Yes Bank ties up with Kia Motors

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January 11, 2019

Private sector lender Yes Bank on Friday said that it has inked a pact with Kia Motors for finance and banking solutions.

According to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) inked between both the companies, Yes Bank will offer financing and banking solutions to Kia car dealers with products such as term loans, cash credit and inventory funding.

It will also offer loans to the end-consumers of the automaker, which is set to enter the Indian market by the second half of 2019 with an SUV.

Through the partnership, the bank will be able to provide end-to-end financial solutions to Kia Motors India.

Besides, Yes Bank will also work towards developing exclusive digital banking solutions for Kia Motors in India.

“The bank has been working with various auto players to provide innovative finance solutions, thereby further strengthening our position in the competitive value-driven car segment and also contributing to the growth of the segment in the country,” Yes Bank Senior Group President and Head (Retail and Business Banking) Pralay Mondal said in a statement.

Kia Motors India Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kookhyun Shim said the partnership with Yes Bank will definitely set the benchmark of premium and hassle-free Kia experience.

“This partnership will empower our stakeholders and customers with financial products specifically tailored for them to facilitate their smooth entry into the world of Kia,” he added.

Hetero launches generic breast cancer treatment drug in India

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

Drug firm Hetero on Friday said it has launched generic Lapatinib tablets, used in the treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer in the country.

The tablets, under the brand name ‘Hertab’, have been launched in the strength of 250 mg, the company said.

The product is marketed and distributed by Hetero Healthcare Ltd and has been made available in two stock keeping units (SKUs), it added.

The tablets are used in combination with Capecitabine or Letrozole, which together, inhibit the growth of cancer cells in patients, Hetero said.

At present, the company has 36 manufacturing facilities worldwide and has a presence in over 126 countries.

India’s fuel demand rose 3.2% in December

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

India’s fuel demand rose 3.2 percent in December compared with the same month last year.

Consumption of fuel, a proxy for oil demand, totalled 18.51 million tonnes, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of the oil ministry showed.

Sales of gasoline, or petrol, were 10.0 percent higher from a year earlier at 2.40 million tonnes.

Cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sales increased 5.6 percent to 2.17 million tonnes, while naphtha sales surged 10.7 percent to 1.23 million tonnes.

Sales of bitumen, used for making roads, were 1.9 percent up, while fuel oil use edged up 6.5 percent in December.

Youth Cong against screening of ‘Accidental Prime Minister’, burnt poster and raised slogan against its artists

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

Congress Youth activists staged a protest outside a movie theatre in Kolkata against the screening of the film “The Accidental Prime Minister” which is based on the tenure of former PM Manmohan Singh. They burnt the posters of the film and raised slogans against the director, producer and actors of the film. However, the West Bengal Congress disapproved the action and said that the party will never “oppose freedom of expression” as the party values it deeply and completely as part of its own ideology.

The film released today which features actor Anupam Kher as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and is based on Singh’s then media adviser Sanjaya Barus 2014 memoir of the same name and details Singh’s relationship with the Congress party’s Gandhi family.

The official stand of the Indian National Congress on the ‘Accidental Prime Minister’ is that we have nothing to do with it. Our president Rahul Gandhi has instructed us that we as a party will never oppose freedom of speech which we value completely and deeply as part of our ideology.

This is nothing but a propaganda film to show former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party in a poor light. We condemn it, a youth Congress activist said.

In the recent years, we have fallen victim to propaganda and we firmly believe that the people who watch the movie will see through the vile propaganda at play, the state unit of the Congress said in a statement.

Rahul Gandhi meets Indian workers in UAE, says he wants to hear “Aapke Mann Ki Baat”

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday told the Indian workers that he wants to listen to their problems instead of telling his “Mann Ki Baat”.

Gandhi, who is in the UAE on a maiden visit, was accorded a warm welcome by the Indian diaspora at the Dubai airport on Thursday. He lauded the Indian workers there for making the country proud by their hard work in the UAE.

You have illuminated the names of every religion, every state and every caste. Our party is aware of the difficulties faced by the labourers and wants to help them, he said.

We want to talk to you. Main yahan apne mann ki baat kahne nahi aaya hun. main yayan aapke mann ki baat sunane aaya hun (I have not come here to speak my mind, I have come to listen to your heart), he said in his address at the Jabel Ali labour colony.

He was referring to Prime Minister Modi’s monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat where he addresses the nation on various issues. Earlier Gandhi met with the business leaders in the country.

A construction worker from Jabel Ali labour colony said that he wants to see Gandhi leading India with compassion and care for all Indians. Gandhi is also set to meet some UAE ministers during his two-day visit to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

CBSE to start two level of Maths exam for class 10 students by 2020

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will introduce two levels of examination in Mathematics for Class 10 students in 2020 to cater to different kinds of learners. The nomenclature for the two examinations will be Mathematics – Standard, for the existing level of examination, and Mathematics – Basic, for the easier level, according to a circular issued by the CBSE.

The present level and curriculum of the subject would continue to remain the same. As per the National Curriculum Framework, not only would the two levels of examination cater to different kinds of learners and allow different levels of testing but it would also reduce overall student stress levels, the circular said.

“It is well known that the students experience greatest stress before and during their most ‘difficult’ subject exam. Keeping in view of this important aspect and as evidenced by the board results, the board has decided to introduce two levels of examination in Mathematics for the students who are going to appear in the board examination for the academic session ending March 2020 onwards, it said.

The syllabus, classroom teaching and internal assessment for both the levels would remain the same so that the students could get an opportunity to study the whole range of topics throughout the year and become able to decide upon the level of board examination depending upon their aptitude and abilities.

Oscar winning actor “Al Pacino” to join Amazon series ‘The Hunt’

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

Veteran actor Al Pacino is in talks to join the cast of Amazon drama “The Hunt”. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 78-year-old is close to lock a deal for the project which will be executive produced by Oscar winner Jordan Peele.

The story is set in 1977 New York City which follows a group of Nazi hunters who discover and work to stop a plot by a group of high-ranking Nazi officers who plan to create a Fourth Reich in the US.

If finalised, Pacino will join actor Logan Lerman, who will be playing a young man whose grandmother is murdered and becomes swept up in the Hunt organization as he tries to find the perpetrator.

The 10-episode show has been written by David Weil, who will be the co-showrunner alongside Nikki Toscano. It will be produced by Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions and Sonar Entertainment whereas Weil and Toscano will also serve as executive producers along with Tom Lesinski, Jenna Santoianni and Win Rosenfeld.

Letters to the Editor: 11 January, 2019

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

Ahmednagar, a trendsetter

Make hay when the sun shines is coming true in politics as well. In the context of ensuring elections, there are more BJP nominees becoming Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the recent Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation elections in Maharashtra. As BJP was increasing its member base after the 2014 elections, it is now working hard to make more leaders take up the responsibility during the ensuing elections. In this Municipal election, BJP meets the eye most and work hard to provide winning candidate in the hope of resurrecting his stature as a national party. In the poll results, Shiv Sena had emerged as the single largest party winning 24 seats in the 68 seats civic body followed by the BJP with 14 seats. But in the end game for picking up the Mayor, the Sena Corporator had boycotted the poll. The NCP corporators fall in line with BJP instead of going alongside Congress and that helped out the cause of BJP winning mayoral post comfortably. Ahmednagar has become a trendsetter for the elections to follow.

Nikhil S. Maniam

No lessons learnt yet from Kamala Mills tragedy

Sadhana Mills compound fire is one more case of negligence causing insult to the injury of firemen.

Exactly after one year of the tragic Kamala Mills fire, the BMC and the Mumbai Fire Brigade are yet to even initiate their lofty fire compliance goals. On an average, 400 fire calls are received every month and the security and preventive measures are taken are not satisfactory. Their lofty aims are nowhere near attainment because there has been no recruitment to the 34 special fire fighting cells despite Dec 29 blaze last year. We hope that in the New Year it was expected that officials from the special cells would crackdown against establishments and residents that had failed to implement fire safety measure. It is of utmost importance to have a closer look at fire accidents and make necessary arrangement and provide maximum security measures to reduce the number of fire mishaps in the New Year.

Calicut Krishnan Kundur

BEST strike

BEST bus strike is posing a problem and there is no end to commuters’ discomfort. With the result, they will have to travel by auto rickshaw, taxis or take out their two-wheeler or cars. Such strikes threaten safe to travel on the roads of Mumbai. Another alternative is to travel by the crowded local trains and that is quite impossible for senior citizens and school going children. BEST employees are protesting for some time and it is a cause of great concern for the state government as BEST buses are the lifeline of Mumbai after local trains. The better council should prevail to end the strike and the demands of the employees to bring out a settlement without dragging the matter for a long time.

Jayanthy Mani

Preserve these animals

The population of both Tiger and Leopard is on the decline and we have to find out the exact reason and arrest the rate of these endangered animals. Electrocution, accident while crossing roads, drowning in wells and old age are the four primary reasons as per available sources. The leopard is a territorial animal and survives by hunting small animals like hare, deer, goat, and sheep. Increasing human intervention in the fringes of forests has affected the prey base. This, in turn, has forced them to move towards towns and human. Leopard deaths in the district were highway accidents take place regularly. A request was placed to the National Highways Authority of India to consider the construction of speed breakers, but the proposal was shot down citing lack of statutory provisions. It is time to preserve these animals.

Akhilesh Subramaniam

NCW rightly issued a notice to Congress President

National Commission for Women (NCW) rightly took sue-motto cognizance by sending notice to President of largest opposition-party for his unthoughtful remarks towards Indian Defence Minister just for her being a lady. Union Defence Minister is duty-bound to put before Parliament stand of government on matters relating to her ministry.

Unfortunately, such childish remarks are coming from a person whom his party-men dream for being next Prime Minister of India. It is noteworthy that not even a single person from his party came forward either to support or oppose him for such remarks which rather should have been condemned by Chairperson of UPA alliance who also happens to be his mother.

India is proud for having a powerful woman as Prime Minister of the country who was no one other than grand-mother of Congress President. Indira Gandhi was admired as Durga by the then Opposition Leader on her leading nation for a historic win over Pakistan in 1971 Indo-Pak war. Politics and controversies apart, Nirmala Sitharaman is also exhibiting her boldness and talent for being Defence Minister of the country.

Madhu Agrawal

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

Aiming high on agricultural front

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C K Subramaniam

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January 11, 2019

The problem in Indian agriculture was never about production but about pricing, storage, and distribution. Loan waivers are not a solution agreed but when we cut out the middlemen and take care of our farming communities things would get better. Farm Loan waiver may be a relief. But real solution lies in ensuring economies of scales of production and minimum support price. The year 2017 was marked by several farmers’ protests nationwide, with a few turning violent. Last month, in New Delhi, 184 farmer groups came together from Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Telangana to take part in a ‘protest walk’. The protest once again highlighted the plight of farmers and the extent of agrarian distress. The trend continued in the year 2018 and the farmers instead of concentrating on production were forced to take agitation to provocate the government.

This year, the Ministry has proposed deliberations to discuss the challenges that the farmers face in crop cultivation, animal husbandry, dairying, and fisheries. The aim is to work towards an action plan using better access to credit, skill development, and entrepreneurial opportunities. The agriculture sector is characterised by instability in incomes because of various types of risks involved in production, market, and prices. The National Commission of Farmers (2006), chaired by M.S. Swaminathan, had pointed out that something “very serious and terribly wrong is happening in the countryside.” The agriculture growth rates have been unsteady in the recent past. While it was 1.5 per cent in 2012-13, it rose to 5.6 per cent in 2013-14. In 2014-15, the rate dipped to (-) 0.2 per cent, while in 2015-16 it was 0.7 per cent. The provisional estimate puts it at 4.9 per cent in 2016-17. The trend reflects the distress in the agriculture sector.

The main reason for farm crises is the rising pressure of population on farming and land assets. The government data show the average farm size in India is small, at 1.15 hectare, and since 1970-71, there has been a steady declining trend in land holdings. The small and marginal land holdings (less than 2 hectares) account for 72 per cent of land holdings, and this predominance of small operational holdings is a major limitation to reaping the benefits of economies of scale. Since small and marginal farmers have a little marketable surplus, they are left with low bargaining power and no say over prices.

As farmers have been demanding “freedom from debt and remunerative price” through several platforms, they carry on fighting risks in production, weather, and disaster, price, credit, market and those in policy. While crop production is always at risk because of pests, diseases, shortage of inputs like seeds and irrigation, which could result in low productivity and declining yield, the lower than the remunerative price in the absence of marketing infrastructure and profiteering by middlemen adds to the financial distress of farmers. Also, the predominance of informal sources of credit, mainly through moneylenders, and lack of capital for short term and long term loans have resulted in the absence of stable incomes and profits.

This turned agriculture into an unprofitable occupation and compelled farmers, especially the small and marginal, to borrow costly money from informal sources of credit, which deepened the crises. While the farming sector has its own set of risks, like any other economic activity, to increase and ensure a stable flow of income to farmers it is vital to manage and reduce the risks by analysing, categorising and addressing them. There lies the real success.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

How many ‘Pakistanis’ arrested at border, asks Trump

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Web Team

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January 11, 2019

During a tour to the southern border in Texas, US President Donald Trump asked the law enforcement officials that how many Pakistanis were arrested this week who were trying to illegally enter America whereas in the reply he was told that the individuals from several South Asian nations attempted to cross the porous with Mexico.

Trump asked the question when a law enforcement official briefed him on the security situation on the border and listed out the name of the countries whose citizens were nabbed at the border a day earlier.

So far this sector has apprehended people from 41 different countries. Just yesterday, we apprehended 133 people from countries other than Central America and Mexico. That includes individuals from India. We apprehended some Pakistanis and Romanians, the law enforcement official told Trump.

“How many Pakistanis?” Trump asked, interrupting the law enforcement official. It was two yesterday, the border security official told the President. Texas Senator John Cornyn, who was standing there along with Trump, said that the nationals of many countries are exploiting the vulnerabilities at the US-Mexico border. Senator Ted Cruz was also present at the briefing.

Trump travelled to the US-Mexico border to have a firsthand assessment of the crisis at the international border which has been experiencing a large flow of illegal immigrants who are mostly from Central Asian nations.