TMS Ep513: Tax collection, air pollution, OMC stocks, Google Search's genAI

India’s gross tax revenue has registered a mere 3% growth in the first quarter of the ongoing financial year. It was 22% during the same period of the previous financial year. The corporation tax has registered a contraction of 14%, and excise duty collection too has dipped. And with the elections drawing close, there are chances that revenue expenditure may see a spike. So is there a reason to worry?  Weathering challenges, India continues to march towards prosperity. But it is also paying a price for this. A recent report claimed that air pollution cuts the lives of Delhiites short by about 12 years. PM2.5 level in 2021 was found to be 25 times the WHO recommended level. And the air turns worse during the winter season, which is just around the corner.  So how should India fix address this elephant in the room?  Notwithstanding concerns around pollution, there is no stopping global growth. A continued surge in global crude oil prices has sent stocks of oil marketing companies in a downtrend recently. The upcoming election season is also keeping Dalal Street worried. So what should investors do?  Moving on, the future of Google is here. The company recently announced that it was opening its artificial intelligence-powered search as an experimental feature in India. Called Search Generative Experience or SGE, it adds a layer of generative AI-powered experiences on Google Search. So what is it and how does it work?