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The pace at which India is moving forward in providing social safety net for workforce is too slow to cover entire workforce in years to come. The monthly provisional data just released by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) reveals that the situation is still volatile since exit and entry from and into the scheme remains frequent and progress of formalization of the workforce is too slow to cover the entire workforce in foreseeable future under this social security provision meant for providing retirement benefit and pension in old age.

New Delhi: Jehan Daruvala commenced his campaign for the Formula 2 title with a second-placed finish in the Sprint race of the championship’s first round in Sakhir, Bahrain.

Bhubaneswar: Amid nerve wrecking tension and high drama Mandeep Singh scored in the dying moments of the game to enable India overpower Argentina 4-3 in the second leg match of its FIH Hockey Pro League at Kalinga Stadium here this evening.

New Delhi: India managed to hold on aggressive Argentina 2-2 but the visitors piped the hosts 3-1 in the penalty shoot-out to claim the bonus point in the FIH Hockey Pro League Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar on Saturday evening.

It is easy to understand the mindset of Narendra Modi’s acolytes. Their devotion is clearly propelled by his strongman image. What is less easy to comprehend is the admiration of the right-wing in India for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Congress without the Gandhi family would not net a single MP seat in Kerala. A few MLA seats, perhaps, but not one of the 20 Lok Sabha seats. That is for sure. The Congress party’s Malayali vote-bank does not recognize Ghulam Nabi Azad or Kapil Sibal, forget Anand Sharma and Manish Tewari. And who is Mukul Wasnik, other than a forgotten fossil? Even a Sachin Pilot at the helm will not ring too many bells in Malappuram and Wayanad, or in Alapuzha and Idukki.

This year’s assembly elections have signalled two significant political undercurrents. The first has been the ugly display of post-ideology politics marked by endless cross-party defections. What has happened during the election season has been an extension of the massive exodus of fortune seekers whose only concern is the host party’s ability to provide election ticket and position.

Gurugram: Amandeep Drall carded steady 69 on the last day and that was enough for her to win by 2-shot the fifth leg of the Hero WPGT at the DLF Golf and Country Club here today.

Paranoia loomed large on Indian economy with the outbreak of Russia – Ukraine war. Indian economy was expected to bounce back. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget for 2022-23, assuming the factors potential to reverse the downtrend. Hope belied. Oil price hiked, stoking inflation. Stock market plummeted. Bond prices declined raising borrowing costs. Supply chain industry is in a shambles. Noted economist-cum-journalist Dr Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar warned against the jubilation on bounce back in the economy. He raised ire, saying, “Ukraine will upend Sitharaman’s dream budget. India is very poor compared with Russia and cannot withstand global economic sanctions.”

Small and Medium-sized enterprises are widely regarded as the backbone of economies around the world. Their contribution to gross domestic product and exports is unique and they employ a greater share of population than many bigger enterprises globally. In Asia they typically comprise more than 90 per cent of enterprises while contributing to immensely to job and job creation and exports. However, they are facing insurmountable challenges which urgently require strengthening of Credit Guarantee Schemes and other services.