The fresh restrictions imposed in Maharashtra to contain the second wave of COVID-19 are likely to impact the festive season auto sales, as Navaratri and Gudi Padwa are falling in April, according to rating agency Icra. These two festivals account for a sizeable chunk of the annual vehicle sales across the country, especially in Maharashtra, it said. Gudi Padwa, which is a major festival of Maharashtra, will be celebrated on April 13, while Navrarati will also begin on the same day.
Many office-bearers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) have resigned in protest after their party chief Raj Thackeray declared support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the state.
The BJP and Shiv Sena, which along with Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party comprise the ruling Mahayuti, for some time now have been courting Thackeray, who founded the MNS in 2006.
'If someone fiddles us on our religion then we will pay back five times more to that person. We have proved that time and again.'
Since the last nine years, gold investors have made money each year, while gains in silver have been consistent only in the last five years.
Anjali quickly decided not to pursue her career in medicine. If she had worked in a government hospital, she would have had to do her fair share of nights and weekends in hospital, which would have been tough when Sachin was back in Bombay between tours. Had she worked in private practice as Dr Anjali Tendulkar, she reckoned she would be consulted for her name rather than her expertise. Anjali is an all-or nothing person and she couldn't have just dabbled in doctoring. Moreover, she wanted to devote herself to keeping her husband in the right frame of mind to play his best cricket. A fascinating excerpt from Annabel Mehta and Georgina Brown's book, My Passage to India.
'If you look at the average age of all our candidates, you will notice that their average age is between 35 and 40. It is a kind of revolution that the MNS is bringing in Maharashtra.'
The beginning of the Hindu Lunar year is celebrated in different parts of India by different names and each has its own significance. We take a look at how India celebrates the Hindu New Year.
Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com captures a mini procession in the city.
As per instructions issued by Swargate police station, Thackeray's speech must not insult any community or result in ill-will among people.
Almost a quarter of a century ago, Urmila Matondkar dazzled cine-goers with her oomph in the Ram Gopal Varma movie Rangeela. Cut to the present, the actress-turned-politician is still bringing the same oomph and star power as she campaigns for the Congress ahead of the upcoming elections -- where she will be contesting for the Mumbai North constituency. Here's a glimpse!
After the anti-halal meat drive, right-wing outfits led by Bajrang Dal and Sriram Sena have now called for a ban on loudspeakers in mosques.
The lockdown in Maharashtra will have a catastrophic impact on April sales, as dealers will not be able to realise the potential of festivities like Ugadi, Gudi Padwa, Baisakhi and Poila Boishakh.
According to insiders, their lack of enthusiasm is showing on the ground. There is nothing to suggest that their enthusiasm will return in the final four phases of polling, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The interbank foreign exchange, call money as well as major essential commodities markets like sugar, edible oils, cotton, metals and bullion will remain officially closed on Wednesday on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.
Dollar's weakness against some other currencies overseas supported the rupee.
Sena has not supported Gaikwad's act but senior party leaders have expressed reservations over the airlines' action against him
In a fresh bid to end the deadlock over Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called an all-party meeting on Friday to discuss the proposed legislation, which could not be passed on the last day of the winter session in Rajya Sabha amid pandemonium.
Several markets, including the foreign exchange and all the commodity markets will remain closed on Thursday, March 30, on account of Gudi Padwa.
Tope, however, stressed that there was no need to panic as the count of active cases in the state still stood below 1,000, while the number of cases per million in the state was far less than other states.
'We don't feel that the law and order situation will turn bad because of our agitation.'
The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a plea of the Tamil Nadu government against a Madras high court order allowing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to hold marches in the state.
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Thackeray inaugurated Lines 2-A and 7 of Mumbai Metro, which connect the western suburbs of Andheri and Dahisar.
He staked everything to ensure the BJP returned to power; and now that it has, he stands to lose a lot, points out Aditi Phadnis.
Despite the trust's orders that men as well as women will not be allowed to enter the Shani Shingnapur temple here, around 100 men were on Friday seen storming into the inner sanctum of the holy place.
Maharashtra, which contributes between 12 and 15 per cent of appliances sales, announced lockdown-like curbs, meaning there will be no business for the second half of the month as well from the state.
Seven things already different about our everyday life in 2020.
Automobile dealers' body FADA on Thursday said passenger vehicle (PV) retail sales in March witnessed a year-on-year growth of 28.39 per cent to 279,745 units, as compared to the year-ago period which saw disruptions in the market due to COVID-19 led lockdown. According to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), which collected vehicle registration data from 1,277 out of the 1,482 regional transport offices (RTOs), PV sales stood at 217,879 units in March 2020. Two-wheeler sales, however, declined 35.26 per cent to 11,95,445 units last month, as compared to 18,46,613 units in March 2020. Commercial vehicle sales also declined 42.2 per cent to 67,372 units, as against 116,559 units a year ago.
Reliance Industries was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rallying up to 15 per cent, followed by Kotak Bank, Maruti, HDFC twins, Titan, L&T and Axis Bank. On the other hand, IndusInd Bank, ONGC, ITC and Bajaj Auto closed with losses. the NSE Nifty settled 516.80 points, or 6.62 per cent, up at 8,317.85.
Prime was the first to grab streaming rights for seven titles for an estimated Rs 300 crore.
"I am not hiding and will speak to all after Wednesday," he said.
Goa Minister Dipak Dhavalikar's wife Lata has waded into controversy after she asked parents not to send their children to convent schools even as she urged women to desist from aping western culture, saying it has led to rise in incidents of rape.
With Gudi Padwa on March 25, Chef Irfan Sayyed shares the the recipe of the Indian sweet flatbread.
The gems and jewellery industry is staring at a sales washout on Akshaya Tritiya for the second consecutive year as most of the states are under lockdowns due to the raging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic which has led to negative consumer sentiment, say industry leaders. Akshaya Tritiya, considered as an auspicious day for buying gold and jewellery, falls on May 14 this year. India is the worst-hit among all nations with the second wave of the pandemic, which has been killing more than 3,500 daily and infecting close to 4 lakhs daily for weeks. The massive caseload has nearly paralysed the medical infrastructure.
UPSC's female topper, All India Rank 5 Srushti Jayant Deshmukh, tells us how she cracked the tough exam.
Gudi Padwa recipes for the foodie in you.
Auto and index heavyweights Reliance Industries and ITC were the top losers in early trades.
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