, the number of recovered COVID-19 patients in Mumbai increased to2,27,822 with 680 patients getting discharged. The city’s recovery rate is 88 percent, while the number of active cases is 18,753. Over 15.26 lakh coronavirus tests have been conducted in the city so far. The city’s average doubling rate of COVID-19 cases is 164 days, while the average growth rate of cases is 0.42 percent, the BMC said. The civic body has sealed 7,479 buildings and declared 609 containment zones in chawls and slums where one or more
  patients have been found.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow