INDIA | Pixr8 News

30Apr By AnkitaNo Comments

INDIA

India Can Save USD 50 Bn if Logistics Costs are Brought Down to 9 Pct of GDP: Study

India can save up to USD 50 billion if logistics costs are brought down from 14 percent to nine percent of country's gross domestic product (GDP) thereby making domestic goods more competitive in global markets, an ASSOCHAM-Resurgent India joint study said today. "With expected inflow of new investments owing to government's thrust on promoting domestic manufacturing sector, India's cargo and logistics industry is likely to clock a compounded annual growth rate of about 16 percent during the course of next few years," noted the study on 'Cargo and logistics industry in India,' conducted by ASSOCHAM jointly with knowledge firm Resurgent India. "The Make in India campaign will see investments connect India to global production networks that would generate new business for logistics in ...

Uttar Pradesh Rolls Out Major Incentives to Boost Startups

29Apr By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Uttar Pradesh Rolls Out Major Incentives to Boost Startups

In a bid to boost startups, particularly in the information technology sector, the Uttar Pradesh government has waived off the stamp duty on land purchased for building offices or built-up offices, an official said on Friday. This has been done under the IT and StartUp Policy-2016 rolled out by the Akhilesh Yadav government. However, the government has put a rider that these units getting exemptions must commence their operations within the next three years. Similarly, the electricity duty for these units has been waived off for almost five years. It has also been decided to provide grants to these units to contribute to the employees' provident fund.

Uber officials meet Arvind Kejriwal, Discuss Surge Pricing

22Apr By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Uber officials meet Arvind Kejriwal, Discuss Surge Pricing

With operation of app-based taxis in the national capital on Delhi governments radar due to surge pricing, some officials of taxi-aggregator Uber today met Chief Minister and apprised him of his business model. "Some officials from Uber today met the Delhi Chief Minister at Delhi Secretariat and discussed a range of issues including surge pricing, diesel cars and permits," an official said. Sources said that apart from surge pricing, government has objection on per minute charge and vehicles which are registered outside Delhi. Transport minister Gopal Rai today again clarified that ban on surge pricing will continue. Yesterday, Kejriwal had termed as "daylight robbery" the surge pricing by app-based taxi operators, and said overcharging and blackmailing wont be allowed in the national...

BSNL Testing Wi-Fi Technology to Connect 1 Lakh Panchayats in a Year

11Apr By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

BSNL Testing Wi-Fi Technology to Connect 1 Lakh Panchayats in a Year

As the government's rural broadband project is facing long delays, telecom PSU BSNL is testing an alternative Wi-Fi-based network to connect about 1 lakh village panchayats in a year with high-speed Internet. "The process of laying fibre network calls for huge amount of physical labour. We have started a pilot to test broadband connectivity to village panchayats using Wi-Fi network. With this we are hopeful of connecting about 1 lakh village panchayats in a year," BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Shrivastava told PTI. The state-run firm is testing sustainability of technology in three villages in Alwar district of Rajasthan. "We have written to the Department of Telecom about this project and looking for support of USO fund for it. Once we get the approval, we will start...

9Apr By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Defence Ministry of India To Promote Startups: Manohar Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday said his ministry was in the process of formulating a special programme to promote startups. "The defence ministry will start a programme to promote startups. The ministry has never done something like this before but is going out of the way into (doing) something different," Parrikar said at the inauguration of a business incubation centre here. Parrikar, a former Goa chief minister, said he was keen on offering defence ministry-related research and development projects to the coastal state. "There is an open offer to the Goa government... in another month or two, we can work out a mechanism to ensure that the talent among the Goans doesn't go waste," the minister said. Lamenting the brain drain from Goa, Parrikar said: "All ...

Odd-Even: Delhi Govt. Warning to App-Based Taxis For Overcharging

8Apr By AnkitaNo Comments

INDIA

Odd-Even: Delhi Govt. Warning to App-Based Taxis For Overcharging

The Delhi government today said app-based taxi operators will be restrained from levying peak time charges when the second round of the odd-even scheme will be in force. The scheme aims at cutting down on the number of vehicles plying on the citys roads. Taxis have been exempted under the road-rationing plan and are in demand when it is in force. "Action will be taken if we receive complaints of app-based taxis charging exorbitant fares when the scheme is in force," Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai warned. "Commercial vehicles bearing yellow number plates, including CNG-run taxis, three-wheeler and four-wheeler tempos, autos and taxis will be allowed to ply under the scheme," said a senior government official. The official said that commercial vehicles of other states running...

6Apr By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Now, This Indian State to Impose Tax on E-commerce Shipments

Himachal Pradesh has become the latest state to impose tax on e-commerce shipments with the state Assembly today passing a bill providing for levying tax on all online purchases to check revenue loss caused by online trading. Major states like Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh have already announced imposing tax on online purchases to protect local traders. The HP Assembly passed the Himachal Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods (Amendment) Bill 2016, that provides for levying tax on all online purchases to check revenue losses caused by online trading. The bill was passed without any discussion as the BJP members were protesting on some other issue when the bill came up for discussion. As per Excise and Taxation Minister Parkash Chauhdary, the Bill includes provisions to...

2Apr By AdityaNo Comments

INDIA

Indian Govt. Launched Startup India Portal

The Startup India portal http://startupindia.gov.in, and mobile app have been launched by Secretary, DIPP, Mr. Ramesh Abhishek in New Delhi today. The “Startup India” initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi on January 16, 2016 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. As part of the event, a Startup India Action Plan was released. The Action Plan highlights initiatives envisaged by the Government to develop a conducive Startup ecosystem in the country. As an integral component of the Action Plan, a Startup India portal and mobile app were envisaged to be implemented. The portal and app have accordingly been released today. The key features of the portal and app are the following: Information Availability: The portal and mobile app provide up-to- d...

30Mar By AnkitaNo Comments

INDIA

Gujarat, Maharashtra Together Contribute 46 Percent To India’s Exports: Report

According to an ASSOCHAM study on 'Export Performance of States', the analyzed data between 2007-08 and 2014-15 reports that Gujarat and Maharashtra account for more than 46 percent of the merchandise consignments from the country and with the addition of three next best performing sources of shipments, the top five states claim over 69 per cent of India's entire export earnings. While Gujarat and Maharashtra have been vying for the top spot, the latter became the best performing states shipping goods worth USD 72.83 billion in 2014-15. Gujarat had export shipments of USD 59.58 billion in the same period while Tamil Nadu emerged as the third largest sourcing state with USD 27.47 billion of the consignments, noted the study prepared by ASSOCHAM Economic Research Bureau. Though Gujarat...

Indian Govt Allows 100% FDI in Marketplace Model of E-commerce

29Mar By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA, News

Indian Govt Allows 100% FDI in Marketplace Model of E-commerce

The government permitted 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the marketplace format of e-commerce retailing with a view to attract more foreign investments. The norms on FDI in the sectors of e-commerce, and IT and ITeS are expected to be part of detailed guidelines, which would be rolled out soon by the government, sources said. Last week, a group of senior officials from departments of DIPP, corporate affairs and economic affairs, among others, discussed these matters in great detail. According to sources, the DIPP has suggested that 100% FDI should be allowed in “marketplace model e-commerce” activities. In such a model, the e-commerce company provides an online platform for buyers and a sellers. At present, global e-tailer giants such as Amazon and Ebay are operating onlin...

17Mar By reutersNo Comments

INDIA

Leave India, We are Not Scared of You: Indian Government to Monsanto

U.S. seed company Monsanto is welcome to leave India if it does not want to lower prices of genetically modified cotton seeds as directed by the government, a minister said on Wednesday, in a sign the rift between New Delhi and the firm is widening. The comments come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist government expects to develop its own genetically modified (GM) cotton varieties early next year to end Monsanto's dominance; it controls over 90 percent of cotton seed supply. New technologies are critical to lifting India's poor farm productivity, although even if India did develop a home-grown GM cotton variety in 2017, it would struggle to sustain a programme that needs to refresh seeds every decade or so, experts warned. The introduction of Monsanto's GM cotto...

15Mar By NitishNo Comments

INDIA

Chinese Smartphone Maker OnePlus To Make Phones in India, Partners With Foxconn

Chinese smartphone maker startup OnePlus will start manufacturing smartphones in India, by the end of this year. In the press statement company announced on Monday, "OnePlus has partnered with contract manufacturer Foxconn, and is the recent company to join the Indian government's ambitious 'Make in India' initiative." "Today is a big day for us. Producing smartphones in India is one of the most important decisions that we have made so far at OnePlus, and we are thankful to the Government of Andhra Pradesh and Foxconn for helping us make this happen. India being one of our biggest markets worldwide, we are committed to a long term sustainable growth path. This move will strengthen our presence and help us step up momentum in India," Pete Lau said. The company will start locally man...