Shally Seth Mohile &Amp; Shine Jacob

Stories by Shally Seth Mohile &Amp; Shine Jacob

Auto industry braces for impact of bumper-to-bumper insurance on pricing

Auto industry braces for impact of bumper-to-bumper insurance on pricing

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2021

If the court order is implemented, it will lead to an increase in the insurance outgo for car owners by a minimum Rs 50,000 for car and a minimum of Rs 7,000 for two-wheeler owners.

Sivakasi, home of fireworks, is losing its spark

Sivakasi, home of fireworks, is losing its spark

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2021

Enter the fireworks city of Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu and you can smell a familiar mix of sulphur, potassium nitrate, aluminium and carbon - familiar because if you've ever burst crackers, say on Diwali or Onam, chances are they were made here. Almost every household used to contribute to India's festive joy by contributing almost 90 per cent of the fireworks made in the country. Before the pandemic, around 300,000 people worked in the industry directly and another 500,000 indirectly. Located 540 kilometres from Chennai, Sivakasi is famous for its fireworks and crackers, along with printing and matches, but is almost a ghost town these days.

Chip shortage may spoil the party for carmakers this festive season

Chip shortage may spoil the party for carmakers this festive season

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2021

For automakers, the festive season is about raking it in through ramped up sales and attractive consumer offers. However, despite the robust demand, what may spoil the party this year is a global shortage of semiconductors.

As Cases Rise, Questions About Kerala's Covid Strategy

As Cases Rise, Questions About Kerala's Covid Strategy

Rediff.com   6 Sep 2021

The Indian Medical Association states that cases are likely to rise further before coming down in Kerala as about 50 per cent of its population is still susceptible to the virus.

Mahindra warns of 20-25% production loss due to chip shortage

Mahindra warns of 20-25% production loss due to chip shortage

Rediff.com   3 Sep 2021

For Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which has just started executing a comeback strategy for wresting back ground it lost to rivals, this could not have come at a worse time. The maker of the Bolero Neo and the Thar models on Thursday said it would have to halt production at its automotive plant for a week due to the worsening supply situation of semiconductors.

Why Stalin is Tamil Nadu's CM with a difference

Why Stalin is Tamil Nadu's CM with a difference

Rediff.com   1 Sep 2021

From social engineering to bearing the cost of COVID-19 treatment to financial reconstruction of Tamil Nadu's debt the debutant chief minister is emerging as a leader with a difference, says Shjne Jacob

CavinKare to split business into four different streams

CavinKare to split business into four different streams

Rediff.com   31 Aug 2021

In a first step towards succession plan, Chennai-based fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) major CavinKare on Monday announced the restructuring of its businesses and also roped in the generation next giving charges of separate business verticals. Announcing the restructuring on Monday, CK Ranganathan, chairman and managing director of CavinKare indicated that the business will be split into mainly four different streams - FMCG, ecommerce, retail and research and development.

Does the govt really intend to revive the auto sector?

Does the govt really intend to revive the auto sector?

Rediff.com   26 Aug 2021

In a rare face off, captains of the auto industry have hit out at the government for not walking the talk. At an industry event in the capital on Wednesday, R C Bhargava, chairman of India's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki, and Venu Srinivasan, chairman of TVS Motor, questioned the government's intent to support the auto sector. Revenue secretary Tarun Bajaj sat in the audience listening, before his turn came to counter them.

High commodity prices hit India Inc's profits, margins

High commodity prices hit India Inc's profits, margins

Rediff.com   17 Aug 2021

After the hit of the pandemic, India Inc is now worried about the adverse impact of inflation and higher commodity prices on their revenues and margins. The inflation scare is the strongest among manufacturers of consumer goods such as automobiles, consumer durables, and fast-moving capital goods (FMCG). Companies across sectors fear they will not be able to pass on the hike in input costs to their consumers due to weak demand, which, in turn, would lead to a hit on margins and profitability in the forthcoming quarters.

Ola S1 scooters launched, prices start at Rs 99,999

Ola S1 scooters launched, prices start at Rs 99,999

Rediff.com   16 Aug 2021

SoftBank-backed Ola Electric took the wraps off its maiden e-scooter offerings -- Ola S1 and S1 Pro -- for a commercial launch on Sunday. With prices starting from Rs 99,999 (excluding state government incentives, registration fee, and insurance cost), the Bhavesh Aggarwal-founded firm said the e-scooters are designed and engineered in India for the world and will deliver the best scooter experience to the consumer. He suggested that after 2025, sale of petrol-powered two-wheelers should not be allowed.

EXPLAINED: Why Kerala is seeing a rise in Covid cases

EXPLAINED: Why Kerala is seeing a rise in Covid cases

Rediff.com   6 Aug 2021

Bad management, an exhausted government vigilance mechanism, delay in roping in private players, relaxing norms, and over-dependence on antigen tests may be the reason behind the surge, reports Shine Jacob.

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Russia reaches out to Kerala for Sputnik V plant

Rediff.com   29 Jul 2021

The government may look at areas around Thonnakkal, in Thiruvananthapuram district, for the facility. If successful, this would be one of the few sites of Sputnik V owned by Russian firms outside that country. Shine Jacob and Sohini Das report.

Ola likely to price its e-scooter in the range of Rs 85,000-1.1 lakh

Ola likely to price its e-scooter in the range of Rs 85,000-1.1 lakh

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2021

The entry of SoftBank-backed Ola into the electric scooter (e-scooter) segment is set to power up the overall market and perhaps fast-track the adoption of battery-operated vehicles. But for manufacturers of internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered two-wheelers, such as Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp, and TVS Motor, it will be a double whammy. Not only will they have to contend with the aggressive pricing of Ola's scooter and incur a loss at each unit of the e-scooter sold, the volumes of their regular (ICE) models, too, could feel the squeeze, observed analysts. Ola is expected to price its e-scooter in the range of Rs 85,000-1.1 lakh.

Microsoft plans to set up Rs 15,000-crore data centre in Telangana

Microsoft plans to set up Rs 15,000-crore data centre in Telangana

Rediff.com   28 Jul 2021

US tech giant Microsoft is in the final stages of talks with the Telangana government to set up a data centre with a total investment of Rs 15,000 crore. According to sources in the state government, the company has zeroed in on a land parcel near Hyderabad for the facility. "In the information technology (IT) space, Telangana is already seeing some major investments. "Microsoft is establishing its data centre here, and it may come out with a public announcement soon," said a source.

Covid cuts Tirupur garment hub biz, 10% orders go to other nations

Covid cuts Tirupur garment hub biz, 10% orders go to other nations

Rediff.com   27 Jul 2021

India's largest garment hub Tirupur continues to reel from the effects of the pandemic, with almost 10 per cent of its orders for the upcoming season getting diverted to Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and China. The sector had seen a drop of about 9 per cent in exports during the first wave, but the impact is likely to be more this time, according to industry experts. Being one of the epicentres of Covid cases in the state, a majority of manufacturing units in the textile belt were closed for almost six weeks during the second wave.

Why this Businessman Quit Kerala

Why this Businessman Quit Kerala

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2021

Is there more than meets the eye to Kitex Garments, the world's second-largest children's garment producer, abandoning Kerala for Telangana?

Tamil Nadu inks deals with 35 firms; to see over Rs 17,000 cr investment

Tamil Nadu inks deals with 35 firms; to see over Rs 17,000 cr investment

Rediff.com   22 Jul 2021

The government of Tamil Nadu on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoUs) with 35 companies that may see investment to the tune of Rs 17,141 crore, creating employment opportunities for 55,054 people. The major companies that would be coming up with fresh investments over Rs 1,000 crore in the state include JSW Renew Energy Two, TCS, ZF Wabco and Srivaru Motors among others. JSW Renew Energy Two will be coming up with a 450 megawatt (Mw) wind power generation unit at Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Dindigul and Tiruppur for Rs 3,000 crore. TCS will be coming up with its third phase of expansion at SIPCOT IT Park in Siruseri, ZF Wabco with an auto component unit at Kancheepuram for Rs 1,800 crore and a two-wheeler EV unit by Srivaru Motors for Rs 1,000 crore at Coimbatore.

20-25% of Hotels may Close Down Forever

20-25% of Hotels may Close Down Forever

Rediff.com   16 Jul 2021

'On an average we have been getting four to five such proposals a month, but we aren't pursuing them as they don't tick the boxes.'

Despite security risks, 95% Indian cos to continue with WFH

Despite security risks, 95% Indian cos to continue with WFH

Rediff.com   15 Jul 2021

The survey covered 1,210 IT executives and technology professionals from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and India. In India, 202 respondents from businesses with more than 500 employees across 18 industry verticals completed the survey. Overall, 89 per cent of the respondents said implementing a work-from-home policy had increased security challenges for their organisations. The risk posed by shadow IT was especially high, with 89 per cent of companies having no control over the software that employees purchase and install on their devices.

Chip shortage throws a spanner in JLR's plans

Chip shortage throws a spanner in JLR's plans

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2021

Tata Motors has halved the volume outlook for its UK subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover Automotive (JLR) and warned of lower earnings as it sees the semiconductor shortage deepening in the September quarter of the current financial year, according to a notification issued by the company to the stock exchanges on Tuesday. The announcement caught investors unawares. They were hoping for a quicker recovery. Tata Motors' stock tanked 13 per cent (on July 6) from the day's high of Rs 358.10 and hit the lower circuit (Rs 311.45) in intra-day trades.