इस अफसर पर था असस में एनआरसी सूची बनाने की जिम्मेदारी, जानें कौन हैं प्रतीक हजेला

एनआरसी की पूरी प्रक्रिया में 1,200 करोड़ रुपये का खर्च आया है। हजेला को तत्कालीन कांग्रेस सरकार की सिफारिशों पर सितंबर 2013 में एनआरसी का स्टेट कॉर्डिनेटर नियुक्त किया गया था।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZrUEFx

दिल्ली में इंसानियत शर्मसार, शव के ऊपर से गुजरते गए वाहन, पहचानना हुआ मुश्किल

पूर्वी दिल्ली के मयूर विहार इलाके में शनिवार तड़के इंसानियत को शर्मसार करने वाली घटना हुई। सड़क हादसे में एक युवक की मौत हो गई, लेकिन अपने वाहन रोककर सड़क हादसे का शिकार हुए युवक के प्रति लोगों ने भी बेरहमी दिखाई।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2LfwJAh

मध्यप्रदेश कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष पद के लिए मारामारी, दिग्विजय बोले- युवा के हाथ में होनी चाहिए कमान

दिग्विजय सिंह ने कहा कि प्रदेश कांग्रेस का नया अध्यक्ष 25-26 साल के किसी युवा को बनाया जाना चाहिए।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/34eDQ3p

पटना में लड़कियों के हॉस्टल में शराब पार्टी, वीडियो वायरल होने के बाद मामला दर्ज

बिहार की राजधानी पटना के एक गर्ल्स हॉस्टल में रोजाना शराब पार्टी चलती थी। शुक्रवार की शाम भी ऐसा ही कुछ हुआ। दरअसल इस दिन भी यहां हॉस्टल संचालक का भाई और तीन अन्य लोग शराब पी रहे थे।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2Un2j28

100 days & counting: Hits and misses of Modi 2.0

India loved Narendra Modi’s first term as prime minister, going by the 2019 election results. How is the country warming up to the initial months of its second-term PM?To gauge this, ET Magazine relied on conversation research agency MavenMagnet. Based in New York and Mumbai, the company uses patented proprietary technology to glean the mood by analysing thousands of conversations online — on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, on forums and blog posts as well as comments on news articles.The results have one limitation — it does not capture sentiment that has not been expressed online. If it has been expressed online in English, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu or Malayalam, the study captures it. 70927420 The results are unequivocal. Modi’s approval rating, so to speak, is high currently: 64 per cent of the conversations analysed expressed positive sentiments about the government, with 36 per cent expressing negative sentiments. The gains are principally from political decisions such as the abrogation of Special Status for Kashmir in Article 370 and the National Register of Citizens in Assam, while the negatives have predominantly focused on the government’s management of the economy. 70927429 MavenMagnet analysed more than 10,000 conversations on the government among 8,400 individuals from various sources for 89 days starting May 30, when the government took oath, and ending on August 26. The government completes 100 days on September 6. 70927432 The MavenMagnet Brand Aura, which measures impactful words around discussions on the government, shows the name “Modi” having the biggest impact with a mix of positives and negatives. The words with the biggest positive impact are “One India”, “Kashmir”, “Article 370” and “Amit Shah”, while the big negatives are “economy”, “tax”, “middle class” and “demonetisation”. 70927434 Among all the conversations, a large share — 39 per cent — mentioned national security and almost all of it were in positive tones. The second most talked-about idea is around the prime minister’s leadership of the government — at 35 per cent. Economic strategy and accountability come up at third and fourth with 26 per cent and 22 per cent conversations on them, respectively. (These percentages, when added, exceed 100 as a conversation may have mentioned more than one topic.) Social development strategy (21 per cent ), administrative efficiency (21 per cent ) and communalism (7 per cent ) were the other top conversation themes. Economic strategy and communalism are the two topics where negative reactions overtook positive ones. 70927439 Apart from the top topics of conversation, the survey looked at reactions to some specific issues. Kashmir, criminalisation of triple talaq and the progress of the National Register of Citizens drew overwhelming positives for the government. The Union budget presented by Sitharaman on July 5, new announcements and rollback of some of the tax surcharge proposals on August 23 and the target of a $5 trillion economy got high net negative vibes. 70927442 Commenting on the findings of the survey, Ritu Ghuwalewala, founder of MavenMagnet, says: “Modi’s leadership continues to be a dominant force for NDA. However, we observed some negativity because of perceived false promises and publicity gimmicks.” 70927445 The survey missed covering conversations around the transfer of Rs 1.76 lakh crore by the Reserve Bank of India to the government on August 28, as the announcement came two days after the survey closed. It had also missed the big-bang bank mergers that were announced on August 30 as well as the drop in GDP growth to 5 per cent in the April-June quarter. However, the issue of transfer of funds had been in the air since the Union budget proposals in July and the survey recorded a highly negative reaction to the idea up to August 26. 70927450 Ghuwalewala also says: “‘Economic Strategy’ is the primary factor that drove negativity around Modi 2.0 in the first 100 days, led by the current state of economy that was seen as a failure of the first term, and disappointing Union Budget proposals.” 70927460 Of all the conversations on economic strategy, 30 per cent discussed fiscal policy. The survey noted 22 per cent negative reaction compared with 8 per cent positive on this topic. Around 16 per cent of the conversations on the economy were about employment generation, and 14 per cent were negative. 70927464 Conversational research picks up cues from online conversations among a large number of people — and therefore the set can be classified as those having access to the internet and an inclination to engage in such conversations. In comparison to a normal survey, conversational research avoids leading the participant through a choice of questions.One more tool used by MavenMagnet is called Brand Association Meter and this shows perception around the government are in positive territory on “trust” and “respect”, but is neutral on “hope”. 70927468 ET Magazine also spoke to industrialist Harsh Goenka on his views on the government’s performance and he felt the first 100 days have been “action-packed”. He says: “The Modi government has shown decisiveness and boldness in dealing with long-pending social and political issues. The government has also been responsive to the needs of industry and investors. I am confident that there will be many more initiatives aimed at boosting exports, rural demand and reforms.” Methodology MavenMagnet, a multinational company, analysed 10,900 online conversations of 8,400 individuals between May 30 and August 26 this year around the Modi government. These conversations were on various platforms, including news websites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. By analysing these conversations, MavenMagnet identified the most impactful initiatives of the Modi government in its first 89 days and how people perceived them online.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2UkhsRy
via IFTTT

Steep penalties for traffic rule violations from today

Amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act were passed by the Parliament recently but most come into effect from September 1. This means that driving errors are going to make a huge dent in your budget and some of them may cost you the same or more than your monthly fuel bill. The transport ministry issued a notification on August 28 listing out all the laws that will be coming into effect from September 1, 2019. Here is the list of the important new motor vehicle laws that are coming into effect from Sunday, i.e., September 1, according to press release.Enhancement of penaltiesThe new Motor Vehicles Act has enhanced the penalties for driving errors. According to the transport ministry's press release explaining the summary of changes in the Act, it has enhanced "penalty for offences where no penalty is specifically provided for- first offence from up to Rs 100 to Rs 500 and second/subsequent offence from up to Rs 300 to Rs 1,500."Additionally, new penalties have been introduced in case of violation of road regulations. The new penalty can be between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000.Stricter penalty laws will become applicable in case of dangerous driving. First time offenders will face imprisonment of six months to one year and/or fine of between Rs 1,000 and Rs 5,000. For the second offence, the offender will be imprisoned for up to 2 years and/or will have to pay a fine of up to Rs 10,000. In case of drunken driving, imprisonment up to 6 months and/or a fine of up to Rs 10,000 in case of first time offense. For the second offense, there will be a prison term of up to 2 years and/or a fine of Rs 15,000 will be levied. Driving an uninsured vehicle can actually land you in jail from September 1. According the new Motor Vehicles Act, you can be penalised an amount of Rs 2,000 and/or imprisoned for up to 3 months for the first time you are caught driving an uninsured vehicle. For the second offense, a fine of Rs 4,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months. You will have to pay penalty of Rs 5,000 in case you are caught driving without licence. The penalty in these cases has been enhanced by 10 times. Previously, the penalty for driving without licence was Rs 500.Laws under Motor Vehicles Amendment Act, 2019 with effect from September 1, 2019 Penalty Old Amount New Amount Penalty for offenses where no penalty is specifically provided Rs 100 for first offense and Rs 300 for second/subequent offense Rs 500 for first time offense, Rs 1,500 for subsequent offense Violation of road regulations - Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 Traveling without Ticket Rs 200 Rs 500 Disobedience of orders of Authority and refusal to share information Rs 500 Rs 2,000 Unauthorised use of vehicles without license Rs 1,000 Rs 5,000 Driving without license Rs 500 Rs 5,000 Driving despite disqualification Rs 500 Rs 10,000 Over-speeding Rs 400 Rs 1000 - Rs 2000 for light motor vehicle, Rs 2,000 - Rs 4,000 for medium passenger or goods vehicles and impounding of driving license for second/subsequent offence. Dangerous Driving - Imprisonment of 6 months to 1 year and/or fine of Rs. 1000- Rs. 5000 for first offence and imprisonment up to 2 years and/or fine up to Rs. 10000 for second offence. Drunken Driving - Imprisonment up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs. 10000 for first offence and imprisonment up to 2 years and/or fine of Rs. 15000 for second offence. Driving when mentally or physically unfit to drive for Rs 200 for first offense, Rs 500 for second/subsequent offense First offence - Rs. 1000 and second/subsequent offence - Rs.2000 Offences relating to accident - Imprisonment of up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs. 5000 for first offence and imprisonment up to 1 year and/or fine up to Rs. 10000 for second offence. Racing and speeding - Imprisonment of up to 1 month and/or fine up to Rs. 500 for first offence and imprisonment up to 1month and/or fine up to Rs. 10000 for second offence. Driving uninsured vehicle fine of Rs. 1000 and/or punishment up to 3 months Rs. 2000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 months for the first offence and fine of Rs. 4000 and/or imprisonment up to 3 months for the second offence. Taking vehicle without lawful authority and seizing motor vehicle by force Rs 500 Rs. 5000 Causing obstruction to free flow of traffic Rs 50 Rs. 500 Penalty in case of driving despite being disqualified will cost you Rs 10,000 from Rs 500 previously.Penalty for over-speeding has been enhanced from up to Rs 400 to Rs 1,000. In case of a light motor vehicle it will be Rs 2,000. For medium passenger or goods vehicles and subsequent offence, the penalty can be between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000.If you are caught racing and speeding, you can be imprisoned for up to one month and/or a fine up to Rs 500 will be levied if it is a first time offense. In case of a second offense, though imprisonment will remain same, the penalty can go up to Rs 10,000.Starting from September 1, travelling without ticket in state transport buses will cost you more. The penalty amount has been increased from up to Rs 200 to Rs 500.A penalty of Rs 2,000 can also be levied on you in case you disobey government orders and refuse to share the information requested with the authorities. Prior to this, the amount of penalty in such a case was Rs 500.Unauthorised use of vehicles without licence will cost you Rs 5,000, up from previous penalty amount of Rs 1,000.Penalty in case of driving when mentally or physically unfit to drive has been increased to Rs 1,000 from Rs 200 for first-time offense. For second and subsequent offenses, the penal amount has been increased from up to Rs 500 to Rs 2,000.Offenses relating to accidents, from September 1, can lead to imprisonment of up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs 5,000 for first time offence. For the second offence, imprisonment of up to 1 year and/or a fine up to Rs 10,000 will be levied.From September 1, new penalties have been prescribed for carrying of excess passengers, failure to use safety belt and violation of rules in seating of children, violation of safety measures for motor cycle drivers and pillion riders, refusal to stop and submit vehicle for weighing, use of phones in silent zones and failure to allow free passage to emergency vehicles.Causing obstruction in free flow of traffic can lead to penalty of Rs 500 up from Rs 50 earlier.Expiry of driving licenceAs per the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, an individual can apply for renewal of driving licence any time between one year before its expiry and up to one after its expiry. This would mean that if your driving licence is expiring in October 2020, then you can apply for renewal from October 2019 till October 2021. However, if you apply for renewal after one year of expiry of licence then you will be required to undertake the driving licence test once again.Change in residence addressStarting from September 1, if you wish to change the residence address or place of business in your driving licence, then same can be done online and you can apply for this to any registering authority within the state.If your minor kid is held for driving the motor vehicleGiving your minor child the keys to your car will become an expensive affair from September 1. As per the new law, if the motor vehicle is used by the child, then the registration of your vehicle may be cancelled for one year. Once the period of one year is over, you will have to submit a fresh application for the registration of your vehicle.As per newly inserted section, 199A and 199B of the Act, you will be fined a sum of Rs 25,000 and face imprisonment of up to three years. As for the minor child, he will not be able to get his learner's licence till the age of 25. As per the Act, there will be an annual increase of these fines by up to 10 percent.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2MHR7w1
via IFTTT

Instagram Shows CERN's Mammoth Particle Accelerator Is Very Photogenic

If you've ever entertained those questions, you've engaged with some of the most pressing mysteries of physics. And you might want to turn to Instagram - yes, Instagram - for more information. It...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2MNTfSC
via IFTTT

देश में आज से बदल गए हैं ट्रैफिक नियम, संभलकर चलाइए गाड़ी वरना कटेगा 10 हजार रुपये तक का चालान

ट्रैफिक नियमों की अनदेखी करने वाले अब सावधान हो जाएं। क्योकिं देश में आज से (1 सितंबर 2019) नया मोटर वाहन संशोधन लागू हो गया है। अब ट्रैफिक नियम काफी सख्त हो गये हैं और जिनको उल्लंघन करना आप पर काफी भारी पड़ सकता है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZGYgCA

छत्तीसगढ़: प्रधानमंत्री मोदी से साथ चंद्रयान-2 की लाइव लैंडिंग देखेंगी श्रीजल चंद्राकर

श्रीजल ने पूरे छत्तीसगढ़ में इस क्विज में टॉप किया है। इसी कारण उन्हें प्रधानमंत्री के साथ लाइव लैंडिंग देखने के लिए चुना गया है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZtcZC5

Heavy Fines For Traffic Violations From Today: 10 Points

Higher traffic penalties will come into effect from today under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was cleared by the parliament last month. The new law aims to instill fear in people...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2PImRDA
via IFTTT

दिल्ली के गुरु तेग बहादुर अस्पताल में डॉक्टर ने इमारत से कूदकर की आत्महत्या

देश की राजधानी दिल्ली के एक बड़े अस्पताल में डॉक्टर ने इमारत से कूदकर आत्महत्या कर ली। घटना के बाद अस्पताल में हड़कंप मच गया। मौके पर पहुंची पुलिस ने शव को कब्जे में लेकर जांच शुरू कर दी है। 

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZujR1R

Vivo Z1x Specifications Leaked Ahead of India Launch Next Week

Vivo Z1x is leaked to pack 6GB of RAM, offer 64GB and 128GB storage options, and support Flash Charge.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/32e6CiF
via IFTTT

"Why You're Freaking Out": 911 Operator Told Woman Before She Drowned

Time was running out for Debra Stevens. But the 911 dispatcher didn't seem concerned. "Somebody save me!" Stevens screamed as the water level crept up inside her car, which was stranded in floodwater.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2ZGTwwM
via IFTTT

Air India Asks Passengers Not to Fly With Older 15-Inch MacBook Pro Laptops

Air India on Saturday requested passengers not to carry "15-inch Apple Mac Book Pro (purchased between September 2015 - February 2017) as checked-in or hand baggage."

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2Zs9w6K
via IFTTT

प्रियंका चोपड़ा की बेइज्जती और सलमान ने बरसाए कोड़े सहित ये हैं मनोरंजन जगत की बड़ी खबरें

पढ़िए मनोरंजन जगत की बड़ी खबरें।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZvJzDa

Weight Loss Diet: 'Fat And Feast' Strategy May Help Lose Extra Fat

This system of alternate days of fasting and feasting is called alternate-day fasting (ADF)

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2LeTMeG
via IFTTT

Indian B-to-B founders are shifting base to Silicon Valley

What’s the point of so much shuttling?” Saket Modi, 29, asked himself a few months ago.Last year, the cofounder of Lucideus, a cybersecurity startup, spent four months in Silicon Valley. This year, in the first four months itself, he had to make seven trips from Delhi to California. Eventually, in July, Modi, who was living out of a suitcase, rented a studio apartment in Palo Alto and shifted base to the US.“There is something in the hawa here. It is pure magic,” he says over a WhatsApp call from the US. “The Valley plugs you into the cutting-edge world of technology and startups so beautifully.”Serendipitous meetings, for one, are frequent in the Bay Area. Just the other day, says Modi, he ran into Oyo founder Ritesh Agarwal at Curry Up Now, an Indian restaurant. Weekend get-togethers among top tech executives, especially of the Indian diaspora, add glue to ties. Anand Chandrasekaran, Lucideus’ first angel investor who was earlier director at Facebook and chief product officer at Snapdeal, invited Modi home for dinner one day. “He is family,” says Chandrasekaran. 70926686 There are plenty of opportunities to forge new relationships and deepen existing ones. Earlier this month, Modi went on a weeklong fishing trip to Alaska with former Cisco chairman John Chambers and a few other entrepreneurs. “What an incredible experience it was! One week of almost no internet, and spending time together in water all day. It was out of this world. At the end, you become friends,” recalls Modi.Lucideus, founded in 2012 and incubated at IIT-Bombay, counts Chambers, ex-Googler Rajan Anandan and Citigroup’s former senior vice-chairman Victor Menezes among its angel investors. After honing its product and strategy in the Indian market and now boasting an impressive customer list, including HDFC Bank and Delhi airport, Lucideus is setting its sights high and casting its net wide. The US has 40% of the $135 billion market for cybersecurity that Lucideus is tackling. Understandably, Modi’s shift to the US brings him closer to his customers. 70926694 Modi isn’t alone. A growing number of Indian entrepreneurs are shifting base to Silicon Valley, looking at it as their second headquarters. Jaspreet Singh, cofounder of data-protection startup Druva, perhaps kick-started the trend in 2012 when he moved to the US. It was the same year that Krishna Gopal Depura registered MindTickle, a sales-enablement platform, in the US. He says the company was designed to be in the US so they registered it there. “Till 2015, I was shuttling between the US and India, spending about one to three weeks every month there,” he says. He eventually moved to the US in 2015.The trend has gained momentum. Girish Mathrubootham, cofounder of Freshworks, has just moved to the US even as his company, which creates software solutions for enterprise support and sales, gears up for an IPO.Vinod Muthukrishnan, cofounder of CloudCherry, moved to the US in 2017. The other cofounder and CTO, Nagendra CL, soon followed him. 70926717 70926724 Umesh Sachdev, cofounder of Uniphore, shifted to the US last year and now has six of his eight CXOs, all locally hired, located there. Uniphore’s revenue growth has surged to 300%-plus from sub-100% after Sachdev’s US shift. “These days many Indian entrepreneurs reach out to me as a sounding board as they contemplate their US shift,” he says.A slew of other startups like Zinier, a modern field service management platform; Zenoti, which has business software for salons and spas; Helpshift, a customer relationship management platform; and CleverTap, a mobile marketing platform, too have joined the wave. 70926753 These startups share a few common characteristics.Most of them are B-to-B, riding the SaaS (Software as a Service) wave, on the back of cloud computing. US enterprise customers form their biggest market. Unlike fund-hungry B-to-C startups, these are bootstrapped or very measured in their fundraising, and have a frugal businessbuilding approach. They straddle India and the US and are equally strong in both countries — in India, where product development happens, and in the US, which is the hub of sales, marketing and customer support. Often, their customer-facing cofounder relocates to the US while the other holds the fort in India. The Indian SaaS wave began with companies like Zoho that targeted the long tail of small and mid-sized customers mostly via desk-selling. Now startups are moving up the value chain, targeting large Fortune 1000 enterprises. “Since the US is their biggest market, moving there dramatically improves founders’ understanding of their customers, helps build relationships and accelerates growth,” says Rajan Anandan, MD of Sequoia Capital India.Beyond H-1B Dollar dreams and an American zip code have always enthralled Indians. The 1970s and the ’80s saw a wave of bright IITians migrating to the US.They worked hard to integrate themselves into the economy and society. Another wave began in the 1990s, triggered by Y2K. On the back of labour and cost arbitrage, IT services outsourcing took off, creating success stories like Infosys, Wipro and TCS and sending relatively low-paid techies on H-1B visas to America. This helped millions of Indians live their American dream. Three out of four H-1B visa holders are Indians, according to a 2018 report of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. 70926767 Under US President Donald Trump, the visa regime is getting stricter.Meanwhile, the Indian route to the US has taken a new turn with entrepreneurs like Modi. Comfortable in their skin and confident in their world view, they are pitching their tent in the mecca of tech world, Silicon Valley, and paying top dollars to hire local talent. The conversation is no longer about cost arbitrage and their dreams are no longer limited by the US boundary. Smart, young and nimble, they compete on equal terms with top MNCs and well-funded startups from across the world, baiting fussy corporate customers with their compelling next-gen tech tools. 70926796 It is a marker of the changing times. In the digital era where innovative garage startups are upending industries, and century-old businesses like Ford Motor are challenged by newbies like Tesla, Indian entrepreneurs are thinking big and global.Chambers, who has invested in Uniphore and Lucideus, elucidates: “Both the companies have what I look for in any startup — the ability to be No. 70926821 1 or 2 in their industry segment (globally) because they are disrupters.”Indian Roots, Global Shoots For enterprise software, the biggest market is the US. “You have to be where your business’ centre of gravity is,” says Sumant Mandal of March Capital Partners, a technology investment firm based in California, also an investor in Uniphore. 70926841 Druva’s Singh moved to the Valley in 2012 after being nudged by its investor Sequoia. “Israeli startups used to do this. Sequoia thought India could be the next. There was little precedence then,” he says. His visa got rejected. “The consulate in India did not even agree that I was an entrepreneur,” he says. So Druva went by the Israeli playbook — first hire somebody in the US and then get that person to hire the founder in the US on an L-1 visa. Now, almost all of Druva’s CXOs are based in the US. The US’s enterprise market is very different from India’s. In India, IT is a support function and customers’ priority is cost optimisation rather than quality. In the US, both venture capitalists and customers are very mature and willing to pay.They are also more open to dealing with a startup and trying new products. “In the US, you don’t sell features but value propositions,” says Depura of MindTickle.Indian startups land there with some unique advantages. 70927079 “Thanks to the IT outsourcing wave, nobody understands the IT architecture of enterprises and their processes the way Indians do,” says Ankur Kothari, cofounder of US-based Automation Anywhere.Abhinav Chaturvedi, partner, Accel, lists another: “India’s advantage is the cost per employee, a critical metric.” The abundant engineering talent in India is also a big plus. Modi recently met a founder of a $600 million Silicon Valley startup who groaned that Facebook had lured away three of his engineers at three times the salary. “What chance do I have? I can’t tell you how lucky we are on talent in India,” says Modi.Among the big positives in the US is an evolved investor ecosystem. “When we were raising Series A, we had six term sheets from possible investors,” says Modi. Term sheets — which outline the terms and conditions of a business agreement — from Indian investors ran into 15 pages with too much legalese. “With poor exits, they are extra cautious,” he says. He eventually went with Chambers, who had given a one-page term sheet, and money reached their account within 45 days. 70927086 Says Chandrasekaran: “Having a market in your backyard is a big advantage. If you start in India the bar is set very high as Indian customers don’t have a big budget and the product is built to the most stringent requirements.”India also offers a great testing ground to fine-tune products and build scale and credibility before reaching out to fussy global customers. “Once you are a champion in the US and India, you are prepared to tackle both developed and developing countries,” Modi says.Says Ashish Gupta, serial entrepreneur and investor: “These guys are competing against some of the best Valley-funded startups. Their future looks bright. Odds are favourable to them.”The network effect is providing some tailwind.Indians have risen up the ranks, especially to CTO roles, in US enterprises. The IT outsourcing wave has created networks, familiarity and credibility. This means that Indian founders have a rich network of mentors and angel investors to help open doors to Silicon Valley.Modi of Lucideus has an enviable tech advisory board that includes the CTO of PayPal, Sri Shivananda, an Indian.“Of course, your product has to be good, but with so many Indian CXOs here, you get your foot in the door relatively easy,” says Depura.The valley life Living in Silicon Valley has its own charms and challenges. “I wanted our office in Palo Alto, in the heart of Silicon Valley and close to Stanford,” says Sachdev. But when he began house-hunting there, he realised the rentals were “crazy”. He finally leased a cheaper space in Fremont, about 15 miles away, and hence has a longer commute.Workday begins early in the US. Breakfast meetings mean 7:30 am. For Pavan Sondur of Unbxd, which has operations spread across multiple time zones, the day begins even earlier — he is in office by 5 am. Unlike in India, meetings are data-driven. And there is a big thrust on automation tools. Sachdev, for instance, uses 11 HR automation tools.In Silicon Valley, tech-driven entrepreneurs seem to speak the same language. “This is the densest region in the world for talent in artificial intelligence and machine learning,” says Sondur.Solutions to complex business issues — how to hire, how many to hire, what’s the optimal revenue per employee — are often tossed around over Friday drinks.Work culture, too, is markedly different. Instead of the relationship-driven culture in India, it is more professional in the US. Contracts are sacrosanct.The founders have had to make plenty of lifestyle adjustments as well. “In India, there is so much help. The US has more of a DIY culture. Even billionaires do their dishes.That adjustment was tough,” says Sachdev.It is tough on spouses too. Singh’s wife had to quit her MNC job in India to join him. She reskilled herself and did her third master’s to start work in the US.The after hours have taken a distinctly Californian vibe. Indoors-bound Indians, used to weekend movies and parties with family and friends, are turning outdoorsy.“The infrastructure for outdoor activities is incredible here,” says Muthukrishnan of CloudCherry. Beaches, forests, trekking trails, skiing slopes, lakes for angling add to the weekend life. If you are nostalgic for cricket, even that is possible. “We have many cricket teams featuring a strong Indian diaspora,” says Muthukrishnan, who plays cricket every weekend. Meanwhile, whisky- and beer-loving Indians like Sachdev are developing a taste for wine in the land of vineyards.It is not entirely rosy. Local hiring is among the biggest pain points. Almost all of them are hiring their senior executives locally. “Bay Area is costly. We are a small company. With no network and credibility, initial hiring is tough,” says Muthukrishnan.Unfamiliarity with cultural nuances can create problems. “It takes a while to decipher their body language — what they say and what they mean,” says Depura, who made a lot of hiring mistakes initially. People with great communication skills are able to convince that they are the best. “You need to be cautious. In the US, reference checks are important,” he says.Indian startups need to grasp the value proposition of equity, which is something that Silicon Valley understands.Also, there will be a learning curve for Indian companies as they shift their thrust on from IT services to software products.Two much? Managing two headquarters and team expectations in two geographies is challenging.Chaturvedi of Accel says, “It is critical to have good communication channels.” Sachdev faced issues at Uniphore. When the founders moved to the US, the company created a layer of director and vice-presidents in India. But, with the C-suite in the US, the staff in India felt a bit disconnected. “Travelling frequently — once in six weeks — and getting an India MD have helped,” says Sachdev.Israel has struggled to transition from a startup nation to a scaleup nation. Its startups, high on innovation and technology, were often acquired before they scaled up. Will Indians too face the same predicament? Cloud-Cherry has just been acquired by Cisco. “VCs in India are smaller. So the ecosystem may not have patience and may seek exits to get their money back,” says Singh of Druva. After a few cycles, he hopes, things will get better. “Initially, we got lucky. Now we are seeking investors who have experience and are aligned with our vision.”Even as the wave grows, it is clear that it holds enormous potential if Indian startups play their cards right. “This is the first time I am seeing globally competitive startups coming out of India. I am excited,” says Mandal of March Capital. Adds Chandrasekaran: “These startups are leveraging the best of both worlds. They are going to be trailblazers.”And hopefully they will be the rightful inheritors to the bastion that India’s IT services industry has created.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/34iwkEz
via IFTTT

Iran Displays Satellite After Trump's Tweet Claimed Damaged Launch Site

Iran on Saturday displayed for reporters what it said was an intact satellite ready for orbit, hitting back against President Donald Trump's comments suggesting a "catastrophic accident" had delayed...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2MOOd8s
via IFTTT

Pak Sikh Teen, Allegedly Kidnapped And Converted, Refuses To Go Home

The teenage Sikh girl, who was allegedly kidnapped and converted to Islam before being married to a Muslim man in Pakistan's Punjab province, on Saturday refused to go home despite the provincial...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2ZCAEz1
via IFTTT

अमेरिका के टेक्सास में सिरफिरे बदमाश की अंधाधुंध गोलीबारी में पांच नागरिकों की मौत, 21 घायल

अमेरिका के टेक्सास शहर में शनिवार को दो बंदूकधारियों ने अंधाधुंध फायरिंग की जिसमें पांच लोगों की मौत हो गई है जबकि करीब 21 लोग घायल हैं।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/34dhDTi

दिल्ली-एनसीआर में आज से बढ़े सीएनजी के दाम, 50 पैसे की हुई बढ़ोतरी

सीएनजी के दाम में एक बार फिर बढ़ोतरी हो गई है। दिल्ली, गुरुग्राम, रेवाड़ी, करनाल में सीएनजी के दाम में 50 पैसे की बढ़ोतरी हुई है तो नोएडा, ग्रेटर नोएडा, गाजियाबाद में 55 पैसे बढ़ाए गए हैं।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/34ailAR

पीएम मोदी को लेकर पूर्व पाकिस्तानी खिलाड़ी अफरीदी के बिगड़े बोल, कहा-हिटलर के रूप में पहचाने जाएंगे

पाकिस्तान क्रिकेट टीम के पूर्व कप्तान रहे शाहिद अफरीदी शुक्रवार को पाकिस्तानी सेना की वर्दी में नजर आए।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/30ODpL5

भाजपा में गए सोवन चटर्जी का मोहभंग, अपमानित महसूस करने के बाद पार्टी छोड़ना चाहते हैं पार्टी

बनर्जी ने यहां पत्रकारों से कहा कि भाजपा में शामिल होने के बाद से ही हमें बेवजह ही बेइज्जत किया जा रहा है। उन्होंने कहा, मैंने ही चटर्जी को भाजपा में आने के लिए प्रेरित किया था।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2MOhQai

Automakers bank on buyback option to tackle slowdown

Nilanjan Banerjee of New Delhi bought Mahindra’s premium luxury SUV, Alturas, this month. No big deal, except that he will keep the vehicle for three years, or 30,000 km, after which he is assured a buyback at 57% of the original value.“Initially a bit hesitant, this buyback option by Mahindra gave me the confidence to buy a Rs 35 lakh product,” said Banerjee.In Mumbai, Pranav Lalit, who typically changes his car every three years, found a buyback scheme on the Honda CR-V diesel (52% after three years) very attractive.“No hassle and no fear that the car won’t sell after three years. And there is this ease in returning the car to the manufacturer in the buyback scheme,” he said.Most good ideas are born out of desperation, say automakers, many of which have launched buyback options for certain models as they seek to overcome low consumer confidence in the Indian market. The buyback option, which is an industry standard in developed markets, is currently more popular in the luxury segment in India.With job loss concerns outweighing discounts and other rebates, such initiatives may give automakers the push they need as they battle one of the worst slowdowns, which saw passenger vehicle sales fall by 31% in July.In the luxury car industry, it is of paramount importance to be innovative, often working at a disaggregated level to create a package to enhance value for the customer through such financing, maintenance and buyback services, said Rudratej Singh, president of BMW Group India.The buyback is applicable to Alturas G4 in the passenger vehicle segment, said Veejay Nakra, chief of sales & marketing at the automotive division of Mahindra & Mahindra. It helps customers reduce the cost of ownership of premium products and enables them to experience luxury with a guaranteed resale value, Nakra said. 70918956 FOR THE CONSUMER The tenures of buyback options range from one to five years, mileage from 10,000 to 30,000 km and return value from 52 to 60%. At the end of the tenure, customers can upgrade to a new vehicle of their choice within the family, refinance the buyback amount or retain the existing vehicle. Manufacturers say these buyback options enhance value proposition, reinforce trust and provide peace of mind to customers.It also helps in customer retention as the buyer returns the vehicle to the manufacturer, with a greater chance of upgrading to another of its models.The aim is to have a customer for life, and customers are looking for a complete solution towards ownership rather than just buying a car, said Rajesh Goel, director of sales and marketing at Honda Cars India.Millennials have also been bitten by the buyback bug – they are typically averse to owning a car for longer periods and like to upgrade their vehicles at frequent intervals. The buyback will also be a big boon for the usedcar business as it benchmarks prices through a formal mechanism.NEW MODELS ON BUYBACK It’s not just the established companies that are offering this facility but also the new ones. MG Motors assures a buyback value of 60% at the end of three years for Hector, its first car in India.“We are giving one of the industry-best residual values for a new car brand as part of our long-term commitment to customers here in the Indian market,” said Rajeev Chaba, President & MD of MG Motor India. “Once buyback schemes become more popular in the market, we may also see different type of financial packages being offered for different ownership tenures.”The programme is an effort to understand customer needs while providing them with a hassle-free ownership experience, said Zac Hollis, director (sales, service and marketing), at Skoda Auto India.Mercedes-Benz has a key-to-key buyback programme for its GLE, GLS and S-Class cars, ranging from Rs 67 lakh to Rs 1.35 crore. Martin Schwenk, MD of Mercedes-Benz India, said with its scheme, customers don’t have to postpone the purchase while waiting for a new vehicle. They can buy the current model and later upgrade to the new model without paying additional EMI. It entails an assured buyback programme where the customer gets to drive two cars with one down payment and the same EMI for 4.5 years.Toyota in India offers the scheme for all its models. Christened Key4Key, this enables its customers to exchange their existing Toyota vehicles in their U-Trust facility and upgrade to the next Toyota vehicle. The resale value of a vehicle is assessed by the used-car division and a wellmaintained, five-year old Innova can fetch up to 60% of its original value, said N Raja, deputy MD of Toyota Kirloskar Motor.Experts said when a car model has poor resale value compared with the competition, companies offer the option to buy back the vehicle at a prefixed rate. Three years is the optimum time, taking into consideration depreciation, resale value and the tax component. The return on investment is best protected after a period of three years.“It takes away a pain point which may have otherwise deter red the customer from making the purchase,” said VG Ramakrishnan, managing partner at Avanteum Advisors, a consultancy firm.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2Pvff7h
via IFTTT

What Are The Options For Those Excluded From Assam Citizens' List

The National Register of Citizens or NRC - a list intended to identify illegal immigrants in Assam - will be published at 10 am on Saturday. The draft list published last year had excluded over 41...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2zCnCTG
via IFTTT

पाकिस्तान: जबरन धर्म परिवर्तन मामले में आठ गिरफ्तार, परिजनों को सौंपी गई सिख लड़की

पाकिस्तान में कथित रूप से अपहरण और जबरन धर्म परिवर्तन करने वाली सिख लड़की को उसके माता-पिता के पास भेज दिया गया है। इस मामले को लेकर पाकिस्तान के पंजाब प्रांत की ननकाना साहिब पुलिस ने आठ लोगों को गिरफ्तार किया है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2zBASb8

Final Assam Citizens' List Today, Status Of 41 Lakh At Stake: 10 Points

The final National Register of Citizens or NRC - a list intended to identify legal residents and weed out illegal immigrants from Assam - will be published at 10 am today, with around 41 lakh people...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2Lcl9pF
via IFTTT

Trump's Personal Assistant Steps Down Over Leak Of Information: Reports

Donald Trump's personal assistant Madeleine Westerhout resigned on Thursday after she shared information about the president's family with journalists, US media reported.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/32bCS6f
via IFTTT

Domestic media welcomes FDI cap for digital news

NEW DELHI: Domestic media entities have welcomed the decision to bring digital news media under the ambit of the FDI policy regime. The Union Cabinet had decided on Wednesday to cap the FDI limit for “uploading/streaming of news and current affairs through digital media” at 26% — the same as for print media.Indian Newspaper Society president Jayant Mammen Mathew said: “It is a right decision for the government to cap FDI in digital media at 26%, which is in line with the FDI (limit) in print. This will ensure Indian news sites have a level playing field with news aggregators and other digital news sites.”Government officials said there had been a vacuum for decades with regard to FDI policy for the sector, which had led to a deluge of news and other content from entities — including news aggregators — without any checks and balances. In this context, they said, digital applications that disseminate news include aggregators that ‘source’ or ‘link’ news articles from multiple sources into a single feed for users. This news content may be in the form of text, video, images, etc, and covers the entire spectrum of news and current affairs — including politics, national security, business and economy, and local city developments.Sensitive SectorFormer secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Ramesh Abhishek said: “The government has provided much-needed clarity on FDI in digital media. This has been rightly kept on par with FDI in print media. This provision is likely to apply to all those who disseminate news through digital media in any form. The policy should cover aggregators of news as well.”Official sources said the FDI policy in the news media space has always been regulated closely, given the sensitivity of the sector. 70918735 Hence, the mushrooming of news aggregators was a source of concern, especially as China has become an aggressive investor in this space with many Chinese-owned or funded entities creating and curating content.In contrast, China bars or tightly controls media and social media entities in all respects, with Facebook and Twitter blocked in mainland China by censors.These companies include Dailyhunt, which has 207 million monthly active users in India. The company is majority-owned (75%-plus) by foreign entities, of which 17% is with Byte-Dance — the largest Chinese news company. Indian promoters hold only about 20% stake in Dailyhunt.ByteDance also owns 100% of Helo, the fastest-growing vernacular news app in India with 50 m1illion monthly active users. Helo aims to hit the 100-million-user mark by 2019-end. ByteDance also wholly owns TikTok, the fastest-growing social network in India.Hence, the largest Chinese news company wholly owns, or has large stakes in, the biggest news, vernacular language news, as well as social networks in India with no controls whatsoever until the recent FDI regulation.There are also a host of other Chinese news aggregators, including UCNews (owned by Alibaba), Opera (whose largest shareholder is Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd) and NewsDog (incubated in China and funded by Tencent).Sources said these aggregators are far bigger than traditional news outlets, and owing to the large financial backing from Chinese investors, have invested aggressively in marketing and growth. A few of these have spent more than Rs 100 crore each per year just on marketing.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2HAQsYW
via IFTTT

Domestic media welcomes FDI cap for digital news entities

NEW DELHI: Domestic media entities have welcomed the decision to bring digital news media under the ambit of the FDI policy regime. The Union Cabinet had decided on Wednesday to cap the FDI limit for “uploading/streaming of news and current affairs through digital media” at 26% — the same as for print media.Indian Newspaper Society president Jayant Mammen Mathew said: “It is a right decision for the government to cap FDI in digital media at 26%, which is in line with the FDI (limit) in print. This will ensure Indian news sites have a level playing field with news aggregators and other digital news sites.”Government officials said there had been a vacuum for decades with regard to FDI policy for the sector, which had led to a deluge of news and other content from entities — including news aggregators — without any checks and balances. In this context, they said, digital applications that disseminate news include aggregators that ‘source’ or ‘link’ news articles from multiple sources into a single feed for users. This news content may be in the form of text, video, images, etc, and covers the entire spectrum of news and current affairs — including politics, national security, business and economy, and local city developments.Sensitive SectorFormer secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Ramesh Abhishek said: “The government has provided much-needed clarity on FDI in digital media. This has been rightly kept on par with FDI in print media. This provision is likely to apply to all those who disseminate news through digital media in any form. The policy should cover aggregators of news as well.”Official sources said the FDI policy in the news media space has always been regulated closely, given the sensitivity of the sector. 70918735 Hence, the mushrooming of news aggregators was a source of concern, especially as China has become an aggressive investor in this space with many Chinese-owned or funded entities creating and curating content.In contrast, China bars or tightly controls media and social media entities in all respects, with Facebook and Twitter blocked in mainland China by censors.These companies include Dailyhunt, which has 207 million monthly active users in India. The company is majority-owned (75%-plus) by foreign entities, of which 17% is with Byte-Dance — the largest Chinese news company. Indian promoters hold only about 20% stake in Dailyhunt.ByteDance also owns 100% of Helo, the fastest-growing vernacular news app in India with 50 m1illion monthly active users. Helo aims to hit the 100-million-user mark by 2019-end. ByteDance also wholly owns TikTok, the fastest-growing social network in India.Hence, the largest Chinese news company wholly owns, or has large stakes in, the biggest news, vernacular language news, as well as social networks in India with no controls whatsoever until the recent FDI regulation.There are also a host of other Chinese news aggregators, including UCNews (owned by Alibaba), Opera (whose largest shareholder is Beijing Kunlun Tech Co Ltd) and NewsDog (incubated in China and funded by Tencent).Sources said these aggregators are far bigger than traditional news outlets, and owing to the large financial backing from Chinese investors, have invested aggressively in marketing and growth. A few of these have spent more than Rs 100 crore each per year just on marketing.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2HAQsYW
via IFTTT

Trump Tweets Iran Missile Site Photo, Risking US Surveillance Secrets

In a tweet Friday, President Donald Trump revealed a detailed aerial image of an Iranian missile launch pad, an unusual disclosure that may have confirmed the United States is violating Iran's...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2MNdOii
via IFTTT

ग्राउंड रिपोर्टः 370 से क्या लेना देना, बस हमारा करियर लौटा दीजिए...

राज्य का विशेष दर्जा समाप्त किए जाने तथा जम्मू-कश्मीर को केंद्र शासित प्रदेश बनाए जाने के फैसले के 20 दिनों बाद घाटी की जिंदगी लगभग पटरी पर लौटती दिख रही है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2HBxHo8

Trump Iran Photo Tweet Raises Worries About Disclosure Of US Secrets

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday posted on Twitter a photo of what appeared to be the site of a failed Iranian satellite launch, raising questions about whether he had disclosed U.S. surveillance...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2ZtTkSs
via IFTTT

Rahul Gandhi Summoned By Mumbai Court For Calling PM "Commander-In-Thief"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been summoned by a court in Mumbai over a defamation complaint filed against him for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "commander-in-thief" last year while...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/30VKsln
via IFTTT

ट्विटर के सीईओ डोर्सी का अकाउंट हैक, किए कई आपत्तिजनक ट्वीट्स

ट्विटर के संस्थापक और सीईओ जैक डोर्सी का ट्विटर अकाउंट हैकर्स ने हैक कर दिया।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/30PVSqK

China Expels Journalist After Report On Xi Jinping's Family

China effectively expelled a Wall Street Journal reporter from the country, one month after the newspaper published a report detailing allegations that a cousin of Chinese leader Xi Jinping was...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2Lae8FC
via IFTTT

Flipkart Sale Brings Offers on Redmi Note 7 Pro, Poco F1, and More

The ongoing Qualcomm Snapdragon Days Sale on Flipkart is offering discounts on a wide range of smartphones such as Poco F1, Vivo V15 Pro, and more.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2NHocb8
via IFTTT

Man Told Starbucks Worker His Name Was Aziz. She Wrote "ISIS" On His Cup

Niquel Johnson paid for three drinks in Philadelphia on Sunday, and in typical Starbucks fashion, an employee asked for his name. Johnson, 40, told them "Aziz," his Islamic name pronounced ah-zeez. He...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2PtRAE5
via IFTTT

ईपीएफओ पर 8.65 फीसदी ब्याज का रास्ता साफ, छह करोड़ से ज्यादा पीएफ खाताधारकों को होगा फायदा

फरवरी में ही ईपीएफओ से जुड़े फैसले लेने वाले सबसे अहम संस्थान केंद्रीय ट्रस्टी बोर्ड ने 2018-19 के लिए ईपीएफ दर 8.65 फीसदी रखने का फैसला किया था, जो बीते तीन साल में पहली बढ़ोतरी होगी।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZtgJn1

पाकिस्तान के खैबर पख्तूनख्वा प्रांत में बस खाई में गिरने से 24 की मौत

उत्तर-पश्चिम पाकिस्तान में शुक्रवार देर रात एक बस के खाई में गिरने से कम से कम 24 लोगों की मौत हो गई।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZuCliX

2nd Test: Kohli Fifty Helps India Into Strong Position vs West Indies

Virat Kohli led a workmanlike effort from India's top order with a carefully crafted innings of 76 to help India post 264 for five on day 1 of the second Test.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/30NiM1Q
via IFTTT

इमरान की फिर गीदड़भभकी, दुनिया ने कश्मीर को नजरअंदाज किया तो युद्ध होगा

जम्मू-कश्मीर का विशेष दर्जा हटाए जाने के बाद वैश्विक मंच पर अलग-थलग पड़े पाकिस्तान की बौखलाहट बढ़ती जा रही है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/32eG6Wz

अमर उजाला एक्सीलेंस इन हेल्थ केयर अवॉर्ड: 29 चिकित्सकों को राज्यपाल आज करेंगी सम्मानित

उत्तराखंड की राज्यपाल बेबी रानी मौर्य शनिवार शाम प्रदेश के विशिष्ट चिकित्सा सेवा कर्मियों को अमर उजाला एक्सीलेंस इन हेल्थकेयर अवार्ड्स आरोग्यम से सम्मानित करेंगी।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZG2Tga

अयोध्या विवाद : मुस्लिम पक्षकार की पैरवी करने पर राजीव धवन को मिली धमकी, दायर की अवमानना याचिका

वरिष्ठ वकील राजीव धवन ने एक पूर्व सरकारी अधिकारी पर धमकी देने का आरोप लगाते हुए सुप्रीम कोर्ट में अवमानना याचिका दायर की है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2MMpj9s

घमासान के बाद सक्रिय हुईं सोनिया एक साथ तीन राज्यों के नेताओं से मिलीं, बदल सकती हैं प्रदेश अध्यक्ष

हरियाणा में पूर्व सीएम भूपिंदर सिंह हुड्डा के अड़े रहने से शुक्रवार को भी कोई फैसला नहीं हो सका। मामला उलझता देख अब खुद सोनिया राज्य के नेताओं से मिलकर उनकी राय जान रही हैं।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2NGCQiM

प्रतिबंधित विदेशी ब्रांड की नकली सिगरेट बनाने के कारखाने का भंडाफोड़

चांदपुर इंडस्ट्रियल इस्टेट में शुक्रवार को छापेमारी कर पुलिस ने प्रतिबंधित विदेशी ब्रांड गोल्ड व्हइट और पेरिस की नकली सिगरेट बनाने के कारखाने का भंडाफोड़ किया है। 

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/30Na7MX

Around Rs 32,000 crore of loans may be transferred: DHFL lenders plan to put loans to builders in SPVs

MUMBAI: Lenders to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Ltd (DHFL) are considering hiving off a chunk of the mortgage firm’s loans outstanding from builders and transferring that to companies created specifically to hold the debt.These special purpose vehicles (SPVs) could also work like pooled entities, such as alternative investment funds (AIFs), said multiple people aware of the discussions over a debt resolution plan for DHFL.Under such an arrangement, DHFL’s lenders will transfer as much as Rs 30,000-32,000 crore of its Rs 42,000 crore wholesale loans outstanding to the SPVs. If they go ahead with this plan, DHFL will become a predominantly retail-focussed shadow bank with a much lighter balance sheet, making it easier for its lenders to rope in a strategic partner.They are currently evaluating the ownership structure of the SPVs, which may even house a project each, and the process by which they will enforce the conditions on the loans given by DHFL, the people said.Development managers are expected to be appointed for each project to complete the work. DHFL’s lenders will get paid from the cash flows of the SPVs, after servicing fees to the development managers and servicing of any additional debt infused in the projects for their completion.The new development managers will infuse fresh funds either through equity or fresh working capital loans, kickstart the stuck real estate projects and generate cash flows through the sale of the inventory to pay back the loans, the people said.Cash Flow BeneficiariesDHFL and SBI didn’t respond to emails until press time Thursday. AIF is a trust like structure where the collection of the debt extended by DHFL to the wholesale book will happen and the lenders will be serviced out of that, the people aware of the discussions said. The SPV or the AIF is expected to be the beneficiary of all future cash flows — the repayment of loans given to the projects. They will distribute the proceeds to the unit holders or the banks. The idea is to create a legally tenable structure that gives the lenders a direct access to the underlying real estate assets and its cash flows.The lenders have been in discussions with business groups with interests in real estate, such as the Adani, Tata, Piramal groups, to come on board as the development managers of the projects and complete those in lieu of a development management fee. The Adani Group is expected to pick up several of the projects, the people said.Emails to the Adani and Tata groups did not generate a response. The Piramal Group called the news speculation, and declined to comment further.Although the lenders are pushing for one manager for each project, there could also be multiple managers roped in, each managing a cluster. According to the people ET spoke to, to facilitate the new asset managers to complete the projects and help servicing the debt obligations, the security or the collateral (land, FSI approvals, etc.) for the underlying assets against which loans are outstanding will be enforced. This will also help ringfence the development manager from any future legal challenges.This step is likely to follow an immediate intervention whereby lenders are looking to take a 51% stake in the company by converting a part of the debt into equity at par and facilitating a change of management.DHFL’s board is scheduled to meet on Friday, where it would consider a proposal for issuance of equity shares and other securities, including by way of preferential issue, against debt as part of a resolution plan.The company had borrowed from banks, mutual funds, insurers and retail depositors to bankroll realty projects which subsequently got stuck. An official said an AIFlike structure would suit the lenders and project managers. “AIF is a trustee structure. The assets move but not the liabilities. They are payable when able. In any other structure like an NBFC, the debt liabilities will also move and the new manger will have to honour these obligations,” said the official. “An AIF manager is not borrowing; he is managing as a trustee. Unit holders will economically benefit.”

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2HyEUFo
via IFTTT

Apple has a Rs 1,000 crore retail plan in store

NEW DELHI: Apple, the maker of iPhones, has told government officials that it plans to invest close to Rs 1,000 crore in setting up its online selling platform, and opening three of its iconic retail stores across major cities over the next two to three years.“There have been meetings with company executives. The first store is likely to come up in Mumbai followed by Delhi and a third location is yet undecided,” a senior government official familiar with the company’s plans told ET.Apple did not respond to ET’s query on its investment plans.In a statement on Thursday, the company welcomed the government’s move and said that it is working on plans to set up its first company-owned retail store, besides setting up its own online store.“…we look forward to one day welcoming customers to India’s first Apple retail store. It will take us some time to get our plans underway and we’ll have more to announce at a future date,” Apple said. “We love our customers in India and we’re eager to serve them online and in-store with the same experience and care that Apple customers around the world enjoy,” the company added. 70902253 ‘Major Branding Exercise’The government on Wednesday eased foreign direct investment (FDI) rules around Single-Brand Retail Trade (SBRT) by allowing exports and contract manufacturing to be counted in the mandatory 30% local sourcing norm over a period of five years. The government also allowed foreign single brand companies to sell directly via webstores, irrespective of a brick-and-mortar store presence.“The export focus in SBRT is a winwin for all concerned. Apple has ramped up exports within a short period of two years from India. Apple’s exports in future will not just meet but far exceed the 30% local sourcing requirements multiple times…,” said Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) which has Apple and its contract manufacturers Wistron and Foxconn as members in India.ET reported in its August 29 edition that Apple plans to sell directly to Indian consumers first through its own online store – which is easy to execute given its existing global template – while working on opening retail stores, which will involve time and larger investments.People familiar with the matter said that the Apple stores will be a major branding exercise and the company hopes that customer experience within the store will help push sales through its retail and online partners, rather than take business away from them.“These stores are like mini-malls in themselves, where people walk and get an experience of the Apple world, typically spend about half an hour to 45 minutes, then go back to the small retailers or online channels through which they can get some discounts since Apple never really discounts products,” one person said.Vivan Sharan, technology analyst and partner at Koan Advisory, said that unlike some retailers whose investment goes into real estate, Apple does not invest in land.“So, most of its investments will go into operations, stores, logistics, architecture, back offices, call centers, web design, leading to the highest quality of job creation seen in the Indian retail sector yet,” said Sharan.Apple’s India journey though has been bumpy so far, with its market share currently hanging around 1% by volume and 3% by value, due mainly to a lack of demand for its expensive phones in a price-sensitive market flooded with affordable high-spec devices of Chinese players such as Xiaomi and OnePlus. The government has previously rejected proposals to permit reselling of refurbished phones, which would have helped Apple lower price of its devices, and also didn’t agree to sops tailored only for the Cupertino-based company. Later, the company’s application to open company-owned stores under a special category, which could bypass the mandatory local sourcing clause, kept languishing with the government for over three years.But the latest government move will help the company deepen its retail presence, which experts say could help push sales, backed up by its steadily expanding local manufacturing operations. In fact, Apple has already started exporting from India to Europe, which helps it conform to the new local sourcing rules needed to set up its flagship retail stores.“There is talk of many smartphone makers now setting up stores in India but nobody can match an Apple store’s premium,” said Navkender Singh, research director with IDC. “These stores will give Apple complete control over the experience of their customers and take ownership of a customer’s journey”.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/346ZYwt
via IFTTT

सफदरजंग अस्पताल में डॉक्टर से मारपीट, अनिश्चितकालीन हड़ताल की घोषणा

दिल्ली के सफदरजंग अस्पताल में गुरुवार को एक बार फिर मरीज के परिजनों द्वारा इलाज कर रहे दो डॉक्टरों पर हमला करने की घटना सामने हुई है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/30MNFDy

चित्रांगदा सिंह का जन्मदिन और उर्मिला मातोंडकर का बयान सहित ये हैं मनोरंजन जगत की बड़ी खबरें

पढ़िए मनोरंजन जगत की बड़ी खबरें।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/30JXemM

Abrogation Of Article 370 Carried Out In Inhuman Way: Urmila Matondkar

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar on Thursday hit out at the Centre over the security clamp-down in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2PqEbN4
via IFTTT

Researchers Identify Second Gene Mutation Linked To HIV Resistance

A rare genetic mutation that causes a form of muscular dystrophy affecting the limbs also protects against HIV infection, Spanish scientists reported Thursday.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2HzJenZ
via IFTTT

Home-grown brands to gain under new FDI rules

NEW DELHI: Home-grown brands and private labels such as Fabindia and UrbanLadder will now be able to easily raise foreign funds for their ventures with the government allowing 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in contract manufacturing. These companies rely on third-party outsourcing and and the move comes as a breather for them.Earlier, contract manufacturing was a debatable issue but the move to cover them under the overarching norms on manufacturing has brought them on a par with manufacturers.“While the fine print will be available in the press note when it comes out, the logical extension of the norms means that the move will benefit such private labels from being single-brand retailers to manufacturers,” said Ajay Bahl, founding partner of law firm AZB & Partners, who advises private equity investors and homegrown brands.India allows up to 100% FDI under the automatic route in singlebrand retail. About 112 brands have obtained government approval for single brand retail trade activities from 2006 till March 29, 2018. The single-brand retail sector has received total FDI equity of $1.6 billion so far.70902154 “With yesterday's (Wednesday’s) announcement, the government has scored a hat trick, which will be good for ‘Make in India’, employ in India, and invest in India,” said Willaim Bissell, vice chairman at Fabindia, adding that the move is a positive for all Indian brands.Ashish Goel, cofounder and CEO of Urban Ladder, termed it a positive move. “We do get a lot of stuff manufactured in India and this can be helpful for us. We are keen to support Indian manufacturing and plan to manufacture furniture ourselves as well,” he said.Akash Gupt, partner at PwC, said the much awaited clarity will help the growth of private labels. “Homegrown brands that rely significantly on third-party manufacturing will be treated akin to manufacturers and hence can raise more foreign capital to grow their retail footprint. Besides foreign investments, more tangible benefits to the country should come by way of increase in manufacturing activity,” he said.While the broadening of FDI norms in single-brand retail will benefit global brands, experts said contract manufacturing will help Indian labels.“This will help create scale for such brands and they would be able to raise funds,” Bahl added.Reviving manufacturing and making the sector internationally competitive have been the twin goals of Make in India, underpinned by a strategy of reducing costs of doing business.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2ZI6SJu
via IFTTT

New effort to divest loss-laden carrier: Govt planning to get off Air India, bag and baggage

NEW DELHI: The government wants to exit fully from Air India as it embarks on another effort aimed at divesting the loss-laden carrier after a plan to sell a 76% stake last year failed.“I believe the government should not be in the business of running airlines… and believe the government should completely exit Air India,” aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said. “There are many who are very interested in the airline and the one who gets the airline will be very fortunate.”Air India has debt of about Rs 31,000 crore after the government took over Rs 29,000 crore off its books, thus reducing the airline’s interest burden by Rs 2,400 crore to Rs 1,700 crore annually. However, oil marketing companies last week stopped fuel supplies to the Air India Group at six airports because of dues of about Rs 5,000 crore, mainly affecting operations of the Alliance Air unit. The issue is expected to be resolved soon with the help of equity support from the government.Puri said the so-called alternative mechanism, a panel headed by home minister Amit Shah, will meet soon to finalise the asset-sale plan. “The details are being finalised,” Puri said. “The committee headed by the cabinet secretary will look into it first and then the alternative mechanism will clear it.”Last time around, the government sought to offload a 76% stake and retain the rest to be sold at a premium later, but there were no takers.70902174 The government is more optimistic this time as the grounding of Jet Airways makes Air India a more attractive proposition for any entity seeking to take advantage of demand in the world’s second-most populous nation.‘Improved Performance’“We think it is the right time because the principal competitor of Air India – Jet Airways – has grounded operations, leaving the market mainly for Air India,” said a senior aviation ministry official.India’s biggest carrier by passengers is IndiGo but it doesn’t fly longhaul routes.Puri said there was no question of Air India’s privatisation plan not succeeding.“Once you go down a route and encounter obstacles, there are lessons to be learnt,” he said. “We will analyse (the experience of last time). This time we will succeed. There is interest among buyers. We are getting so many calls from people interested in the national carrier. It would not be right for me to name them but there is a lot of interest.”Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani said that the airline’s operational performance has improved significantly despite challenges.“AI will report a robust operating profit this fiscal,” he said. “In the first four months of this fiscal, our operating loss is down to Rs 170 crore (despite additional expenses of Rs 4 crore daily due to Pakistani airspace closure from February 27 to July 16) as opposed to an operating loss of Rs 802 crore in same period last fiscal.”Big corporate houses such as the Tata Group, which did not bid for Air India last time, are keeping their options open.“Let me put it this way. We are very happy where we are. We’ll see. We don’t want to say or commit on what’s in the future because we don’t know,” Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran told ET in a recent interview. The Tata Group, apart from having founded Air India before it was nationalised, has stakes in Vistara and AirAsia India.Qatar Airways group CEO Akbar Al Baker had said after the Air India divestment failed last year that he would be open to buying the national carrier and that the debt of the airline was not worrisome. But he would not want its units such as ground handling and engineering, which the government plans to sell separately.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/30IFNDb
via IFTTT

Home-grown Fabindias, Urban Ladders to gain under new FDI rules

NEW DELHI: Home-grown brands and private labels such as Fabindia and UrbanLadder will now be able to easily raise foreign funds for their ventures with the government allowing 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in contract manufacturing. These companies rely on third-party outsourcing and and the move comes as a breather for them.Earlier, contract manufacturing was a debatable issue but the move to cover them under the overarching norms on manufacturing has brought them on a par with manufacturers.“While the fine print will be available in the press note when it comes out, the logical extension of the norms means that the move will benefit such private labels from being single-brand retailers to manufacturers,” said Ajay Bahl, founding partner of law firm AZB & Partners, who advises private equity investors and homegrown brands.India allows up to 100% FDI under the automatic route in singlebrand retail. About 112 brands have obtained government approval for single brand retail trade activities from 2006 till March 29, 2018. The single-brand retail sector has received total FDI equity of $1.6 billion so far.70902154 “With yesterday's (Wednesday’s) announcement, the government has scored a hat trick, which will be good for ‘Make in India’, employ in India, and invest in India,” said Willaim Bissell, vice chairman at Fabindia, adding that the move is a positive for all Indian brands.Ashish Goel, cofounder and CEO of Urban Ladder, termed it a positive move. “We do get a lot of stuff manufactured in India and this can be helpful for us. We are keen to support Indian manufacturing and plan to manufacture furniture ourselves as well,” he said.Akash Gupt, partner at PwC, said the much awaited clarity will help the growth of private labels. “Homegrown brands that rely significantly on third-party manufacturing will be treated akin to manufacturers and hence can raise more foreign capital to grow their retail footprint. Besides foreign investments, more tangible benefits to the country should come by way of increase in manufacturing activity,” he said.While the broadening of FDI norms in single-brand retail will benefit global brands, experts said contract manufacturing will help Indian labels.“This will help create scale for such brands and they would be able to raise funds,” Bahl added.Reviving manufacturing and making the sector internationally competitive have been the twin goals of Make in India, underpinned by a strategy of reducing costs of doing business.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2ZI6SJu
via IFTTT

हांगकांग: प्रदर्शनों के बीच चीन ने सैनिकों की 22वीं टुकड़ी को भेजा, किसी बड़ी कार्रवाई की है योजना

चीन की पीपुल्स लिबरेशन आर्मी ने गुरुवार सुबह तक 22वां ‘रोटेशन’ (सैनिकों की बारी) पूरा कर लिया। बताया जा रहा है कि चीन इन दिनों हांगकांग में कोई भी बड़ी कार्रवाई की योजना बना रहा है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2NIPEoH

महिला टोल कर्मी को पीटा, फ्री में जाना चाहता था आरोपी, 10 मिनट तक चला हाईवोल्टेज ड्रामा

खेड़की दौला टोल प्लाजा पर महिला टोलकर्मी से मारपीट करने का मामला एक बार फिर सामने आया है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2NQ34Q3

IT Professional Kills Ailing Wife Before Committing Suicide In Pune

A 45-year-old IT professional allegedly bludgeoned his wife to death, who was suffering from a mental ailment, and later committed suicide in Maharashtra's Pune district, police said on Thursday.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2Zy6RYs
via IFTTT

पाकिस्तान के शाहकोट शहर में तेजी से बढ़ रहे एड्स के मामले, एशिया में दूसरे नंबर पर है पाक

संयुक्त राष्ट्र की एक रिपोर्ट के अनुसार अत्यंत तेजी से बढ़ रहे एचआईवी संक्रमण के मामले में पाकिस्तान समूचे एशिया में दूसरे नंबर पर है। देश में अकेले 2017 में ही संक्रमण के 20 हजार नए मामले सामने आए थे।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2Pn7XSY

Man, 21, Arrested For Snatching Escapes Delhi Police Custody

A 21-year-old man, arrested in connection with snatching of a mobile phone, escaped from police custody from outer North Delhi's Samaypur Badli police station, officials said on Thursday.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2LeYuI2
via IFTTT

उत्तराखंड में बनेगा देश का पहला ड्रोन पीएमयू केंद्र, नए शोध और विकास पर रहेगा फोकस

ड्रोन तकनीक को बढ़ावा देने के लिए उत्तराखंड में प्रदेश और देश का पहला ड्रोन प्रोजेक्ट मैनेजमेंट यूनिट (पीएमयू) बनाया जाएगा।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2LgIsxf

एक्सक्लूसिव: जिम्स में इलाज के लिए कटेगी 50 रुपये की पर्ची, तीन महीने के लिए होगी वैध

राजकीय आयुर्विज्ञान संस्थान (जिम्स) में सस्ते उपचार की आस में आने वाले मरीजों को झटका लगेगा। गवर्निंग बॉडी से लिखित में मंजूरी मिलने के बाद जल्द ही एक रुपये की पर्ची अब 50 रुपये की हो जाएगी।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2HzoZH1

आयुष के 12 गुमनाम नायकों पर विशेष डाक टिकट जारी करेंगे पीएम मोदी

पीएम नरेंद्र मोदी शुक्रवार को भारतीय चिकित्सा प्रणालियों और योग के 12 आधुनिक विशेषज्ञों की याद में विशेष डाक टिकट जारी करेंगे।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2NDIZfy

डूटा चुनाव: एनडीटीएफ का बजा डंका, 4 उम्मीदवार जीते, डीटीएफ व एएडी के तीन उम्मीदवार विजयी रहे

दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय शिक्षक संघ (डूटा) के बृहस्पतिवार को हुए चुनाव में देर रात 15 सदस्यीय कार्यकारिणी चुनाव के नतीजे जारी कर दिए गए।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/347e2pQ

चिन्मयानंद पर आरोप लगाने वाली छात्रा का कमरा सील, पिता ने जताई साक्ष्यों से छेड़छाड़ की आशंका

पूर्व गृह राज्यमंत्री स्वामी चिन्मयानंद पर आरोप लगाने वाली छत्रा के हॉस्टल रूम को पुलिस ने बुधवार देर शाम सील कर दिया।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2L4paw1

परफ्यूम के डिब्बे में विदेशी करेंसी लेकर दुबई जा रहा था, सीआईएसएफ जवानों ने दबोचा

परफ्यूम के डिब्बे में विदेशी करेंसी छिपाकर दुबई ले जा रहे एक यात्री को सीआईएसएफ के जवानों ने इंदिरा गांधी एयरपोर्ट से गिरफ्तार किया है।

from Latest And Breaking Hindi News Headlines, News In Hindi | अमर उजाला हिंदी न्यूज़ | - Amar Ujala https://ift.tt/2ZtTuIN

India Says It Was Aware Of Pak's Ghaznavi Missile Tests

India on Thursday said it was aware of Pakistan's recent ballistic missile tests that were possibly carried out from Sonmiani flight test range located in Balochistan.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2NDj9rX
via IFTTT

US To Keep 8,600 Troops In Afghanistan After Deal With Taliban: Trump

President Donald Trump on Thursday said that US troop levels in Afghanistan will drop to 8,600 if a deal is reached with the Taliban and that a permanent presence will remain.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2MKqQgu
via IFTTT

Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2, Asus 6Z, More Phones Get August Security Patch

Asus ZenFone Max M2, Asus 6Z, Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2, and Asus ZenFone Max Pro M1 are all getting new updates in India.

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/30G3dJm
via IFTTT

"Shouldn't Have Reported It": MSNBC Host After Trump Threatens To Sue

MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell began his show Tuesday night with a bombshell allegation: that Russian billionaires "close to Vladimir Putin" had co-signed a loan that was given to President Donald...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/349DATm
via IFTTT

Investec ranks ICICI Pru, Max Life among top insurance picks

Investec Securities has rated ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company as its top pick in the life insurance space as it ranks highly on most metrics. Max Life is also a top pick for Investec in this space.“ICICI Prudential ranks highly on most metrics..it’s the most cost-efficient, and a market leader in retail protection and ULIP, with the best persistency, least balance sheet risk, most conservative EV (embedded value) assumptions, industry-leading digital infrastructure and strong return ratios,” said Investec, retaining buy rating with a target price of Rs 500.The brokerage is bullish on Max Life with a buy rating and target price of Rs 620 as it believes that Max has been a steady performer with a diversified product mix and highest return ratios due to a scaled par business. “Though it ranks lower than ICICI Prudential and HDFC Life on key metrics, nevertheless, its management has executed well,” said Investec.The brokerage said Axis Bank is a key bancassurance partner and the sustainability of this tie-up is a significant uncertainty. “Management aims to simplify the holding structure by swapping Mitsui Sumitomo’s stake from Max Life to holding company. This, we believe, is a precursor to a long term deal with Axis Bank. If it fructifies, this should create value given extremely cheap valuations.”70885296 The brokerage has a hold rating on HDFC Life with a target price of Rs 590. Investec has a hold rating and target price of Rs 940 on SBI Life with a target price of Rs 940.Investec said ICICI ranks highest in terms of quantitative metrics such as cost, persistency and risks, but lower on product mix. HDFC Life ranks highest on management quality as is visible from its ability to identify new segments ahead of peers, product mix and distribution, it said.SBI Life has benefited from tailwinds due to SBI’s distribution strength, which is likely to taper down over the next three years, said Investec. Max Financial looks attractively priced and a collaboration with Axis Bank is expected, said Investec.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2L0PaZe
via IFTTT

Amit Shah Shouldn't Make Irresponsible Statements On Citizen List: Sushmita Dev

President of the All India Mahila Congress and former MP from Assam Sushmita Dev said here on Wednesday that Union Home Minister Amit Shah should not make "irresponsible statements" on the National...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2ZwIVVm
via IFTTT

At Aircel, the last calls are hurting the most

MUMBAI: Aircel and its unit have sacked some 1,000 of its 1,229 remaining employees, unable to meet related costs as the resolution professional (RP) Deloitte strives to keep the bankrupt mobile phone company running so that its assets fetch a good price in the ongoing insolvency process."There has not been a regular source of any cash flow from operations, and the funds garnered from recoveries/litigations could only help sustain for a limited timeframe. The companies have now reached a precarious financial position and need to right size the current workforce strength in line with its current situation," the resolution professional said in a letter to all employees earlier this month. The last working day for the sacked employees was August 16. In the letter, the RP assured the exiting staff that salaries for July will be paid and that consulting firm Aon Consulting was working on the exit pay for each of them.Aircel is in the midst of an insolvency process with the RP trying to sell assets to repay banks, who are owed some Rs 20,000 crore.The RP has been running the operations of the bankrupt telco, owned by Malaysia’s Maxis, with around Rs 90 crore that some employee-run groups had helped recover, besides Rs 341.8 crore and Rs 298 crore that Aircel got from Bharti Airtel and the telecom department respectively, related to the deal to sell 4G spectrum to the Sunil Mittal-led operator.70885015 But the funds appear to be running out rapidly. Aon has chaffed the employees on whether they are required for the long term to keep company as a going concern; or if they are required for an interim period in roles like compliances, legal and tax matters, sale of assets; and finally, those whose services are not needed any more. "Aon’s report on manpower planning states that out of 1,229 employees as on 26th April 2019, 246 employees were deployed in 78 unique roles which were identified to maintain the companies as going concern,” the RP said in the letter. Aon then interviewed these employees for the identified critical roles and positions in their corresponding business segments/departments/geographies.“Aon has identified that 170 to 200 employees are required in current situation and that the rest of the employees will have to be let go immediately," said the mail. Aircel, filed for bankruptcy in March 2018, after failing to service debt of Rs 20,000 crore. Deloitte and the lenders have zeroed in on UV Asset Reconstruction Co Ltd to hand over the reins of the company. However, legal battles including a major one over ownership of spectrum with the telecom department have been severe roadblocks.On Wednesday, the RP’s legal representative argued in the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) that the telco had the ‘right of use’ over spectrum, which meant that the airwaves come under the definition of property and can be sold as part of asset monetisation. The airwaves were bought in auctions for Rs 6,249 crore and were currently valued at Rs 6,239 crore. However, a lawyer representing the telecom department said spectrum was a natural resource belonging to the government and public, and one cannot possess it or claim any rights without making necessary due payments.The tribunal will next hear the case on September 19.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2MKTEp4
via IFTTT

IL&FS can sell 51% in wind units to Japanese investor

MUMBAI: A bankruptcy court has approved the sale of the wind energy assets of IL&FS to Japan’s Orix Corp, one of the original investors in the cash-strapped infrastructure financier. It is the first step in a restructuring process involving sale of assets that have demand externally.On Wednesday, the Mumbai bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) allowed the governmentappointed board’s plea for the sale of IL&FS’ balance 51% stake in seven wind energy units to Orix. The Japanese company already owns a 49% stake in each of those units.The NCLT division bench was presided over by judicial member VP Singh. The technical member was Rajesh Sharma. “The company should deposit the fund from the asset sale in an interest bearing account until further orders,” said the tribunal. “The amount should not be used for any other purpose.”Last month, NCLAT had approved the proposed sale of IL&FS’ wind power assets. The units are held under IL&FS Wind Energy Ltd (IWEL).Orix had decided to match the offer of the highest bidder, of approximately Rs 4,800 crore for 100% of enterprise value, meaning no haircut to the debt of the SPVs, aggregating to about Rs 3,700 crore, IL&FS said in a statement during the announcement of the sale.70885115 The assets include a controlling stake in the wind power generating plants with an aggregate capacity of 873.5 MW and those under construction with a combined capacity of 104 MW. The company also owns solar power plants, and projects under development of about 300 MW are also up for sale.The sale will lead to the resolution of the following companies of the IL&FS Group - Lalpur Wind Energy Private, Etesian Urja, Khandke Wind Energy Private, Retadi Wind Power, Wind Urja India Private, Tadas Wind Energy Private and Kaze Energy Limited.The subsidiaries are part of the resolution plans for IL&FS Group. Boutique investment banking firm Arpwood Capital and JM Financial are the financial and transaction advisors, while Alvarez & Marsal is the resolution consultant.The IL&FS group submitted a progress report to courts categorising assets into three categories; red, green and amber. IL&FS has been looking to sell stakes in subsidiaries and pare its debt. The company has debt of Rs 91,000 crore.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/32a2j81
via IFTTT

Trust deficit, slowdown adding to banking woes: Jaspal Bindra

There is a need to address the increasing trust deficit between lenders and borrowers amid a significant slowdown through policy measures and transparency, said Jaspal Bindra, chairman, Centrum group. In an interview to Saikat Das, he said that while bank recapitalisation, announced last week, will provide a significant impetus to credit growth, the benchmarking of loans to the repo rate augurs well for domestic demand, especially in the housing and auto sectors. Edited excerpts:How do you see the economy today?There is a significant slowdown in the economy. This is largely because the sentiment amongst the stakeholders is weak. Additionally, there is an increasing trust deficit between the banks and borrowers. I think the combined effect of the slowdown and trust deficit is what is making the problem bigger.What should be done to address the issue of trust deficit?There are several factors that need to be taken into consideration. The first area is addressing equity markets. Sebi and the government need to take steps to bolster confidence. On the debt financing side, addressing corporate governance is a challenge. PSU (public sector unit) banks are under constant scrutiny and hence are unwilling to take exposures if there is even a minimal doubt. They find it easier not to lend rather than face repercussions later. Also, mutual funds are in a bit of a dilemma, as they too have suffered hits. Across sectors, confidence will have to be built through policy measures and transparency.How do you view the measures announced by the finance minister last week to improve the situation?Till recently, there was an impression that the government was in denial about a slowdown. The good thing is that now at least both the RBI and the government have clearly acknowledged that a problem exists.They have been meeting with industry CEOs to work out ways to improve the situation. The FM announced several measures to revive growth last Friday. Bank recapitalisation will provide a significant impetus to credit growth.Benchmarking of loans to the repo rate augurs well for domestic demand, especially in the housing and auto sectors. The removal of surcharge on FPIs should bring back the recently pulled out investments.What is your assessment of economic growth?I think there is definitely a slowdown, and there’s no denying that. You see any sector, you will find a slowdown. The more obvious ones being auto, BFSI.... Jobs are bound to be cut as demand has reduced. Companies are unable to maintain existing production capacity, let alone add capacity.In any economy, there will be a problem of readjustment, where a sector may go through a cyclical downturn. The problem now is that many sectors are going through it together.It is not just restricted to consumption. There is no additional investment, with limited available credit. So, it is a concentration effect.Do you see signs of a revival by the end of this financial year?Unfortunately, we are in a stage where the situation is bad. Fortunately, we can only go up from here. How quickly the FM’s latest measures take effect on the ground will be closely watched. We should see some traction on the ground in the next three-six months. By the end of the financial year we should be in a better place.What bold steps can the government take to improve growth?To reinvigorate the growth cycle, we have to improve credit flow in the market. The FM has addressed this point through the bank recapitalisation proposal. Second, labour law reforms have been talked about for a while and will surely help, especially in this volatile environment.Third, India has so much room to accommodate foreign capital. Incentivising foreign capital is strongly needed if the government has to maintain fiscal discipline amid limited domestic capital available for investment.What is your view on the proposed foreign bond sales by the government?Several countries have issued offshore bonds. Since the Indian rupee is not fully convertible, there are some pros and cons. Cost is definitely a pro, because you can raise cheap capital and Indian paper is scarce.The cons are of course that if ever our reserves were to be weaker than they are today, having any dollar liability on the government’s balance sheet puts pressure on the currency and currency management becomes challenging.The real estate sector is under a lot of stress. What would be a cure-all?Commercial real estate is doing better. However, the residential sector, particularly high-value projects, are struggling. The easiest cure is for sales to revive. Slow economic growth and weak sentiment are resulting in a lack of confidence amongst homebuyers.Possibly some combination of structural price correction, lower mortgage rates and better economic prospects will help. Besides, HNIs (high net worth individuals) were traditionally large investors in residential real estate, and are now no longer so. They too need an incentive to return.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2ZwecU8
via IFTTT

PEs exit Micromax via buyback, valuation crashes 93% in 4 years

Micromax Informatics’ valuation has crashed about 93% in roughly four years from a peak of Rs 21,000 crore in 2015 to less than Rs 1,500 crore now, with major private equity investors including TA Associates and Sandstone Investment exiting the Indian handset maker.PE players are selling 6.9% in the company for Rs 93.65 crore to the promoters, whose holding will increase to more than 85%, Micromax said in its latest regulatory filings with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).The four promoters — Vikas Jain, Rahul Sharma, Sumeet Kumar and Rajesh Agarwal — hold 19.57% each before the buyback and their holding will go up proportionately after the transaction is completed.Once the poster boy of Indian smartphone industry Micromax has now been pushed to the fringes, having failed to counter the onslaught of Chinese rivals such as Xiaomi and Vivo. Its revenue had shrunk to Rs 4,345 crore in 2017-18 from Rs 11,041 crore in 2014-15 while net profit slumped to Rs 103 crore from Rs 3,362 crore during the same period. Financials for FY19 are not yet available.“With the onslaught of Chinese companies, Micromax lost both market share and ability to make profit,” said Mohit Yadav, founder of business intelligence platform Veratech Intelligence that analysed Micromax’s RoC filings for ET. “In this situation, investor seems to think Micromax is unlikely to recover and hence are willing to take a dip in valuation and take a quick exit,” he said.Experts said the current valuation of Micromax will not be more than Rs 1,358 crore, considering the share price for the buyback will not exceed Rs 26.34 per unit.This is a fraction of the valuation in 2010 when Micromax had roped in these private equities by selling equity shares at Rs 2,390.62 per share and preference shares at Rs 2,812.5 per share, as per Veratech Intelligence.Emails sent to Micromax, Sequoia Capital, Sandstone Capital, Madison India Capital and TA Associates did not elicit any response till Wednesday press time. 70885171 The following shareholders are selling their shares in Micromax in the buyback as per RoC filings: Wagner Ltd, an affiliate of TA Associates, which once owned 14.82% but has pared stake in tranches; Madison India Capital HC, which owns 0.39%; Milestone Trusteeship Services Pvt Ltd, in its capacity as a trustee of Madison India Opportunities Trust Fund that owns 2%; Sandstone Investment Partners I fund, holding 2.65%; SCI Growth Investments II, a fund of Sequoia Capital owning 0.65%; and Sequoia Capital India Investment Holdings III that has 250 residual shares.Chinese semiconductor firm Spreadturm Hong Kong Ltd remains invested in the firm with 1.17% stake, as per the filing.Yadav of Veratech said Indian law does not permit sale of shares at a price below the fair market value. “Hence, Micromax’s valuation will be a minimum of Rs 515 crore,” he said. “In 2010, the minimum valuation was anywhere between Rs 1,250 crore to Rs 1,450 crore.”Navkendar Singh, research director at IDC India, virtually ruled out a comeback for Micromax, saying Chinese mobile phone brands are now more experienced and seasoned to work in a diverse market like India.Chinese brands today control more than 75% of the Indian smartphone market as per Counterpoint.Singh said Micromax is trying to stay relevant by partnering with other brands for marketing and distribution tieups, using their manufacturing capacities and capabilities to produce phones for some other brands or markets outside India.Micromax has also diversified into the consumer durables segment while one of its promoters is venturing into electric vehicles.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2LdiydW
via IFTTT

Teenage Girl "Sexting" Her Friends Is Child Pornography, Says US Court

Maryland's child pornography laws apply when the child is both the subject and sender of sexually explicit material, the state's highest court ruled Wednesday, in a case testing how to treat teenagers...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/32gJUqt
via IFTTT

"Shouldn't Kashmir Affect You?": Kannan Gopinathan On Why He Quit IAS

Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Kannan Gopinathan today rejected the centre's claim that the ongoing clampdown on Kashmir is meant to prevent deaths due to violent reprisals, saying...

from NDTV News - Special https://ift.tt/2HwiTHA
via IFTTT

IndiGo promoters call it a truce but no recalling plaints

IndiGo’s feuding promoters may have decided to bury the hatchet and agree on common goals for the airline, but the complaints filed with the market regulator and the government remain and will be processed. “The law of the land does not allow the complainant to file a complaint one day and take it back on another day. Issues may have been resolved, but investigations on complaints will continue as they were of corporate governance violations during an earlier period,” said a person familiar with the developments who did not want to be identified.The battle between Rakesh Gangwal and Rahul Bhatia, promoters of India’s largest airline by market share, showed signs of a thaw after Gangwal agreed to a new policy on related party transactions. At the annual general meeting on Tuesday, Bhatia said he had always credited Gangwal for his work. “I will be the first person to say... I have always acknowledged Rakesh’s contribution to the organisation at every public forum,” Bhatia said in reply to a question.People aware of the matter said Gangwal doesn’t have any complaints about corporate governance issues now. “Gangwal’s complaints have been resolved and he is pleased with the outcome,” said a person on condition of anonymity.After the complaint, the promoters negotiated a proposal to increase the size of the board to 10 from six and frame a new policy on related-party transactions, including vetting them at various levels.Gangwal, his family and his family trust together own about 37% of the airline’s equity but they do not control in the airline. Gangwal agreed last week to support the changes and the proposal was cleared at the AGM on Tuesday.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/346LeO5
via IFTTT

Testing ground for fintech a game changer or a work in progress? RBI's sandbox move divides industry

MUMBAI: High-street lenders are divided on the central bank’s regulatory sandbox programme, with backers calling the initiative a game changer even as others seek more operational clarity to ensure the experiment helps them keep pace with rapidly changing technology.Private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank said that the sandbox will create a perfect collaboration opportunity with startups to test emerging solutions such as video KYC and alternative data-based lending models. Payments major Visa believes the initiative would accelerate India’s digital economy dream.“The RBI’s Regulatory Sandbox framework is a welcome move that will help accelerate our journey toward a digital economy,” T R Ramachandran, Visa’s group country manager, told ET. “Payment innovations are destined to transform the way we interact, shop and pay and the regulatory sandbox will provide the perfect platform for such payment innovations to be tested in a controlled environment.” Others such as Bank of Baroda are in the process of analysing how the programme would add value to their already operational startup initiatives before they decide on participation.“The RBI is too late (in rolling out the guidelines),” Papia Sengupta, ED, Bank of Baroda, said jokingly, responding to ET’s query at a recent press event. “We have tied up with IIT in setting up an incubation programme where we are collaborating with young startups…We’ll discuss internally and decide whether to participate (in RBI’s sandbox) based on what benefits it’ll provide.”As per the final enabling guidelines placed in public domain on August 13, the sandbox would function in five stages over a period of six months where representatives from the regulators would scrutinise the solutions.“It takes away some amount of uncertainty between ideation and launch for start-ups, banks and regulators to understand risks associated with a new product,” said Deepak Sharma, chief digital officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank.Some players, however, believe that lack of operational clarity may deter both smaller startups and established players from participating in the programme.“One major area of concern is that there is no clarity on the next steps, growth or implementation roadmap once a company tries/ tests and exits the sandbox,” according to Sampad Swain, CEO, Instamojo. “Some of the cohorts may build an extremely successful product, but after exiting the Regulatory Sandbox, might not have the relaxation of regulations to continue the product in the larger picture.”The RBI has also made it clear that any losses incurred by the customers during the time of testing would be borne by the liable participant. These companies have also been mandated to take compulsory insurance cover to apply in the sandbox.“These additional costs would make it harder for fintech start-ups to get approvals from their boards,” said Vikas Kumar, CTO, LoanTap.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2ZAOhyJ
via IFTTT

Lenders likely to put bad loans worth Rs 8,000 crore on the block

MUMBAI: About Rs 8,000-crore worth of stressed loans, mainly from the power and manufacturing industries, are likely to be put up for sale by lenders seeking quicker recoveries — both within and outside the dedicated bankruptcy-resolution framework.Lenders including United Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and Karur Vysya Bank are likely to offer loans for sale to distressed funds or asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) in the next few days, three people familiar with the matter said. A large housing finance company will also put up some of its sour loans to builders for sale.United Bank of India has, perhaps, put up the largest chunk on the block. A total of 42 accounts with an outstanding of Rs 2,182.2 crore have been offered. The bank has invited bids from asset reconstruction companies, banks, and financial institutions. Other lenders may be looking at anything between Rs 500 crore and Rs 1,500 crore each.“Banks can put assets for sale but the price they want should match what is offered by funds and ARCs. Banks are looking for cash settlement, but the price they expect is still higher than what funds are offering, which means deals are few and far between,” said P Rudran, former CEO at Arcil.Other loans on sale may include those to Jindal India Thermal Power and KSK Mahanandi. Indian Overseas Bank may offer Vadraj Cement for sale, people associated with the process told ET.Axis Bank declined to comment on the matter. Other banks did not reply to ET’s mailed queries.“Lenders may have to take at least 50% haircut as investors are unlikely to settle for anything less,” said an executive involved in the processes. Tough negotiations are expected, with lenders seeking to get rid of sticky assets.United Bank of India and Bank of Baroda have either called for tenders, or will soon do so.Earlier, too, some state-owned banks, including the State Bank of India, tried to sell bad loans. The banks received very few bids, which were not remunerative.“Some private sector lenders are in one-on-talks with distressed funds as they are negotiating private deals to sell off bad loans,” said another person, adding that retail loans are not being offered.Bankruptcy cases are taking rather long to get resolved. About 34% of the 1,292 cases in the bankruptcy courts up to June 2019 are delayed beyond 270 days, up from 26% a year ago, and 31% in the quarter ended March, ET reported on August 16.

from Economic Times https://ift.tt/2NCiO8Y
via IFTTT