News for 'Consumer Voice'

'Companies Will Be More Powerful Than Nations'

'Companies Will Be More Powerful Than Nations'

Rediff.com19 Aug 2025

'If you align your ambition with India's rise, the peak of your careers will unfold alongside the peak of India's power.'

Kathua killings spark protests; Union minister hints at terror link

Kathua killings spark protests; Union minister hints at terror link

Rediff.com9 Mar 2025

Three civilians were killed in a remote area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, sparking protests and a shutdown. The killings, which are being investigated as a possible case of terrorism, have caused fear and anger in the community. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is reviewing the security situation and has assured that such incidents will not be allowed to happen again. The incident has also raised concerns about the safety of local politicians, with one MLA being attacked by a group of protesters.

Tata Sons chief urges safer skies after AI crash; panel probes causes

Tata Sons chief urges safer skies after AI crash; panel probes causes

Rediff.com17 Jun 2025

Addressing close to 700 employees and the leadership team across the Air India headquarters and Air India Training Academy in Gurugram, Chandrasekaran urged them to stay on course, terming the accident the most "heartbreaking" crisis of his career.

Jammu: 3 missing persons found dead; terror angle 'ruled out'

Jammu: 3 missing persons found dead; terror angle 'ruled out'

Rediff.com9 Mar 2025

The bodies of a teenager and his two relatives were found near a waterfall in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district three days after they went missing. The Jammu and Kashmir Congress has demanded a high-level investigation into the incident. The police have ruled out any terror angle, but the exact cause of death is unknown and will be determined by a postmortem.

Indian airlines face turbulence over new global emission norms

Indian airlines face turbulence over new global emission norms

Rediff.com22 Apr 2025

'CORSIA has set impossible targets. It tries to limit countries to the emission levels of the number of aircraft that they had in 2020. That has to be opposed.'

Eliminate online betting, gambling apps, YSRCP MP urges govt

Eliminate online betting, gambling apps, YSRCP MP urges govt

Rediff.com26 Mar 2025

A strong demand was made in the Lok Sabha to eliminate online betting and gambling applications. YSRCP member Maddila Gurumoorthy urged the government to set up a dedicated task force to take action against betting and gambling apps. He also asked the government to draft regulations for such applications and launch awareness campaigns about the dangers of online betting. Other issues raised included deposit insurance coverage for bank depositors, representation of Scheduled Castes in the Kerala government, challenges faced by nurses, and the need for paramilitary forces in Jharkhand during upcoming Hindu festivals.

Logout Review: Babil Powers Tech Thriller

Logout Review: Babil Powers Tech Thriller

Rediff.com17 Apr 2025

Babil's palpable reactions to invasion of privacy make a strong case for Logout's plausible scenario, observes Sukanya Verma.

TN temple town turns fortress over Hindu Munnani protest

TN temple town turns fortress over Hindu Munnani protest

Rediff.com4 Feb 2025

The Hindu Munnani staged a protest in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, against a group of people consuming non-vegetarian food on the sacred Thiruparankundram hill. The protest, which was initially banned, was allowed by the Madras High Court with some restrictions. Several thousands of devotees, Hindu Munnani functionaries, and BJP members participated in the protest, raising slogans hailing Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya). Hindu Munnani state president Kadeshwara Subramaniam and scores of activists were arrested.

Local suppliers, MNCs voice concerns over DPIIT's Make in India push

Local suppliers, MNCs voice concerns over DPIIT's Make in India push

Rediff.com1 Mar 2024

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has proposed to raise the minimum local content under public procurement order in government contracts. But several local suppliers and multinational companies (MNCs) are saying such a steep target is not attainable. Class-I suppliers, whose goods, services or works offered for procurement has local content equal to or more than 50 per cent may see it hiked to 70 per cent, while it may go up to 50 per cent from 20 per cent for Class-II suppliers.

'Not Time To Panic. It's Time To Buy'

'Not Time To Panic. It's Time To Buy'

Rediff.com9 Apr 2025

'It won't be a V-shaped recovery. It'll be consolidation.' 'Investors might exit during that grind. It'll be painful.'

Manga Fever Takes Over India

Manga Fever Takes Over India

Rediff.com12 Feb 2025

'Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Crunchyroll, and Disney+ Hotstar are continuously expanding their Anime libraries.'

Can't curtail freedom of speech: HC rejects plea on Sidhu's cancer claims

Can't curtail freedom of speech: HC rejects plea on Sidhu's cancer claims

Rediff.com4 Dec 2024

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a plea seeking action against Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu for his claims about his wife's recovery from stage 4 cancer, emphasizing the right to free speech. The court stated that Sidhu's claims were merely opinions and could be countered by others through free speech, not legal action. The petitioner argued that Sidhu's claims about the efficacy of certain dietary remedies could mislead the public, but the court asserted that if Sidhu's wife, a doctor herself, felt better with a specific diet, it was her prerogative. The court further suggested that the petitioner focus on issues like alcohol and cigarette consumption if truly concerned about public interest.

870 Mn Accessed Internet In Indian Languages

870 Mn Accessed Internet In Indian Languages

Rediff.com17 Jan 2025

Among urban users, 57 per cent mentioned a preference for accessing Internet content in vernacular languages.

Don't mix...: EC on Kejriwal's 'Yamuna poisoning' remark

Don't mix...: EC on Kejriwal's 'Yamuna poisoning' remark

Rediff.com31 Jan 2025

The EC asked him to provide factual evidence with specific and pointed response to type, quantity, nature and manner of poisoning of Yamuna.

Telcos seek easing of 'stringent quality of service' norms

Telcos seek easing of 'stringent quality of service' norms

Rediff.com10 Jan 2025

Continuing to push back against the stringent quality of service (QoS) norms brought in by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), telcos have informed the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that collection and submission of monthly and site-to-cell-level data should be eased, officials and industry sources said. In place since October last year, the QoS norms call for data for network availability, call drop, voice packet drop rate in uplink and downlink, among other parameters, to be collected at the cell level.

Trump Has Become A Reset Button

Trump Has Become A Reset Button

Rediff.com11 Apr 2025

Trump's sweeping tariffs and penalties on China-built ships have turned global shipping into the front line of economic war, observes Shyam G Menon.

How voice & video will dominate in 2020

How voice & video will dominate in 2020

Rediff.com1 Jan 2020

'What amazes me the most is that today users communicate with voice-activated speakers like as if they were talking to another human being, using words like "please," and "thank you," and even "sorry"!', says advertising guru Sandeep Goyal.

Swiggy launches Rs 11,330-cr IPO

Swiggy launches Rs 11,330-cr IPO

Rediff.com30 Oct 2024

Food delivery app Swiggy on Wednesday launched a Rs 11,330-crore initial share sale, asking investors to take a pie of Indian middle class' rising propensity of online ordering. The company, which is present in over 650 cities and towns of the country, is launching the initial public offering (IPO) amid heightened concerns on urban demand slump, and the management stressed that it is unaffected by the broader trends in the economy. "We are also reading about it, but we are not seeing that yet in the business... So far, we have not seen the impact of demand on our business," its chief financial officer Rahul Bothra said.

How Watching Movies Is Going To Change

How Watching Movies Is Going To Change

Rediff.com20 Dec 2024

FLEXI Show will give the audience the freedom to leave the movie hall at any point while paying only for the time they watched it.

Are Trump and Musk Dismantling American Democracy?

Are Trump and Musk Dismantling American Democracy?

Rediff.com22 Feb 2025

We the people are left in the wind, waiting on the whims of an unengaged president and an oligarch with a nearly bottomless wallet, observes Sree Sreenivasan.

Sitharaman urges banks to make loans affordable

Sitharaman urges banks to make loans affordable

Rediff.com18 Nov 2024

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said people are finding current interest rates "very stressful" and urged banks to make them affordable. Speaking at an event organised by State Bank of India, the finance minister said that at present, India requires industry to ramp up and invest in new facilities, and added that lowering lending rates can help achieve the "Viksit Bharat" aspiration.

Events that shaped Indian businesses in 2024

Events that shaped Indian businesses in 2024

Rediff.com1 Jan 2025

Unprecedented bribery charges, farewells, separation, failed union, monumental mergers and record-breaking IPOs, along with a healthy dose of online happenings in the form of spat and lessons in customer care, corporate India saw it all in 2024.

Piyush Goyal not against e-commerce platforms, but...

Piyush Goyal not against e-commerce platforms, but...

Rediff.com22 Aug 2024

A day after lambasting e-commerce players for predatory pricing, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said he is not against online platforms but India wants such entities to be "fair and honest" in their conduct. Speaking with reporters in the financial capital, the outspoken Union minister said the rule of the law should be followed in letter and spirit, and made it clear that consumer preferences should not be influenced by algorithms.

Digital payments in India to double to $7 tn by 2030

Digital payments in India to double to $7 tn by 2030

Rediff.com14 Jul 2024

With digital adoption fast gaining currency, India is likely to see retail digital payments double to $7 trillion by 2030 from current levels, a study by Kearney and Amazon Pay said. In the report 'How Urban India Pays', Kearney-Amazon Pay said strong adoption of digital payments in online purchases has potentially led to a permanent shift in consumer behaviours, fuelling offline adoption as well.

How Dr Singh Changed Finance Minister's Role

How Dr Singh Changed Finance Minister's Role

Rediff.com1 Feb 2025

'Suddenly we had a new comprehension of affairs, which reminded that the luxury of politics floated atop a foundation by economics.' 'Along with this, finance ministers became crucial in molding the perception and reputation of Union Cabinets.' 'Governments couldn't afford a wrong person in that portfolio,' asserts Shyam G Menon.

'We want to be trust marker for the fintech industry'

'We want to be trust marker for the fintech industry'

Rediff.com28 Sep 2024

'So, we would work with our members to ensure that we as an SRO create some sort of due diligence for fintechs.'

Apple lines up new MacBook Pro, Music Voice Plan in India

Apple lines up new MacBook Pro, Music Voice Plan in India

Rediff.com19 Oct 2021

Apple will soon bring its latest lineup of MacBook Pro models along with HomePod mini, AirPods and a new music experience under Apple Music Voice Plan for Indian consumers. Apple's new M1 Pro and M1 Max, available in 14 and 16-inch models, delivers groundbreaking processing, graphics and machine learning (ML) performance. The new MacBook Pro range with M1 Pro and M1 Max are available to order via Apple's online store and will begin arriving to customers and its authorised resellers from October 26.

'We have become passive consumers of hatred'

'We have become passive consumers of hatred'

Rediff.com27 Sep 2022

'The right wing has worked for 70-80 years at the grass roots before it burst onto social media.' 'Social media is an extension of its formidable work in society.' 'If you think you can fight them on social media, forget it. You can't.'

Radical preacher Amritpal's brother arrested in drug case

Radical preacher Amritpal's brother arrested in drug case

Rediff.com12 Jul 2024

Radical Sikh preacher and Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh's brother Harpreet Singh has been apprehended by Jalandhar police in a drug case, a senior police official said on Friday.

Fight your own consumer case and save money

Fight your own consumer case and save money

Rediff.com6 Jun 2016

You can save Rs 35,000-Rs 50,000 in lawyer's fee at a district forum and several lakhs at the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

Let Us Salute Narayana Murthy

Let Us Salute Narayana Murthy

Rediff.com25 Nov 2024

No great achievement or discovery or invention has been achieved without hard work. While the inspiration may have been an insight, it needs work to flesh the insight which requires hard work, asserts Mudit Jain.

Meet the VOICE behind Bigg Boss

Meet the VOICE behind Bigg Boss

Rediff.com6 Feb 2020

'Bigg Boss changed my life in a big way.'

Airtel, Vi to raise mobile tariff by 10-24% from first week of July

Airtel, Vi to raise mobile tariff by 10-24% from first week of July

Rediff.com28 Jun 2024

Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea will roll out revised mobile service tariffs increasing rates in the range of 10-24 per cent from the first week of July. Bharti Airtel announced a 10-21 per cent hike in prepaid and postpaid mobile tariffs from July 3, a day after larger rival Reliance Jio announced an increase in rates. Later in the day, loss-making telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) also announced its plan to raise mobile tariffs by 11-24 per cent from July 4.

Jackie Shroff moves HC against illegal use of his name by many entities

Jackie Shroff moves HC against illegal use of his name by many entities

Rediff.com14 May 2024

Counsel appearing for the actor objected to the "misuse" of his personality and publicity rights through sale of merchandise, ringtones, wallpapers as well as "insulting" memes and GIFs and the use of artificial intelligence.

We Are In An Era Of Puppets And Puppeteers

We Are In An Era Of Puppets And Puppeteers

Rediff.com31 Dec 2024

'As we enter 2025, it must be acknowledged that there is a convergence of capital, influential people (from business and politics) and technology deciding the destiny of others in the name of pride, patriotism, nationalism, nation building, all of it thinly veiled disguises for personal profit and glory,' asserts Shyam G Menon.

'The Audience Can't Be Tricked'

'The Audience Can't Be Tricked'

Rediff.com29 Aug 2024

'In the audience's mind there is no urgency to go see a film in the theatre.' 'If you pay for social media buzz it does not convert into bums on seats.'

CTRL Review: Masterful Thriller

CTRL Review: Masterful Thriller

Rediff.com4 Oct 2024

Sukanya Verma recommends watching CTRL on a computer for an eerie, immersive, real-time experience.

Think Before You Make A Complaint!

Think Before You Make A Complaint!

Rediff.com7 Jun 2024

National Commission concluded that false and baseless allegations had been made in the complaint to claim a highly exaggerated and atrocious amount of compensation.

The wake-up call that every consumer needs

The wake-up call that every consumer needs

Rediff.com23 Nov 2017

Pending consumer dispute cases are at an all-time high.

Use of Indian languages key for increasing internet access in India: Report

Use of Indian languages key for increasing internet access in India: Report

Rediff.com13 Mar 2024

Nearly 665 million Indians or 45 per cent of the rural population did not have access to the internet as of 2023. Difficulty in understanding internet procedures, insufficient awareness of its benefits, and a lack of interest have emerged as the top reasons for a gap in internet penetration in rural India, according to a joint report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar. "The proficiency of English in rural India is very low. While we have content in Hindi, the internet is English-heavy.