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< Back Pursuing growth, IT companies turn away from subcontracting 17 Sept 2024 FY24 saw a rapid decline in subcontracting shares of several IT giants, hitting the lowest figures in almost eight years. The Indian IT industry has relied on subcontracting, especially during the pandemic, to meet hiring needs and close in-house skill gaps. Often, these companies need subcontracting to meet the client's requirements on time. This practice gradually increased the costs of subcontracting talent from third-party agencies, which hiked further in the past 18 months, mainly due to high attrition. The declining margins and slowing industrial growth pushed IT companies away from subcontracting to lower their costs. TCS recorded subcontracting costs at 4% of its total revenue in Q1 FY25, the lowest since FY16. Wipro logged it at 11.3% in the same period, again the lowest since FY16. Tech Mahindra’s costs were 12.6%, the lowest since FY19, and Infosys recorded 8.1% last financial year, the lowest since FY21. They are also focusing on strengthening in-house skillsets to optimise cost efficiency, better utilisation of billable hours, and control administrative expenses to boost margins. Previous Next

< Back CLA Global plans expansion in India 22 Apr 2024 It expanded its presence in India with Baker Tilly India Business Advisory and Consulting Services joining CLA Global's portfolio as a member firm last year. The non-big four accounting and auditing firm, CLA Global formed a new entity in India last year, CLA Global Indus Value Consulting, with Baker Tilly India Business Advisory and Consulting as its member firm. It recruited over 20 partners and more than 300 employees across the country. It offers services in cybersecurity, taxes, data analytics, forensics, and technology implementation. CLA Global serves profitable and growing mid-market clientele that is not yet listed and is away from considerable regulatory scrutiny. Its entities are structured into 14 industry groups across five services. Its Indian entity will also align with the same structure, thus promoting collaboration within their network worldwide. CLA is present in 12 countries and plans to expand to 30 nations by 2024 end. Its US parent has invested USD85 million till now in the India arm and plans to invest USD500 million more over the next five to six years. Previous Next

< Back Google to integrate AI chatbot Bard in all its apps Ishita Nigam 26 Sept 2023 The tech giant will provide the AI chatbot Bard as an extension for all its apps like Gmail. Drive, Docs, YouTube, and the flights and hotel services. Google has announced integrating its AI chatbot, Bard, with all its apps and services as an optional extension. So, data from all the apps will be available in Bard’s single chat window. User data will not be used to show them ads or train the chatbot. This feature will roll out after updating the PaLM 2, the Large Language Model (LLM) that powers Bard. So, for booking a vacation, users can ask Bard to check for everyone’s availability from Gmail, look up flights and hotels, and run a YouTube search for places to visit at the destination – all from a single-window conversation with Bard. It will also provide a ‘Google it’ or ‘G’ icon to double check its answers from web searches. Users will be able to share a Bard chat with other users through a public link, and the new user can continue the same conversation with the chatbot. Previous Next

< Back Govt partners with SBI Cards, telecom to combat cyber fraud 23 Apr 2024 Indian Home Ministry joined hands with SBI Cards and telecom operators to detect stolen OTPs and issue timely alerts. The Home Ministry is testing a prospective solution to detect stolen One Time Passwords (OTPs) and timely alert the user. It has partnered with SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited and telecom providers to develop the solution. It will allow banks to track customers’ geolocation. Banks already have users’ registered addresses, and they can compare where the OTP was delivered. If the current location or registered address don't match the OTP's delivery address, they will issue an immediate alert to the user, or block the OTP. An Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (i4C) report mentions crimes originating in China, Myanmar, and Cambodia siphoned off ₹10,319 crore between 2021-2023. Criminals mislead customers to share the OTPs or reroute them to themselves. Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System, created under i4C, prevented fraudulent transfers worth around ₹1,200 crore from over 470,000 complaints received till February this year. Previous Next

< Back BSNL launches India’s first satellite-to-device service 14 Nov 2024 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has built this service in association with Californian communications company Viasat. BSNL, the government-owned telecom provider, launched a pioneering direct-to-device satellite service on Wednesday. It will offer uninterrupted network access to even the remotest areas and boost cellular coverage nationwide. This model was showcased at the India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024. iPhone14 had introduced satellite connectivity, but these services were limited to government and military use in India. BSNL makes the service available to the general public. The service will assist Indians in making emergency calls, sending SoS messages and transacting via UPI in locations with no or limited cellular and Wi-Fi connections. BSNL is yet to announce how its users will be able to access the service and its pricing structure. Satellite spectrum will be allotted to telcos administratively and not via auction. Direct-to-device connectivity allows regular devices like mobile phones, smartwatches, cars, industrial machinery and transport operators to connect with terrestrial and satellite coverage without dedicated hardware. Previous Next

< Back India updates plastic waste management rules 8 Jul 2025 The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2025, were formulated by the Ministry of Environment. India’s Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is implementing new pollution control rules from July 1st. These regulations mandate that all plastic packaging have a barcode, a QR code or a unique ID linked to CPCB registration. The Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) will comply with Rule 11 that mandates enhanced labelling and traceability for packages. The CPCB will publicly list compliant parties. There will be daily escalating fines for non-compliance, as well as conviction for repeated and serious violations. This is bound to enhance accountability for companies that fall under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. The aim is to curb plastic pollution and encourage companies to enhance their recycling infrastructure, such as PET recycling plants, and utilise AI-based sorting, as seen in Google’s CircularNet model, which Saahas Zero Waste uses. Never miss another post from SalestorrsNews150. Follow Salestorrs on WhatsApp , LinkedIn , Facebook , X , and Instagram . Previous Next

< Back RBI brings AI into UPI; raises UPI Lite limit to ₹500 Ishita Nigam 22 Aug 2023 RBI will soon introduce AI-enabled Conversational Payments in your UPI apps. Plus, it has raised UPI Lite limit from ₹200 to ₹500, upper limit ₹2,000. Salestors, you may soon be able to direct an AI chatbot to make UPI payments for you. RBI Governor, Shaktikanta Das, announced on August 17th their plans to introduce Conversational Payments on UPI systems. Initially, the service will be available only in Hindi and English and will include other languages eventually. RBI raised the transaction limit for UPI Lite from ₹200 to ₹500, with the upper limit capped at ₹2,000. UPI Lite is an on-device wallet launched in September 2022 to boost small value transactions. It turned out to be a smashing hit and currently handles ten million transactions monthly. The government plans to introduce transactions using Near Field Communication (NFC) that allow information exchange between phones at a distance of 4 centimetres. It will offer superfast ‘Tap to Pay’ service and minimal declined transactions. Paytm and Cred are already offering this service. Previous Next

< Back Hero MotorCorp planning to debut in the electric 3-wheeler market 5 Sept 2024 Hero is hosting advanced talks with Altigreen Propulsion Labs, an 11-year-old Bengaluru-based manufacturer of electric three-wheelers. With all its competitors, Mahindra & Mahindra, TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto, present in the three-wheeler segment, Hero MotorCorp is planning a debut in the market. It is in the advanced level of discussions to invest ₹900 crore in Altigreen Propulsion Labs to manufacture electric three-wheelers (E3Ws). The discussions have been ongoing for around nine months. Altigreen’s electric three-wheelers are used by e-commerce companies for last-mile deliveries of vegetables, gas cylinders, poultry, and dairy products. Since its launch in 2020, Altigreen has sold 5,000 units. Bajaj Auto sells 3,500 vehicles per month, and Mahindra sells 7,000 vehicles per month. It is now working on an electric four-wheeler. If the deal goes through, it will be Hero Group's second-largest investment in the EV segment after electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ather Energy, where it holds a 40% stake. In June, Hero invested ₹124 crore to buy an additional 2.2% stake in Ather Energy. Previous Next

< Back Faster immigration for int’l passengers at Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru 29 Jan 2024 The government plans to roll out biometric checks, DigiYatra for international passengers to speed up the process. International passengers travelling to and from India will soon be offered biometric immigration services at New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai airports. The government is also working on making DigiYatra available to international passengers for electronic passport-based enrolment. The biometric check-in will be first available for international passengers. Indians will receive it after the issuance of much-awaited e-passports, which are expected to begin this year. E-passports will combine paper and electronic passports, with an RFID chip and antenna installed in the back cover. The passport’s first page and the chip will store the individual’s complete data. Indian government officials and diplomats have been receiving such passports since 2021. First-time visitors will still need to enrol and clear immigration with facial, iris, and fingerprint scanners to be able to use the e-clearance during departure. It will reduce the touch points for passengers and lower their overall checking-in duration. Previous Next

< Back Extended detention time raising logistics costs in India 10 Jan 2025 Detention is the time a truck spends waiting for loading or unloading beyond the agreed period. The Indian logistics industry suffers a prolonged detention period when trucks are forced to wait for hours or even days for loading or unloading. Some firms hold the trucks and use them as extended warehouses in case of a paucity of space, while some refuse to pay for the waiting hours. This is an additional nuisance for the logistics sector, which already bleeds due to operational and fuel costs and inadequate infrastructure. Such delays lead to severe underutilisation of trucks rendered useless as extended warehouses. It also raises operational costs and leaves drivers without food or basic amenities, often under harsh conditions. FMCG and consumer goods industries face the maximum brunt. To reduce the burden on drivers, some companies, like Fr8, have raised their detention charges to pay the drivers more. American truckers receive between USD 50-80 per hour towards detention charges, while in India, the rate is around INR 1,000-1,500 daily. Never miss another post from SalestorrsNews150. Follow Salestorrs on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Previous Next

< Back Star Air begins Mumbai to Solapur flights from Oct 15 29 Sept 2025 Their flight will operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The new route between Solapur and Mumbai is Star India’s 31 st route. The four-weekly flights will commence from mid-October, with fares starting at ₹3,999, all-inclusive. Tickets are available now on its website, CNBC reported. It is part of the regional airline’s expansion plan under the government’s UDAN scheme (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik). The airline aims to connect underserved Tier 2 and 3 cities. Star Air, owned by the Kolhapur-based Ghodavats, launched in 2019. It operates Embraer E175 and E145 with separate seating combinations and business and economy classes. Star India turned profitable in FY2025 with a profit of ₹68 crore and became the Number 2 airline in India. It has avoided hiring expensive talent to control its costs. It has 1,000 direct and 500 indirect hires. In FY2024, Star Air received ₹258 crore as a UDAN subsidy, against a total income of ₹364 crore. From four cities in 2019, it now flies to 32 cities. Check out my new book, THE BLACK FLAMES , on Amazon Kindle. A gripping, high-stakes novel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐.6 stars on Amazon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ on Goodreads Previous Next

< Back 3 Indian states ban raw egg mayonnaise 12 May 2025 Kerala banned it in 2023, Telangana in November 2024, and Tamil Nadu in April 2025. Mayonnaise made from raw eggs contains egg yolk, vinegar, vegetable oil, and seasonings. Tamil Nadu has become the third state to ban the production, storage, distribution, and sale of mayonnaise for a year, effective April 8, 2025. Tamil Nadu’s Food Safety and Drug Administration has termed it a ‘high risk’ food due to its potential to cause food poisoning from Salmonella bacteria (Salmonella typhimurium, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia Coli, and Listeria monocytogenes). Food poisoning symptoms would include diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, and fever. These bacteria thrive in warmer temperatures, so mayonnaise can pose higher safety risks when improperly cooked or stored. Vegan and pasteurised egg mayonnaise undergo heat treatment that kills the harmful bacteria. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana have introduced street food hygiene standards and imposed limits on synthetic food colours in sweets and beverages. Tamil Nadu has imposed stricter temperature regulations for meat storage for preventing bacterial growth. Never miss another post from SalestorrsNews150. Follow Salestorrs on WhatsApp , LinkedIn , Facebook , X , and Instagram . Previous Next