According to Mayank Saksena, head -- transactions, Kolkata, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, "From January onwards, we have been tackling an increase in live enquiries in Kolkata. The rate of enquiries is significantly higher than in cities such as Hyderabad. Chennai, Pune and Bangalore, primarily because Kolkata has a large number of old business houses that have been occupying prime spaces in the central business district."
After dropping "Kolkata" from Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders, actor Shah Rukh Khan has started discussions with Nokia, Sahara, the Anil Ambani group, and several other companies to sell the team he bought just over a year ago for Rs 300 crore, and exit the business.
Projects like City Centre II, Lake Mall, Terminus Mall, Axis Mall and Avani Riverside mall in Howrah, are already running behind schedule. As retail sales are down by 50 per cent, depending on discount or lifestyle retail categories, and consumers' discretionary spends are also down 15-20 per cent, developers are now cautious about new projects.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The recession is beginning to affect final placements at premier B-schools and IITs. Recruiters are maintaining last year's salary levels.
At a time when most B-schools are slashing annual festival budgets because corporate sponsorships are drying up, IIM Calcutta (IIM-C) has increased its budget by nearly 20 per cent for its four festivals this year.
Indian retailers are an optimistic lot when it comes to deciding on expansion plans for 2009. Retailers such as Spencer's Retail, Future Group, Shoppers Stop, Westside, Wills Lifestyle, Bata India, and Raymond find the 30-40 per cent drop in retail rentals a reason to cheer.
Spencer's Retail, the retail arm of RPG Group, says it has seen a 30-40 per cent decline in the rentals in Tier-II and -III cities. In Tier-I and metropolitan cities, the correction is in the range of 15-20 per cent, and a further correction and its impact is likely to come in the next few months.
According to Jagat M Sarkar, head of HR, e-Rev Max, a product company which has its main development centre in Kolkata and presence in 60 countries, "In the given scenario, there will be increased focus on getting quality manpower. Salary hikes too would be hit. Those on the bench and non-performers are jittery too as companies plan on pink slips.
Information technology employees and fresh graduates in Kolkata have started to see salary cuts and employee lay offs.
Xerox India Managing Director Andrew Horne said, 'In the current uncertain economic environment, every company is looking at how it can improve operational efficiency... We are amalgamating some roles. In all, 24 roles are disappearing. The decision on timing has been accelerated by pressures caused by the challenging business environment.'
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