Parzor Foundation and Madison BMB With Bombay Parsi Punchayat, TISS, Mumbai and Federation of Zoroastrian Anjumans of India launch the JIYO PARSI Campaign – Phase –II

Sam Balsara, Katy Gandevia Jiyo Parsi Coordinator, Yezdi Desai BPP Chairman, H.E Khalegi Consul General of Iran, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Minister of Minority Affairs, Vada Dasturji Khurshed Dastur Saheb, Niva Singh Jt. Secretary Ministry of Minority Affairs, Parizaad Kolah Marshall, Armaity Tirandaz BPP Trustee, Dr. Niloufer Shroff Parzor Foundation, in Mumbai – Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar HPN

MUMBAI, July 29, 2017, (HPN)  : The Parzor Foundation and Madison BMB along with Bombay Parsi Panchayat, TISS, Mumbai and Federation of Zoroastrian Anjumans of India launched the “Jiyo Parsi”  Phase-II campaign on 29^thJuly 2017.

The Minister for Minority AffairsMukhtar Abbas Naqvi presided over a gathering of eminent personalities and released the campaign. Also present on the occasion was the Consul General of Iran, H.E. Masood E Khaleghi  and renowned actress Parizad Kolah Marshall who both spoke on the importance of the Launch and Programme. 

The Jiyo Parsi Scheme launched on 24th September 2013 is unique, not only in India but to the world.

The Jiyo Parsi Scheme is initiated by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA), Government of India, to reverse the decline in the Parsi population by adopting scientific medical protocols and structured interventions, to stabilize and increase the population of Parsis in India.

The Parzor Foundation along with other Parsi organizations and many reputed doctors across India is working to spread awareness on the sociological, psychological and medical issues which have led to the critical decline in numbers, to make Parsis benefit from the huge advances in ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) available today.

As India’s population more than tripled in over 60 years, the number of Parsis has reduced by almost 50% and is now less than 57,264 (Census 2011).

This is the First Time in the World that an intervention is being attempted to bring an urban, educated community back from the brink of Demographic extinction.  Between September 2013 and today, 101 babies (for Parsis, a blessed number), have been born under the scheme and for many more couples, the Scheme has been ‘Truly a Miracle‘, ‘Our Silver Lining‘, ‘At the End of Every Tunnel there is Light‘. With the full support of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MOMA), Jiyo Parsi been able to turn despair into delight. ‘Jiyo Parsi appeared in our lives as a ray of hope….., the Jiyo Parsi Counsellor gave us the courage to try one more time, with God’s blessing we are parents of an energetic baby today‘.

These Testimonials are only one part of the story. From infertility to grand-parenting, Jiyo Parsi has become a Movement to bring back the happiness of family, a faith in the future and a firm belief in the resilience of the Parsi Zoroastrian community. We can proudly say that even children declare ‘Jiyo Parsi’.

Says  Dr. Shernaz Cama, the prime mover of the scheme, “As we enter our next Phase, we look ahead to carry the community with us, old and young, to think outside the box and be the pioneers in reviving a community; let us know that every step we take can make a difference.”

Whilst Phase-I of the campaign, created by Sam Balsara’s Madison focused on awareness of Jiyo Parsi and sensitizing the community and its youngsters to the issues in a  tone of voice that ensured virability of the campaign, the current Phase-2 consists of 12 ads and is focused more on trying to persuade young Parsis to get married and have children for a better balance to  their own life. Raj Nair, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Madison BMB, the agency behind the creative execution of the campaign says, “After the huge success of the deliberately tongue-in-cheek last print campaign, we have created a new rendition.  We have continued to focus on issues especially relevant and meaningful, like togetherness, the importance of family, that having children is joyful and doesn’t come in the way of life at all, that there is no positive outcome to choosing to be alone and so on. The hope is that the issues touched upon will clearly resonate with young Parsi people in a completely positive manner.” Madison BMB has been involved with the project since inception.Ends

Peps Industries launches 125th Great Sleep Store in India

(L-R) – Mr. Angad Singh, Business Head, Mr. Kanik Singh, Business Head, Mr. Raju Madan, Director at Fairgrowth Sales Pvt Ltd and Mr.Sanjay Agine, Zonal Manager, Peps Industries Pvt Ltd at the launch of its 6th exclusive showroom – Great Sleep Store at Juhu in Mumbai.-
Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar / HPN 

Marks its 6th store in the Mumbai and 15^th in the Maharashtra

Mumbai, July 27, 2017 (HPN) : Peps Industries, India’s top selling spring mattress manufacturing company marked the launch of its 6^thexclusive showroom — Great Sleep Store (GSS) — in Mumbai. The event was inaugurated by Mr. Shankar Ram, Joint MD, Peps Industries. With this store, Peps now has its presence across the country with 125 GSS across the country.

Known popularly as the Great Sleep Store, each of Peps’ exclusive showrooms exhibits the wide range of its product line that includes Peps (Spring Koil, Restonic, Spine Guard, Grand Palais Crystal, Double Decker, Brio and Vivah) mattress. The outlets are designed to givea clear preview of how Peps can elevate the consumer’s bedroom. This has been done with the idea of allowing customers to indulge in experiencing the products thoroughly before making any purchasing decisions. The outlets also exemplify the personality of the brand by highlighting the importance of comfortable sleeping.

Speaking at the launch, G Shankar Ram, Joint MD, Peps Industries, said,“It gives me immense pleasure to announce the launch of our 125^thGreat Sleep Store in India and the 6^th store in Mumbai. By offering products of global standards with a strong value proposition to our customers, we have been able to register an exponential growth since the inception of Peps. Peps’ Great Sleep Stores embody the perfect picture of comfort while giving customers a clear preview of how we can enhance their bedrooms and improve their sleep experience.”

Peps Industries was established in 2006 by K. Madhavan, MD, and his two partners, G Shankar Ram, Joint MD, and P Manjunath, Director. The company controls a majority of India’s spring mattress market and has played a crucial role in bringing world-class affordable spring mattresses to Indian consumers. The company has also partnered with Restonic Corporation of USA, which is one of the largest mattress companies in the world. Being the only Indian company with a licensing agreement with Restonic, Peps has exclusive access to the unique technology of Restonic.

Since its establishment, Peps has seen tremendous growth and now produces over two lakh (200,000) mattresses annually. Peps aims to become a complete bedroom solution for all, by penetrating the different segments of bedroom accessories, and intends to expand its geographic footprint in the South East Asian market as well.ENDS.

India’s No.1 Automation Expo attracts record participation for 12th Edition

Ms. Jyoti, Director -IED Communications, the organizers of the Expo is seen announcing the Automation Expo 2017 during a press conference held in Mumbai on 27th July 2017 in Mumbai - Photo By Sachin Murdeshwar / HPN.

MUMBAI,  27 July,  2017 (HPN)  : Automation Expo 2017, India’s biggest and South East Asia’s 2nd biggest Automation show has attracted a record number of exhibitors with over 900 companies from over two dozen countries represented at the event. The 12th edition of the show will be held from 09 to 12th August, 2017, at Hall No.1, Bombay Exhibition Centre, in Mumbai. The exhibition,spread across an area of 23,000 sq.mtr, will have on display a vast array of products and innovations from global leaders in the field of Industrial Automation, now entering the era of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The show is supported by the Department of Science &Technology, Govt of India, and a host of other professional bodies. The mega Automation Show will be inaugurated by Mr. B. Narayan, Group President (Procurement & Projects), Reliance Industries Ltd,at a Grand Opening Ceremony in the presence of an august gathering of industry stalwarts and automation professionals. The four-day extravaganza will witness on display state-of-the-artproducts and cutting edge technologies from the field of Process Automation & Control Systems, Factory Automation, Industrial Automation, Field Instrumentation, Smart Sensors& Controllers, Robotics &Machine Automation, Motors &Drives, Software Solutions, Bus Technologies, Wireless Technologies, Building Automation, Automation in Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Automation in Renewable Energy and Safety & Security Systems, etc. Since inception fifteen years ago, Automation Expo has consistently evolved as a top-of-the-class platform to showcase the world’s best automation technologiesat a single venue. The exhibition brings together the Who’s Who of the industry, decision makers, technocrats, and technology enthusiasts.Here professionals like fund managers and venture capitalists mingle with technology providersin one-to-one meetings seeking investment opportunities and explore mergers & acquisitions (M&A) possibilities to create sustainable business models for the future. Mr. M. Arokiaswamy, Managing Director, IED Communications Ltd, the brain behind this mega exhibition says, “Automation is no longer an emerging trend or a cutting edge technology for the future. It is the reality we need to live with, here and now. Today there is a pressing need for every industry in India to embrace automation to take on global competition. The 12th edition of the show is expected to get more than 50,000 visitors from various OEMs and industries such as Oil & Gas, Automobiles, Pharmaceuticals, Food Processing, Fertilizers and Chemicals, Cement, Glass, Electrical and Electronics, and other automation technology users and solutions providers. With more than 900 top automation manufacturers and solution providers already gearing up to showcase their technology prowess at the mega event, the upcoming show is surely going to set a benchmark in the history of the Indian Automation Industry.

Automation Expo 2017 will also host concurrent events:

• CEO Summit on Innovation and R&D – 9th August
• Conference on Automation in Pharma – 9th August
• Conference on Industrial Internet of things – 10th August
• Machine Safety Interactive Session – 10th August
• Conference on Cyber Security – 11thAugust
• Workshop on SIL and Functional Safety – 12th August

Automation Expo 2017 is exclusively supported by:

• Govt. of India Ministry of Science & Technology, Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi.
• SME Chamber of India
• Indo Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industries
• Indo African Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Indian Pump Manufacturers’ Association”
• IEC (Instrumentation Experts Club)
• Fieldcomm Group
• IPA (Indian Profibus Profinet Association)
• AMA (Association for Sensors and Measurement)
• ISA Dist.14  ( International Society of Automation)
• Defense & Strategic Industries Association of India
• Indian Industries Association
• Indian Transformer Manufacturers Association
• Sercos International
• CC Link CLPA Partners Association
• Bombay Small Scale Industries Association
• Indian Pharma Machinery Manufacturers Association (IPMMA)
• Ethernet Powerlink Standardization Group
• Skill India
• ARC Advisory Group
• Instrumentation Automation Surveillance Communication

The Industrial Automation Market :

Transparency Market Research (TMR) observes that the global industrial automation market is highly fragmented due to the presence of several players in the field. The top four players with a strong foothold in the global market hold just under 15% of the market share, which indicates the extent of fragmentation. However, there is some consolidation happening gradually as indicated by the acquisition of MYNAH Technologies by Emerson, Rockwell Automation’s acquisition of Maverick Technologies and ABB’s acquisition of Bernecker & Rainer (B&R).

According to the TMR report, the global industrial automation market is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$352.02 bn by the end of 2024 from US$182.64 bn in 2015. Between the forecast years of 2016 and 2024, the global market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.6%. “Developing new technologies that deliver commercial excellence, functional transformation will be the key focus areas of these companies,” states the lead author of this research report.

The Indian Industrial Automation Industry is expected to reach INR 197 billion by 2020 with growth driven by rapid adoption of modern technology backed by cost saving features, says Ken Research, a global aggregator and publisher of market intelligence research reports, equity reports, data base directories and economy reports.

The Factory Automation market has been the fastest emerging segment in the industrial automation market in India. Automotive industry has been an integral part of the factory automation since the inception of automation practices, thanks to assembly line mass production which includes wielding, cleaning, joining solutions, engine assembly.

The demand of Process Automation products has been primarily driven by pharmaceutical sector, largely due to huge demand of medicines and other pharmaceutical products. The process automation market in India has been largely dominated by pressure transmitters.

Leading Exhibitors at Automation Expo 2017

ADVANTECH INDIA 

ALSTRUT INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

AVENTICS INDIA PVT LTD

AXIS ENGINEERING

BAUMER TECHNOLOGIES INDIA PVT. LTD.

BEIJER ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGIES PVT LTD

BRISK ELECTRO SALES P. LTD.

CAMOZZI INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

CHEMTROLS INDUSTRIES LTD.

CHINALEADSHINE

DYNALOG INDIA LIMITED

ELDON CS ENCLOSURES PVT. LTD.

FIELDCOMGROUP

FINDER INDIA PVT. LTD.,

INOVA  AUTOMATION  PVT., LTD.,

INVT ELECTRIC INDIA PVT LTD

KATLAX ENTERPRISES PVT LTD

MITSUBISHI

MOONS’ INDUSTRIES (SOUTH-EAST ASIA) PTE. LTD

NAGMAN INSTRUMENTS & ELECTRONICS (P) LTD.,

OMRON AUTOMATION PVT LTD

PENTAIR TECHNICAL PRODUCTS INDIA PVT  LTD

PRECISE TECHNOFAB INDIA PVT LTD

SANYO DENKI INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED

SICK INDIA PRIVATE LTD

TAL MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS LTD.

VASHI ELECTRICALS PVT LTD

WENGLOR SENSORIC INDIA PVT LTD.

ENDS.

Real Estate player Man's Global witnesses protest from its Buyers

Protest Outside Man Group's Office as Man Global Defaults on Possession - (HPN) 

Mumbai, July 25, 2017 (HPN) :Dozens of individuals protested outside the office of Man Group at Ville Parle, Mumbai yesterday. The crowd held placards and chanted slogans against the company. Man Global, a real estate subsidiary of Man Group has defaulted on possession of residential apartments promised to the buyers in the year 2014. The promoters of Man Group are Nikhil Mansukhani, and Ramesh Mansukhani and it has been three years since the possessions should have been made but nothing has been done in the regard. The name of the project is Man Opus and was initiated by Man Global in the year 2010 at Mira Road, Mumbai.

The buyers of the flats are stuck in limbo and are agitated since the promises made were also not kept and there was no information about the delay or about the change in plans of the property planning.

WATCH VIDEO :

A consumer that had booked a flat in the said project of Man Opus said, ‘‘Empty promises were made every time we had called them. I have already paid a sum of INR 10 lakh. First they said that it would be 6 towers, and then without informing us they made 6 into 14. We did not get any information about the change in flat allocation either. Fortunately, I went to check about the development of the project and was told that my flat had been changed from the one I had booked. I had to choose from the leftovers. It is sad that the common man has to suffer and the builders such as Man Group still laugh to the bank.”ENDS.

Global Direct Selling Industry clocked USD 183 Billion in retail sales, says World Federation of Direct Selling Associations Report

QNET FILE PHOTO - HPN.

New Delhi, July 3, 2017 (HPN)  :  Even as online shopping is fast catching up and large malls are offering multibrand retail variety to customers, the traditional and oldest method of direct selling is also entrenching itself in the market place. According to a recently published report of the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations, the retail sales of the Direct Selling Industry stood at USD 183 billion globally. The Asia Pacific region was the highest contributor with as much as 46 per cent of sales coming from this region. The US was in the second spot with 33 per cent of the sales while Europe brought in 20 per cent. Africa and the Middle East were the lowest in terms of retails sales with just about 1 per cent of the global sales coming from that region. Total retail sales of USD 183 billion in 2016 were up 1.9 per cent from the previous year and have been growing at a healthy pace of 5.20 per cent.

In 2016 the total retail sales reported by the Asia Pacific region stood at USD 83.75 billion up 1.10 per cent from the previous year. The industry has been growing at a 3-year CAGR of 6.70 per cent in this region. The potential of the Indian market can be gauged from the numbers as the Direct Selling industry in India is close to USD 1.18 billion. Also, as per the report, among the various categories of goods that the industry sells, Wellness occupies the top slot, contributing to 35 per cent of the total sales. This is closely followed by Cosmetics & Personal Care which bring in 35 per cent of the sales, while Household Goods & Durables account for 12 per cent. Other categories such as Clothing & Accessories, Home Care, Utilities, Financial Services and others bring in the rest. Considering this trend, a lot of companies are now expected to launch their products in the Indian market, especially in the wellness and the cosmetics and personal care categories. Existing companies suchQNet have already braced themselves up for the bright future that they see and have already began launching new products. The industry also holds a good position on one more important parameter – the number of entrepreneurs that it has been successful in creating over the years. The total number of independent representatives registered globally in this industry stand at a little above 10 crore as of 2016 while there are more than 40 lakh Indians who have embraced this industry as a source of living. The large number of employable population that India produces calls for huge number of employment generation or creating opportunities for self employment. The Direct Selling Industry with its capability is a likely solution to this problem. This billion-dollar industry has been growing in India despite various issues ranging from a widely misconstrued business model to lack of a proper regulatory framework. Various multinational direct selling companies that set up shop in India have had their fair share of run-ins with the law. ‘The lack of a proper regulatory authority to oversee the business of direct selling companies in India led to many complaints. Despite some difficulties, we are quite upbeat about India. In fact QNet will be launching new products in the Indian market over the next three to four months. These health and personal care products have done extremely well in global markets. We are launching these products in India with locally sourced ingredients.” said Trevor Kuna, global CEO of QNet elaborating on the future plans of the company. The Direct Selling Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs have paved the way for a more structured and disciplined business environment for companies. The government’s move towards implementing the GST Act will further help companies in India. The industry expects clarity in policy for it and with the steps taken by the Ministry to facilitate ‘Ease of doing business’and MNCs will start putting India on their investment map. QNet has already committed an additional investments of Rs. 300 crs in the next 5 years and is launching 8-10 new products in the current year.ENDS.

Quotes on GST By Mr Anil Agrawal, MD and CEO, Comfort Securities Ltd.

Mr Anil Agrawal, MD and CEO, Comfort Securities Ltd. - HPN

Mumbai, 3 July, 2017 (HPN) : All businesses, small or large, will be impacted by this new indirect tax regime. GST will be levied on both, goods and services and will subsume and replace the current indirect taxes such as excise, VAT, and service tax. GST is destination tax, meaning the tax base will shift from origin to consumption. It will help to build a transparent and corruption free tax administration.

Currently, some sectors like the textile industry are exempted from taxes or pay low tax. There is no doubt that GST has increased the administrative cost because of inadequate infra structure facility like connectivity, electricity supply in remote areas, literate manpower, etc. All the stock transfer will lead to taxability under GST laws. The time gap in between the stock transfer and sale of stock will have a huge impact on the cash flow i.e. working capital. During each stock transfer the business needs to pay the tax under GST, while the input tax credit is effectively used when those stocks will be sold by the receiving branch location. In this case every time the business needs to pay the Tax amount for each stock transfer while he can utilize the credit against the output liabilities at the time of sale only. Thus, for many sectors the tax burden will increase which in turn will increase the price of the final goods.
For Common Man items to get cheaper: Prices of movie tickets may become cheaper in most states, Dining in restaurants, Televisions, etc.

For Common Man items to get costlier: Renewal premium for life insurance policies, banking and investment services, residential rent, school fees , etc.

Under GST the turnover limit has been reduced to Rs. 20 lakh thus increasing the tax burden for many manufacturing SMEs.

Once GST is implemented, most of the current challenges of this move will be a story of the past. India will become a single market where goods can move freely and there will lesser compliances to deal with for businesses.ENDS.