Pradipta Mukherjee And Gautam Chakravorthy In Kolkata, Mumbai

Stories by Pradipta Mukherjee And Gautam Chakravorthy In Kolkata, Mumbai

UB Group plans Rs 100-cr wine tourism

UB Group plans Rs 100-cr wine tourism

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2009

The company plans to invest close to Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) by June 2009 in its winery project and another Rs 50 crore in the next few years in building barrels, tanks and vineyards. It has set a target of producing a million bottles in 2009-10 and a million cases in three years.

Nano may fetch resale premium of Rs 30,000

Nano may fetch resale premium of Rs 30,000

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2009

"The scene will be a bit like the Maruti 800 days. Those who are lucky enough to be allotted cars this year can resell it immediately at a premium of Rs 30,000 due to the anticipated shortage," an executive at a Motors dealer said. Supply, Tata Motors dealers say, would be between 40,000 and 50,000 cars, with 100,000 being the most optimistic estimate. This would mean customers may have to wait for up to two years to get delivery if all the bookings are accepted.

Retail growth will miss industry estimates

Retail growth will miss industry estimates

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2009

The chances of organised retail trade crossing the Rs 230,000 crore, as predicted by the Images India Retail Report look remote, says Pradipta Mukherjee.

Movie tickets become cheaper

Movie tickets become cheaper

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2009

Many multiplexes are banking on promotional offers and schemes, like a 20 per cent discount on ticket prices, free popcorn, etc, for those booking tickets online. Around 70 per cent of the total revenues of multiplexes come from ticket sales, 20 per cent from food and beverages and the remaining from on- and off-screen advertisements. While footfalls have dropped 20-35 per cent, consumers' discretionary spend has stopped as far as movies are concerned.

Frooti, Appy to be costlier

Frooti, Appy to be costlier

Rediff.com   18 Mar 2009

This has come at a time when commodity prices have dropped and several companies are seeking to lower prices to boost sales. "While the recent drop in raw material prices have been an enabler, our margins are still under pressure due to several factors like operational expenses as well as production and packaging costs, which have peaked year-on-year," said a company official.

Children's Fund top FII seller this year

Children's Fund top FII seller this year

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2009

The Children's Investment Fund Management and its affiliates have emerged as the single-largest seller of Indian stocks among foreign institutional investors.

Contractors shift from realty to govt projects

Contractors shift from realty to govt projects

Rediff.com   2 Mar 2009

Companies are either taking small government projects alone or bidding for larger ones with consortium partners. The companies, which had 18-75 per cent of their order books in property development, say they are facing payment delays of 20-90 days from some of the private developers, blocking their working capital requirements. Some of them take a week's advance payment from developers to execute their projects.

Daiichi, Ranbaxy team to counter FDA charges

Daiichi, Ranbaxy team to counter FDA charges

Rediff.com   27 Feb 2009

The USFDA has accused Ranbaxy of falsifying data and test results of medicines. A Daiichi Sankyo statement said it takes the issue very seriously. 'Both Daiichi and Ranbaxy have formed a team to solve the issue. Ranbaxy will be responding to the FDA and will continue to cooperate with the agency.' Ranbaxy shares fell more than 18 per cent to Rs 169.85 today on the Bombay Stock Exchange, while Daiichi stock dropped about 10 per cent to yen 1,680 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Higher fee will help us break even: IIM-C

Higher fee will help us break even: IIM-C

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2009

The Rs 400,000-increase, applicable from this session, comes a year after the increase in fee by other IIMs. IIM-C is also increasing its need-based scholarship fund and stipend for research scholars.

<I>Slumdog</I>: Big money for Indian companies

Slumdog: Big money for Indian companies

Rediff.com   24 Feb 2009

Fox Star Studio India, the distributor of Slumdog Millionaire in the country, has managed to gross around Rs 40 crore (Rs 400 million) from the markets, surpassing collections of some of the biggest Bollywood hits of last year such as Rock On.

Nandigram, Singur take toll on Buddha's dream

Nandigram, Singur take toll on Buddha's dream

Rediff.com   23 Feb 2009

The state received robust investment announcements worth Rs 2,43,489 crore in calendar 2007. In calendar 2008, investments fell 63 per cent, to Rs 90,095 crore (Rs 900.95 billion). The general slowdown in economic growth, however, may also have played a part in Bengal's declining rank, given that many of its major investments were in such sectors as steel, real estate and power, all of which are current casualties of slowing demand.

How will bidders value Satyam?

How will bidders value Satyam?

Rediff.com   20 Feb 2009

This is one question that's uppermost in the minds of analysts, marketmen and industry experts even as the Company Law Board on Thursday gave the scam-tainted IT firm's stake sale plan the go-ahead.

IIM, IIT students turn mentors for aspirants

IIM, IIT students turn mentors for aspirants

Rediff.com   11 Feb 2009

The programme is a free, student-driven initiative and independent of the admission process but is backed by the administration of these institutes. The programme is managed through either the institute website or a separate purpose-built website that matches the profile of mentors and aspirants based on the background and discipline.

Tata Motors vendors deny payment issues

Tata Motors vendors deny payment issues

Rediff.com   6 Feb 2009

Surinder Kapur, president of the company's 'vendor council,' said it has about a dozen representatives from Tata Motors and an equal number from the vendors. "We supply for about 4-5 per cent of our revenues to Tata Motors and we do not have payment issues," he said. Lumax, which derives about 15 per cent of its turnover by supplying almost half of the lighting solutions for Tata Motors worth about Rs 60 crore a year, said they had not experienced any payment issues.

Metro faces fresh retail trade charges

Metro faces fresh retail trade charges

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2009

The fresh allegations of carrying out retail trade have come from the Forward Bloc, a constituent of the Left Front government in Bengal, which had been opposing the entry of Metro on this ground. Forward Bloc-controlled APMC in the state has submitted a report stating the instances of violations of the terms of the Regulated Market Committee licence, said sources.

DLF stalls a fourth of its projects

DLF stalls a fourth of its projects

Rediff.com   3 Feb 2009

The Kushan Pal Singh-led realty major has halted construction work on nearly 16 million sq ft of office and retail mall space out of the 62 million sq ft of planned construction. In the office space, the developer has stalled construction on nearly 12 million sq ft of office space out of the 36 million sq ft of space being planned.

mjunction shelves IPO plan on Tatas' support

mjunction shelves IPO plan on Tatas' support

Rediff.com   29 Jan 2009

mjunction services, one of the largest e-commerce companies promoted by Steel Authority of India and Tata Steel, has shelved its initial public offering plan after Tata Steel indicated it would back the management team for its future expansion plans.

TV channels look to cellphones, Net for revenue

TV channels look to cellphones, Net for revenue

Rediff.com   15 Jan 2009

Sony Entertainment Television India, Nick India and Sony Pix are looking beyond television for revenue. They plan to improve their respective websites to build a community of online users in order to attract online advertisements. They are looking at the mobile platform for ringtone, wallpaper and games downloads.

B-school offers: No hike in salaries

B-school offers: No hike in salaries

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2009

The recession is beginning to affect final placements at premier B-schools and IITs. Recruiters are maintaining last year's salary levels.

Reliance Retail plans private label sale to kirana

Reliance Retail plans private label sale to kirana

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2009

The move is expected to give high retail exposure to its products in innumerable kirana stores in the country, without having to spend much on advertising and marketing expenses apart from generating business volumes. When contacted, Reliance Retail spokesperson said: "As a policy, we do not comment on speculation." In a recent reshuffle at the company, Reliance Fresh head Gunender Kapur was made head of private labels business in the company.