Shine Jacob, Deepak Patel

Stories by Shine Jacob, Deepak Patel

Stalin's Breakfast Scheme A Social Revolution

Stalin's Breakfast Scheme A Social Revolution

Rediff.com   3 May 2023

'Within a short span, it increased attendance, improved children's physical fitness, and led to a rise in the enrolment ratio.'

Don't see growth in small car segment this fiscal year: R C Bhargava

Don't see growth in small car segment this fiscal year: R C Bhargava

Rediff.com   27 Apr 2023

Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) does not anticipate growth in the small car segment because people continue to find these vehicles unaffordable, chairman R C Bhargava said on Wednesday. He said the market had clearly shifted towards the sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment and the company will go in the same direction. The domestic sales of utility vehicles jumped in India by 34.54 per cent to about 2 million units in FY23.

Sky is the limit for private space sector in Isro's new policy

Sky is the limit for private space sector in Isro's new policy

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2023

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Thursday came out with the Indian Space Policy 2023 to promote greater private sector participation in the entire value chain of the space economy. According to the policy, Isro will encourage new-generation entities to participate in space exploration and human presence in outer space, including collaboration with domestic and international stakeholders. The policy also sets a road map for Isro to transition from manufacturing operational space systems to focus energies on research and development in advanced technologies.

In a first, Kerala adopts water budget to tackle shortage

In a first, Kerala adopts water budget to tackle shortage

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2023

Kerala on Monday became the first state to adopt a water budget in a bid to come up with a solution to water scarcity in certain regions there. The first phase of the project would cover 94 gram panchayats and 15 block panchayats. The Public Water Budget was released by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, along with the launch of the third phase of the Ini Njan Ozhukatte (Let me flow now) project, for the rehabilitation of irrigation networks in the Western Ghats.

Pilot suspensions rose 2x in 2022 for violating safety norms: DGCA

Pilot suspensions rose 2x in 2022 for violating safety norms: DGCA

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2023

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended the licences of 92 pilots in 2022 for violating safety norms, which was more than double the 2021 figure. The number of scheduled flights (domestic and international) in India increased by 32.74 per cent to 1.3 million in 2022, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. A DGCA official stated that the minimum period of licence suspension in 2022 was one month and the maximum was three years.

Air India, SpiceJet, and Go First lost domestic market share in Q4FY23

Air India, SpiceJet, and Go First lost domestic market share in Q4FY23

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2023

Indian carriers transported 12.8 million domestic passengers in March 2023, a year-on-year growth of 21.41 per cent. India's largest carrier IndiGo shored up its domestic market share from 53.8 per cent in Q4 of FY22 to 55.7 per cent in Q4 of FY23, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data released on Monday.

Two-wheeler exports from India skid nearly 18% in FY23

Two-wheeler exports from India skid nearly 18% in FY23

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2023

Two-wheeler exports from India fell by 17.8 per cent to 3.65 million units in 2022-23 (FY23), according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) on Thursday. This decline is due to a rise in global inflation and the weakening of economies and currencies in key export markets of Africa, Latin America (LatAm), and South Asia. In contrast to FY23, two-wheeler exports from India jumped 35.4 per cent to 4.44 million units in 2021-22 (FY22).

'It's time for caution, not expansion'

'It's time for caution, not expansion'

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

'Silicon Valley people are generally used to layoffs.' 'Every person who has been in the industry for 15-20 years would have been laid off at least 3-4 times.' 'In India, we aren't used to that concept.' 'So when it came here, people were shocked.'

Mercedes-Benz's India sales jump 36% in FY23; female customer base doubles

Mercedes-Benz's India sales jump 36% in FY23; female customer base doubles

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

Sales of Mercedes-Benz in the country have jumped by 36.67 per cent to 16,497 units in 2022-23 amid high demand for its top-end vehicles, according to its India MD & CEO Santosh Iyer. "This is the highest-ever sales recorded by the company in any financial year," he stated. In the luxury car segment of India, Mercedes-Benz is the market leader with about a 42 per cent share.

Automobile retail sales up 14% in March; post 21% YoY growth in FY23

Automobile retail sales up 14% in March; post 21% YoY growth in FY23

Rediff.com   12 Apr 2023

Automotive retail sales saw a 14 per cent rise in March on a year-on-year (YoY) basis, according to data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). For the whole of financial year 2022-23 (FY23), sales grew 21 per cent YoY. For both March and the financial year, all categories, except for tractors, and including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles (PVs), and commercial vehicles (CVs), posted double-digit growth. However, the total retail sales of 22.1 million for the financial year were still 12 per cent lower than the pre-Covid (FY20) level of 25 million, owing to an 18 per cent dip in the two-wheeler segment.

'MSME, gold will grow faster than any other segment'

'MSME, gold will grow faster than any other segment'

Rediff.com   10 Apr 2023

'The market has picked up for commercial vehicles. We are very close to pre-pandemic levels.'

How BJP Plans To Gain Foothold In Kerala

How BJP Plans To Gain Foothold In Kerala

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2023

On Easter, April 9, 10,000 BJP workers are being assigned to visit the houses of 100,000 Christian families. Plans are afoot to visit the homes of Muslims on Eid.

Hero MotoCorp offers VRS, eyes leaner organisation

Hero MotoCorp offers VRS, eyes leaner organisation

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2023

With a new chief executive officer (CEO) at the helm, the country's largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp is now looking to cut flab and move towards a leaner organisation. It has launched a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for its staff as it aims to make the organisation 'agile and future-ready'. Recently, the company's erstwhile chief financial officer (CFO) Niranjan Gupta was elevated as CEO.

2-wheeler EV sales up 58%, PV 130% in March: Fada

2-wheeler EV sales up 58%, PV 130% in March: Fada

Rediff.com   7 Apr 2023

The country saw a massive year-on-year surge in the demand for electric vehicles, with retail sales of electric two-wheelers rising by 58 per cent, passenger vehicles by 130 per cent, three-wheelers by 82 per cent, and commercial vehicles by 171 per cent in March 2023, according to the data shared by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada). According to a report by JMK Research, the EV segment as a whole grew by 157 per cent during FY23, to 1,180,597 units, from 458,746 units a year ago. Overall, EV sales in March 2023 rose by 82 per cent from the March 2022 figure, the JMK report added.

Why EV makers are flocking to Tamil Nadu

Why EV makers are flocking to Tamil Nadu

Rediff.com   5 Apr 2023

At Prestige Polygon Towers in Chennai's Teynampet, hectic preparations are on for a mega global investors' meet under the aegis of Guidance Tamil Nadu (the state investment promotion agency) scheduled for January 2024. Asked about the key focus areas of the meet, the agency's managing director and chief executive officer, V Vishnu, said the state was betting big on electric mobility. This is no surprise, given that the state has signed electric vehicle (EV)-related memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with several companies in the recent past that may bring in investments worth around Rs 33,000 crore with the potential to create over 43,000 job opportunities.

Akasa's Focus: Connecting Metros To Non-Metros

Akasa's Focus: Connecting Metros To Non-Metros

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2023

'While we do some metro-to-metro flying, we have got a lot of metro-to-non-metro cities like Bengaluru-Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru-Bhubaneswar, Bengaluru-Guwahati and Bengaluru-Kochi.'

After record sales in FY23, auto companies expect demand to mute

After record sales in FY23, auto companies expect demand to mute

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2023

'In FY23, PV sales are expected to end the year at a record 3.8 million units, up 26 per cent. In FY24, however, the industry is expecting 5-7 per cent volume growth'

Foxconn Deal: Karnataka Labour Laws In Focus, Tamil Nadu May Follow

Foxconn Deal: Karnataka Labour Laws In Focus, Tamil Nadu May Follow

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2023

Allowing 12-hour shifts for all and night-time work for women was meant to benefit software firms, but is said to have clinched Foxconn's Rs 80 billion investment.

Will a fresh wave of Covid-19 hit India?

Will a fresh wave of Covid-19 hit India?

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2023

According to Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman, national Indian Medical Association Covid Task Force, the current scenario qualifies as a wave.

South Indian Bank to name new CEO by May as Ramakrishnan announces exit

South Indian Bank to name new CEO by May as Ramakrishnan announces exit

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2023

South Indian Bank is likely to name a new managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) by May end, said the Thrissur-based lender on Wednesday. The bank's shares dipped some 14 per cent at one point after MD and CEO Murali Ramakrishnan said he will not apply for an extension when his tenure ends on September 30, citing personal reasons. The bank's board on Tuesday considered Ramakrishnan's request for not intending to continue on his post and appointed a search committee for his replacement.