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Recently, PM Narendra Modi, while inaugurating the Kochi-Mangaluru Natural Gas Pipeline, said the Centre is planning to invest crores of rupees in the oil and gas sector in this decade.

He said that the pipeline will be a major driver of development in both Kerala and Karnataka,  and added that the nation is focusing on building a gas-based economy. He even said that the concept of ‘One Nation, One Gas Grid’ is crucial for an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. Though the concept is not new -- the first inter-state project was commissioned in 1987 -- the Centre's renewed interest to push CNG is significant. BusinessLine's M Ramesh explains. Listen in. 

The world of business has seen many women making their mark. India too has an impressive list in this regard – including Indira Nooyi, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Renuka Jagtiani, Divya Gokulnath and many more. However, the debates surrounding the number of women becoming members of a company’s board ceases to end. These discussions are not only prominent in India but also across the globe.

How is the scenario in other parts of the world?

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Hyderabad has now become a hub of Covid vaccine production as well as export with nearly 1,000 million doses set to be manufactured by the city-based pharma companies. Bharat Biotech aims to produce 700 million doses of Covaxin in three facilities in Hyderabad and one in Bengaluru.

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In light of the recent avian flu issue, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying has asked Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to take adequate measures.  According to the National Institute of High-Security Animal Diseases, there are currently 12 epicentres of bird flu in these States. These areas include Rajasthan’s Kota district, Indore of Madhya Pradesh, Kangra in Himachal and four epicentres in Alappuzha as well as Kottayam districts in Kerala among others. 

But what is Bird Flu or Avian Flu?

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Armed with a High Court order, the Future Group has told Amazon that it is not liable to pay any compensation as there has been no breach of contract. In a letter addressed to the American e-commerce giant, Future said it has not breached any contract clauses that were signed between Future Coupons (FCPL) and Amazon in 2019.

BusinessLine 's Forum Gandhi tells us more about the tussle between both companies.

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Over the past three months, there has been a rise in the number of people availing the PMJAY scheme. This schemes aims to provide healthcare to 10 crore poor and lower middle class families. Is this rise related to the decline in Covid-19 cases? Listen to the podcast.

What makes the Samsung Galaxy Fold 2 stand out from other smart devices? Listen to the review by Mala Bhargava.

In a pandemic ravaged 2020, some of the richest people on this earth became even richer.  So far, the top 10 billionaires have added over $300 billion to their net worth in 2020, despite the pandemic. Meanwhile, the pandemic has left a huge impact on the lives the poor.  In a recent report, the World Bank has said that the global extreme poverty is expected to rise in 2020 for the first time in over 20 years due to the pandemic, conflict and climate change.  

In India too, this extreme can be noted. The domestic equity market is trading at all-time highs, and it has had the best run since 2017. The Nifty index is all set to end the year 14.9 per cent higher, while the Sensex has added 15.74 per cent. But, not is all good news. But, many reports talk about job losses and wage cuts for the poor and middle class due to the pandemic.  

However, the rising wealth gap between the poor and the rich is not new. In the coming decades, the government must work to address this imbalance.

India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country on Sunday, paving the way for a massive inoculation drive.

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) granted approval on the basis of recommendations by a COVID-19 Subject Expert Committee (SEC) of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the approval as a "decisive turning point" in the spirited fight against the pandemic. He added that this would accelerate the process for India to become a COVID-free nation.

He extended his gratitude to doctors, medical staff, scientists, police personnel, sanitation workers, and all ''Corona warriors'' for the outstanding work they have done in adverse circumstances, and said the nation will remain eternally grateful to them for saving many lives.

India's Covid-19 active caseload has dropped below 2.5 lakh today, with the recoveries exceeding new cases and the low number of fatalities per day.

India's present active caseload consists of just 2.39 per cent of India's Total Positive Cases. The total coronavirus cases are at 1,03,23,965 and the death toll climbed to 1,49,435 with Covid-19 claiming 217 lives in a span of the last 24 hours.

In Part 2 of our episode on theatre, cinema and the story – we continue our conversation with theatre and film actor D Ramachandran. D Ramachandran tells us more about the magic of theatre and how it helps film actors excel.

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