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Campaigners refuse to throw in the towel over India’s ‘tax on blood’
In India, it is a subject usually spoken about in whispers or behind closed doors. But after a social media campaign by a local politician, Bollywood stars, comedians and writers have joined thousands of people in tweeting videos of themselves urging finance minister Arun Jaitley to scrap sales taxes on sanitary towels.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- public health
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India social enterprise investment to lift
Social enterprises in India could attract up to $US8 billion ($A10.7 billion) in investment by 2025, eight times more than in 2015, due to the scale of social needs and available capital in the fast-growing economy, a study by consultancy firm McKinsey & Company shows.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
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IMF Brings Down India Forecast Post-Demonetisation
IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde on Thursday said India growth forecast has been revised down to 7.2 percent for 2017 due to the impact of demonetisation, which had affected the credit lines and repayments situation in rural areas. Addressing a press conference, Ms. Lagarde said, "We had slightly revised down our projection as a result of the demonetization process that had been announced a little bit unexpectedly, actually."
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Fintech: Africa welcomes emerging fintech startups
Given financial technology is about smart, innovative, flexible start-ups looking to eat away at traditional financial firms’ intermediary roles, it is not surprising that Africa, with its woefully inefficient banks and sclerotic infrastructure, is feeling the full force of the fintech wave. According to industry players, there is a hive of fintech activity now in most major capitals of Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- fintech, mobile finance
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We do not expect any returns from impact investing: Sunil Kant Munjal
Sunil Kant Munjal, the Hero Enterprises, has invested Rs 100 crore in impact investment in firm Aavishkaar's new fund, Aavishkaar Bharat Fund. The investment, made in Munjal's personal capacity, is part of the Rs 2,000-crore corpus that the social venture capital firm is targeting for its new investment vehicle.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Investing
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- impact investing
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Aadhaar leads to greater financial inclusion, says survey
Better financial inclusion is being highlighted as the biggest benefit of the Aadhaar card, according to a survey.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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India’s Note Ban Shrinks Microfinance Securitisation by 79% in Second Half of FY17
The impact of demonetisation on microfinance securitisation volumes has led to a slump of 79 per cent in the second half of FY17′. “The decline is to the tune of 79 per cent in the second half of the FY17′ at Rs 1,650 crore compared to Rs 8,000 crore in the six months of the previous year,” ICRA Head–Structured Finance, Vibhor Mittal told PTI.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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It’s Amazon versus Alibaba versus Softbank in world’s fastest-growing e-commerce market
Recently published a piece headlined 'India’s e-commerce battle is not Indian anymore' that highlighted the battle between Amazon and China's Alibaba Group in the world's fastest-growing e-commerce market.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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