WPI inflation rises to 0.58 per cent in Nov

Wholesale prices based inflation rose to 0.58 per cent in November, as against 0.16 per cent in October due to increase in prices of food articles. The annual inflation, based on monthly wholesale price index (WPI), was at 4.47 per cent during the same month a year ago. The rate of price rise for food articles rose to 11 per cent during the month as against 9.80 a month earlier, while for non-food articles it eased 1.93 per cent from 2.35 per cent in October. For manufactured products, the wholesale inflation remained static at (-)0.84 per cent during the month under review. The consumer price index based retail inflation, as per data released last week, spiked to over a three-year high of 5.54 per cent in November due to costlier food products like vegetables, pulses and protein-rich items.

RIL topples IOC to become India’s largest co

Boosted by its consumer-facing businesses like organised retail and telecom, Reliance Industries ended state-owned Indian Oil Corporation’s (IOC) 10-year reign as India’s largest company, topping the Fortune India 500 list. With a revenue of Rs 5.81 lakh crore in 2018-19, the conglomerate also became the first privately held and the only other company to become India’s largest corporation apart from IOC for the first time in 10 years. State-owned ONGC was ranked third, same as in 2018. It was followed by State Bank of India, Tata Motors and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd - all with no changes in their ranking between 2018 and 2019. Rajesh Exports climbed one position to be ranked 7th on the 2019 list and so did Tata Steel, Coal India, TCS and Larsen & Toubro that were ranked 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th, respectively.

Court convits Sengar in Unnao rape case

A Delhi court has convicted expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for raping a woman in Unnao in 2017. The court convicted Sengar for rape under Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act for offence of public servant committing penetrative sexual assault against a child. District Judge Dharmesh Sharma, however, acquitted co-accused Shashi Singh of all charges. The court will hear arguments on quantum of sentence on December 18. The offences entail maximum punishment of life imprisonment. The woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from UP’s Bangermau, was expelled from the party in August. The trial was held in-camera after the Supreme Court transferred the matter from Unnao to the national capital.

Conviction rate in rape cases at 32 per cent

The conviction rate in rape cases is as low as 32.2 per cent despite laws dealing with sexual assault being made stringent in the aftermath of the Nirbhaya gang-rape in 2012. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, the number of rape cases that went to trial in 2017 was 1,46,201, but only 5,822 resulted in conviction. While the conviction rate in rape cases has increased marginally in recent years, the chargesheeting rate has gone down - which means cases are not going to court. The chargesheeting rate in rape cases dropped to 86.6 per cent in 2017 from 95.4 per cent in 2013. On February 3, 2013, the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance was promulgated. It provides for amendment of the IPC, Indian Evidence Act and CrPC on laws related to sexual offences.

Discoms’ dues to gencos increase 48 per cent

Power producers’ total outstanding dues owed by distribution companies (discoms) rose around 48 per cent to Rs 81,010 crore in October over the same month last year. Discoms owed a total of Rs 54,654 crore to gencos in October 2018, according to portal PRAAPTI (Payment Ratification And Analysis in Power procurement for bringing Transparency in Invoicing of generators). The portal was launched in May 2018 to bring in transparency in power purchase transactions between generators and discoms. In October, the total overdue amount stood at Rs 67,143 crore as against Rs 39,338 crore in the same month last year. According to the latest data, outstanding dues in October has decreased over the preceding month. In September, total outstanding dues stood at Rs 82,548 crore.

SC asks Centre, states to appoint info officials

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre and states to appoint within three months information commissioners in the Central and State Information Commissions. A Bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde took note of the submissions of lawyer Prashant Bhushan that despite the apex court’s February 15 judgment, the Centre and states have not appointed information commissioners in CIC and SICs. The Bench also raised the issue of misuse of Right to Information Act by those who have no relation to the information sought. “People who are in no way connected to an issue file RTI. It sometimes amounts to criminal intimidation, which is a nice word for blackmail. We are not against the right to information. But there is a need for guidelines. It cannot be an unrivalled right,” it said.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store