Business
Bureaucracy Today
Privatization Is The Way Forward For AI
According to recent Government data, nearly 17 per cent of the total routes operated by Air India are lossmaking. What led the national carrier to become a perennially loss-making airline. A Bureaucracy Todayanalysis.
5 min |
August 2017
Bureaucracy Today
India's Online Education Industry Will Be $1.96 Bn by 2021: Report
The online education industry in India will grow at a healthy rate of 8X to become a USD 1.96-billion industry by 2021, reveals a joint report of Google and KPMG. The study, which captured the growing influence of the Internet on the education industry in India, is based on a comprehensive market research conducted by KPMG, along with primary research combined with insights from Google search. The report finds that the paid user base will grow 6X from 1.6 million users in 2016 to 9.6 million users in 2021.
2 min |
August 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Treading The 'Slippery Path'
Political parties promise a lot of goodies in their poll manifestos. After coming to power many of these promises remain unfulfilled for which they look for excuses. Farm loan waiver is also a poll gimmick for many parties and promising it even in non-poll times giving in to the pressure of the powerful agrarian lobby is now a trend. Economic experts say it is a promise that should not be made and if made not to be honoured in the best interests of the country. But populism does not pay heed to economic rationalism. The result is divergence from fiscal discipline. Both the path and the outcome are slippery. A Bureaucracy Today analysis.
7 min |
August 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Making Small Changes, Generating Big Results
Over the years in India, the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), has gradually extended its corporate social responsibility efforts towards focusing on overall growth of society by emphasizing road safety, health and hygiene, education, environment and skill development. In an interaction with Bureaucracy Today, TKM India Vice President Naveen Soni talks about major CSR projects undertaken by his company under his leadership, the challenges faced by companies while executing CSR projects in India and his expectations from the Narendra Modi Government in terms of policies relating to CSR in India.
5 min |
July 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Rich Indians Go EB-5 Visa Route To Realize ' American Dream'
With the Donald Trump regime in the United States making it more stringent to get the H1B and L1 Visas, wealthy Indians are shelling out millions of dollars for the “green card” through the sponsored Immigrant Visa Programme named EB-5.
2 min |
July 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Will Human Rights Activists Destroy The Rise Of ‘Digital India'?
While earlier Narendra Modi and his party, BJP, opposed the concept of Aadhaar, he took a major policy decision after he came to power at the Centre. It was a total U-turn after PM Modi’s single meeting with Nandan Nilekani, the man who conceptualised the UIDAI.
2 min |
July 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Impact Of New Maharashtra Housing Policy On Residential Market In Mumbai
The recently released Maharashtra Government Housing Policy proposes the redevelopment of buildings in 104 layouts of the State-run Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) in Greater Mumbai. A developer will be eligible for an FSI (Floor Space Index) of three for the redevelopment of a plot up to 2,000 square metres and can get an additional FSI of one by paying a premium and sharing the housing stock with the MHADA. The redevelopment of plots beyond 2,000 square metres will get an FSI of 4. How will the new policy impact the Mumbai residential market?
3 min |
October 16-31, 2016
Bureaucracy Today
FDI In Retail For 'Local Goods Only' A Flawed Idea
In the Union Budget for 2016-17, the Finance Minister had announced 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail food. This was subject to the retailer selling only food procured from farmers in India and processed locally. However, guidelines in this regard are yet to be notified. Meanwhile, the Government is reportedly considering a proposal to allow 100% FDI in all goods “manufactured domestically”. The policy will be applicable to both offline (brick-and-mortar retailers) and online (e-commerce companies). The idea is flawed.
4 min |
April 1 - 30 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Helping Women Lean Into The Workplace
Across the globe there is growing awareness of the need to increase gender diversity in the workforce. Corporate India is no exception, and there are some very noteworthy instances of women in leadership roles, but Grant Thornton’s International Business Report in March 2014 actually stated that the proportion of women in senior positions in the Indian workforce got reduced from 19% in 2013 to 14% in 2014. Indian organizations have been rather slow to accept this new situation.
5 min |
April 1 - 30 2017
Bureaucracy Today
This auction will remove spectrum scarcity for all times to come
The Indian Government has put a huge 2,300 MHz of spectrum on sale for which auction will start on October 1, 2016.
8 min |
September 16 2016
Bureaucracy Today
What's in a project name? Everything, say developers
It is natural to wonder why certain realty projects such as “Worli 1973”, “W54”or “Three Sixty West” are so named. Or why some developers come up with esoteric names ranging from those of Greek gods to foreign flora for their projects. In fact, the naming of realty projects is an important exercise carried out by marketing and strategy teams.
4 min |
September 16 2016
Bureaucracy Today
The Kashmir Crisis Through The Lens Of RSS
The ongoing events in Jammu and Kashmir present an extremely confusing, disturbing and challenging scenario. More and more youths are taking to the streets in protest against the Government. Hundreds of people are being injured in confrontations between stone-pelters and members of the security forces. Armed attacks on the security forces are growing. Against this backdrop, top RSS leader Indresh Kumar in an exclusive interaction with Bureaucracy Today puts forth his views on the evolving scenario in J&K and suggests ways to deal with the situation in a manner that could restore normalcy, peace and stability in the strife-torn State. The RSS Core Committee Member also takes a dig at the BJP alliance partner, PDP, in J&K saying that it has failed to deliver the goods at a critical time. Mincing no words, he says that the PDP must deal with separatists with iron hand. Warning Pakistan against sponsoring nefarious activities in J&K, the Sangh leader says that the option of another surgical strike is always open for India. Excerpts:
9 min |
June 1 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Didn't We Collectively Mess Up India's Growth Story?
India cannot be complacent. Despite many flagship programmes for years and now followed by the Digital India, Skill India and Make in India, debottlenecking laws, creating more ease of doing business, Smart Cities, towns and villages with a vision of having round the clock power, broadband Internet connectivity, launching the infrastructure project AMRUT and the Swachh Bharat Mission to end the open defecation practice nationwide and cleaning up the Ganga, the available statistical data on socioeconomic development in India shows that India cannot blame anymore colonial rulers and their administration, exploitation and divide and rule policy or their educational system for being what we are today.
3 min |
June 1 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
When Wearables Meet Data Analysis, Things Get Interesting
Wearables are nearly everywhere. What happens when the data these devices collect is analyzed? What are the benefits? What are the potential problems?
2 min |
June 1 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Helping Students Choose Career
While conducting research on employment in India, a career counselling company, Mindler, has identified that students don’t know more than eight careers; they don’t have a solution to their problems; there is no scalable platform which is affordable in the country; and most importantly, the country lacks an adequate number of career counsellors. The company recognised the need to provide students with a tool to help them in their career options and developed an online tool in areas of their interest. Its initiative has already created a lot of buzz in industry – not only in India but in Global market too. Launched in July 2016, the company has already entered into seven alliances and three strategic partnerships with large companies, and has tied up with 20 marquee schools. In an interaction with Bureaucracy Today, Prateek Bhargava, CEO of Mindler, speaks about how his company is helping students to choose the right career option.
2 min |
June 1 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Cement Sector Best To Bet On In 2017
Boosted by India’s overall economic growth, the demand for cement is expected to reach 550-600 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2025. It does not end here. This robust growth rate will further be boosted by the likely introduction of Goods and Services Tax in our country. It will certainly benefit the Indian cement industry.
3 min |
June 1 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
How To Profit From Residential Property Investment
Real estate has historically been acknowledged as a potentially lucrative investment asset class, which is why it continues to draw attention all across the globe. In India, the real estate sector is also the second largest employer and is estimated to grow by 30% in volume and scope over the coming decade. Forbes has pegged the growth of the Indian real estate industry at 7% in 2017, and the housing sector alone has been contributing between five percent and six percent and of the nation’s GDP over the past couple of years. All of this sounds good if you are a real estate investor or planning to become a part of the industry. But making money out of real estate can still be tricky territory. It is worth investing your time into understanding the market and the factors that can help make residential property investment profitable for you.
2 min |
September 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Optimizing Real Estate Value
Over the last few decades, India has undergone rapid industrialization – predominantly in manufacturing “clusters” most of which thrive in and around the metropolitan cities of the country. Some of the prime movers for this rapid growth have been the steady increase in the per capita income propelling urbanization, and the accurate perception of India as a hub for cost-effective manufacturing. Another encouraging factor has been a supportive politicoeconomic climate which has fostered favourable conditions for more and more large MNCs to set up their operating units in India. Various initiatives like Skill India, Make in India and Start-up India that have been launched by the Government in recent times have significantly driven economic growth. All of this, in order to be successful, has required project management as an underlying enabling factor.
2 min |
September 2017
Bureaucracy Today
'Mobile Congress Will Project India's ICT Potential To The World'
Every year in February, experts and the cream of global and Indian telecom products and services, IT professionals and networking products marketing heads gather at the coastal Spanish city of Barcelona to watch the live demonstration of various products that are yet to make their debut on the applications side, learn to sell their new line-ups and services amidst tight competition in the price sensitive and similar products market and above all sense the new technology. Then there is also the Asian event called the Mobile Congress of Shanghai which too attracts geeks and companies from across the world. It is also the destination for Indian companies and tech heads. But this September onwards, things may change. The India Mobile Congress (IMC) promises to match these events if not to replace them. The Indian event has also its share of controversy over the active participation of the number one mobile operator, Airtel, as Bharati Group chief Sunil Mittal has been elected Chairman for two years of the global GSM body, GSM Association (GSMA), which is the organiser of the Mobile World Congress – MWC Barcelona – the IMC’s rival event. Nevertheless, it’s a start that appears to be promising , at the right and the only right place. In an exclusive interview with Bureaucracy Today India Mobile Congress CEO Ramakrishna P says the IMC is not just an event, it’s going to be a trendsetter in networking and business opportunities, new product launches and emerging trends in technology. And add to this, the Telecom Department and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been its principal supporters. It does not get better than this.
4 min |
September 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Modi Shines On Many Fronts But Dims On unemployment
The winds of 2019 Lok Sabha elections seem to have started blowing. This is the time for initiating a debate on the effectiveness of governance by the Narendra Modi regime. To govern a country of India’s size, population and diversity is indeed a herculean task and to assess the changes that impacted the life of the common man for three years is still more difficult.
4 min |
September 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Can India survive Trump's bombshell?
The election of Republican Party candidate Donald Trump as the next President of the US has sent shock waves across the world. All along, America has been a strong protagonist of free flow of international trade and investment in goods and services. If Trump acts on his electoral pronouncements, this will tantamount to a reversal of the existing US policy stance. It will herald an era of “protectionism”. So what are the major areas of concern for India?
4 min |
December 16 2016
Bureaucracy Today
Executing Demonetisation ‘Effectively'
The Indian demonetisation exercise aims at bringing the entire unaccounted for cash into the banking system, which is beneficial to the economy as well as the citizens at large. This article is not about the assessment of the Government’s move or its impact on the economy but about how to implement the decision with least inconvenience to the general public.
3 min |
December 16 2016
Bureaucracy Today
How Soil Fertility Can Alleviate Poverty of Farmers
According to the Central Soil Water Conservation Research and Training Institute, Dehradun, India is losing 5,334 million tonnes of soil every year due to its erosion because of the indiscreet and excess use of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides over the years. On an average 16.4 tonnes of fertile soil is lost every year per hectare.
3 min |
December 16 2016
Bureaucracy Today
Where Indians are Investing Today?
Traditionally, there has been a high affinity for having physical assets such as precious metals, jewellery and real estate among Indians which started changing quite rapidly over the last decade. The reasons are varied. One important factor playing a role here has been the increased penetration of financial instruments tapping people living even in remote villages. The result is: the“only store of value”feature offered by physical assets is fast disappearing.
3 min |
January 01 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Has Bureaucracy Failed Narendra Modi?
The ambitious Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan, which was officially launched on October 2, 2014 amid much fanfare with Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself cleaning the road with a broom at Rajghat in New Delhi, was seen as a harbinger of change which would influence the behaviour of millions of Indians who are notoriously known for dumping their wastes in public places. For months, bureaucrats wielding the broom also continued to dominate the media space. However, over two years since the campaign was launched, the cleanliness zeal, it seems, has taken a backseat. A reality check done by Bureaucracy Today in Shastri Bhawan in Lutyens’ Delhi which houses major Central Ministries indicates that those in the corridors of power are not readying themselves to become part of a new, clean and swanky India.
4 min |
January 16 - 31,2017
Bureaucracy Today
CRWC Plans to Diversify From Its Traditional Warehousing
Giving a boost to railside warehousing operations in India, the Central Railside Warehouse Company Ltd, a subsidiary of the Central Warehousing Corporation, is planning to set up 10 warehouses at railheads to store commodities besides upgrading its existing 19 warehousing complexes in India for Rs 200 crore. In a conversation with Bureaucracy Today, KU Thankachen, Managing Director of the CRWC, talks about its expansion plans.
3 min |
November 16-30, 2016
Bureaucracy Today
‘Gems and Jewellery Industry Lacks Proper Training Network in India'
The Government and the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship have taken several skill development measures such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) and created a benchmark at the national level for skilling in India. However, artisans in the gems and jewellery industry who contribute majorly to the jewellery creation process lack certifications and are struggling to make their both ends meet. In a conversation with Bureaucracy Today, Binit Bhatt, Chief Operating Officer of the Gem and Jewellery Skill Council of India, talks about skills in this industry.
4 min |
November 16-30, 2016
Bureaucracy Today
Breathing A New Life Into The Indian Healthcare System
On the occasion of World Health Day on April 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that his Government is leaving no stone unturned in providing quality healthcare that is accessible and affordable. Making an effort in this direction, the Health Ministry under the administrative acumen of the Health Secretary, CK Mishra, is working on a war footing to galvanise the sluggish healthcare system of India to deliver affordable health and well-being to the last man in the row. However, the real challenge in the path for Universal Health Coverage lies in effective implementation which calls for cementing consensus between State Governments and the Centre. In a candid conversation with Bureaucracy Today, Union Health Secretary Mishra speaks about the increasing coordination between the Centre and the States in the recent times and also sheds light on other issues like making generic medicines available to people and the regulation of the private healthcare sector which are of top priority for his Ministry.
8 min |
May 01 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Central Bank Drags BoM In Court
As all nationalized banks are working under the control of the Reserve Bank of India they are expected to follow the rules and regulations codified by the same regulatory authority. But if some unforeseen incident happens and if there is no co-ordination or co-operation between the banks, they are susceptible to legal confrontation. This has happened in the case of a stolen cheque which was deposited in one bank and was cashed by the person who stole it by producing it in another bank.
4 min |
May 01 - 31, 2017
Bureaucracy Today
Can Domestic Manufacturers Capture a Larger Pie of Indian Solar Market?
Solar installations in India reached 4 GW in 2016, and are expected to surpass 9 GW in 2017, an incredible pace of growth considering our country installed just 883 MW in 2014. With exponential growth in the sector, the Government wants to ramp up domestic manufacturing to decrease the volume of solar module imports which, along with installations, has also increased dramatically. The challenge, like in most markets, has been that of cost competition from Chinese manufacturers. India lost its case at the World Trade organization (WTO) last year which ruled that its Domestic Content requirements (DCR) discriminated against US manufacturers. With this backdrop, Indian policy makers are now looking at various options to support domestic manufacturers without violating global trade agreements.
4 min |