'We are seeing signs of improvement in rural overall in terms of demand, but I would still keep my fingers crossed.'
Hotel rooms, usually in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 a night during the peak season, are now available for Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 a night.
'There is not any negative connotation associated with it.'
'That is a significant milestone for us and something we aspired for.'
India currently does not have any XBB 1.5 variant-based vaccines available.
Several firms are stepping up to help their workforce cope with soaring temperatures
The travel and tourism sector's contribution to global gross domestic product will return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, according to a new report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday. This recovery is driven by a considerable increase in worldwide demand, coinciding with more available flights, better international openness, and increased interest and investment in natural and cultural attractions.
India has covered enough population with vaccine and infection, but protein vaccines should remain available on payment basis for elderly and those with comorbidities.
'Although currently, urban areas contribute more to growth than rural, there is no reason why rural areas should not contribute.'
Automotive (auto) major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which is readying to launch nine sport utility vehicles (internal combustion engine/ICE), seven Born Electric Vehicles (BEVs), and seven light commercial vehicles by 2030, has outlined an investment of Rs 27,000 crore in its auto business between 2024-25 (FY25) and 2026-27 (FY27). Over the next three years, the company will deploy Rs 37,000 crore, including its auto business, farm business (Rs 5,000 crore), and service business (Rs 5,000 crore).
India has been a tea sipping society. But the aromatic wave of coffee culture is wafting across it.
'Our target will come from rural areas as there are more outlets there.'
With rising incomes, education, and health awareness in India, especially in the big cities, droves of people are saying no to sugar.
India's fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector witnessed growth in rural consumption in volume terms outpace urban consumption for the first time in five quarters, in the January-March period. According to a report from consumer intelligence firm NIQ, rural consumption grew at a rate of 7.6 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) in Q1CY24, overtaking that in urban areas which stood at 5.7 per cent.
MDH Spices has denied allegations that its products have traces of cancer-causing agent ethylene oxide (ETO), calling them "untrue" and "lacking any substantiating evidence." "Amid speculations doing rounds that there is presence of ETO in our products, we clarify and state unequivocally that these claims are untrue and lack any substantiating evidence," a statement released by the company said.
Maintaining the balance of gut microbiota is important as an imbalance, also known as dysbiosis, can cause or aggravate different diseases, including but not limited to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel syndrome, mental health issues like anxiety and depression and menstrual problems.
Ahmedabad-based Zydus Lifesciences said on Tuesday that a new drug application for its oral drug Desidustat used in treating anaemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients had been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA). In 2020, CMS International Development and Management Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Medical System Holdings Ltd obtained an exclusive license for the product from Zydus. CKD involves a gradual loss of functioning of kidneys and eventually leads to kidney failure.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has commissioned a quality check on MDH and Everest products. This follows complaints that several popular spice mixes of the two leading brands contained traces of ethylene oxide more than the permissible levels, official sources said. This move by FSSAI comes after Hong Kong and Singapore recalled variants of the two masala majors' products in their countries.
Consumer goods firms and auto companies are witnessing an upturn in rural demand, which had been lagging for most of FY24. Expectations of a bumper rabi crop harvest have helped turn the tide. The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI's) Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate unchanged last week, noting that as rural demand catches up, consumption is expected to support economic growth in 2024-25.
Nearly one in two luxury cars sold in India in the first three months of 2024 was a Mercedes Benz, which achieved its best ever quarter (January-March), selling 5,412 units, up 15 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) from 4,697 units in the previous year.