General Affairs
India, China Hold 'Constructive' Talks On India's Nuclear Suppliers Group Bid
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BEIJING/NEW DELHI: India and China today held "substantive and constructive" discussions on India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group membership during the second round of talks between their top nuclear experts in Beijing.
Following the first such meeting in New Delhi on September 13, India and China continued their discussions on the NSG issue in Beijing today when JS (Disarmament and International Security) Amandeep Singh Gill met Director General of Department of Arms Control Wang Qun, sources said.
"The talks were substantive and constructive. The engagement will continue as per the directive of the leadership," sources said.
During the talks, India once again asserted to the Chinese side that its implementation of Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) principles was "second to none".
Today's talks come ahead of a possible informal consultations in next two months on India's membership in a NSG panel, headed by Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi.
In the June Plenary of NSG in Seoul, despite strong American support, China stonewalled India's bid to get entry into the group on the grounds that it was a not a signatory to the NPT.
Mr Wang, who was the Chief negotiator for China in the South Korea meet, had told reporters that signing of the NPT "is a must", maintaining that the rule has not been set by China but by the international community.
Wang had also warned "if exceptions are allowed here or there on the question of NPT, the international non- proliferation regime will collapse altogether".
China has been maintaining that the question of the non- NPT states' participation is, in essence, a multilateral issue, and can only be subject to multilateral solution by the Group.
China also pointed out that the issue of the non-NPT states' participation in the NSG raises new questions for the Group under the new circumstances, and the crux of the above question is how to address the gap between the existing policies and practices of the non-NPT states and the existing international non-proliferation rules and norms based on the NPT as the cornerstone.
Following the first such meeting in New Delhi on September 13, India and China continued their discussions on the NSG issue in Beijing today when JS (Disarmament and International Security) Amandeep Singh Gill met Director General of Department of Arms Control Wang Qun, sources said.
During the talks, India once again asserted to the Chinese side that its implementation of Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) principles was "second to none".
Today's talks come ahead of a possible informal consultations in next two months on India's membership in a NSG panel, headed by Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi.
In the June Plenary of NSG in Seoul, despite strong American support, China stonewalled India's bid to get entry into the group on the grounds that it was a not a signatory to the NPT.
Mr Wang, who was the Chief negotiator for China in the South Korea meet, had told reporters that signing of the NPT "is a must", maintaining that the rule has not been set by China but by the international community.
Wang had also warned "if exceptions are allowed here or there on the question of NPT, the international non- proliferation regime will collapse altogether".
China has been maintaining that the question of the non- NPT states' participation is, in essence, a multilateral issue, and can only be subject to multilateral solution by the Group.
China also pointed out that the issue of the non-NPT states' participation in the NSG raises new questions for the Group under the new circumstances, and the crux of the above question is how to address the gap between the existing policies and practices of the non-NPT states and the existing international non-proliferation rules and norms based on the NPT as the cornerstone.
Tributes Paid For Border Security Force Jawan Killed Along LoC
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Floral tributes were paid today to the BSF jawan who was killed in accidental recoiling of his long range weapon while retaliating to the ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops in Machhil sector of Kashmir.
Senior BSF officers laid floral wreaths on the coffin carrying the body of Constable Nitin Subhash at Humhama Centre of the BSF in Srinagar.
Mr Subhash sustained grievous injuries when the round blasted inside the chamber of his long range weapon he was firing in retaliation to ceasefire violation from across the LoC on Friday.
Subhash was hit in the shoulder due to the recoil and was admitted to medical facility where he succumbed.
The 28-year-old jawan, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.
His body was sent to his native village amid tearful farewell given to him by his colleagues.
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire in Machhil sector on Friday to provide cover to a column of infiltrating militants.
One soldier of army and one militant was killed in the incident. The militants had mutilated the body of the slain soldier.
Senior BSF officers laid floral wreaths on the coffin carrying the body of Constable Nitin Subhash at Humhama Centre of the BSF in Srinagar.
Mr Subhash sustained grievous injuries when the round blasted inside the chamber of his long range weapon he was firing in retaliation to ceasefire violation from across the LoC on Friday.
Subhash was hit in the shoulder due to the recoil and was admitted to medical facility where he succumbed.
The 28-year-old jawan, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.
His body was sent to his native village amid tearful farewell given to him by his colleagues.
The 28-year-old jawan, hailing from Sangli in Maharashtra, had joined BSF in 2008 and is survived by his wife and two sons aged four years and two years.
His body was sent to his native village amid tearful farewell given to him by his colleagues.
'We Sleep Because You Stand Guard': PM Narendra Modi Spends Diwali With Soldiers
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who dedicated this year's Diwali to the armed forces in his monthly radio address Mann Ki Baat, spent Diwali with a visit to border posts in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday, meeting the soldiers on duty.
"They say you should celebrate Diwali with your people and that's why I have come here to celebrate Diwali with you all," he told soldiers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police or ITBP at the Sumdo forward post in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur, close to the border with China.
"We the people of India sleep peacefully because you guard our borders," he said.
The Prime Minister had celebrated his first Diwali since coming to power in 2014 with soldiers posted in Siachen, and in 2015, he celebrated it at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
Amidst increased hostilities with Pakistan that have resulted in deaths of seven soldiers in the last one month, the Prime Minister called on citizens to remember their service.
He also spoke about the One Rank One Pension or OROP scheme - a longtime demand of the forces that was approved by the government this year.
"After I became the PM, and decided that I had to do (implement) it... It was not possible for the government to pay in one go, so I requested the ex-servicemen to accept it in four instalments.
Nearly, Rs. 5,500 crore has been paid as the first instalment," PM Modi said.
He slammed the previous governments that "did not know" about OROP and keeping it hanging for 40 years and allocating as little as Rs. 40 crores.
"They say you should celebrate Diwali with your people and that's why I have come here to celebrate Diwali with you all," he told soldiers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police or ITBP at the Sumdo forward post in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur, close to the border with China.
The Prime Minister had celebrated his first Diwali since coming to power in 2014 with soldiers posted in Siachen, and in 2015, he celebrated it at the India-Pakistan border in Punjab.
Amidst increased hostilities with Pakistan that have resulted in deaths of seven soldiers in the last one month, the Prime Minister called on citizens to remember their service.
He also spoke about the One Rank One Pension or OROP scheme - a longtime demand of the forces that was approved by the government this year.
"After I became the PM, and decided that I had to do (implement) it... It was not possible for the government to pay in one go, so I requested the ex-servicemen to accept it in four instalments.
Nearly, Rs. 5,500 crore has been paid as the first instalment," PM Modi said.
He slammed the previous governments that "did not know" about OROP and keeping it hanging for 40 years and allocating as little as Rs. 40 crores.
PM Modi To Launch Haryana's Golden Jubilee Celebrations On Tuesday
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CHANDIGARH: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to launch Haryana's year-long golden jubilee celebrations from Gurugram on Tuesday, said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar while clarifying that his government was not spending Rs. 1,700 crore on the celebrations.
PM Modi will kick-off Haryana's 'Swarna Jayanti' celebrations on Tuesday from Gurugram's Tau Devi Lal stadium. The Haryana government is expecting over 100,000 people to attend the inaugural ceremony.
"We are not spending Rs. 1,700 crore on golden jubilee celebrations, I want to clarify. It was wrongly projected that Rs. 1,700 crore was being spent on celebrations. This is for various schemes and programmes to be launched for people's welfare during the entire year," Mr Khattar told media in Chandigarh on Monday.
"It (expenditure) is not this way. The amount being spent of the golden jubilee celebrations is much less and different departments will bear that," he claimed.
Haryana, which was created on November 1, 1966, completes 50 years on Tuesday.
"The Prime Minister will make important announcements on Tuesday at the event," said Mr Khattar, who also launched the "Saksham Haryana' scheme on Monday in which post-graduate, unemployed youth would be given Rs. 9,000 honorarium for 100 hours of work per month.
"The scheme starts from November 1. Government departments and private sector both will be involved in this. Nearly 1,100 post-graduates are registered in employment exchanges in Haryana," he said.
Mr Khattar said that, as per estimates, there were over 30,000 unemployed post-graduate youth in Haryana but most of them were not registered with employment exchanges.
"If all of them register, the financial burden on the state would be Rs. 324 crore for this scheme," he said.
Among other announcements made by Mr Khattar on Monday were an increase in salary of Home Guards, from Rs. 300 per day to Rs. 572 per day, making it equivalent to police constables. Over 14,000 home guards will benefit from it.
Mr Khattar also said that given the large number of ex-servicemen in the state, a new full-fledged department for ex-servicemen would be set up.
He said that 'Haryana Swarna Jayanti Medal' would be given to all police personnel in the state which they will wear on their uniform.
He said that the Gurugram Development Authority (GDA) will start functioning from November 1, and streamline Gurugram's development.
PM Modi will kick-off Haryana's 'Swarna Jayanti' celebrations on Tuesday from Gurugram's Tau Devi Lal stadium. The Haryana government is expecting over 100,000 people to attend the inaugural ceremony.
"It (expenditure) is not this way. The amount being spent of the golden jubilee celebrations is much less and different departments will bear that," he claimed.
Haryana, which was created on November 1, 1966, completes 50 years on Tuesday.
"The Prime Minister will make important announcements on Tuesday at the event," said Mr Khattar, who also launched the "Saksham Haryana' scheme on Monday in which post-graduate, unemployed youth would be given Rs. 9,000 honorarium for 100 hours of work per month.
"The scheme starts from November 1. Government departments and private sector both will be involved in this. Nearly 1,100 post-graduates are registered in employment exchanges in Haryana," he said.
Mr Khattar said that, as per estimates, there were over 30,000 unemployed post-graduate youth in Haryana but most of them were not registered with employment exchanges.
"If all of them register, the financial burden on the state would be Rs. 324 crore for this scheme," he said.
Among other announcements made by Mr Khattar on Monday were an increase in salary of Home Guards, from Rs. 300 per day to Rs. 572 per day, making it equivalent to police constables. Over 14,000 home guards will benefit from it.
Mr Khattar also said that given the large number of ex-servicemen in the state, a new full-fledged department for ex-servicemen would be set up.
He said that 'Haryana Swarna Jayanti Medal' would be given to all police personnel in the state which they will wear on their uniform.
He said that the Gurugram Development Authority (GDA) will start functioning from November 1, and streamline Gurugram's development.
Soldier Dies In Firing By Pakistan In Jammu And Kashmir's Rajouri
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An army soldier was today killed and two women were injured when Pakistani troops targeted Indian posts and villages using small arms and mortar shells along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Rajouri districts.
"Ceasefire violations in Rajouri sector are being retaliated with massive fire assault. One army soldier was martyred," a spokesman of the Army's Northern Command said. Two women have also been injured, one of them seriously, in the firing in Poonch sector.
"Two women have been injured. One of them seriously and has been shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC) Jammu," a senior police officer J S Johar said.
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by firing on Indian positions and villages in the two border districts since early this morning.
"Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 9 am in the Balakote sector using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms," an army officer said. He said the troops were responding to the firing appropriately.
Pakistani Army fired and shelled the forward posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. They also violated ceasefire in several areas of Rajouri district this afternoon, the officer said. There was firing and mortar bomb shelling in Mankot and Balakote areas along the LoC.
Areas along the international border had fallen quiet since 9 pm yesterday after ceasefire violations by Pakistani Rangers.
They had targeted BSF posts and civilian areas using small arms and mortar shells in continuous ceasefire violations along the border in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts, prompting the Border Security Force or BSF to retaliate.
There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control and international border in the state since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on September 29.
Eleven people, including three civilians, and eight security personnel were killed and over 40 people, mostly civilians were injured in the incidents.
"Ceasefire violations in Rajouri sector are being retaliated with massive fire assault. One army soldier was martyred," a spokesman of the Army's Northern Command said. Two women have also been injured, one of them seriously, in the firing in Poonch sector.
"Two women have been injured. One of them seriously and has been shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC) Jammu," a senior police officer J S Johar said.
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by firing on Indian positions and villages in the two border districts since early this morning.
"Pakistani troops indulged in unprovoked ceasefire violation from 9 am in the Balakote sector using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, automatic and small arms," an army officer said. He said the troops were responding to the firing appropriately.
Pakistani Army fired and shelled the forward posts and civilian areas along the Line of Control in Mendhar sector of Poonch district. They also violated ceasefire in several areas of Rajouri district this afternoon, the officer said. There was firing and mortar bomb shelling in Mankot and Balakote areas along the LoC.
Areas along the international border had fallen quiet since 9 pm yesterday after ceasefire violations by Pakistani Rangers.
They had targeted BSF posts and civilian areas using small arms and mortar shells in continuous ceasefire violations along the border in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts, prompting the Border Security Force or BSF to retaliate.
There have been more that 60 ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control and international border in the state since surgical strikes against terror launch pads by Indian Army in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on September 29.
Eleven people, including three civilians, and eight security personnel were killed and over 40 people, mostly civilians were injured in the incidents.
Business Affairs
Sales of Chinese goods dip 60% this Diwali, claims CAIT
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Traders' body CAIT Monday said that Chinese goods saw a 60 per cent decline in sales on Diwali this year as people preferred to buy Indian products after the boycott call on social media platforms went viral.
According to the survey conducted in major cities by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), even traders showed lack of enthusiasm in selling Chinese products. Traders across the country were seen reluctant in displaying Chinese goods on the counter and even some traders put Make in India Board in their business establishments to woo the consumers, the traders' body said.
Instead of Chinese goods, people prefer earthen lamps and decorative items made from paper, clay and plastic to decorate their houses and some even used last year's material for decoration purposes. The estimates are based on data collected from 20 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kanpur and Bhopal, the major distribution centres across India.
Traders' body CAIT Monday said that Chinese goods saw a 60 per cent decline in sales on Diwali this year as people preferred to buy Indian products after the boycott call on social media platforms went viral.
According to the survey conducted in major cities by the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), even traders showed lack of enthusiasm in selling Chinese products. Traders across the country were seen reluctant in displaying Chinese goods on the counter and even some traders put Make in India Board in their business establishments to woo the consumers, the traders' body said.
Instead of Chinese goods, people prefer earthen lamps and decorative items made from paper, clay and plastic to decorate their houses and some even used last year's material for decoration purposes. The estimates are based on data collected from 20 cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Kanpur and Bhopal, the major distribution centres across India.
Mistry-Tata row: Brickwork Ratings downgrades Tata Steel
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Citing "heightened management risk" following the ouster of Cyrus Mistry as Chairman of Tata Sons, Brickwork Ratings has revised outlook of Tata Steel to negative while as revised the ratings of its NCDs worth Rs 6,500 crore.
The revised rating however continues to place the company in the 'high degree of safety' category with regard to the services to debt.
"Brickwork Ratings revises rating to 'BWR AA' (BWR Double A) with Negative Outlook from BWR AA+ (BWR Double A Plus), (Outlook: Stable) for unsecured the Non-Convertible Debenture (NCDs) Issues of Rs 4,000 crore," said a regulatory filing issued by Tata Steel.
Brickwork Ratings also revises rating to 'BWR AA-' (BWR Double A Minus) Outlook: Negative from BWR AA (Outlook: Stable) for the unsecured subordinated perpetual Debt Issues of Rs 2,500 crore of Tata Steel Ltd, it added.
"Essentially the Rating reflects heightened management risk and the current stage of lack of clarity at group level management that may impact strategic decision making at Tata Steel Ltd," Brickwork said.
Tata Steel's gross debt rose to Rs 85,475 crore at the end of the June quarter of the fiscal, from Rs 81,975 crore in the year-ago period, mainly due to increase in India and Tata Steel Global procurement. Its net debt also rose by Rs 4,171 crore to Rs 75,259 crore during the same period.
In a same regulatory filing, Tata Steel said as part of review by Brickwork Ratings, the agency on October 27, 2016 revised Tata Steel Ltd's credit rating to BWR AA from BWR AA+ for NCD and BWR AA- from BWR AA for the perpetual debt, with a negative outlook.
"While the company clarified its position vide its press release dated October 27, 2016, according to Brickwork, the ratings change has resulted due to the uncertainty consequent to the recent change in top management at Holding Company/ Group Level which could slow down vital decisions such as cost cutting and deleveraging the Balance sheet concerning the unprofitable UK operations and restructuring of the European business," it added.
Last week, in a dramatic development which took corporate world by surprise, Cyrus Mistry was sacked as Chairman of Tata Sons and was replaced by Ratan Tata, from whom he had taken over the reins of the over USD 100 billion salt-to-software conglomerate four years ago.
Brickwork on October 28 had placed the ratings of Tata Chemical's unsecured NCDs worth Rs 250 crore "under watch" citing "heightened management risk" in the wake of Mistry's removal.
Counted among the top steel producers globally, Tata Steel has a production capacity of around 27.8 million tonne per annum (MTPA) with operations spread over 26 countries and commercial presence in more than 50 countries.
In the April-June quarter of this fiscal, Tata Steel's net loss rose manifold to Rs 3,183 crore on consolidated basis against a net loss of Rs 316.91 crore for the same quarter in 2015-16.
Its total income fell by 6 per cent to Rs 26,406.10 crore during the quarter under review, as against Rs 28,025.43 crore in the year-ago period.
Citing "heightened management risk" following the ouster of Cyrus Mistry as Chairman of Tata Sons, Brickwork Ratings has revised outlook of Tata Steel to negative while as revised the ratings of its NCDs worth Rs 6,500 crore.
The revised rating however continues to place the company in the 'high degree of safety' category with regard to the services to debt.
"Brickwork Ratings revises rating to 'BWR AA' (BWR Double A) with Negative Outlook from BWR AA+ (BWR Double A Plus), (Outlook: Stable) for unsecured the Non-Convertible Debenture (NCDs) Issues of Rs 4,000 crore," said a regulatory filing issued by Tata Steel.
Brickwork Ratings also revises rating to 'BWR AA-' (BWR Double A Minus) Outlook: Negative from BWR AA (Outlook: Stable) for the unsecured subordinated perpetual Debt Issues of Rs 2,500 crore of Tata Steel Ltd, it added.
"Essentially the Rating reflects heightened management risk and the current stage of lack of clarity at group level management that may impact strategic decision making at Tata Steel Ltd," Brickwork said.
Tata Steel's gross debt rose to Rs 85,475 crore at the end of the June quarter of the fiscal, from Rs 81,975 crore in the year-ago period, mainly due to increase in India and Tata Steel Global procurement. Its net debt also rose by Rs 4,171 crore to Rs 75,259 crore during the same period.
In a same regulatory filing, Tata Steel said as part of review by Brickwork Ratings, the agency on October 27, 2016 revised Tata Steel Ltd's credit rating to BWR AA from BWR AA+ for NCD and BWR AA- from BWR AA for the perpetual debt, with a negative outlook.
"While the company clarified its position vide its press release dated October 27, 2016, according to Brickwork, the ratings change has resulted due to the uncertainty consequent to the recent change in top management at Holding Company/ Group Level which could slow down vital decisions such as cost cutting and deleveraging the Balance sheet concerning the unprofitable UK operations and restructuring of the European business," it added.
Last week, in a dramatic development which took corporate world by surprise, Cyrus Mistry was sacked as Chairman of Tata Sons and was replaced by Ratan Tata, from whom he had taken over the reins of the over USD 100 billion salt-to-software conglomerate four years ago.
Brickwork on October 28 had placed the ratings of Tata Chemical's unsecured NCDs worth Rs 250 crore "under watch" citing "heightened management risk" in the wake of Mistry's removal.
Counted among the top steel producers globally, Tata Steel has a production capacity of around 27.8 million tonne per annum (MTPA) with operations spread over 26 countries and commercial presence in more than 50 countries.
In the April-June quarter of this fiscal, Tata Steel's net loss rose manifold to Rs 3,183 crore on consolidated basis against a net loss of Rs 316.91 crore for the same quarter in 2015-16.
Its total income fell by 6 per cent to Rs 26,406.10 crore during the quarter under review, as against Rs 28,025.43 crore in the year-ago period.
10 low-investment business opportunities for small towns
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Indian small towns are struggling with job opportunities. There is a high influx towards big cities for jobs in multinational companies or better business opportunities. But with urban landscapes failing to provide relief in terms of living standards, a lot of young working people are considering going back to the good old small town. But how do you deal with the lack of job opportunities? You create them.
Though India features among the top three start up hubs of the world, Indian small towns are still reluctant towards new avenues in business. Unlike big urban settlements, small towns react to start-ups in a very different way. Each city has a certain character to it and hence different requirements.
Here are 10 low-investment business ideas that will help you grow in a small town:
Food Trucks
Food trucks are not an entirely alien concept to small towns. Reminiscent of old-world 'thellas', food trucks are mobile eating joints that can offer unique cuisines at a fairly reasonable price. The mobility of a food truck allows it to place itself at different locations at an ideal time. For instance, a food truck can park outside a school in the afternoon and later in the evening, outside an office.
Food trucks are a perfect small budget business as you need not to invest in real-estate.
Ice Cream Parlours
Ice cream never goes out of demand. A tiny little ice-cream parlour is an ideal low-investment venture. They need minimal space, basic equipment and low-staffing, making it a perfect small investment option. Owners can chose specific themes and types of ice-creams that are not easily available in the city. Ice-cream parlours work great around cinema-theaters or a popular food joints.
Pre-Schools
Pre schools can be opened in small domestic spaces with a onetime investment on safety and educative material. A good pre-school which is innovative in its ways of teaching will surely attract working parents. One strong disclaimer though, owning a pre-school is a huge responsibility and required undivided attention on the children.
Laundry Services
Laundry services require a relatively higher onetime investment but the costs can be recovered quickly. Initially, you can lure customers with cheaper yet quality services. A pick and drop service will be essential to spread the reach of your customer base. To attract the eye of customers you might want to offer complementary services like a small cafe or reading room for people who'd like to wait while the washing happens.
Bookshops+Cafe
Combination of bookshops and cafes has been a big hit in a few metro cities but most Indian small towns are yet to experiment with this idea. With a growing culture of dating, these bookshop-cafes can prove to be an ideal meeting point to meet a person for the first time.
House cleaning services
Applications like UrbanClap and Haptik have opened a whole new dimension of how we work around cooking and cleaning services. But these services are severely limited to big cities and even restricted to only certain parts of the metro cities. Opening a new cleaning services via a website or a telephone service shouldn't demand for huge sums of investment.
Tourism
Though this option is highly dependent on the location of the small town, most Indian towns have enough character to attract tourists, especially old cities. Venturing out for detailed city-tours, heritage walks etc. can be prove to be a profitable low investment, but involves high stakes in terms of time and knowledge. Opening themed stay options is another good way to cash-in the tourist influx.
Fitness centers
Social network is as big in small cities as in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai and fitness is one of the trends that have percolated to small towns. Though fitness centers will demand a one-time heavy investment and pretty low maintenance charges.
Internet services
Big or small, no town can survive without this commodity. The internet has made it big in all towns in our country with smartphones granting reach to the narrowest of avenues. Despite service providers like Airtel, Vodafone and now Jio, there is a serious dearth of good internet service providers for home appliances and PCs. This can be turned into a serious business opportunity. Though this particular business might involve a slightly higher investment, the returns are assured, given the service is good.
Trash Management
Where this might seem too unglamorous for many, it is definitely a need of the hour. Most cities are plagued with bad trash management. Segregation at the base level is crucial to better waste management and surprisingly it also provides a good margin. People interested in such a venture can even collaborate with local authorities to maximise profit and minimise effort.
Indian small towns are struggling with job opportunities. There is a high influx towards big cities for jobs in multinational companies or better business opportunities. But with urban landscapes failing to provide relief in terms of living standards, a lot of young working people are considering going back to the good old small town. But how do you deal with the lack of job opportunities? You create them.
Though India features among the top three start up hubs of the world, Indian small towns are still reluctant towards new avenues in business. Unlike big urban settlements, small towns react to start-ups in a very different way. Each city has a certain character to it and hence different requirements.
Here are 10 low-investment business ideas that will help you grow in a small town:
Food Trucks
Food trucks are not an entirely alien concept to small towns. Reminiscent of old-world 'thellas', food trucks are mobile eating joints that can offer unique cuisines at a fairly reasonable price. The mobility of a food truck allows it to place itself at different locations at an ideal time. For instance, a food truck can park outside a school in the afternoon and later in the evening, outside an office.
Food trucks are a perfect small budget business as you need not to invest in real-estate.
Ice Cream Parlours
Ice cream never goes out of demand. A tiny little ice-cream parlour is an ideal low-investment venture. They need minimal space, basic equipment and low-staffing, making it a perfect small investment option. Owners can chose specific themes and types of ice-creams that are not easily available in the city. Ice-cream parlours work great around cinema-theaters or a popular food joints.
Pre-Schools
Pre schools can be opened in small domestic spaces with a onetime investment on safety and educative material. A good pre-school which is innovative in its ways of teaching will surely attract working parents. One strong disclaimer though, owning a pre-school is a huge responsibility and required undivided attention on the children.
Laundry Services
Laundry services require a relatively higher onetime investment but the costs can be recovered quickly. Initially, you can lure customers with cheaper yet quality services. A pick and drop service will be essential to spread the reach of your customer base. To attract the eye of customers you might want to offer complementary services like a small cafe or reading room for people who'd like to wait while the washing happens.
Bookshops+Cafe
Combination of bookshops and cafes has been a big hit in a few metro cities but most Indian small towns are yet to experiment with this idea. With a growing culture of dating, these bookshop-cafes can prove to be an ideal meeting point to meet a person for the first time.
House cleaning services
Applications like UrbanClap and Haptik have opened a whole new dimension of how we work around cooking and cleaning services. But these services are severely limited to big cities and even restricted to only certain parts of the metro cities. Opening a new cleaning services via a website or a telephone service shouldn't demand for huge sums of investment.
Tourism
Though this option is highly dependent on the location of the small town, most Indian towns have enough character to attract tourists, especially old cities. Venturing out for detailed city-tours, heritage walks etc. can be prove to be a profitable low investment, but involves high stakes in terms of time and knowledge. Opening themed stay options is another good way to cash-in the tourist influx.
Fitness centers
Social network is as big in small cities as in metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai and fitness is one of the trends that have percolated to small towns. Though fitness centers will demand a one-time heavy investment and pretty low maintenance charges.
Internet services
Big or small, no town can survive without this commodity. The internet has made it big in all towns in our country with smartphones granting reach to the narrowest of avenues. Despite service providers like Airtel, Vodafone and now Jio, there is a serious dearth of good internet service providers for home appliances and PCs. This can be turned into a serious business opportunity. Though this particular business might involve a slightly higher investment, the returns are assured, given the service is good.
Trash Management
Where this might seem too unglamorous for many, it is definitely a need of the hour. Most cities are plagued with bad trash management. Segregation at the base level is crucial to better waste management and surprisingly it also provides a good margin. People interested in such a venture can even collaborate with local authorities to maximise profit and minimise effort.
Top 6 firms lose Rs 26,191.04 cr in M-cap, Infosys hit hard
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The combined market valuation of six of the top 10 most valued Indian companies took a knock of Rs 26,191.04 crore last week, with Infosys taking the biggest hit.
While TCS, RIL, HDFC Bank, Infosys, SBI and HUL saw erosion of their market capitalisation (m-cap) for the week to Friday, ITC, ONGC, HDFC and CIL racked up gains. Infosys' m-cap nosedived Rs 8,177.13 crore to Rs 2,30,268.70 crore. The valuation of TCS slumped Rs 6,719.16 crore to Rs 4,71,838.67 crore and that of RIL tanked Rs 4,281.08 crore to Rs 3,40,930.18 crore.
HDFC Bank's m-cap went down by Rs 4,238.48 crore to Rs 3,19,146.10 crore and HUL's fell Rs 2,348.24 crore to Rs 1,81,853.18 crore. The m-cap of SBI tumbled Rs 426.95 crore to Rs 2,00,163.21 crore. On the other hand, ONGC's valuation soared Rs 8,512.72 crore to Rs 2,48,066.44 crore, CIL's Rs 8,021.78 crore to Rs 2,05,913.48 crore and HDFC's Rs 7,024.94 crore to Rs 2,18,723.53 crore.
The m-cap of ITC rose by Rs 2,567.4 crore to Rs 2,93,063.16 crore. In the ranking of top 10 firms on the domestic market cap chart, TCS retained its numero uno position, followed by RIL, HDFC Bank, ITC, ONGC, Infosys, HDFC, CIL, SBI and HUL. Over the past week, the Sensex dropped 135.67 points, or 0.48 per cent, while the Nifty lost 55.05 points, or 0.63 per cent.
The combined market valuation of six of the top 10 most valued Indian companies took a knock of Rs 26,191.04 crore last week, with Infosys taking the biggest hit.
While TCS, RIL, HDFC Bank, Infosys, SBI and HUL saw erosion of their market capitalisation (m-cap) for the week to Friday, ITC, ONGC, HDFC and CIL racked up gains. Infosys' m-cap nosedived Rs 8,177.13 crore to Rs 2,30,268.70 crore. The valuation of TCS slumped Rs 6,719.16 crore to Rs 4,71,838.67 crore and that of RIL tanked Rs 4,281.08 crore to Rs 3,40,930.18 crore.
HDFC Bank's m-cap went down by Rs 4,238.48 crore to Rs 3,19,146.10 crore and HUL's fell Rs 2,348.24 crore to Rs 1,81,853.18 crore. The m-cap of SBI tumbled Rs 426.95 crore to Rs 2,00,163.21 crore. On the other hand, ONGC's valuation soared Rs 8,512.72 crore to Rs 2,48,066.44 crore, CIL's Rs 8,021.78 crore to Rs 2,05,913.48 crore and HDFC's Rs 7,024.94 crore to Rs 2,18,723.53 crore.
The m-cap of ITC rose by Rs 2,567.4 crore to Rs 2,93,063.16 crore. In the ranking of top 10 firms on the domestic market cap chart, TCS retained its numero uno position, followed by RIL, HDFC Bank, ITC, ONGC, Infosys, HDFC, CIL, SBI and HUL. Over the past week, the Sensex dropped 135.67 points, or 0.48 per cent, while the Nifty lost 55.05 points, or 0.63 per cent.
Stock market closed today on account of Diwali Balipratipada
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The stock market is closed today on account of Diwali Balipratipada.
Forex, money market and commodity markets are also closed. However, bullion market will remain open for Muhurat trading.
The special trading session held every year on Diwali saw the Sensex closing 11 points lower at 27,930 while Nifty fell 12 points to 8,626 yesterday.
The annual one-hour special "Muhurat" session was held between 6:15 pm and 7:30 pm.
The session is considered to be auspicious for trading. "Muhurat" trading on Diwali brings wealth and prosperity throughout the year, it is widely believed.
The session marked the start of the Hindu New Year-Samvat 2073.
In the one-hour session, Sensex opened higher to regain the 28,000-mark, advancing to a high of 28,095.71 on initial buying as investors and funds opened their new accounts on the first session of Samvat 2073.
However, it dropped to 27,890.14 as participants booked profits at higher levels, before settling 11.30 points, or 0.04 per cent down at 27,930.21.
The gauge had gained 105 points in the previous two sessions.
On similar lines, the broad-based NSE Nifty index fell 12.30 points to end at 8,625.70.
Initial gains were wiped off as some investors booked profits to write their first entry with gains on the first session of Samvat 2073, brokers said.
Losses in the Muhurat session were led by power, banking and FMCG sectors. Gains in consumer durables, healthcare and IT counters capped the fall.
In contrast, the broader markets showed a firm trend as investors widened their bets, lifting the BSE small-cap index by 0.96 per cent and mid-cap index by 0.48 per cent.
Forex, money market and commodity markets are also closed. However, bullion market will remain open for Muhurat trading.
The special trading session held every year on Diwali saw the Sensex closing 11 points lower at 27,930 while Nifty fell 12 points to 8,626 yesterday.
The annual one-hour special "Muhurat" session was held between 6:15 pm and 7:30 pm.
The session is considered to be auspicious for trading. "Muhurat" trading on Diwali brings wealth and prosperity throughout the year, it is widely believed.
The session marked the start of the Hindu New Year-Samvat 2073.
In the one-hour session, Sensex opened higher to regain the 28,000-mark, advancing to a high of 28,095.71 on initial buying as investors and funds opened their new accounts on the first session of Samvat 2073.
However, it dropped to 27,890.14 as participants booked profits at higher levels, before settling 11.30 points, or 0.04 per cent down at 27,930.21.
The gauge had gained 105 points in the previous two sessions.
On similar lines, the broad-based NSE Nifty index fell 12.30 points to end at 8,625.70.
Initial gains were wiped off as some investors booked profits to write their first entry with gains on the first session of Samvat 2073, brokers said.
Losses in the Muhurat session were led by power, banking and FMCG sectors. Gains in consumer durables, healthcare and IT counters capped the fall.
In contrast, the broader markets showed a firm trend as investors widened their bets, lifting the BSE small-cap index by 0.96 per cent and mid-cap index by 0.48 per cent.
General Awareness
Forbes Fab 40 List – MS Dhoni Still No 1 Indian Athlete
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In the latest Forbes Fab 40 2016 list of the biggest sports brands in the world, Dhoni is slated at No 10th spot in the top 10 athletes and he remains the most valued Indian athlete in 2016.
About Forbes Fab 40 :
Forbes Fab 40 lists out top 10 Sports Brands, Events, Athletes and Teams. According to the magazine, an athletes brand value is their earnings (excluding salary from bonus from their sport and their investment income), minus the average income of the top 10athletes in the same sport.
- The list is topped by tennis legend and 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer.
- With a brand value of $36 million, Federer gained two notches from third last year, while Woods dropped four spots to stand fifth on the latest edition of the list. Among other top athletes on the list is Argentine football star Lionel Messi, ranked eighth. He was not among the top 10 last year.
The Top 10 List :
Label Label value Team Team value Athlete Athlete value Event Nike 27,000 New York Yankees 660 Roger Federer 36 Super Bowl ESPN 16,500 Dallas Cowboys 580 Lebron James 34 Summer Olympics Adidas 7,000 Los Angeles Lakers 550 Phil Mickelson 28 Winter Olympics Under Armour 5,500 Real Madrid 520 Usain Bolt 25 FIFA World Cup Sky Sports 5,000 Barcelona 510 Tiger Woods 23 Wrestle
Mania UFC 2,000 Manchester United 500 Cristiano Ronaldo 19 College Football Playoffs MLBAM 2,200 New York Knicks 450 Kevin Durant 16 College Basketball Final Four YES 1,400 New England Patriots 430 Lionel Messi 15 World Series Reebok 800 Bayern Munich 430 Rory Mcilroy 13 Daytona 500 NESN 750 Los Angeles Dodgers 410 MS Dhoni 11 UEFA Champions League
About MS Dhoni,
Mahendra Singh Dhoni commonly known as S. Dhoni was born 7 July 1981. He is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team in limited-overs formats.
- An attacking right-handed middle-order batsman and wicket-keeper, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and played his first Test a year later against Sri Lanka.
- Dhoni holds numerous captaincy records such as most wins by an Indian captain in Tests and ODIs, and most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs. He took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
- Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the CB Series of 2007–08, the 2010 Asia Cup, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. In the final of the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni scored 91 not out off 79 balls handing India the victory for which he was awarded the Man of the Match.
- In June 2013, when India defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy in England, Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies (World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20). After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008, he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and West Indies, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings.
- In 2013, under his captaincy, India became the first team in more than 40 years towhitewash Australia in a Test series. In the Indian Premier League, he captained the Chennai Super Kings to victory at the 2010 and 2011 seasons, along with wins in the 2010 and 2014 editions of Champions League Twenty20. He announced his retirement from Tests on 30 December 2014.
- Dhoni holds the record for the most number of sixes in International Cricket by an Indian and is 5th across the World having hit 304 sixes in 448 innings behind Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Sanath Jayasuriya
- Dhoni holds the post of Vice-President of India Cements Ltd., after resigning from Air India. India Cements is the owner of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings, and Dhoni has been its captain since the first IPL season. Dhoni is the co-owner of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC.
- Dhoni has been the recipient of many awards, including theICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009 (the first player to win the award twice), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2009.
- He was named as the captain of ICC World Test XI and ICC World ODI XI teams for 2009. The IndianT erritorial Army conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on 1 November 2011.
- He is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to have received this honour. In 2011, Time magazine included Dhoni in its annual Time 100 list as one of the “Most Influential People in the World.
- In 2012,SportsPro rated Dhoni as the sixteenth most marketable athlete in the world. In June 2015, Forbes ranked Dhoni at 23rd in the list of highest paid athletes in the world, estimating his earnings at US$31 million. In 2016, a biopic S. Dhoni: The Untold Story was made on him.
In the latest Forbes Fab 40 2016 list of the biggest sports brands in the world, Dhoni is slated at No 10th spot in the top 10 athletes and he remains the most valued Indian athlete in 2016.
About Forbes Fab 40 :
Forbes Fab 40 lists out top 10 Sports Brands, Events, Athletes and Teams. According to the magazine, an athletes brand value is their earnings (excluding salary from bonus from their sport and their investment income), minus the average income of the top 10athletes in the same sport.
- The list is topped by tennis legend and 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer.
- With a brand value of $36 million, Federer gained two notches from third last year, while Woods dropped four spots to stand fifth on the latest edition of the list. Among other top athletes on the list is Argentine football star Lionel Messi, ranked eighth. He was not among the top 10 last year.
The Top 10 List :
| Label | Label value | Team | Team value | Athlete | Athlete value | Event |
| Nike | 27,000 | New York Yankees | 660 | Roger Federer | 36 | Super Bowl |
| ESPN | 16,500 | Dallas Cowboys | 580 | Lebron James | 34 | Summer Olympics |
| Adidas | 7,000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 550 | Phil Mickelson | 28 | Winter Olympics |
| Under Armour | 5,500 | Real Madrid | 520 | Usain Bolt | 25 | FIFA World Cup |
| Sky Sports | 5,000 | Barcelona | 510 | Tiger Woods | 23 | Wrestle Mania |
| UFC | 2,000 | Manchester United | 500 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 19 | College Football Playoffs |
| MLBAM | 2,200 | New York Knicks | 450 | Kevin Durant | 16 | College Basketball Final Four |
| YES | 1,400 | New England Patriots | 430 | Lionel Messi | 15 | World Series |
| Reebok | 800 | Bayern Munich | 430 | Rory Mcilroy | 13 | Daytona 500 |
| NESN | 750 | Los Angeles Dodgers | 410 | MS Dhoni | 11 | UEFA Champions League |
About MS Dhoni,
Mahendra Singh Dhoni commonly known as S. Dhoni was born 7 July 1981. He is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team in limited-overs formats.
- An attacking right-handed middle-order batsman and wicket-keeper, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh, and played his first Test a year later against Sri Lanka.
- Dhoni holds numerous captaincy records such as most wins by an Indian captain in Tests and ODIs, and most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs. He took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka and New Zealand.
- Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the CB Series of 2007–08, the 2010 Asia Cup, the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. In the final of the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni scored 91 not out off 79 balls handing India the victory for which he was awarded the Man of the Match.
- In June 2013, when India defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy in England, Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies (World Cup, Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20). After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008, he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and West Indies, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings.
- In 2013, under his captaincy, India became the first team in more than 40 years towhitewash Australia in a Test series. In the Indian Premier League, he captained the Chennai Super Kings to victory at the 2010 and 2011 seasons, along with wins in the 2010 and 2014 editions of Champions League Twenty20. He announced his retirement from Tests on 30 December 2014.
- Dhoni holds the record for the most number of sixes in International Cricket by an Indian and is 5th across the World having hit 304 sixes in 448 innings behind Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and Sanath Jayasuriya
- Dhoni holds the post of Vice-President of India Cements Ltd., after resigning from Air India. India Cements is the owner of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings, and Dhoni has been its captain since the first IPL season. Dhoni is the co-owner of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC.
- Dhoni has been the recipient of many awards, including theICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009 (the first player to win the award twice), the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007 and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2009.
- He was named as the captain of ICC World Test XI and ICC World ODI XI teams for 2009. The IndianT erritorial Army conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on 1 November 2011.
- He is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to have received this honour. In 2011, Time magazine included Dhoni in its annual Time 100 list as one of the “Most Influential People in the World.
- In 2012,SportsPro rated Dhoni as the sixteenth most marketable athlete in the world. In June 2015, Forbes ranked Dhoni at 23rd in the list of highest paid athletes in the world, estimating his earnings at US$31 million. In 2016, a biopic S. Dhoni: The Untold Story was made on him.
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