Archives March 2023

Registration of properties in Mumbai municipal region stood at 9,268 units in February 2023, up 2 per cent, contributing over Rs. 1,084 crore to the State revenues, according to a Knight Frank India report. This represents a slight increase as compared to the previous month’s figure of 9,001.

However, when compared to year-on-year data, there was a significant drop of 11 percent in February 2023, with only 9,268 property registrations compared to 10,379 in the same month the previous year. In February 2021, there were 10,172 registrations. Despite the decline in YoY figures, the daily average property registrations in February 2023 was 331 units, which still makes it the third best February month in the last ten years. after February 2022, according to a Knight Frank India report

Here are a few reactions from the realty experts:

Mr. Ram Naik, Director, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory

“February 2023 proved to be a promising month for Mumbai’s real estate sector, with property sales registrations totaling 9,268 units and contributing over Rs 1,084 crore to state revenues. Although this represented a slight decrease in year-on-year figures, the daily average registration rate still proved to be the third-highest in the past decade, indicating that the market is still buoyant and in demand. Such positive developments are a testament to the resilience and dynamism of Mumbai’s real estate sector.”

Mr. Pritam Chivukula, Co-founder & Director, Tridhaatu Realty and Treasurer, CREDAI MCHI

“Mumbai has witnessed moderate growth in property registrations in the month of February despite the hike in interest rates and rise in the property prices. This signifies that the low interest rates have been the biggest factor in the resurgence for real estate demand since the pandemic. Therefore the sharp acceleration of interest rates in a short span of time have resulted in a short-term effect on the sentiment of homebuyers especially in the affordable sector. We request the State Government to step-in and lighten the homebuyer’s load by reducing the stamp duty so that the demand sustains going forward.”

Mr. Manoj Patwal, Founder & MD, BetterServ Ventures Pvt. Ltd.

“Although there has been a marginal decline in the property registrations in February as compared to last year, Mumbai is continuously witnessing a robust demand and an impressive ascent in property registrations for the past few months. Given the current scenario of steep rise in property prices owing to several factors such as the increase in interest rates, stamp duty and raw materials prices; we have already started witnessing short-term repercussions on the overall housing demand. Going forward, if the Government takes the appropriate measures, we believe that the sales momentum can continue for the coming quarters, and reputed developers with a good track record will continue to dominate the market.”

Bangalore,2nd March 2023Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) continues to post sales growth as the company today announced that its wholesales stood at 15,338 units for the month of February 2023. The significant gain stood 175% higher over the month of February of last year, where the company had sold 8745 units.

Month of February’ 2023 also saw a 120% growth over the sale achieved in January 2023 where TKM sold 12,835 units. In addition, the company also posted a strong growth of 175% for the months of January-February 2023 as against the corresponding period last year. TKM sold 28,173 units in January-February 2023 as compared to 16,073 units in the January-February 2022.

Speaking on this strong performance Mr. Atul Sood, Vice President, Sales and Strategic Marketing said, “We are witnessing a continued interest from customers across our product portfolio, resulting in a very healthy growth in the month of February 2023. Leading this growth, are the Urban Cruiser Hyryder and All New Innova Hycross, as we strive to work with our partners to meet the demand. The recent announcement of opening of bookings for the Toyota Hilux, is also continuing to generate excitement, resulting in good orders from across the country. We are confident that the Hilux will entice the customer to Live a Fuller Life, with its varied lifestyle utility offerings, be it personal or business. Other products like the Glanza, the Fortuner and the Legender also continue to thrill the market.

Furthermore, we are focusing on enhancing our reach in the country to move closer to our customers through the introduction of two new dealerships in the month of February at Surat (Gujarat) and Bhiwandi (Maharashtra). We are confident that they will provide easy access to Toyota products and services, to both existing and prospective customers in the regions.

Looking ahead, we expect to close this quarter on a high note, in comparison to last year. As a customer centric company in constant pursuit to redefine customer experience, we are continually working to meet the market demand effectively.”

Sales Performance:

Overview of TKM  

Overview of TKM 1st Plant: 

Overview of TKM 2nd Plant: 

Mumbai,2nd March 2023Women in comedy are still told that they are not funny, said RJ Karishma, Radio Jockey, Social Media Influencer, and YouTuber. Speaking at ABP Network’s second edition of the ‘Ideas of India’ summit on the topic, ‘The Youtube Boom – The Female Gaze’, she said “Comedy is subjective. I think originality of content that reflects a bit of you is what strikes the best with the audience.

In 2022, the influencer industry was estimated at Rs 12 billion. The industry has shown immense growth in the past few years, especially after the pandemic. On being asked if the notion of influencers earning ‘easy money’ is true, Meethika Dwivedi, a social media influencer and comedy content creator said, “People get jobs and start earning after years of studying. Comparing to that we can say influencers have it relatively easier.” At the age of 20, Meethika has bought her own house and car through content creation on social media.

The panel also discussed the existing bias between influencers who create content in Hindi and English. “I believe there is no language barrier anymore in the minds of the audience,” said Saloni Gaur, Comedian & Content Creator. “If there is any, I think preference towards Hindi content is increasing.”

The summit promises an invigorating line-up of speakers with prominent figures from the world of business, politics, artists from the Hindi Film Industry, authors and other eminent sectors. The two- day conference confluences diverse ideas from various industries to promote India in becoming a burgeoning leader in the world.

Bengaluru,2nd March 2023: Fasal, India’s earliest sustainable horticulture farm network company and the one-stop-shop for horticulturalists, today announced expansion into the farming output business with the launch of ‘Fasal Fresh’. Fasal Fresh removes intermediaries in procurement to ensure fairer prices for farmers while bringing end-consumers export-quality produce that has been grown using Fasal’s proprietary farm-level crop intelligence systems.

Through its patented IoT system called Kranti, Fasal has been making horticulture farming guesswork-free with advanced irrigation alerts, farm-level forecasts, and pest/disease forewarnings. Today, Fasal works with Indian farmers over 60,000 acres across 20+ crops, who are leveraging this technology. Fasal Fresh, which has been in the works since last year with a focus on building the horticulture farming network, will directly bring the produce grown via precision farming to the end consumers via retailers/e-tailers, wholesalers and exporters. Currently, Fasal Fresh is operational in Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad with its Mumbai operations planned for March this year.

Shailendra Tiwari, Founder, Fasal, said, “Procurement of fruits across the country remains fragmented and hindered by several issues in the value chain like lack of any visibility of supply, quality inconsistency, and wastage of produce during transit, among others. But with our progressive horticulture approach through differentiated tech deployed on large acreages combined with the Fasal Fresh network, we are able to solve a lot of these supply chain issues.

We can completely revamp the entire value chain by providing a consistent supply of high-quality produce to buyers and significantly better compensation to the farmers. The network is built to bring a higher level of predictability and traceability to the horticulture supply chain via tech at a scale which was not possible before.“

To drive the business vertical, a veteran horticulture supply chain expert, Manoj Kumar, has joined as Director, Fasal Fresh. “Through Fasal Fresh, we are excited to directly connect farmers growing high-quality produce using Fasal’s IoT systems and advisories with exporters, modern retailers,

and end consumers. The aim is to have assured availability of precisely grown, high quality and sustainable fruits with competitive pricing for the end-consumers while ensuring transparency in deals and timely payments for the farmers – all using Fasal’s end-to-end platform,” added Manoj Kumar, Director, Fasal Fresh.

Our predictability in supply allows consistent availability of high-quality sorted, graded, and packed produce enabling buyers to plan well in advance and minimize transit loss. Fasal Fresh aims to be a system that dramatically simplifies the lives of farmers, sellers, retailers as well as end-consumers in gaining access to safer and healthier fruits as well as vegetables at fair prices. Right from making conscious decisions to use only required levels of pesticides to eco-friendly packaging, Fasal Fresh comes with the promise of access to safer, precise and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables.

2nd March 2023 Equity Small Finance Bank Limited, one of the leading SFBs, has announced the revised interest rates for Fixed Deposits as well as Recurring Deposits in Domestic and NRE/ NRO Interest Rates Accounts. The hike in interest rates will be effective from 01st March, 2023.

The hike will allow FD customers to earn 8.20% interest on investing less than INR 2 crore for a tenure of 888 days. The bank is also increasing interest rates on investments for tenures ranging from 12 months to 24 months. This is applicable to both domestic accounts and NRE/ NRO accounts. Furthermore, domestic senior citizens will receive 0.50% extra on the FD and RD rates. The interest payouts will continue to be quarterly across all account types.

Murali Vaidyanathan, Senior President and Country Head, Equitas Small Finance Bank, said, “We are happy to announce that customers of Equitas Small Finance Bank will earn better interest on Fixed Deposit and Recurring Deposit. This meets the key agenda of the bank to encourage the customers’ habit of saving and maximize their benefits through a hike in interest rates and help people’s money grow. As a matter of fact, locking money for a determined period through lump-sum Or recurring deposits also ensures meeting certain goals in life. Besides, to boost the saving drive amongst senior citizens in India, Equitas offers an additional 0.5% on their Fixed Deposit and Recurring Deposit which enhances capital creation and suits their requirement of investment at the same time. We look forward to our customers joining the transformational journey of our Beyond Banking philosophy for achieving better growth of the society together.”

Fixed Deposit Rate for Domestic, NRE / NRO (for INR) with effect from 1^st March 2023

Recurring Deposit for Domestic, NRE / NRO (in INR) Rate for different tenure with effect from:

1^st March 2023

Mumbai,2nd March 2023 Fashion Platform for Women of today, STUMBL has joined hands with fashion creator Masoom Minawala. Masoom, who is a Forbes 30 under 30 and one of the most trusted fashion creators in India has invested in STUMBL and will be coming onboard as a strategic advisor.

With this one of its kind partnership, STUMBL aims to bring top fashion creators on its platform to curate and recommend fashion that gives young women the freedom and confidence to discover their unique style. The brand aspires to build an open and honest community where there is a strong sense of belonging, a place where one can express their authentic self without any judgement, and be able to meet their tribe of unique people, creators and brands. Masoom as a strategic advisor will advise the team at STUMBL and help the company acquire and retain top fashion creators.

Here’s the link to Masoom announcing her partnership with STUMBL :

Launched in Dec 2022 by three experienced and highly successful senior executives, Maruthy Ramgandhi, Ayyappan Lakshmanan and Abhishekk Handa, the startup has been gaining good traction. The brand also raised $1.6 million from Saama Capital, Whiteboard Capital and notable angel investors. Since its launch, STUMBL has served more than 10,000 young women and 20% of them have been repeat customers ever since.

Hyper-personalisation of supply and shopping format for young women, strong creator community contributing to real-time style curations, and content marketing are key differentiating factors that STUMBL wants to focus more on. For new-age fashion brands which are caught in the highly competitive, discounting game on large marketplaces, and finding it difficult to reach their target group, STUMBL provides the right platform to target young women in a style-centric fashion.

Maruthy Ramgandhi,Co-founder & CEO, STUMBL, says “Fashion choices among women of today are much more unique and aspirational. It is dynamic and a lot driven by pop culture and OTT trends. Baggy clothes, K-fashion, Corsets, Bodysuits, Bralettes, Coords are our top selling styles right now. We work with creators to drop new styles every alternate day and keep our eyes peeled for new trends almost on a daily basis. Our vision is to be the number one fashion platform for women of today. A platform that will give them the fastest and most reliable access to latest fashion trends. ” He further adds, “We are building this new, highly engaged shopping experience with social interaction at its core, providing our users with shoppable moodboards. Think of Instagram or Pinterest with shop-as-you-scroll functionality that marries discovery and commerce.”

Commenting on her association with STUMBL, Masoom Minawala, Fashion creator and Investor, says, “I am thrilled to be a part of STUMBL’s journey both as an investor and strategic advisor. Their real-time supply chain which brings the latest trends to customers at a brisk pace, and creator-focused shopping approach have the power to not only revolutionise the traditional fashion landscape, but to also provide consumers with an unparalleled personalised shopping experience. Looking forward to witnessing STUMBL grow as the number one platform for Indian women and me being a part of this exciting evolution.”

According to industry reports, fashion as a category is currently 12% of e-commerce sales in India. By 2027, the category is projected to grow to 30% of e-commerce sales. Almost one-third of fashion commerce in India will happen online, majorly driven by GenZ and Young Millenials. STUMBL is well positioned to capture this opportunity as they are building a one-of-the-kind fashion platform targeted at the right audience. Masoom’s addition to the team will further strengthen the brand.

Bangkok, Thailand –2nd March 2023: Birla Carbon, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of high-quality carbon black solutions, will participate in the Rubber-Elastomer Technology Association (RETA) International Conference 2023. The event will be held on March 2 – 3, 2023, at Jamjuree Ballroom, M floor, Pathumwan Princess Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand. Birla Carbon will exhibit at Hall 01, Booth 01 – 32.

Expressing his thoughts on the participation, John Davidson, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Birla Carbon, said, “The RETA International Conference 2023 is an opportunity for us to collaborate with customers on providing sustainable carbon-based solutions, as well as venture into new product developments for the EV range of vehicles. With the increasing focus on sustainability around the globe, the team at Birla Carbon aims to bring sustainable and mobility-based product solutions to its customers.” He further added how, “With our commitment to offer these circular products, we aim to assist our partners and customers to help achieve their sustainability goals through our technical expertise.”

Birla Carbon will present its complete portfolio of high-performance carbon blacks for customers’ applications along with a range of sustainable mobility solutions, including Continua™ SCM and other leading products for the rubber industry. Birla Carbon is dedicated to providing a range of solutions focusing on efficiency and sustainability. More details will be availabe at the technical conference presentation on ‘Bringing Circularity at Scale Through Sustainable Carbonaceous Materials’.

Backed by a robust supply chain, large-scale availability, and an eye for detail, these high-quality sustainable alternatives to traditional carbon blacks are the perfect solution to help customers come closer to achieving their sustainability goals. With a focus on performance driven products, Birla Carbon will also present the following solutions at RETA 2023:

•  BC2123, BC1029 and BC1001
•  BC2013
•  BC1083

The first RETA International Conference will bring in participation from suppliers across the rubber and elastomer industries. To learn more about Continua™ SCM and other carbon black solutions for the rubber industry, visit Birla Carbon at Hall 01, Booth 01 – 32.

Guwahati,2nd March 2023 Nexgen Energy Ltd., a prominent green fuel energy company that specializes in installing biogas plants, and Assam Gas Limited, a key player in the Indian energy sector, have announced a collaborative effort to fortify renewable energy sources in India. The partnership was established following an extensive meeting between Dr. Piyush Dwivedi, Chairman of Nexgen Energy, and Gokul Chandra Swargiyari, Managing Director of Assam Gas Limited, where they discussed various measures to boost renewable energy in India, with Nexgen Energy expected to play a pivotal role.

Nexgen Energy has been rapidly working in the field of energy and the environment in recent months, attracting media attention with their investments in Uttar Pradesh, which are expected to expedite biogas production in India. Their expertise in installing biogas plants is considered essential in bolstering renewable energy in the country. During the meeting, Dr. Dwivedi and MD Swargiyari also talked about purchasing LPG and CNG gas with LN G and CN G gas, and announced an agreement to work on alternative energy.

MD Swargiyari is a well-known investor in the energy sector, utilizing cutting-edge technology to develop innovative solutions. The collaboration between Assam Gas Limited and Nexgen Energy is expected to have a significant impact on the energy sector in India.

“This collaboration between Nexgen Energy and Assam Gas Limited is a significant step towards enhancing renewable energy in India and making the country more self-sufficient in the future,” said Dr. Dwivedi. “We are thrilled to work with MD Swargiyari and his team at Assam Gas Limited and are looking forward to a fruitful partnership.”

The partnership between these two energy leaders in India is a positive development for the country’s energy sector. With both companies bringing their expertise and innovative solutions to the table, this collaboration is expected to drive significant progress towards strengthening renewable energy sources in India.

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New Delhi, Wednesday, 2nd March 2023: This International Women’s Day, Women Inspiring Network (WIN), an inspirational storytelling network, joins hands with FICCI G20 Empower, an accelerating women’s leadership action-driven alliance for a Global Mentoring Walk taking place on 2nd March 2023 at FICCI House New Delhi. Global Mentoring Walk will be attended by women leaders from across the fields of corporate, business, entrepreneurship, designers, influencers, and others. The panel discussion is also organized where the women leaders will share insights on various issues that women face in today’s time.

Stuti Jalan, Founder of Women Inspiring Network (WIN) believes “One of the most important things for young women to understand is that there are no boundaries and they can achieve anything they want to. It is of the utmost importance for us as women leaders to ensure that the right support and resources are made available to women in different walks of life for their ultimate holistic advancement. On this occasion of International Women’s Day, we are grateful to this dynamic group for coming together for the Global Mentoring Walk, which is an opportunity for women in our community, and around the world, to unite around a common purpose. Together, we will pave the way for the next generation of women leaders. Women Inspiring Network (WIN) in collaboration with FICCI, G20 Empower to join hands with the mutual goal of mentoring and connecting with one another to promote upliftment, because power expands the moment it is shared. “

Each year the Mentoring Walks take place in celebration of International Women’s Day. The Vital Voices global network of women leaders in more than 60 countries around the world, will host Mentoring Walks, sending the powerful message that women leaders around the world are giving back and investing in the next generation. Mentoring provides a unique opportunity for rising women leaders to unleash their full potential —and for established women leaders to share their successes and help future generations of women leaders grow and develop.

Thus, following the lead, Women Inspiring Network and FICCI G20 Empower are organizing the Global Mentoring Walk, where they want to encourage and strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership, increase women’s overall participation and strengthen the share of women in leadership positions, including growth in millennial leaders, women in startups, women in investment management, women in local and rural business communities, and women in SMEs.

The event will be graced by women changemakers like Payal Kanwar (Director General of Indo-French Chamber), Payal Jain (Designer), Angelique Dhama (CEO of Obeetee Carpets, Retail), Taranjeet Kaur (Project manager of Metabolic Balance India), Naina Ruhail (Founder and Co-CEO, Vanity Wagon), Malika Sadnani (Entrepreneur), Shivani Malik (Da Milano), Shailja Dutt (Corporate), Nidhi Modi (Entrepreneur- Mammlys), Harpreet Suri (Influencer), Akshra Dalal (JD Institue) and many more. It aims to inspire, learn, network, and celebrate women who are change-makers from different arenas and professions.

The panel discussion will raise awareness about careers for Women, Wellness, and Entrepreneurship. Through this Global Mentoring Walk, we want to encourage and strengthen women’s economic participation and leadership, increase women’s overall participation and strengthen the share of women in leadership positions, including growth in millennial leaders, women in startups, women in investment management, women in local and rural business communities, and women in SMEs.

Women Inspiring Network (WIN) has previously held several online webinars promoting various causes such as Breast Cancer Awareness, a Networking event at Qorum, Collaboration with Jai Hind College and Arthanomics, and online workshops and webinars.

Details of the event–

Day & Date: Thursday, 2nd March 2023

Time: IST 4:00-6:00 PM

Venue: FICCI House

Bangalore,2nd March 2023. Leading fashion designer, entrepreneur, and actor Masaba Gupta participated in a live session with Myntra’s shoppers through its live commerce proposition, M-Live on the platform on 22 February. The event was part of the launch of the face make-up category of LoveChild, a cosmo-wellness and beauty brand founded by Masaba. During the big-bang launch event, Masaba engaged with her fans, fashion enthusiasts, and beauty aficionados, who in turn flanked the platform to get a glimpse of the widely-admired beauty maven. The live session was undertaken to introduce LoveChild’s ‘Shaadi’ inspired Band Baaja Blush creme blushes and Highlighted Nakhre, highlighter palettes, the session attracted a whopping 40K+ viewers, making it one of the largest live launches for a beauty brands on M-Live, Myntra’s live commerce platform.

The live session was simulcasted on Myntra Studio, Myntra’s Instagram page, Myntra Beauty’s Instagram page, Lovechild’s Instagram page and Masaba’s Instagram page. During the live session with her fans, talked about her connection with LoveChild, including showcasing the latest products inspired by the joy of self-love and the grandeur of Indian weddings. She explained how the packaging design of her products captures the energy and vibe of these celebratory moments, bringing them to life. The session also saw her speak about LoveChild’s latest launches designed for all Indian skintones, which include the two shades of Highlighted Nakhre – Chandni and Sitara, and the six vibrant categories of Band Baaja Blush – Bubblegum Baraat, Peach Puchka, Shocking Sharbat, Brown Kudi, Lal Lal Land, and Cinnamon Choli.

Staying true to her personality, Masaba kept the interaction fun and free flowing. During the session hosted by popular beauty influencer, Debasree Banerjee, Masaba also touched upon dealing with acne and sensitive skin over the years her desire not to restrict women with preconceived notions of beauty and skincare. She spoke about her fascination with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, Shea butter, and niacinamide, while highlighting her admiration for ethical products, which led the way for her to ensure that LoveChild products are PETA certified and free from sulfates and parabens. The session culminated with mentions of unmatched offers that viewers could use to avail her products at attractive prices on Myntra Beauty.

With over 1400+ brands and 75000+ SKUs, Beauty and Personal Care is one of fastest growing categories on Myntra. With 100% engagement rates being witnessed across its sessions coupled with a significant growth in its live streaming traffic, Beauty is also a top-performing category on Myntra’s live commerce proposition, M Live. Myntra has facilitated 8000+ M-Live sessions so far with brands such as Lakme, MAC, Colorbar, Innisfree, Maybelline, MASIC, FAE Beauty, and Arata leveraging the proposition to interact with their communities on a deeper level. With the strong love and reception from the brands and customers for M-Live, Myntra plans to scale its brand-led M-lives to make up for a majority of all the live sessions in the next few months. On a daily basis, two hours of beauty content is scheduled on M-live with the Beauty Squad consisting of beauty experts such as make-up artists, skin specialists, dermatologists sharing reviews, trends, pro-tips and hacks on make-up, skincare and haircare, among others.