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GJEPC) have urged the government to reduce import duty on gold and cut and polished diamonds to help the sector stay competitive globally. India's gem and jewellery industry is dependent on imports for raw materials, including gold, diamonds, silver, and coloured gemstones. The GJEPC seeks a reduction in import duty on precious metals to 4 per cent from the current 15 per cent. It demands bringing down customs duty on cut & polished diamonds to 2.5 per cent from 5 per cent at present. The apex industry body stated that imposing higher import duty on cut and polished gemstones would lead to reduced exports, fewer employment generation in the jewellery industry thereby making survival difficult due to losing competitive edge to other competing countries like China and Thailand. Also Read: Interim Budget measures that Modi govt needs to take

middle class is its future.” That seems to be coming true, if not fully, at least partially. India’s growing middle class is set to be in the pilot’s seat, steering change in the way it travels.

Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. is in talks to invest in Dubai-based GEMS Education, one of the world’s largest private school operators, people familiar with the matter said.

‘Khelo India Youth Games’ inaugural event at Nehru Outdoor Stadium on Friday. The Chennai Traffic Police has issued a detailed advisory to maintain the movement of vehicles. From INS Adyar to Nehru Indoor Stadium and Nehru Outdoor Stadium to Raj Bhavan, there will be alterations in vehicular traffic on the roads surrounding the event venues from 3 pm to 8 pm, the advisory read.

Netflix has pleasantly surprised us with an upcoming DVD and Blu-ray release for Wednesday. The anticipation for the series on these formats won't be a prolonged one, indicating a positive sign for the confirmed second season. This suggests a potential trend for future seasons to be released in physical formats, although a Digital release is not on the horizon. While specific details about bonus features remain scarce, it's not expected to include an abundance of extras. Netflix typically focuses on making their streaming platform the primary destination for series content. However, occasional inclusions like a gag reel or deleted scenes aim to entice viewers into purchasing physical copies.

Gurugram, the bustling city in the National Capital Region (NCR), has witnessed a paradigm shift in its real estate landscape. According to recent survey data, Gurugram has been leading the residential real estate market, with over 13% more sales overall in NCR—particularly in the luxury segment. This illustrates the region’s increasing appeal to investors, especially in light of the notable increases in property values and rental yields, as well as the excellent connections the area provides.

cycle industry in Ludhiana dates back to the pre-Partition days and the legacy continues to remain even in contemporary times. Renowned brands such as Hero Cycles and Avon Cycles started their journey from Ludhiana in the ’50s and ’60s. Popularly dubbed as the “bicycle capital” of the country, Ludhiana accounts for 90% of the country’s cycle production and has a host of MSMEs involved in the trade.

Mint. "Wedding professionals have reported a 15-22% increase in their business year-on-year from 2022 to 2023, coming off the back of the rise in destination weddings. The customer base is also evolving which is paying more and more attention to detail," Shahani added.

The pre-owned category is a growing segment in the country that is being driven by consumers' desire to own rare and unique products and be more sustainable in their purchases. In addition, with the growing influence of western fashion trends and the rise of disposable income, consumers are looking at buying exclusive pieces that are easily available.

Also Read: Budget 2024-25: Three key expectations for the real estate sector Quicker debt freedom: Prepaying hastens loan redemption, shrinking the burden of debt faster. This translates to reduced interest payments and a lighter financial load. Peace of mind: Eliminating a significant debt can be liberating, boosting security and offering greater financial control.

By Jana Choukeir, Ahmed Elimam and Robert Harvey

₹30,000 for Novotel Goa resorts, which are not even on the beach. In contrast, we paid ₹9,000 for a hotel on the beach in Phuket that had a private pool and the rooms were almost three times bigger. Similarly, in Vietnam, we paid ₹6,000 for Movenpick Camranh, one of the best resorts I have ever been to," said Rai.

users of cab-hailing platforms are now facing instances of drivers cancelling trips after finding the destination, the mode of payment for the fare, or a combination of both, according to the findings of a survey. As much as 84% of the respondents to the survey conducted by community social media platform LocalCircles between September 2023 and January this year said they had experienced ride cancellations by drivers over these issues, compared with 79% two years ago. About 75% of the 11,119 respondents chose ride cancellation as the top issue they face when using ride-hailing services, followed by surge pricing, waiting times, safety, driver courteousness and vehicle cleanliness. While drivers often cancelled the trip after finding the destination, they preferred direct payment of the fare instead of digital transfer through the platform of the cab aggregator. «It appears more the demand — given the higher traffic with things normalising (after the pandemic) — the worse are the experiences of consumers,» a report based on the survey said. The entry of new players in app-based taxi market and government regulations have had a minimal impact in improving the user experience, according to LocalCircles. New players such as BluSmart, inDrive and Rapido are helping consumers to have more choices when they need a ride in a market led by Ola and Uber, but their limited reach has failed to make a significant qualitative impact on the user experience, as per the survey. In May 2022 the government issued notices to taxi aggregators citing deficiency in services and other allegedly unfair trade practices.

Television banks on Ayodhya news to keep viewers glued The company will also start UberGo and Uber Intercity services in the coming days. The rapidly developing mobility product will service all inter-city travel needs to Ayodhya from other UP cities. “Following the launch of EV autos, Uber will also start operations of UberGo- its most affordable car product; besides Uber Intercity- the fast grwoing mobility product that will support all inter-city travel needs to Ayodhya from popular destinations within Uttar Pradesh," the company said.

Expo Bazaar, a cross-border B2B platform for sourcing Indian home and lifestyle products, has setup a showroom in Dallas, US that would aid American buyers to source handicrafts made in India. “Expo Bazaar is dedicated to fostering a direct connection between buyers and small producers in the remote clusters of India.

Weekends are all about downtime. After a week full of work to meet deadlines, everybody needs some breather to relax and recuperate. From watching a favourite web series to planning a vacation, weekends are designated as family and me time. Sahil Gupta, co-founder, MyMuse, talks to BrandWagon Online about his weekends, favourite vacation destination and more.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa will attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland this week, a few days after the success of securing Rs 6.64 lakh crore of investment commitments at the recent Global Investors Meet in Chennai. This would be the third time that officials of the current DMK government will visit Davos.

iPhone 15 at an unprecedented price of just Rs 65,999, making it the most budget-friendly option available. This exclusive deal surpasses the Apple Store's retail price of Rs 79,900, marking a significant discount within a year of the iPhone 15's launch. Shoppers can seize the base variant of the iPhone 15 in various colour choices on Flipkart, coupled with an extra Rs 750 off when using an ICICI or Bank of Baroda credit card. While Amazon grapples with stock shortages of all iPhone 15 variants, Croma is offering the same model at a comparatively higher price of Rs 70,990, solidifying Flipkart's position as the preferred destination for iPhone enthusiasts during this Republic Day sale. But that's not all; Flipkart's Republic Day bonanza extends to the iPhone 14, priced attractively at Rs 57,999, and the iPhone 13, available at an enticing Rs 51,999.

real estate has been considered a very safe and stable option to park hard-earned savings. As a standard, across the world, real estate is always going to escalate in value, and over time, as the global economy continues to evolve, investors are increasingly exploring opportunities beyond their borders.

Indians headed to Santa Claus's home this winter, with Rovaniemi witnessing a 20% uptick in visitors from the country. These comprised high net-worth individuals (HNIs), honeymooners and families looking at the Finnish destination to experience not just a white Christmas, but also the northern lights and Arctic activities. Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland, Finland, and is located on the Arctic Circle.

Ram Mandir on January 22, the work of installing doors in the temple has reached its final stage, while the process of grinding and cleaning the stones for the third floor is underway at a fast pace. The intention of the Ram Mandir Teerth Kshetra Trust and the building construction committee is that as much work as possible should be completed before the programme on January 22, given that all the work will be done on a war footing. Dharam Veer, the artisan who is constructing these doors, said that 16 doors have been placed so far and 4-5 more are yet to be placed. «All work will be completed by January 19,» he said. «I am feeling immense joy by working for Lord Shri Ram. The way we installed the gold studded doors on the main gate of the sanctum sanctorum of Ramlala, there was enthusiasm and joy in our minds.