Shine Jacob &Amp; Karan Choudhury

Stories by Shine Jacob &Amp; Karan Choudhury

Why e-travel aggregators are jittery about Goa Tourist Act

Why e-travel aggregators are jittery about Goa Tourist Act

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2019

An industry source said the Act would create high-entry barriers for new service providers and limit customer choice

OYO has mega expansion plans in India, Nepal

OYO has mega expansion plans in India, Nepal

Rediff.com   13 Mar 2019

Currently, the company is present in over 259 Indian cities, with over 8,700 buildings (hotels and homes) and more than 173,000 rooms.

50 and counting... Apps become more popular as elections loom

50 and counting... Apps become more popular as elections loom

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2019

Within 24 hours of the announcement of poll dates, traction on poll-based apps has risen drastically, report Karan Choudhury and Neha Alawadhi.

Vande Bharat Express: Love at first sight

Vande Bharat Express: Love at first sight

Rediff.com   12 Mar 2019

The train has a lot to offer to its passengers: Silent run, fully-sealed gangway connecting two coaches, GPS-based passenger information system, modular bio-vacuum and disabled-friendly toilets, intelligent air conditioning that adjusts cooling according to the climate and closed-circuit television for safety.

Will HPCL, too, get the coveted Maharatna status?

Will HPCL, too, get the coveted Maharatna status?

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2019

If cleared, the ONGC arm will become the first subsidiary company of an existing Maharatna to get into this superior league among government-owned entities.

World's largest greenfield refinery may finally see the daylight

World's largest greenfield refinery may finally see the daylight

Rediff.com   11 Mar 2019

Estimated to cost $44 billion, the project was expected to be commissioned by 2025.

What is the controversy over Vande Bharat all about?

What is the controversy over Vande Bharat all about?

Rediff.com   7 Mar 2019

The Railway Board and employees at Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, makers of the train, are at loggerheads over the proposed transfer of design and reassigning the manufacturing of Train 18 to Modern Coach Factory in Raebareli.

E-commerce draft policy plugs gifting loophole for foreign sites

E-commerce draft policy plugs gifting loophole for foreign sites

Rediff.com   5 Mar 2019

Among other things, taking note of complaints against several Chinese e-commerce players such as Shein, Ali Express etc for sending shipments as 'gifts' to customers in India and avoiding duties, the government has now mandated that all e-commerce sites and apps must have a registered business entity. This will be the importer on record and subject to customs rules, report Subhayan Chakraborty, Neha Alawadhi and Karan Choudhury.

E-commerce policy draft may bring cheer to the realty sector

E-commerce policy draft may bring cheer to the realty sector

Rediff.com   1 Mar 2019

With the insistence on data centres to be onshore, entities in real estate believe there is going to be a rise in demand for specialised Grade-A commercial spaces to set these up.

Industries, airports near border on alert for war-like emergency

Industries, airports near border on alert for war-like emergency

Rediff.com   27 Feb 2019

State governments in Punjab, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Jammu & Kashmir are on high alert and have come up with contingency plans to ensure the security of residents in case of a war.

The chink in the e-commerce draft

The chink in the e-commerce draft

Rediff.com   25 Feb 2019

While the new norms are part of the draft policy's guidelines to fight counterfeit and fake products on platforms, they might end up helping brands and e-commerce firms sign exclusive sale deals.

India may tweak IT Act to allow tracing of social media posts

India may tweak IT Act to allow tracing of social media posts

Rediff.com   23 Feb 2019

Ministry of home affairs and the IT ministry are planning to have a series of discussions with representatives from Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Google on issues around national security and the problem of fake news. Asking for decryption keys from WhatsApp to track conversations on the chat app is also part of the agenda.

'We are betting big on OYO Living'

'We are betting big on OYO Living'

Rediff.com   21 Feb 2019

'Co-living is a phenomenon that is bound to strike the right chord with young people everywhere and India will lead the charge as the testing ground for all such ideas.'

Traders threaten to take e-com players to court, if...

Traders threaten to take e-com players to court, if...

Rediff.com   15 Feb 2019

Going ahead with its festive sales as per schedule, companies such as Flipkart, Jabong, and Myntra are having week-long Valentines' Day sales, offering discounts of as much as 80 per cent. Amazon India is also offering discounts of almost 40 per cent.

Foodpanda, Uber Eats eye 3rd slot in online food delivery

Foodpanda, Uber Eats eye 3rd slot in online food delivery

Rediff.com   14 Feb 2019

The duo spent almost $400 million in 2018 on rapid expansion as well as discounting to gain new customers, and Uber Eats has managed to edge out Foodpanda by 2 million orders.

Indian dream suddenly turns sour for these American companies

Indian dream suddenly turns sour for these American companies

Rediff.com   13 Feb 2019

While the government's recent moves may have been necessary in some cases, these would have an adverse impact on the investment cycles of some of these companies. The marquee global names are suddenly finding themselves out of favour as local flavour is gaining currency in the run up to 2019 elections.

Govt mulling GST cut on under-construction homes

Govt mulling GST cut on under-construction homes

Rediff.com   9 Feb 2019

GST rates on under-construction houses maybe reduced from 12 pc with input tax credit to 5 pc without ITC. Similarly, the rate for under-construction affordable houses could come down to 3 per cent without input tax credit, from the current 8 per cent.

Less-cash drive launched in DeMo gets boost in Budget

Less-cash drive launched in DeMo gets boost in Budget

Rediff.com   7 Feb 2019

In an otherwise agriculture- and public health-focused Union Budget 2018-19, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain technology, internet of things -- jargons that found little or no mention in the previous Budgets -- managed to make their presence felt.

How Walmart, Amazon plan to counter govt's e-com move

How Walmart, Amazon plan to counter govt's e-com move

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2019

As Amazon India, Flipkart are forced to shut down 60 categories and push out 45 mn products, a new lobby group comprising sellers is in the making to take up e-com concerns.

How Vijayan came to be known as 'firm leader'

How Vijayan came to be known as 'firm leader'

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2019

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has graduated from being a stalwart of the CPM to a 'strong' mass leader and arguably the 'most able administrator' that the state has seen in over three decades, reports Shine Jacob.