Indian public sector telecommunications company
POPULARITY
BSNL and MTNL are set to sell assets worth ₹1,000 crore — could this trigger a rise in their share prices? We take a closer look at what this move means for investors. Thinking of investing in an IPO? Make sure you're paying attention to key aspects of the Offer for Sale (OFS) — we break it down for you. Also in this video: a comparative analysis of the Indian and Pakistani stock markets ahead of the high-stakes India vs Pakistan match. And did former U.S. President Donald Trump really block Apple's potential investment in India? We decode the developments and what they mean for the Indian tech and investment landscape.
To get your dose of daily business news, tune into Mint Top of the Morning on Mint Podcasts available on all audio streaming platforms. https://open.spotify.com/show/7x8Nv1RlOKyMV5IftIJwP1?si=bf5ecbaedd8f4ddc This is Nelson John, and I'll bring you the top business and tech stories, let's get started. Zepto Bets Big on Cold Chain for Fresh Produce Quick commerce is fast, but fresh produce needs better logistics. Zepto is doubling down on cold chain infrastructure to improve margins and quality. CEO Aadit Palicha is actively seeking cold supply chain experts to enhance operations. The company has partnered with Transport Corporation of India to expand storage in the South. Fruits and vegetables account for 8-10% of quick commerce sales but face 15% wastage due to India's fragmented cold chain. The market is projected to grow from $14.5 billion (2023) to $53 billion (2032). Zepto's private-label meat brand, Relish, leveraged cold logistics to hit ₹150 crore ARR in six months. Zomato Lays Off 600 Employees Amid Automation Push Zomato has reportedly laid off 600 customer support employees in a bid to cut costs as growth slows. The layoffs follow AI-driven automation in customer service and financial pressures at its quick commerce arm, Blinkit. Employees claim they were dismissed without notice periods or clear explanations, while Zomato cites performance issues. On Reddit, ex-employees shared grievances, with one alleging termination for being late by 28 minutes over three months. Despite the layoffs, Zomato's stock closed 0.84% higher at ₹203.20. Aditya Birla Exits Paper Business, Sells to ITC for ₹3,500 Crore Aditya Birla Real Estate Ltd (ABREL) is exiting the paper sector, selling Century Pulp and Paper to ITC Ltd for ₹3,500 crore. The deal surpassed estimates, with Nomura valuing it at 18x EV/EBITDA for FY25. ABREL's paper segment has struggled, with revenue falling 5.5% YoY in FY24 and margins shrinking by 410 basis points. The sale will help reduce net debt (₹4,300 crore) to near-zero, boosting ABREL's real estate expansion. However, significant cash flow from projects like Niyaara will only materialize from FY27 onwards. ABREL's stock is down 21% in 2025, and investors await Q4 results and the Niyaara Phase 3 launch in FY26. CAG Report Flags Revenue Losses, Weak Oversight in Telecom & Digital Infra The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has raised alarms over governance failures in telecom, electronics, and postal services: • Telecom: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) failed to recover ₹2,463.67 crore from telcos due to delayed audits. BSNL lost ₹1,757.76 crore by failing to bill Reliance Jio for technology use. • Electronics Manufacturing: Under M-SIPS, only ₹2,136 crore was disbursed from ₹36,991 crore in committed investments, causing policy instability for investors. • Digital Infrastructure: The ₹6,548-crore National Knowledge Network for research institutions was flagged for poor bandwidth utilization and cybersecurity gaps. • Postal Services: GST mismanagement and irregular promotions resulted in ₹17.22 crore in tax losses. The findings expose execution flaws in India's push for digital self-reliance. Shapoorji Pallonji Faces Insolvency Plea Over Unpaid ₹2.72 Crore The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)-Mumbai has issued a notice to Shapoorji Pallonji & Co. Pvt. Ltd (SPCPL) over an insolvency plea filed by Chennai-based Intertouch Metal Buildings Pvt. Ltd. The roofing firm alleges unpaid dues for work on Port Blair's Veer Savarkar International Airport. SPCPL must respond within seven days, with the next hearing on April 24. This isn't SPCPL's first insolvency dispute. In October 2024, NCLT dismissed a similar plea by KBC Infrastructure, ruling that insolvency laws cannot be used as a debt recovery tool. As legal proceedings unfold, all eyes are on Shapoorji Pallonji's response and whether the case progresses to full-fledged insolvency.
This live episode promises to be completely off the rail as we not only discuss the ascendency of Mark Carney to Liberal Prime Minister, but also Secret Passage Theory and the recently released JFK assassination documents. Also containing a rare Dimes crash out on a chat member! Stream begins at 11:04.
On this last-minute emergency stream, Dimes and Judas will be discussing bureaucrats being mass fired (joy!) the Fifth Estate creating a smear documentary on the Coutts Four (enraging!) and the global financial conspiracy centering on the Bank of London (confusing!) Strap in because it's going to get real zoided. Stream starts at 11:57.
Budget 2025-26 has limited room for tax cuts but it could have a strong signaling effect on private investment and job creation. “ It's not the large companies like Tata, Birla, Reliance or Adani who are going to create jobs, or even railways or the postal department or telecom, you know, the BSNL. It's going to be small, medium and micro enterprises,” Economist and Author, Ajit Ranade tells Shweta Punj of Moneycontrol that Budget 2025-26 should stay on the path of fiscal consolidation and bring in direct tax reforms. Tune in.
On this live episode, the BOLG Boyz discuss the current debate online over H1B visas and its role in furthering a mass migration agenda in Silicon Valley. They then segue into a review of several popular videos detailing how Canada will completely collapse in the next decade, ending with a discussion on the recent astounding downfall of WhatIfAltHist. Stream begins at 11:06.
साउथ कोरिया में एक फ्लाइट एयरपोर्ट पर क्रैश, पीएम मोदी आज मन की बात रेडियो शो का 117वां एपिसोड करेंगे, भजनलाल सरकार ने गहलोत सरकार में बने 9 जिले और 3 संभाग कैंसिल कर दिए, दिल्ली के उपराज्यपाल वीके सक्सेना ने महिला सम्मान योजना की जांच के निर्देश दिए, BSNL में दूसरी वॉलंटरी रिटायरमेंट स्कीम लागू करने की योजना, जम्मू-कश्मीर, हिमाचल प्रदेश और उत्तराखंड के पहाड़ी इलाकों पर साल का सबसे भारी हिमपात और व्लादिमिर पुतिन ने अजरबैजान प्लेन क्रैश को लेकर माफी मांगी, सुनिए 5 मिनट में सुबह 10 बज़े तक की बड़ी ख़बरें.
Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, November 28, 2024. This is Nelson John, let's get started. Flying has become a pricey experience these days. To help with that, the Centre is working on a comprehensive package for the aviation sector. Dhirendra Kumar and Manas Pimpalkhare report that these measures include tax concessions, reduced user charges, route optimization, and regulatory relaxations. Some relief with the aviation turbine fuel tax is expected, as current prices are about 60% higher than other hubs around India. The initiative also seeks to minimise procedural delays for airline licences and hiring foreign pilots. For many years, India's telecom industry has had one clear winner, one runner up, and two players hunting for survival. For the latter, at least BSNL has the government's backing. Gulveen Aulakh writes that the financial stability of the sector has improved over the last few years. Airtel and Vodafone Idea have managed to reduce their debt burdens too. Ongoing discussions around receiving a fair share from OTT platforms might further improve the state of the industry, She explains. There's a new sector hiring IITians heavily: and what is that you may ask? Coaching institutes. Around 3,000 to 5,000 IIT grads have been snapped up by edtechs or coaching institutes right out of college. Mansi Verma and Devina Sengupta report that these companies start off with a salary of around ₹10 lakh, but give the potential to make up to five times that within a few years. As more and more students vye for very few IIT seats, these jobs are more in demand. While interest in such positions is high, many view these roles as temporary before seeking further opportunities in other industries. A recently released documentary by a Tamil actor Nayanthara has taken centre stage behind the scenes in the Indian cinema industry. Nayanthara aired a three-second behind-the-scenes clip from a 2015 movie, which was featured in the documentary. A civil suit has been filed over the usage of the clip. Lata Jha spoke to copyright law experts, who said minimal use might qualify as fair use. The fight isn't just domestic: in Hollywood too, actors and directors have often come to blows with studios on what they can use or distribute on their own accord. In October, Indian banks issued significantly fewer credit cards than the year before, nearly halving from 1.69 million to just 0.79 million. The dip mainly stems from banks tightening their lending criteria to better manage risk and ensure applicants can repay their debts. Leading the pack in issuing cards were big names like HDFC Bank, SBI Card, and ICICI Bank, while others like Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank, and Axis Bank actually saw their numbers drop. Analysts are predicting that this conservative trend in credit card issuances might c ontinue for the rest of the fiscal year. Shayan Ghosh explains what's causing the dip in new card issuances. Show notes: India plans comprehensive aviation packageExplainer: Are more reforms needed for the telecom sector?IIT grads flock to edtech: A new career frontier with high salariesNayanthara's battle for film footage bares copyright conflictMint Primer: Why banks are issuing fewer credit cards
Dimes and Judas discuss the recent problem of Indian assassinations in Canada, insights into Indian business culture, and recent masked anti-migration protests which have inflamed Lib Race. Stream begins as 11:04.
Dimes and Judas are going to briefly discuss two ladies embarassing themselves in the instanced of Lauren Chen's standup and Kamala Harris on Fox News, but the real beating heart of this thing will be a jollygooded investigation into famous internet esoterica Time Cube pioneered by Dr. Gene Ray. Stream begins at 13:54.
Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Thursday, October 3, 2024. My name is Nelson John. Let's get started. We might be on the verge of world war three, as Iran's recent airstrikes on Israel underscore Tehran's readiness to confront any perceived threat. Shweta Singh explains why the situation could escalate, and how the US is involved in the mess. Shweta also explains the implications of this development on India, including how it could affect trade, and helps you understand the complex geopolitical dynamics at play. In a move to slash legal costs, the Indian government is setting the stage for a new national litigation policy, targeting cases where government entities end up suing each other. With this step, the law ministry aims to curb the financial drain caused by such disputes, particularly among public sector undertakings, Dhirendra Kumar reports. The initiative targets disputes like tender disagreements between PSUs, which not only incur substantial legal costs but also burden the judiciary. With over 50 million pending cases nationwide, such disputes exacerbate the backlog and strain on the legal system. The policy aims to streamline processes and reduce unnecessary legal confrontations. If you qualify as ultra-rich, chances are you're tired of five-star hotels. Varuni Khosla writes that super-rich travellers are increasingly drawn to boutique resorts, which offer an intimate and luxurious experience accompanied by meals by high-profile chefs. These resorts are typically in remote locations and cater to the demand for unique and personalised vacations. Affluent millennials are spending more than 25,000 rupees a night to stay at such resorts. Google's in a bit of a spot in India. The tech giant has decided to settle an antitrust case after the Competition Commission of India flagged its deals with smart TV makers as a no-go under the competition laws. This is a big deal because it's the first time a company is testing India's new settlement process, writes Gireesh Chandra Prasad. Introduced last year, the process could get Google a 15% reduction on the penalty. The CCI initiated the probe in 2021, based on allegations that Google violated competition laws in the Android TV market, specifically through its restrictive agreements with smart TV manufacturers. These agreements allegedly limited the manufacturers' ability to use or develop alternative Android systems.Indian IT services are gearing up for their September quarter results, with Infosys expected to lead in revenue growth among the top five firms. Analyst forecasts suggest Infosys could achieve revenue growth exceeding 3%, driven by the ramp-up of previously secured deals and the integration of the newly acquired In-tech, Jas Bardia reports. TCS is also expected to grow, though at a more modest 1.5% to 2.4%, supported by its substantial 4G network deployment deal with BSNL. As for the others, HCL Technologies could see growth of up to 1.9%, while Wipro's projections indicate a slight increase or even a minor decline in revenue. TCS will release its results on the 10th, followed by other major firms. Show notes: Mint Primer | Iran strikes Israel: What next?Government's new litigation policy to target costly PSU disputesBoutique resorts with celebrity chefs: For the uber-rich bored with luxury staysGoogle offers to settle anti-trust case in smart TV probeInfosys to lead Indian IT pack this festive season
Dimes and Judas discuss Israel inventing a new type of war using production chains while ALSO being the most fertile country, the top secret Dune Project, and terraforming dead towns. By the end they may launch into a joyous review of Canadian hip hop madman Unkle Adams, who famously put himself $200k in debt making motivational rap. Stream begins at 14:06.
Since 2019, govt has pumped Rs 3.22 lakh crore into MTNL & BSNL. Both remain in losses. MTNL has begun to default on loans & bond payments, possibly the first large PSU to become NPA.
Dimes and Judas discuss a new finacial product offering personal loans for social activism, then review a documentary the Communist Party of Canada made about themselves. Stream begins at 14:06
Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Monday, July 15, 2024. My name is Nelson John. Let's get started: US Presidents have had a long history of being targets of assassinations — Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy, and Ronal Reagen, to name a few. Yesterday, former president Donald Trump joined this illustrious list after being shot at by a 20-year old. Trump survived, but the shooter did not, after the Secret Service found him. The attack could intensify political divisions and influence the upcoming US presidential election. Elizabeth Roche brings you the implications of the shot heard around the world. The new government is set to present its next union budget next week. If you're a little confused, the Budget presented a few months ago was a small one — meant to keep the government machinery chugging till the election results were announced. The next budget, also presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, is much-anticipated: some reports state that income tax rate cuts might be coming. This is expected to boost the economy. But with only 0.4 percent of the country paying 86 percent of the taxes, will this really stimulate any growth? Vivek Kaul answers this crucial question in a narrative format the way only he can. How much processed food do you consume? It's difficult to ascertain — nearly every packeted item might contain some additive. From beloved namkeen snacks to instant noodles, everything has some preservatives. Shuja Asrar and Niti Kiran take a deep dive into a government survey that outlines India's eating habits. While urban India has started to get more health conscious — think the different varieties of Maggi — rural India loves snacking on biscuits. The rise of junk food in the Indian diet has also worried experts, but that doesn't stop Indians from thronging to fast food joints. TCS investors might want to close their ears: the company's CEO said that hard times are just starting. Tata Consultancy Services shares are up 7 percent since they announced their Q1 results last week, but global conflicts and confusion about interest rate cuts might prove to be dampers moving forward. Demand for the IT company's services has remained muted — if you leave out a contract from state-owned BSNL, and TCS's numbers look much worse. Varun Sood got the chance to sit down with K. Krithivasan and have an in-depth and honest interview about the state of TCS, the IT sector at large, and the impact of AI on jobs in the IT sector. Some people like to cook when they want a break. But what happens when cooking is your job? This weekend's cover story on Mint Lounge explored just that. Avantika Bhuyan spoke to chefs from India's top kitchens about what they did when they took a break. Answers range from playing music to painting to long distance cycling. These activities help them unwind, but also gather inspiration for the next time they step into a kitchen. We'd love to hear your feedback on this podcast. Let us know by writing to us at feedback@livemint.com. You may send us feedback, tips or anything that you feel we should be covering from your vantage point in the world of business and finance. Show notes: Trump's murder attempt: What it means for us A stormy night and a taxing conversation on the budget In charts and numbers: India's junk food juggernaut rolls on TCS not out of the woods, sees no GenAI threat The secret lives of chefs
Welcome to Top of the Morning by Mint, your weekday newscast that brings you five major stories from the world of business. It's Friday, July 12, 2024. My name is Nelson John. Let's get started: Indian stock market benchmarks- the Sensex and the Nifty 50- closed flat on Thursday, as gains in shares of ITC, ONGC, Tata Motors and SBI were offset by losses in those of Mahindra and Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, Larsen and Toubro and HDFC Bank. Delhi's summer has been nothing short of extreme this year. With temperatures frequently soaring well beyond the usual, hitting near 50 degrees Celsius, the capital found itself grappling with intense heatwaves. The sweltering heat prompted a significant response, with public hospitals establishing special heat treatment wards and reported heat-related fatalities reaching 58 by mid-June. However, as June ended, the weather took a drastic turn. The city experienced its highest single-day rainfall in 88 years on the 28 June.This sudden deluge not only disrupted daily life but also resulted in significant infrastructure damage, including the collapse of a canopy at Delhi Airport which tragically resulted in a fatality. The first half of 2024 has indeed been challenging for the residents of Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region, home to a combined population of over 70 million. And the outlook for the remainder of the year suggests no respite, with the meteorological department predicting an unusually wet monsoon, which could lead to further flooding. Looking ahead to the winter, the situation appears equally grim with the anticipated onset of Delhi's notorious smog, which annually contributes to a high number of respiratory-related illnesses and deaths. This persistent cycle of extreme weather conditions underlines the urgent need for comprehensive environmental and infrastructural strategies to mitigate these impacts. Delhi's weather also begets the question - Is it time for you to leave Delhi? Mint's Sayantan Bera examines in today's Long Story. India's largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services has set a strong pace in the first quarterly earnings of FY25, outperforming its average growth rate over the past five years. TCS reported a quarterly revenue of $7.5 billion, a 1.9% increase from the previous quarter, surpassing expectations from analysts who had projected a revenue of $7.44 billion. A significant portion of this growth, however, is attributed to an unusual surge in its India operations, Mint's IT correspondents Jas Bardia and Shouvik Das report. The push in revenue is primarily because of a $1.83-billion 4G network project from BSNL. This has raised questions about the organic nature of TCS's growth, as half of its $142 million sequential revenue increase was derived from this Indian deal, marking a deviation from its traditional revenue streams predominantly from the Americas, Europe, and UK. Despite these doubts, K Krithivasan, TCS's CEO, asserts that the company's growth isn't solely reliant on the BSNL project. He acknowledges the current volatile market conditions, which affect decision-making and client investments but remains cautiously optimistic about the broader growth beyond this single project.India is gearing up for an expansion of its aviation infrastructure by doubling the number of airports from the current 138 to 300 by the 100th year of independence in 2047. Mint's aviation correspondent Anu Sharma resorts that the plan is outlined in a draft by the Airports Authority of India. This ambitious project aims to accommodate an eightfold increase in passenger traffic, potentially reaching 3-3.5 billion passengers annually by the target year. The initiative aligns with efforts to enhance connectivity to tier 2 and tier 3 cities through programs like UDAN, which aims to make air travel affordable and widespread, particularly in less served areas. Locations identified for potential new airports include Kota in Rajasthan, Parandur in Tamil Nadu, and Puri in Odisha, among others. The plan also proposes converting existing airstrips in places like Mandavi in Gujarat and Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh into operational airports.The Agnipath scheme is under review for potential modifications to enhance its appeal. Introduced in June 2022, to recruit young individuals aged 17.5 to 21 years into the armed forces, the scheme has been pivotal in rejuvenating the youth profile of the armed forces. It also addresses the ballooning defence pension liabilities. Currently, the scheme recruits these young individuals for a four-year tenure, with a fourth of them being offered a chance to join the permanent cadre afterwards. As of now, the scheme is expected to continue with possible modifications either in the FY25 Budget or later to make it more attractive to potential recruits, Mint's Gireesh Chandra Prasad reports. The financial implications of the scheme are significant, given that the defence pension allocation for FY25 is ₹1.41 trillion, nearly a quarter of the ₹6.2 trillion defence budget. The Agnipath scheme is seen as a sustainable solution to manage these pension costs.Hyundai Motors is making waves with its plans to list its Indian subsidiary, eyeing a massive $3-3.5 billion IPO. This could be India's second-largest public offering, valuing Hyundai India at $20 billion. It's a big move that's turning heads and might just inspire other multinational corporation to consider the vibrant Indian market for their listings. Mint's Priyamvada C spoke to Gaurav Sood, from Avendus Capital, who notes that Hyundai's decision underscores the depth and appetite of Indian capital markets. This points to an increasing interest among global businesses towards India. This trend is supported by factors like enhanced ease of doing business and significant untapped market potential. Legal and financial experts suggest that other MNCs are observing Hyundai's move closely, with firms like LG Electronics and Italy's Carraro also rumored to be considering listings. Historical precedents from giants like Suzuki and Unilever, which have listed successful Indian subsidiaries, further pave the way for such strategic decisions. We'd love to hear your feedback on this podcast. Let us know by writing to us at feedback@livemint.com. You may send us feedback, tips or anything that you feel we should be covering from your vantage point in the world of business and finance. That's all for today. Thank you for listening. We're eagerly looking forward to our next Top of the Morning episode, which will be packed with fresh business news. Until then, have a great day! Show notes:Frying pan, wetland, gas chamber: Is it time for you to leave Delhi?Big one mega hit on home ground, TCS kicks off first quarter on the front footIndia prepares plans to double airports to 300 by 2047Agnipath scheme to stay, tweaks likely in the upcoming budget or laterHyundai's IPO may inspire other MNCs to list in India for valuation gains
Binge Listen to all Note Panra episodes from 1st with this
The Cybercrime Magazine Podcast brings you daily cybercrime news on WCYB Digital Radio, the first and only 7x24x365 internet radio station devoted to cybersecurity. Stay updated on the latest cyberattacks, hacks, data breaches, and more with our host. Don't miss an episode, airing every half-hour on WCYB Digital Radio and daily on our podcast. Listen to today's news at https://soundcloud.com/cybercrimemagazine/sets/cybercrime-daily-news. Brought to you by our Partner, Evolution Equity Partners, an international venture capital investor partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs to develop market leading cyber-security and enterprise software companies. Learn more at https://evolutionequity.com
Dimes and Judas are joined by the illustrious Meta Prime to discuss his recent viral moment in arguing with Carl Benjamin (internet's Sargon of Akkad,) women choosing bears over men, and the broader discourse on the role of women in the political Right. Episode begins at 14:15.
Dimes and Judas discuss Baltimore's bridge being blown up by the combined forces of Indians and Women, a Gay Sex Update starring Sean Diddy, and a recent video released by Lauren Southern explaining how she is the real victim of what is happening to Martin Sellner. Show begins at 12:09.
After discussing recent Canadian legislation that could put YOUR hosts away for multiple life sentences and the recent case of an enlisted man protesting Israel by self-immolation, Dimes and Judas unpack the implications of Progressive Socialism's Vaush being caught in possession of scandalous and arguably illegal pornography while repeatedly making excuses for such behavior in the past, and how this overlaps with his ideology. Show begins at 14:04.
Why are there fewer planes in the skies? Well, it's a combination of factors, but one of the primary reasons is the shortage of new aircraft globally. In other news, BSNL is gearing up to make a comeback. So, the government is considering various reforms for this PSU to improve its performance. This includes upgrading networks, boosting sales, and providing better services to keep up with the competition. Tune in to this episode of The Signal Daily for more! Episode credits:The episode was researched, written, and produced by Shorbori and ManaswiniEdited by Venkat Ananth Mastered and mixed by Manas and Nirvaan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
After briefly reviewing the immediately-dropped interview between Tucker Carlson and Putin, then wasting some time reading some traumatized lady anecdotes on Reddit, Dimes and Judas discuss the expansive "Mandate for Leadership" which has birthed the slogan "You Have One Year," exploring the mission and reaction to it. Stream begins at 14:55.
Dimes and Judas look back at the collapse of the National Justice Party (NJP) and ask "what did we learn?" Rather than discuss gossip and drama, the goal will be to discover where things went wrong and what similar movements can take from the hugely public catastrophe. Stream starts at 15:38.
Dimes and Judas review the recent AL Jazeera documentary "Canada's Shame: Residential schools, unmarked graves, and the search for justice." Apologies for the lower quality of Dimes audio, the streaming platform selected the wrong default mic. Stream begins at 13:33.
In this stream, Dimes and Judas will be going through Aaron Gunn's remarkable documentary "Canada is Dying." Show begins at 14:20.
१. सुधीर तांबेंची काँग्रेसमध्ये होणार घरवापसी? २. इस्रोमध्ये अपेक्षित पगार नाही, त्यामुळे विद्यार्थी यायला उत्सुक नाहीत, एस सोमनाथ यांची खंत ३. शिवसेनेतील अपात्र आमदारांविषयक निर्णय २० ऑक्टोबरला घेतला जाणार ४. इस्त्राइलमधील भारतीयांच्या सुटकेसाठी ऑपरेशन अजय ५. BSNL आणि भारतीय सैन्याने 15,000 फूट उंचीवर उभारला टॉवर ६. 'फक्त ९९ रुपये द्या अन् चित्रपट पहा' ७. 'गोल्डनबॉय' चे नागपुरात जंगी स्वागत ८. भाजपबरोबर जाण्याच्या हट्टाला कंटाळून शरद पवारांनी राजीनामा दिला, सुप्रिया सुळेंचा खुलासा स्क्रिप्ट आणि रिसर्च - स्वाती केतकर-पंडित, निलम पवार
Jagran HiTech: Your weekly Tech and Auto News podcast Podcast
जागरण हाईटेक पॉडकास्ट में हम आप के लिए लाते है टेक और ऑटो की दुनिआ से जुडी सभी बड़ी ख़बरें. हम सभी नए गैजेट लॉन्च, नए एप्लिकेशन, फ़ोन के फीचर्स , स्मार्ट फ़ोन के रिस्पॉन्सेज़ के बारे में आपको बताते हैं. आज के एपिसोड में हम आपको बताएंगे BSNL के 1,515 रुपये वाले प्लानके बारे में, साथ ही वॉट्सऐप में जल्द मिलेंगे AI-जनरेटेड स्टीकर्स, OLA का सस्ता इलेक्ट्रिक स्कूटर लॉन्च. Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 लॉन्च. वही, Apple ने भारत में शुरू किया iPhone 15 का प्रोडक्शन. और बात होगी Pick Of The Day की. तो सुनते रहिये जागरण हाईटेक पॉडकास्ट.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We always say that privacy and security are interrelated and there is no privacy without security. What is the role of the Data Security Council of India in terms of the security and privacy of people in India? How is innovation contributing to privacy implementations? And who better than CEO of DSCI Vinayak Godse to discuss all these aspects and the data privacy landscape in India. KEY CONVERSATION POINTS Intro What is GPDR in one word? GPDR beyond the legal and technological aspect What is the current Indian privacy landscape? The role of Data Security Council of India What are the challenges in India when it comes to privacy? Message to organization regarding data security and privacy Closing ABOUT THE GUEST Vinayak Godse is the CEO of Data Security Council of India. He has over 27 years of experience in Information Security, IT Transformation, Intelligent Networking and Telecom Infrastructure. Vinayak also leads the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for Cybersecurity Technology and Entrepreneurship, a joint initiative of DSCI and Ministry of Electronics & IT. NCoE is engaged in cybersecurity industry building, fostering security research and product engineering, and building an ecosystem for security entrepreneurship. He has been deeply engaged with all initiatives of DSCI with government stakeholders and sectoral regulators. He was instrumental in developing DSCI Security Framework (DSF), DSCI Privacy Framework (DPF) and DSCI Certified Privacy Lead Assessor (DCPLA), DSCI Certified Privacy Professional (DCPP) certifications and conducted many of these training programs. Prior to DSCI, he worked with the Global Consulting Practice of TCS in Information Risk Management and also worked as a Telecom Engineer at BSNL. He started his career as a lecturer in Electronics Engineering. ABOUT THE HOST Punit Bhatia is one of the leading privacy experts who works independently and has worked with professionals in over 30 countries. Punit works with business and privacy leaders to create an organization culture with high privacy awareness and compliance as a business priority. Selectively, Punit is open to mentor and coach privacy professionals. Punit is the author of books “Be Ready for GDPR” which was rated as the best GDPR Book, “AI & Privacy – How to Find Balance”, “Intro To GDPR”, and “Be an Effective DPO”. Punit is a global speaker who has spoken at over 30 global events. Punit is the creator and host of the FIT4PRIVACY Podcast. This podcast has been featured amongst top GDPR and privacy podcasts. As a person, Punit is an avid thinker and believes in thinking, believing, and acting in line with one's value to have joy in life. He has developed the philosophy named ‘ABC for joy of life' which passionately shares. Punit is based out of Belgium, the heart of Europe. RESOURCES Websites www.fit4privacy.com , www.punitbhatia.com, www.dsci.in Podcast https://www.fit4privacy.com/podcast Blog https://www.fit4privacy.com/blog YouTube http://youtube.com/fit4privacy --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fit4privacy/message
Jagran HiTech: Your weekly Tech and Auto News podcast Podcast
WhatsApp ने रिलीज किया नया प्राइवेसी फीचर! हाइड हो जाएगा आपका फोन नंबरट्रांसपेरेंट बॉडी वाला 'नथिंग फोन 2' भारत में लॉन्चBSNL बंद करने जा रहा अपना 329 रुपये वाला एंट्री लेवल ब्रॉडबैंड प्लानऑनलाइन गेमिंग इंडस्ट्री को बड़ा झटका, 28 प्रतिशत का लगेगा GSTInfinix ने लॉन्च किए बड़ी डिस्प्ले वाले सस्ते स्मार्ट टीवी; 10,999 रुपये से शुरू होती है कीमत, जानें खूबियांमस्क ने लॉन्च की आर्टिफिशियल इंटेलिजेंस कंपनीरिलायंस का ₹999 वाला फीचर फोनगूगल का बर्थडे रिमांडर फीचर के बारे मेंSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Gurmehar Kaur brings you the news from West Bengal, Assam, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uganda.Produced by Chanchal Gupta, edited by Hasan Bilal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
150th Episode Q&A Google Form Link - https://forms.gle/zBxKDQtnWaSdKScz6 - Binge Listen to all Note Panra episodes from 1st with this
Modi govt should provide better justifications for investing nine million taxpayers' money in BSNL beyond providing connectivity to 25,000 villages and funding VRS for redundant employees.
On today's episode, financial journalist Govindraj Ethiraj talks to Kapil Kaul, CEO and Director of CAPA India.[00:55] Credit policy is coming up. Will interest rates hold or not ?[02:38] The Government says it will pump over 89000 crore into the haemorrhaging BSNL[07:38] Foreign airlines like Emirates are pleading for more capacity into India but the Government says no with Kapil Kaul of CAPA India.[16:55] Hmm..while inflation and interest rates are down, rents and cost of living continue to rise, Mumbai is the most expensive city to live in, for expats.For more of our coverage check out thecore.in
१. BSNL साठी मोठ्या तरतुदीची घोषणा २. सरकारने कुस्तीपटूंच्या आंदोलनाकडे दुर्लक्ष केलं नाही, शरद पवार यांचं मत ३. मुंबईतील मुलींच्या शासकीय वसतिगृहात तरुणीची हत्या ४. सरकारने खरीप पिकांच्या MSP मध्ये वाढ केल्याने शेतकऱ्यांना मिळाला दिलासा! ५. उष्माघातामुळे रुग्णसंख्येत तिप्पट वाढ झाली. ६. कॉमेडियन भारती आणि हर्ष विरुद्ध एनसीबीची याचिका कोर्टाने फेटाळली... ७. WTC Final मध्ये रोहित आणि पॅट ची 'स्पेशल फिफ्टी' ८. कोल्हापूर बंद, जमाव आक्रमक, इंटरनेटही बंद स्क्रिप्ट आणि रिसर्च - स्वाती केतकर-पंडित, गायत्री तौर
In this episode, find out about LIC raising stake in Tech Mahindra to 8.88%, also about Hero MotoCorp's plan to expand its electric range Business Term of the Day: Tender offer
महाराष्ट्र के कोल्हापुर में मुग़ल बादशाह औरंगज़ेब को लेकर सोशल मीडिया पोस्ट से शुरु हुए विवाद के बीच मुख्यमंत्री एकनाथ शिंदे ने कहा है कि राज्य में हालात काबू में हैं, भारत और ऑस्ट्रेलिया के बीच इंग्लैंड के ओवल मैदान पर वर्ल्ड टेस्ट चैंपियनशिप का फ़ाइनल खेला जा रहा है. मैच का टॉस भारतीय कप्तान रोहित शर्मा ने जीता है और पहले गेंदबाज़ी का फ़ैसला किया है, केंद्रीय कैबिनेट ने आज खरीफ फसलों की MSP बढ़ाने को मंजूरी दे दी है, इसके अलावा सरकार ने BSNL के रिवाइवल के लिए 89,047 करोड़ रुपए के पैकेज को मंजूरी दी है, राजस्थान के सरहदी ज़िले जैसलमेर में एक युवती का अपहरण कर जबरन शादी करने के मामले में पुलिस ने मुख्य अभियुक्त को गिरफ्तार कर लिया गया है, रूस में फंसे एयर इंडिया के यात्रियों को अमेरिका के सैन फ़्रांसिस्को ले जाने के लिए आज मुंबई से एक विमान रूस के मगादान के लिए उड़ान भरेगा, सुनिए शाम 4 बजे का 5 मिनट पॉडकास्ट
Jagran HiTech: Your weekly Tech and Auto News podcast Podcast
WhatsApp Edit Message फीचर हो गया लॉन्च, 15 मिनट के अंदर एडिट कर सकेंगे मैसेजBGMI की हुई भारत में वापसी, फोन में करें डाउनलोडAmazon से 31 मई के बाद सामान मिलेंगे महंगेWhatsapp पर इमेज से Sticker बना सकेंगे यूजर्सBSNL का 4G नेटवर्क शुरू करने के लिए TCS को मिला 15,000 करोड़ रुपये का ऑर्डर98 इंच डिस्प्ले वाला Samsung Q80Z TV लॉन्चWhatsApp को और ज्यादा सिक्योर करना है तो फटाफट ऑन कर लें ये सेटिंग, जाने क्या है तरीकाSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
बातम्या सविस्तर ऐकण्यासाठी क्लिक करा.....सकाळच्या पॉडकास्टला------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1. Jio, Airtel, Vi आणि BSNL: कोणती कंपनी कधी सुरू करेल 5G सेवा, येथे घ्या जाणून2. Vande Mataram: फोनवर आता 'हॅलो' ऐवजी 'वंदे मातरम' बोला; सरकारनं काढला जीआर3. Chandani Chowk Bridge Demolished : इंजिनिअर्सचा अंदाज चुकला! PWDनं केलं होतं मजबूत काम4. Madhya Pradesh Politics: रायसेनच्या जंगलात भाजपची गुप्त बैठक5. Shiv Sena : 'मातोश्री'वर महिन्याला 100 कोटी जायचे; शिंदे गटाच्या खासदाराचा उद्धव ठाकरेंवर गंभीर आरोप6. BIGG BOSS 16 : बिग बॉस एका सीझनसाठी किती घेतो फी? जाणून घ्या...7. Indonesia Football Match : इंडोनेशियात फुटबॉल सामन्यादरम्यान मोठा हिंसाचार; 127 हून अधिक लोकांचा मृत्यू8. चर्चेतील बातमी - मुख्यमंत्री एकनाथ शिंदे यांना जीवे मारण्याची धमकी* रिसर्च अँड स्क्रिप्ट - युगंधर ताजणे
Superpowers School Podcast - Productivity Future Of Work, Motivation, Entrepreneurs, Agile, Creative
★ PLEASE VOTE ★ Super elated to be nominated for the Creative Industry Awards "Best Content Creator." I value your support in voting for me. To vote, please click this link, scroll down to the Best Content Creator section and select my name: https://www.creativeindustryawards.co.uk/public-voting-1 Voting is closes midnight 28th Aug 2022 For the full show notes and transcription checkout: https://www.superpowers.school/ Watch episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/paddydhanda ★ BUY ME KO-FI ★ If you enjoy the podcast, then you can donate a small amount here as a token of your appreciation: https://ko-fi.com/paddydhanda Contact Paddy at: pardeep_dhanda (at) hotmail.com SONAMM SHARMA Sonamm Sharma or Zaffarah is a versatile and multi-talented artist with years of experience in numerous creative fields, ranging from modelling to acting, from writing to music, from graphic design to art. Sonam has worked with the likes of National Geographic, World Book of Beauties (Canada), Singapore Tourism (Sentosa), Brazilian Teenage Mag ‘Bliss', Top shop, Debenhams, a Scottish Educational Campaign, NDTV Prime, BSNL, Nissan Datsun, UNICEF, Canon India etc.. Sonam is also a theatre artiste (English plays primarily) currently based in New Delhi, India. She has been working as an actor for stage and camera for over 10 years now. Apart from plays & award winning short films, she has appeared on a TV show called 'airlines' on star plus, webseries called 'BAKED', ads, web videos (Scoopwhoop) & music videos. She has also worked in two Nollywood films, a web series called Made in Heaven directed by Zoya Akhtar for Amazon Prime, international short films and is also in the process of working on more international projects this year. Apart from acting, Sonam works as a Brand Architect and a Marketing Consultant to a range of businesses in India as also internationally. She offers a portfolio of skills given her background in Advertising and Marcom, and education in Design & I.T. from England and English Literature from Delhi University, India. Specialising in Creative Marketing/ Social Media Strategy, Copy writing, and Branding/ Personal Branding, Sonam has made noteworthy contributions in many Brand Building/ Brand Management/ ORM/ Digital Marketing Activations for companies like Microsoft, EMC, Apollo Tyres etc. apart from working closely with Hospitality, Fashion, Film & Lifestyle Industries. Sonam is the recipient of the Asdan Youth Achievement Award (Gold) for her creative contribution with a Yorkshire based charity (2008, UK). She was lauded internationally for her creative writing skills in the British Vogue Young Writers' Contest (2008) and won multiple academic bursaries to further her creative ambitions in the UK. She is a certified learning facilitator for the differently-abled (from the UK) and was also one of the 20 women handpicked from India (2016) to be acknowledged for her contribution toward women empowerment (using performance arts as a medium) at the prestigious 'Women in the World' summit held in association with New York Times. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/superpowers-school/message
In this episode we ask the most pressing question – Why does the government need BSNL? We've launched a new endeavor to give simplified health and life insurance advice via Ditto Insurance. Book a free consultation call with our advisors or just drop us a text on WhatsApp for all your insurance queries. Check out Ditto: https://bit.ly/3ym6GjO Insta- https://www.instagram.com/joinditto/ Twitter- https://twitter.com/joinditto
Global Policy Watch: Energy Is Flagging Insights on burning policy issues from an Indian lens— RSJWho do you think has a better long-term view of the world? An administration struggling to control inflation and rising oil prices, one that’s facing midterm elections with the lowest approval ratings, or large institutional investors projected to own about 20 per cent of all US listed companies by 2028? I don’t know. I mean, it is conventional wisdom that all that the likes of Blackrock, Vanguard and State Street care about is making profits on their investments. On the other hand, the government is expected to take long-term decisions in the interest of society. But when you own 20 per cent of everything, I would suspect you will conclude there’s no other way to maximise profits except trying to do good for everyone. I mean, there won’t be a lot of arbitrage left anymore in choosing specific industries or sectors. You will have to do ‘sabka saath, sabka vikaas’. No wonder ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) investing has been important for these large institutional investors. That ESG is now a critical agenda tracked by the board of every company because of these investors' efforts. All good. Now, let’s look at the incentives of political parties. It is to win elections. Everything else follows only after you have the keys to power. And elections in democracies are a permanent affair. There’s a key election of some kind happening every other year. Will a political party craft a policy that’s painful in the short run but good in the long run? They do, but it requires a combination of inspiring leadership or ideology, a looming crisis and a powerful communication strategy to walk on this difficult path. That’s rare. Instead, what you have is parties taking the easy, opportunistic way out while hoping it will somehow make sense in the long run. Two Roads DivergedHere are two news items from last week for you.#1: Democrats may be on the verge of passing historic climate legislation after all.The $369 billion of climate spending in the Inflation Reduction Act that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced on Wednesday includes funding for clean energy and electric vehicle tax breaks, domestic manufacturing of batteries and solar panels, and pollution reduction.If the bill’s policies work as intended, it would push American consumers and industry away from reliance on fossil fuels, penalize fossil fuel companies for excess emissions of methane, and inject needed funds into pollution cleanup.The bill would use tax credits to incentivize consumers to buy electric cars, electric HVAC systems, and other forms of cleaner technology that would lead to less emissions from cars and electricity generation, and includes incentives for companies to manufacture that technology in the United States. It also includes money for a host of other climate priorities, like investing in forest and coastal restoration and in resilient agriculture.#2: Blackrock warns it will vote against more climate change resolutionsBlackRock (BLK.N) said on Tuesday it expected to support fewer shareholder resolutions on issues such as climate change in the current season of annual general meetings, as many proposals were too prescriptive.While BlackRock said its view on the importance of managing climate risk remained unchanged and it continued to engage with companies over their efforts, a number of resolutions put forward at recent AGMs were too constraining on boards.Among such resolutions that it said it could oppose were those requiring management to stop providing finance to traditional energy companies, or those requiring alignment of bank business models to a specific climate scenario.Among votes that BlackRock has already opposed was an April 13 call for Canadian lender Bank of Montreal to adopt a policy to link financing with the International Energy Agency's Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario.While the US administration is going down the path of spending more on tackling climate change, Blackrock seems to be signalling a u-turn. What Led Them HereSo, back to the question with which we started. Who do you trust is taking a long-term view here?Some context here will help. These moves have come on the back of an energy crisis facing the world today. Most of the commentary on this has attributed this to the Ukraine war and the sanction on Russia that followed. The general view is that this crisis will disappear once the war ends. How true is this? Not very if you look closely. Over the past many years, the energy inventory has been declining because the supply has held flat or gone down while the demand continues to be robust (except for the pandemic blip). The green sources of energy haven’t been able to fill the gap on the supply side. As we have come out of the pandemic, the global demand has gone up (though still below 2019 levels) while the supply isn’t keeping pace. This was even before the Russian invasion. The reasons for this aren’t hard to locate. Conventional energy companies have found it hard to fund new projects because ESG investing norms have made the availability of capital difficult. The so-called ‘extractive industries’ are orphans in capital and debt markets. Most of the growth in energy supplies in the last decade has come from shales. A lot of money was put to work to increase the efficiency of pumping out oil from shales. The three big shale fields in the Permian, the Bakken and the Eagle Ford pumped out enough oil to not have anyone worry about supply shortages anytime in the last decade. But like all good things, we have depleted these fields at rates faster than predicted. There’s been hardly any capacity developed that has backfilled these fields elsewhere. And it is unlikely we will get a second-time lucky so soon in finding rich fields like them. If the market were efficient, we would have seen capital find its way into funding newer sources. But the ESG overdrive led by the Big 3 index funds put up a barrier to that flow. And the energy companies that are making big profits now because of the high prices aren’t themselves putting money into conventional extraction. That would be seen as a negative in the market. So, even they are being constrained by the ESG norms. Into this decadal low in investment in production came the Ukraine war. Things have gone further south since. Europe needs Russian gas, and Putin is enjoying the gradual choking of the supply that will make things worse during the oncoming winter. Only last week, Russia’s Gazprom told its customers in Europe it cannot guarantee gas supplies because of ‘extraordinary’ circumstances. Heh!Gazprom said stopping another turbine at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would cut daily gas production to 20%, halving the current level of supply. It is likely to make it more difficult for EU countries to replenish their stores of gas before winter.The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which pumps gas from Russia to Germany, has been running well below capacity for weeks, and was completely shut down for a 10-day maintenance break earlier this month.The European Commission has urged countries to cut gas use by 15% over the next seven months after Russia warned it could curb or halt supplies altogether. Under the proposals, the voluntary target could become mandatory in an emergency. On Tuesday energy ministers will meet in Brussels in an attempt to sign off the plans.But numerous opt-outs are expected amid resistance from some member states.To this, add that the US has been depleting its SPR (Special Petroleum Reserves) to boost supply and keep prices under control. Last week it announced another 20 million barrels were released from SPR. But this isn’t sustainable, and it is likely this is the last of it.I don’t know about you, but I think the supply situation looks to worsen in the future. Evaluating the ResponsesNow, look at the two news articles that we started with. After a decade of not adding real capacity to boost energy supply, starving investments in conventional energy, stupidly shutting down nuclear plants and going for investments in wind and solar that are by themselves energy and capital intensive to set up, we are here with two kinds of response. One is from the US government. Instead of finding ways to invest in the sector to solve this crisis is going the other way. Releasing special reserves, cutting taxes on gasoline, placing more restrictions on the conventional energy sector and planning to deficit fund more investments in green energy without a clear answer on how it will help with supply. These will only increase demand in the short term without any corresponding increase in supply to address it.The other is from the face of greedy capitalism, Blackrock, who thinks we might have overdone the ESG investment thesis without fully appreciating the unintended consequences of starving the oil and gas sector of investments. Maybe the rhetoric against conventional energy has gone overboard without an immediate answer to the supply shortfall. So, some calibration is needed now. Else, there will be significant pain ahead with misallocation of investments and a deepening energy crisis. The poor and the developing nations are most affected by higher oil prices. And poverty is worse for climate change. More than fossil fuels. Those then are the two narratives. As London and NYC sweat in an unprecedented heat wave this summer, you know who will win the narrative battle. The war will be lost though. Thanks for reading Anticipating the Unintended! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.A Framework A Week: Building Models Tools to help think about public policy— RSJLast week I came across this piece on ‘Models as mediating instruments’ by Margaret Morrison and Mary S. Morgan. You should read the full chapter. The authors lay out the importance of model building in helping us learn about theories and how they might operate in the world:Models are one of the critical instruments of modern science. We know that models function in a variety of different ways within the sciences to help us to learn not only about theories but also about the world. So far, however, there seems to be no systematic account of how they operate in both of these domains.And then, they proceed to outline how we should think about developing models that function as autonomous agents and as instruments of investigation of the world. Here’s a short extract from their introduction to model building:In order to make good our claim, we need to raise and answer a number of questions about models. We outline the important questions here before going on to provide detailed answers. These questions cover four basic elements in our account of models, namely how they are constructed, how they function, what they represent and how we learn from them.Construction What gives models their autonomy? Part of the answer lies in their construction. It is common to think that models can be derived entirely from theory or from data. However, if we look closely at the way models are constructed we can begin to see the sources of their independence. It is because they are neither one thing nor the other, neither just theory nor data, but typically involve some of both (and often additional ‘outside’ elements), that they can mediate between theory and the world. In addressing these issues we need to isolate the nature of this partial independence and determine why it is more useful than full independence or full dependence. Functioning What does it mean for a model to function autonomously? Here we explore the various tasks for which models can be used. We claim that what it means for a model to function autonomously is to function like a tool or instrument. Instruments come in a variety of forms and fulfil many different functions. By its nature, an instrument or tool is independent of the thing it operates on, but it connects with it in some way. Although a hammer is separate from both the nail and the wall, it is designed to fulfil the task of connecting the nail to the wall. So too with models. They function as tools or instruments and are independent of, but mediate between things; and like tools, can often be used for many different tasks. Representing Why can we learn about the world and about theories from using models as instruments? To answer this we need to know what a model consists of. More specifically, we must distinguish between instruments which can be used in a purely instrumental way to effect something and instruments which can also be used as investigative devices for learning something. We do not learn much from the hammer. But other sorts of tools (perhaps just more sophisticated ones) can help us learn things. The thermometer is an instrument of investigation: it is physically independent of a saucepan of jam, but it can be placed into the boiling jam to tell us its temperature. Scientific models work like these kinds of investigative instruments – but how? The critical difference between a simple tool, and a tool of investigation is that the latter involves some form of representation: models typically represent either some aspect of the world, or some aspect of our theories about the world, or both at once. Hence the model’s representative power allows it to function not just instrumentally, but to teach us something about the thing it represents. LearningAlthough we have isolated representation as the mechanism that enables us to learn from models we still need to know how this learning takes place and we need to know what else is involved in a model functioning as a mediating instrument. Part of the answer comes from seeing how models are used in scientific practice. We do not learn much from looking at a model – we learn more from building the model and from manipulating it. Just as one needs to use or observe the use of a hammer in order to really understand its function, similarly, models have to be used before they will give up their secrets. In this sense, they have the quality of a technology – the power of the model only becomes apparent in the context of its use. Models function not just as a means of intervention, but also as a means of representation. It is when we manipulate the model that these combined features enable us to learn how and why our interventions work.The whole chapter and Mary Morgan’s book (The World in the Model: How Economists Work and Think) is a great tool for building models. India Policy Watch: Hoping Against HopeInsights on burning policy issues in India - Pranay KotasthaneEarlier this week, the union cabinet approved a revival package for the ever-embattled Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) worth ₹1.64 lakh crores. Let’s analyse this decision ground-up Let’s look at the two stated aims. The first argument is that the presence of BSNL in the telecom market acts as a market balancer; it plays a significant role in providing services to rural areas and during natural disasters. The second argument is that the telecom sector is strategic; hence, BSNL will become the vehicle for the government to “promote indigenous 4G technology development”. In other words, BSNL will have to commission an atmanirbhar 4G technology that Tata Consultancy Services and C-DOT are developing. A part of the bailout—₹22,471 crores—is allocated for capital expenditure on this deployment.For a moment, assume that both objectives are desirable. The question is, are there alternative methods to achieve the two stated objectives?Given the positive externalities of network infrastructure today, government intervention in rural connectivity makes sense. But the instrument required to achieve this objective doesn’t require the government to produce this service by itself through a public sector unit. The same objective could be achieved by a government procurement contract which finances private sector players for capital expenditure on network infrastructure in low-density areas. Think of a non-coercive version of the Regional Air Travel Connectivity Scheme - UDAN, but for mobile connectivity. This method would likely be far cheaper than attempting to revive a government-run company that incurs losses despite playing a game in which the umpire also belongs to the same team. This would be beneficial for the people living in far-flung areas too. Why condemn them to slow 3G services of BSNL when the government can finance private players to provide 4G services instead?Next, consider the strategic necessity argument. 4G was introduced in India a full decade ago. When the world (and India) is commissioning 5G connectivity, an Indian consortium has now done trials for home-grown 4G technology. Granted, that 4G is not going away anytime soon, but why should it now be shoved down BSNL’s throat? To me, it seems like a classic error—a violation of the Tinbergen Rule, which we had discussed in edition #135. The rule says: use one policy instrument for just one target (or as few as possible). Burdening one instrument with several objectives often results in a system that fulfils none. In the current case, it means that BSNL can either be an instrument to connect remote areas or it can be a testbed for indigenous technologies, but not both. To expect it to do both would make things tougher for an already troubled entity. More important, it would be a waste of taxpayers’ hard-earned money.Since allowing adversaries to manage your core networks is a strategic vulnerability, a better alternative would be to give domestic players a target for eliminating Huawei from their 4G networks over time. If the indigenous solution is any good, some players will consider opting for it. The second option is to support the indigenous 4G’s go-to-market programmes in other countries. Either way, the objective can be achieved without hoping against the BSNL hope.Finally, a reminder. The cost to society for one rupee raised by governments in India is ₹3 (Marginal Cost of Public Funds). So, Indians will be incurring nearly ₹5 lakh crores. For comparison, that is nearly 10 per cent of RBI’s foreign exchange reserves in equivalent rupees. Is protecting BSNL really worth this kind of expenditure?Course Advertisement: Admissions for the Sept 2022 cohort of Takshashila’s Graduate Certificate in Public Policy programme are now open! Visit this link to apply.PolicyWTF: Playing with Fire AgainThis section looks at egregious public policies. Policies that make you go: WTF, Did that really happen? - Pranay KotasthaneA couple of weeks ago, a film poster depicting Kaali Maa began an outrage cycle. As it happens with frightening regularity nowadays, it culminated in a couple of FIRs being filed against the director. Forget the fact that the movie was released in Canada by an Indian citizen from Tamil Nadu; the FIRs were nevertheless registered in Delhi and UP. It’s not worth spending time and energy on these Whack-A-Mole outrages. What concerns me more is the Indian High Commission in Ottawa’s press release. It read:We have received complaints from leaders of the Hindu community in Canada about disrespectful depiction of Hindu Gods on the poster of a film showcased as part of the 'Under the Tent' project at the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto.Our Consulate General in Toronto has conveyed these concerns to the organizers of the event.We are also informed that several Hindu groups have approached authorities in Canada to take action.We urge the Canadian authorities and the event organizers to withdraw all such provocative material. In the past, the official Indian position would have been to play the matter down and leave the issue to the host country. It is unusual and disappointing for an Indian embassy to act as a messenger for religious groups in other countries. Canadian citizens of the Hindu faith aren’t Indians. This admonishment by an Indian government entity is out of place.I say that the government is playing with fire here because acting on behalf of citizens of other countries—for whatever reason—is a slippery slope. There’s a reason that Indian immigrants are welcomed in many countries. Contrast that with China. The aggressive opposition by some Chinese immigrants against criticisms of the Chinese Communist Party in their host country ends up being detrimental to all Chinese immigrants. It’s in India’s interest that emigrants become trustworthy members of their host community. We shouldn’t go down the path China has.HomeWorkReading and listening recommendations on public policy matters[Article] In the last edition, we had written about the Enforcement Directorate’s zeal to slap charges of money laundering. This week, the Supreme Court upheld its powers under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). In his latest column, Pratap Bhanu Mehta explains why this implies, “Rather than being the guardian of rights, the Supreme Court is now a significant threat to it”.[Podcast] In the latest Puliyabaazi, we take a long hard look at the consequences of emigration on India. [Article] How can the government intervene to reduce dependence on Chinese pharma APIs? Bambawale et al. explain.[Paper] Jonathan Haidt has helpfully combined all the latest research on social media’s impact on society in this one master document. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit publicpolicy.substack.com
The story of indian telecom industry --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chinna61/message
Ready to enjoy blazing-fast speeds with 5G? Looking forward to enjoying entertainment options, such as immersive video and wireless holograms, which were hard to come by in the past? Well, there is good news for you, at least depending upon which city you live in. We are one step closer in our tryst with new high-speed services. The decks have reportedly been cleared for the Department of Telecommunications, or DoT, to auction the 5G spectrum. In fact, India might see 5G services being showcased on 15th August. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or TRAI, has left it to the DoT to take a decision on three crucial issues. The first is the validity period of spectrum assignment. The second is the deferment of auction in the 27.5 GHz-28.5 GHz band. And, the third is the quantum of spectrum that will be reserved for BSNL and MTNL. As a result, the whole process has become simple. Going ahead, the Digital Communications Commission, or DCC, will clear the 5G spectrum auction. Subsequently, it will have to be cleared in the Union Cabinet. Finally, the DoT could begin the auction process in June. On their part, the telcos have said that if everything goes well, limited 5G services roll out might be seen by the end of this year. Telcos had demanded a 90 per cent reduction in the 3.5 GHz spectrum base price, compared to the regulator's recommendation in 2019. But this demand has not been met. However, at 317 crore rupees for a pan-India 1 MHz of spectrum, the base price has been reduced by 36 per cent for a validity of 20 years. While it had earlier wanted a 30-year-period validity, the DoT took an about turn and suggested a 20-year period. According to a recent Business Standard report the base price for a 30-year period would be 1.5 times the base price for 20 years. As a result, the base price would have been 476 crore rupees, which would be pretty close to the 491 crore rupees recommended by TRAI in 2019. And, the telcos had made it clear that the price being pegged so high would discourage them from taking part in the auctions. The 30-year period was one of the elements of the telecom package announced by the government. However, the Cabinet can still take a call on any further reductions. On the issue of private captive networks, TRAI had earlier recommended that enterprises should be allowed to get spectrum directly from DoT to run their own networks in remote locations. However, it has now changed tack and both the DoT and the regulator are on the same page on this contentious issue. Now, TRAI has reportedly said that a demand assessment would be necessary for enterprises to get spectrum directly. Telcos, on their part, have highlighted that the bulk of the business in 5G would come from enterprises, which is a trend seen globally. While the current auction might not prove to be a similarly negative inflection point, it is worth asking that under the present terms and conditions, will an appreciable number of Indians be able to take advantage of 5G services?
A flagship scheme of the Digital India campaign, the ambitious BharatNet project launched to connect India's gram panchayats with high-speed broadband has long been marred by delays. It was started in 2011 as the National Optical Fibre Network and was later renamed in 2014 as BharatNet when the Narendra Modi government came to power. And in 2012, Bharat Broadband Network Limited or BBNL -- a special purpose vehicle -- was set up to implement the project. But, over the years, it has earned a dubious reputation for missing several deadlines set by the government. In the first phase, BharatNet was to connect 1 lakh village councils by 2013. The target was instead achieved four years later, in December 2017. The government aimed to connect the remaining Gram Panchayats by March 2019 in the second phase using a mix of state-led, CPSU-led and private-led models. But the deadline was again pushed. Now, the government has set a revised target to connect all the 6.4 lakh villages spread in 2.6 lakh gram panchayats across the country by 2025 with a minimum broadband speed of 100Mbps. The government recently informed Rajya Sabha that it had connected just 27% of the villages till March this year. Of the 33 states/union territories for which data is available, 15 had a connectivity rate of less than 20%. Only Chandigarh and Punjab had achieved over 90% coverage. And just eight states/UT had been able to make over 60% of their villages service ready. The cost of laying the optic fibre has also been escalating. In 2020-21, the government spent Rs 6.9 lakh to lay one kilometre of optic fibre cable which increased to Rs 13.6 lakh in 2021-22. The total approved outlay for the BharatNet project is now Rs 61,109 crore. The government last month cancelled a Rs 19,000 crore tender to lay cables for the project in 16 states under the Public Private Partnership model after it failed to attract any private bidder. Over 50 companies showed interest, but none came forward eventually. After the failed tender, the government decided to merge BBNL with the loss-making state-run telecom company BSNL. In the past, the performance of BSNL in implementing BharatNet projects under the CPSU-led model had been poor because of its financial condition. BSNL CMD PK Purwar, when asked about the probability of meeting the 2025 rural broadband deadline, sought government hand-holding while emphasizing that it's not a commercial venture. BharatNet is funded by the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), which gets part of private telcos' money in a revenue-sharing arrangement. BSNL, as the custodian of the USO Fund corpus of over Rs 58,000 crore, said it would ensure that all such assets are made available to all service providers on arm's-length principle. Another industry expert told Business Standard on the condition of anonymity that realistic plans and budgets may improve im
In 2011 -- when 3G was still running the show and 4G was waiting in the wings -- the government embarked on a mission to provide broadband connectivity to villages. Over a decade on, as 5G is about to be rolled out, just 27% villages have been connected. The entity set up to carry out the mammoth task, Bharat Broadband Nigam Ltd, is now being merged with BSNL. Will this merger address the problems plaguing the project and expedite it. The merger may or may not address the problems plaguing the BharatNet project. But, India's first gas exchange has indeed fixed a lot of them. Indian Gas Exchange or IGX was set up two years ago to free up pricing of domestically produced natural gas. In an interview with Business Standard's S Dinkar, its director Rajesh K Mediratta tells more about its journey so far. After the gas exchange, let us move on to stocks. With the economy facing high inflationary pressures, concerns are mounting about its likely impact on the markets and corporate performance. But are the current fears overstretched? Is there a silver lining for investors? Delve into what past market trends of high inflation say about the markets, and the road ahead. Smartphones have made trading in stocks much easier. But what about those who still use budget phones. For them, Android had launched its GO editions. Last year, the Android 12 GO edition was rolled out in the market. Let us know more about it and more in this episode of the podcast. Watch video
B K Syngal, the father of Data and the Internet in India, joins PGurus to discuss the new move by the GOI to take ownership in Vodafone and Tata. What about BSNL? What are the ramifications? #VodafoneIdea #Tata #TelecomSector #BKSyngal #TataTeleCommunications #TataTeleservices #Tata #VodafoneIdea #TelecomSectorIndia #TelecomIndustryIndia #BSNL #Finance #Telecom
The government taking a 35.8% holding in Vodafone Idea has surprised many. At a time when it looked poised to dilute its stakes in many public sector companies, the move failed to excite the Street too, as the cash-strapped company's shares dipped 21% yesterday. Experts also pointed out that ailing government-owned telecom giants MTNL and BSNL are also crying for attention. They are yet to roll out 4G services. But the move may well give Vodafone Idea a lease of life. The third-largest telecom carrier's fundraising plans are significantly delayed and Vodafone Group has made it clear it will not make any fresh equity infusion into its Indian unit. Against this backdrop, the government of India is set to become the single largest shareholder in struggling Vodafone Idea after the telco opted to convert interest worth Rs 16,000 crore on deferred spectrum liabilities and Adjusted Gross Revenue dues into equity. It had previously accepted a four year moratorium on spectrum and AGR dues offered by the government's Telecom Reforms Package announced last September. While Airtel had chosen to pay the interest arising out of such deferment, Vodafone Idea is taking advantage of the relief package to convert them into equity. This will result in a massive dilution to existing shareholders. The government will hold some 35.8% stake in India's third biggest carrier. The Vodafone Group will own around 28.5% and Aditya Birla Group about 17.8%. While this may provide comfort to financial creditors, at the same time it places an undue expectation on the government for any future fund infusions as it has consciously chosen to be part of the company's turnaround. As of September end, Vodafone Idea had a gross debt of Rs 1.94 trillion, 90% of which it owes to the government. The company's decision crucially prevents a duopoly in the telecom market, which was ostensibly the intent of the telecom reforms package. While this move has helped the company extinguish some dues, the government holding has evidently unsettled investors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared last February that “government has no business to be in business”. Vodafone Idea should not be allowed to remain a quasi-public sector company for long. While the government may become the largest shareholder, it may not get involved in running the company. In an earlier interaction with Business Standard, Vodafone Idea's CEO Ravinder Takkar had said that it would be incorrect to state that the company will turn into a public sector undertaking. He said the government has no interest in acquiring and running telecom companies. The government will also have an option to convert the due amount pertaining to the deferred payment into equity at the end of the four-year moratorium period. In the absence of any significant external fundraising by the company, such a scenario would mean the government becoming a controlling shareholder. Nevertheless, it should soon come up with an exit strategy for its stake. Its support provides short-term relief and stability but over the long term it needs to be ensured that Vodafone Idea does not go the Air India way. Watch video
Shwetabh Gangwar, Author of the Rudest book ever, in conversation with @Prakhar ke Pravachan and @Vedant Rusty talk about their first dating experiences in school, the government regulations of OTT platforms, and many more topics.