India will achieve a 20-gigawatt capacity of nuclear power generation by 2030, a major milestone that will place the nation as the third largest producer of atomic energy in the world after the USA and France, said  Union Minister of State (independent charge) for science & technology Jitendra Singh.

The minister made these remarks while holding a review meeting with a group of senior scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), in Mumbai. Singh said as per the targets laid down by the atomic energy department, India is set to achieve 20 GW capacity of nuclear power generation by 2030.

Singh mentioned that the credit for this rapid stride goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who for the first time after independence took the decision of approving 10 reactors in a single order and allowed nuclear installations to be developed under joint ventures with PSUs.

As a result, today India is the sixth largest in the world in the number of reactors that are functional and second largest in the total number of reactors including those under construction. The minister also said that nearly 9 per cent share of electricity is likely to be contributed from India’s nuclear sources by the year 2047 upon country’s 100 years of independence and that this would help in achieving  net zero target by 2070.

Al Jaffee, Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” has died. He was 102.

Jaffee died in Manhattan from multiple organ failure, according to his granddaughter, Fani Thomson. He had retired at the age of 99.

India will surpass China’s population this month. Or maybe in July. Or, perhaps it’s happened already?

Demographers are unsure exactly when India will take the title as the most populous nation in the world because they’re relying on estimates to make their best guess. But they know it’s going to happen soon, if it hasn’t occurred by now.

China has had the most people in the world since at least 1950, the year United Nations population data began. Both China and India have more than 1.4 billion people, and combined they make up more than a third of the world’s 8 billion people.

Still, when is it happening?

Mathematical calculations from a range of surveys, as well as birth and death records, project that India will overtake China sometime in the middle of April. But demographers warn that it should be taken with a grain of salt since the numbers are fuzzy and could be revised.

How is it calculated?

Demographers at the U.N. Population Division make estimates based on projections from a wide variety of data sources to get what they believe are the most up-to-date demographic numbers. The last update to the data used for these calculations for both India and China was July 2022, said Sara Hertog, a U.N. population affairs officer in New York.

The demographers then use a statistical technique to infer when India’s population has surpassed that of China, according to Stuart Gietel-Basten, a professor at Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi.

Where do the numbers come from?

The foundations of both nations’ numbers are censuses, or head counts, conducted every decade.

China’s last census was in 2020. Demographers used birth and death records, along with other administrative data, to calculate how the population has grown since then.

India’s last census was in 2011. Its scheduled 2021 census was postponed by COVID-19.

Why is India moving ahead?

China has an aging population with stagnant growth even after the government seven years ago retreated from a one-child policy, and just two years ago said couples could have three children.

India has a much younger population, a higher fertility rate and a decrease in infant mortality over the last three decades.

India has more babies born each year than in any other country, while China has joined many European countries in having more deaths each year than births.

Why does this matter?

There’s more than bragging rights at stake over which nation is the world’s most populous — there are social and economic consequences. In India, that means a growing labor force and growth that sparks economic activity. In China, that means fewer working-age adults able to support an aging population.

Reserve Bank of India on  Apr 11 issued detailed guidelines for acceptance of 'green deposits' by banks and NBFCs wherein the funds could be used for financing activities like renewable energy, green transport and green buildings.

Climate change has been recognised as one of the most critical challenges and globally, various efforts have been taken to reduce emissions as well as promote sustainability.

The financial sector can play a pivotal role in mobilising resources and their allocation thereof in green activities/projects.

Green finance is also progressively gaining traction in India, RBI said as it issued the framework for acceptance of green deposits by regulated entities.

Some Regulated Entities (REs) are already offering green deposits for financing green activities and projects.

The framework will come into effect from June 1, 2023.

The purpose and rationale for the framework, RBI said is to encourage REs to "offer green deposits to customers, protect interest of the depositors, aid customers to achieve their sustainability agenda, address greenwashing concerns and help augment the flow of credit to green activities/projects".

Further, the central bank said the allocation of proceeds raised from green deposits should be based on the official Indian green taxonomy.

Pending finalisation of the taxonomy, as an interim measure, REs would be required to allocate the proceeds raised through green deposits towards a specified list of green activities/projects.

RBI has also mentioned about a list of 'exclusions' for REs.

This includes projects involving new or existing extraction, production and distribution of fossil fuels; nuclear power generation; and direct waste incineration.

Banks and NBFCs will have to put in place a comprehensive board-approved policy on green deposits.

The Finance Ministry has exempted the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) from paying income tax on earnings from examination fees, the sale of textbooks and publications, among others.

The I-T exemption has been given retrospectively from the financial year 2020-2021 (for the period from June 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) and for the fiscal years 2021-22, and 2022-23.

The exemption will continue in the current fiscal and the next financial year (2024-25).

In a notification, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said the government has notified the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi, a Board constituted by the Central government, under section 10 (46) of the I-T Act and exempted it from paying income tax on specified income.

Such income include examination fees; affiliation fees; sale of textbooks & publications; registration fees, sports fees, training fees and other academic receipts.

Also, receipts from CBSE projects/programmes; interest on income tax refunds; and interest earned on these specified income would be exempted from income tax.

The tax exemption is subject to the condition that CBSE shall not engage in any commercial activity; activities and the nature of the specified income shall remain unchanged throughout the financial years, the CBDT said.

Beauty and skincare brand VLCC, now controlled by Global investment firm Carlyle, on Apr 11 , announced the appointment of Vikas Gupta as CEO with immediate effect.

The leadership change comes after Carlyle, in December 2022 announced the acquisition of a majority stake in the homegrown firm.  Vikas Gupta succeeds Jayant Khosla.

State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, is planning to raise up to USD 2 billion for the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) through the issuance of senior unsecured notes.

The executive committee of the central board of the bank will meet on April 18 to consider the fund raising proposal.

Shares of the bank closed at Rs 526.30 apiece on Apr 10 compared to the previous closing of Rs 527.95 apiece on Thursday. SBI had raised  Rs 3,717 crore last month through its third Basel III compliant Additional Tier 1 bond issuance for FY23, at a coupon rate of 8.25 per cent. The tenor of these bonds is perpetual with a call option after 10 years and every anniversary thereafter.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Najam Sethi has said that it stands to lose around USD 3 million in revenues from the tournament if the country refuses to play in the Asia Cup this year.

Sethi said that Pakistan was willing to bear this loss of revenue as it was "a matter of principle" as far as the hosting rights of the Asia Cup are concerned.

Pakistan is due to host the Asia Cup in September but uncertainty surrounds the venue of the tournament as India has made it clear it can't play in Pakistan.

Sethi has proposed a "hybrid model" to host the Asia Cup where India will play its matches at an offshore venue.