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Demand for India’s rice likely to shoot up in global market as floods hit crop in Southeast Asian nations

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 Demand for Indian rice is expected to increase amid heavy flooding in countries such as Thailand and Vietnam, which have been dominant players for this staple grain in the global export market. The heavy floods along the Mekong River belt have caused severe damage to crops in the two Southeast Asian countries. The paddy fields have been particularly washed away giving rise to concerns over food security amid surging global food prices driven by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Even as sowing of the grain in India this year is estimated to be 17 per cent lower due to inadequate rains in states such as Bihar and Orissa, analysts said that there is no cause for any worry as the country is sitting on adequate stocks from last year. However they maintained that New Delhi must refrain from taking any “sudden decisions.”

“Such adhoc and knee jerk reaction and banning of outbound shipment create problems for Indian exporters, they find it difficult to get orders in the future,” Anil Ghanwat, senior leader of Shetkari Sangathana, a Maharashtra based farmers union earlier told India Narrative.

India accounts for about 40 per cent of the global rice supply.

“India’s rice #exports to benefit & rise to ~$10-12 bn as key competitors ie Thailand & Vietnam suffer from loss in yields & cost surge. #India likey to #export 22 out of the 53 MT #rice demanded globally with market share of 40% in 2022,” Sachchidanand Shukla, Chief Economist, Mahindra Group said in a tweet.

Indian rice is also less expensive compared to the grain sold by Thailand and Vietnam.

According to World Grain, an analysis website, shrinking the price spread with Thailand and Vietnam, Pakistani quotes rose $40 to $420 per tonne amid steady demand from China. “Indian quotes rose minimally by $5 to $350 per tonne and remain the lowest globally with large supplies,” it said.

Even as the price of Thai rice fell amid the uncertainties, it was more than the Indian rate.

The problem of flooding is not specific to Southeast Asia. Even Bangladesh and parts of India � especially the northeast have been in the grip of floods. But at the same time there are states which have received less rain.

“Sowing of paddy has been lower this year but a 17 per cent less sowing is nothing to cause any alarm. We have ample stocks, left from the last year’s yields�in fact due to large stocks, many farmers in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are also considering whether or not to sow paddy as then there will be problems related to storing. Our stocks are more than enough to feed our own people and export,” Ghanwat said.

Meanwhile, news organisation , Vietnam Plus as the Mekong River water level is rising steadily and people living along its two banks in Thailand have been warned to be ready for dealing with floods that can happen at any time.

The Mekong River belt is crucial for multiple crops. Besides paddy, beans, leafy vegetables, watermelon, chilies, various herbs, and many other varieties of vegetables are grown.

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Cooperative taxi service to improve drivers’ income, ensure better services: Centre

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New Delhi, March 29: The objective of a taxi service based on cooperative model is to ensure democratic management by active participation of all members, and to ensure that maximum profit earned by such cooperative taxi society is distributed equitably among the taxi drivers who will be members of that society, the government has said.

India is home to over 8 lakh cooperative societies, serving nearly 30 crore members across 30 different sectors.

While replying to the discussion on Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, said this week that in near future, a cooperative taxi service will be started, in which registration of two wheelers, taxis, rickshaws and four wheelers will be possible and the profit will go directly to the driver.

Based on principles of “Sahakar se Samriddhi”, a taxi-service cooperative will be formed by willing taxi drivers and the management will rest with the members of such society.

“Such an initiative will lead to overall prosperity and improving the income, working conditions, and standard of living for such taxi drivers/members of the cooperative society while providing better services to the consumers,” according to the ministry.

‘Sahkar’ or cooperation is a concept where a group of people voluntarily come together and form a cooperative society or Sahkari society based on mutual benefit and common economic interest.

Sahkari models of economic cooperation have been found to be more fruitful for its members, being more equitable and resulting in inclusive growth for all, like in the case of Amul.

These cooperatives play a crucial role in promoting self-reliance, financial inclusion, and rural development, particularly in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, banking, housing, consumer services, labour, sugar etc.

These cooperatives compete in the market alongside other players including private enterprises. The cooperatives are registered under the cooperative laws of the respective state/UT and societies which work in multiple states/UTs and are registered under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act.

The government has promoted and assisted startups and other enterprises in the past for equitable and inclusive growth of the nation.

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Travel From Uran To Gateway Of India In AC Boats Soon! E-ferries Set To Hit Waters In 2 Weeks; Travel Time To Reduce

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Mumbai: The travel time between Uran and the Gateway of India will be cut in half with the introduction of electric ferries in about two weeks. Speed trials are currently underway and the service is expected to begin soon, according to reports quoting an official from the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).

In December 2024, JNPA approved a Rs 37.8 crore lease for two electric ferries over a 10-year period. The boats were initially scheduled to begin operations in January, but technical delays pushed the launch back.

Currently, wooden passenger boats take over an hour to complete the journey, but the e-ferries will reduce travel time to just 30-40 minutes. This upgrade will majorly benefit local residents, JNPA personnel and officials from customs, the air force, CISF and ports who frequently use the route.

Each ferry will accommodate 20-24 passengers, and tickets will be available for purchase online, said JNPA chairman Unmesh Sharad Wagh. The frequency and schedule of the ferries will be determined based on demand.

Details On Routes Of New E-Ferries

The new service will operate between the Gateway of India and JNPA via the sea route, while during the foul weather season, it will run from Bhaucha Dhakka to JNPA. This initiative aims to make commuting more efficient and comfortable for passengers.

The journey from Mumbai to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) will be significantly shortened, saving passengers up to 20 minutes, with a total travel time of 30-40 minutes. The ferries will also enhance passenger comfort with air-conditioned seating, improving the overall travel experience.

These e-ferries are part of the Harit Sagar, or ‘Green Port,’ initiative, which focuses on sustainable port operations and minimizing environmental impact. Launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPS&W), the initiative aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2047 and increase renewable energy usage across major ports by 60 per cent. The introduction of pollution-free, environment-friendly ferries aligns with this vision, marking a step toward cleaner and more sustainable maritime transport.

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Special drive led to declaration of foreign assets, income of Rs 30,300 crore: FM Sitharaman

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New Delhi, March 26: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that a special campaign carried out by the Income Tax Department has led to the declaration of foreign assets and income to the tune of Rs 30, 300 crore after over 30,000 taxpayers revised their income tax returns or filed belated returns for 2024-25.

The Finance Minister said in the Lok Sabha that SMS and e-mails were sent to around 19,501 taxpayers, asking them to review their income tax returns based on information collected by the Income Tax Department on foreign deposits.

She said the “nudge campaign” resulted in 11,162 taxpayers revising their tax returns and filing the Schedule Foreign Assets Form, declaring total assets of Rs 11,259.29 crore and disclosing foreign income of Rs 154.42 crore. Another 883 taxpayers revised their ITRs and corrected their status from resident to non-resident in the revised return for 2024-25.

An additional 13,516 taxpayers declared foreign assets of Rs 7,564 crore and foreign income of approximately Rs 353 crore in their revised ITR for 2024-25.

The Income Tax Department launched a compliance-cum-awareness campaign, aimed at encouraging voluntary disclosures of offshore wealth and income. The drive focused on a data-driven and non-intrusive approach, which led to a 45.17 per cent year-on-year jump in voluntary disclosures in 2024-25 compared to 2023-24.

According to sources, tax authorities received financial information from over 108 countries regarding foreign accounts and income in the form of interest and dividends earned outside India by its citizens.

The number of taxpayers disclosing foreign assets and income voluntarily has shot up from 60,000 in 2021-22 to 2,31,452 taxpayers in 2024-25.

India is one of the early adopters of Common Reporting Standards (CRS) and has been receiving data since 2018.

More than 125 countries have agreed to share financial information of individuals linked to other jurisdictions on an automatic basis, including details of accounts held, account balances, dividends, interest received, and gross payments.

A similar exchange occurs with the US under the Inter-Governmental Agreement under the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), 2010.

Using this data received under the automatic exchange of information, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) launched a Compliance-Cum-Awareness Campaign on November 17, 2024, urging taxpayers to declare their foreign assets and income in revised Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year (AY) 2024-25.

This campaign followed a system-driven and taxpayer-friendly approach, utilising the information received through CRS and FATCA.

The Income Tax Department also facilitated taxpayers by providing a step-by-step guide to filling out Schedule Foreign Assets and Schedule Foreign Source Income, along with explanatory materials to help them understand the information received under these frameworks.

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