TMSEp200: Single-use plastic, IT workers, Nilesh Shah, twin deficit problem

We always took them for granted. They were the sidekicks in tetra packs, glued somewhere on the back. But, suddenly, the humble straw has taken the centre-stage. If the government doesn’t relax its July 1 deadline to phase out single-use plastic from the country, you are going to miss the straws badly. And so will FMCG companies-- which are now scrambling to find a replacement, their paper version. Our next report offers an insight into the world of plastic straws and tells why small packs of your favourite Frooti and Real juice might disappear from markets for now 

Meanwhile, let us turn our focus to a case which might turn out to be a straw in the wind. A labour court in Chennai recently asked IT giant Tata Consultancy Services to reinstate a former employee and clear all his past dues of seven years. Some experts believe that this case could become a reference point in performance-related unlawful terminations in the IT industry. 

After the labour laws, let us move on to markets. Will the policy-makers in a move to catch up with reality and surging inflation may overdo things and cause much more damage to the economy and markets than what is needed? Will the next six months be even more painful for the Indian economy and markets? Business Standard’s Puneet Wadhwa caught up with Nilesh Shah, Group President & MD, Kotak Mahindra AMC on his interpretation of the developments and how investors should approach the markets.

Like the markets, some dark clouds of uncertainty are hanging above the country’s economy too. But, beams of sunlight shining through the cracks are offering hope too -- that good days are ahead. The finance ministry recently said that India is at low risk of stagflation. But it also cautioned about a twin deficit problem that the country may face. This episode of the podcast tells more about it.