Business Standard's opinion pages this week focused on AIIMS cyber-attack, India's G20 Presidency, Dharavi's redevelopment, and much more

BS Views of the week:  AIIMS cyber-attack, India's G20 Presidency, Dharavi's redevelopment, and more

NIIT Ltd board has approved the purchase of an additional 19.50 lakh equity shares of NIIT Institute of Finance Banking and Insurance Training Ltd (IFBI) to fully acquire the subsidiary, according to an exchange filing.
NIIT holds 80.72 per cent stake in IFBI, and post the aforesaid acquisition, IFBI will become its wholly owned subsidiary, the filing stated.
The shares will be acquired from ICICI Bank Limited (1.9 million shares, 18.79 per cent stake) and individual shareholders (50,000 shares, 0.49 per cent stake).
The aggregate consideration for the acquisition of shares from ICICI Bank is expected to be between Rs 4.7 crore and Rs 6.5 crore.
The acquisition is expected to be completed by September 30, 2025, according to the filing on Saturday.
"As a strategic business decision, NIIT Limited has agreed to acquire 1,900,000 equity shares of IFBI from ICICI Bank Limited and 50,000 equity shares of IFBI from Individual shareholders," the filing read.
IFBI, incorporated in 2006 an

NIIT holds 80.72 per cent stake in IFBI, and post the aforesaid acquisition, IFBI will become its wholly owned subsidiary, the filing stated

Logistic firm Delhivery Ltd and Ecom Express have sought Competition Commission of India's approval for their Rs 1,400-crore deal.
Under the deal announced on April 5, Delhivery will acquire a controlling stake in Ecom Express for a cash consideration of Rs 1,400 crore.
While Delhivery is a listed integrated logistics player, Ecom Express provides logistics solutions to the Indian e-commerce industry.
According to the notice submitted to the regulator, the relevant products and geographic markets can be left open, given that the proposed deal will not lead to any change in the competitive dynamics, let alone cause any appreciable adverse effect on competition, in any market in India.
Against the backdrop of potential business overlaps, the notice has mentioned that with respect to horizontal overlaps, the markets for provision of express parcel delivery services in India, and for provision of warehousing and supply chain services in India can be considered as relevant ones.
In ter

Mergers and acquisitions beyond a certain threshold mandatorily require the approval from CCI, which keeps a tab on anti-competitive practices and promotes fair competition in the market place

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Two persons, including a woman, were killed and another woman sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Saturday, officials said.
They said that over 100 houses suffered damages due to gusty winds in Rajouri district.
Two women, identified as Shahnaz Begum and Rasheed Ahmad, lost their lives when lightning hit their Dharhote village in Arnas area of Reasi late Saturday evening, the officials said.
Another woman -- Gulzara Begum -- was also injured in the incident, which also perished nearly 50 sheep and goats, they added.
In another incident, over 100 residential houses suffered minor to partial damages after high velocity winds swept Kalakote in Rajouri district.
Confirming the damage, Kalakote Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tanveer told PTI that the rooftops of majority of the residential houses were swept away by the gusty winds.
However, there was no report of any casualty, he said, adding the

In another incident, over 100 residential houses suffered minor to partial damages after high velocity winds swept Kalakote in Rajouri district

The National Central Bureau (NCB) of Bangladesh Police has submitted a request to the Interpol seeking a red notice against 12 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, a media report said Saturday.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 last year when she fled Bangladesh following a massive student-led protest that toppled her Awami League's (AL) 16-year regime.
The NCB processes such requests based on appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies, The Daily Star said, quoting Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media).
Confirming the development, Sagor said at the Police Headquarters: "These applications are filed in connection with allegations that emerge during investigations or through ongoing case proceedings."
A red notice is used by Interpol to help locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition or similar legal action. Interpol assists in tracking the whereabouts of fugitives living abroad, a

The NCB processes such requests based on appeals from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies, The Daily Star said, quoting Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general (media)

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) on Friday presented a Rs 40,187 crore-budget for the megapolis.
Infrastructure spends across projects have been pegged at Rs 35,151 crore or 87 per cent of the overall expenditure, as per an official statement. The revenues have been estimated at Rs 36,939 crore, and the body chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will be borrowing Rs 22,000 crore.
This will result in a budget deficit of Rs 3,249 crore, which the body plans to bridge through land sales, issuance of bonds, financial assistance from the government, and loans from financial institutions, the statement said.
The ongoing metro line projects have been earmarked Rs 10,969 crore of expenditure in the new fiscal, which is a fourth of the overall expenditure..
Over Rs 5,697 crore have been allotted for multiple tunnel projects which are going across the megapolis, with Rs 2,684 crore earmarked for the four-lane road running under the Sanjay Gandhi National 

Infrastructure spends across projects have been pegged at Rs 35,151 crore or 87 per cent of the overall expenditure, as per an official statement

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday returned the Finance Bill 2025 to the Lok Sabha, along with 35 government amendments, including one that abolishes a 6 per cent digital tax on online advertisements, thus completing the 2025-26 budgetary exercise that started on February 1.
The House also returned the Appropriation Bill (3) with a voice vote.
Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had moved the two bills in the House.
The Lok Sabha had passed the Finance Bill on March 25 and passed the Appropriation Bill on March 21.
Replying to the debate later in the evening, she said the tendency of the finance ministry would be to exercise caution and not let go of revenues.
"But, here we wanted to use this opportunity to show our respect for Indian taxpayer. We have moved towards setting Rs 12 lakh as threshold up to which no one will have to pay any tax," Sitharaman said.
The Union Budget 2025-26 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 50.65 lakh crore, an increase of 7.4 per cent ov

The Union Budget 2025-26 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 50.65 trillion, an increase of 7.4 per cent over the current fiscal

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BS Views of the week: AIIMS cyber-attack, India's G20 Presidency, Dharavi's redevelopment, and more

Business Standard's opinion pages this week focused on AIIMS cyber-attack, India's G20 Presidency, Dharavi's redevelopment, and much more

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