Tag: delhi

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Trends

Mumbai walks more than Delhi

Mumbaikars reveal feelings of calmness, better self esteem and improved physical and emotional health due to walking, says a survey.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Walking regularly helps people restore their work life balance, makes them calmer, happier and more positive towards life, reveals Max Bupa Walk for Health Survey 2014, a first of its kind study of nearly 1000 walkers in Delhi and Mumbai.

According to the survey, 83 per cent walkers in Delhi and Mumbai experience positive lifestyle changes post walking. 43 per cent walkers in Mumbai and 47 per cent walkers in Delhi feel they have become calmer after taking up walking, while 26 per cent in Mumbai say that their work life balance has improved post walking, as they have started leaving office on time,to walk.

WalkingThe survey reveals that more Mumbaikars also feel that their sleeping habits have improved as a result of walking, and many have experienced an improvement in their self-esteem and confidence. Interestingly, 70 per cent patients suffering from serious heart, respiratory, obesity and bone or joint-related ailments also experienced improvement in their physical, mental and emotional health after walking.

The Max Bupa Walk for Health initiative aims to encourage people to integrate walking into their daily schedule. Buoyed by the participation of more than 40,000 people in the two editions of Max Bupa Walk for Health 2012 and 2013, the third edition of Max Bupa Walk for Health is scheduled for November 9 this year in Delhi and Mumbai.

A significant number of regular walkers say that that they have started avoiding junk food (60 per cent), started waking up early (51 per cent) and have become more inclined towards a healthier lifestyle than before. 1 out of every 3 regular walkers in Mumbai prefer walking over driving short distances. The incidence of walking instead of driving shorterdistancesis also high among cardio (47 per cent) and obese patients (35 per cent).53 per cent patients who walk regularly experienced decrease in stress and 41 per cent said it helped improve their blood pressure levels. Weight loss is also one of the positive after-effects of walking, visible within six months in most patients. On an average, patients reported losing more than four kg through regular walking. Cardio and obesity patients reported an average weight loss of six kg and five kg respectively.

Manasije Mishra, Chief Executive Officer, Max Bupa said, “The findings of the survey reinforce the numerous physical and psychological benefits of walking, including better health, positive lifestyle changes, improvement in eating and sleeping patterns, among many others. It has emerged from the survey that walking is a super pill, prescribed by 96 per cent doctors to people across age groups, including patients suffering from chronic ailments like heart diseases, obesity and asthma.”

Pointing at city wise walking trends, the survey revealed that while Delhi walks more on weekends, Mumbai walks the same distance on weekdays and weekends. However, Mumbai walks longer (45 minutes) than Delhi (34 minutes) at one go.

“The survey shows that companionship makes walking more enjoyable and presence of a companion is a motivator for people across age groups to walk regularly. Over 50 per cent people in Mumbai prefer to walk with their families,”added Anika Agarwal, Head-Marketing, MaxBupa.

Interestingly, the survey also revealed how technology motivates different age groupsand genders to walk more. People in the older age group are more disciplined and focused while walking, however those in the middle and younger age groups like to multitask, engage on social networking sites or apps while walking. Respondents said they listen to music, check emails or talk on the phone as they walk.

(Pictures courtesy arunshanbhag.com, caveviews.blogs.com. Images used for representational purpose only)

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Enough said

Why Delhi hasn’t had communal clashes for years

The recent communal tensions came as a shock to one and all, given the illusion about the ‘peaceful’ years in between.
Humra Quraishiby Humra Quraishi

There have been no incidents of major communal violence in and around Delhi for years now, especially after the Babri Masjid demoltion. After the demolition, several Muslim-dominated areas like Seelampuri and adjoining places were affected, with large numbers of Muslim youth being rounded up by the police.

Thereafter, there haven’t been any riots in Delhi, and there are some significant reasons for this. For one, a large percentage of the Muslim populations resides in its own mohallas and bastis – these include Old Delhi, Okhla, Jamia Nagar, Zakir Bagh, and West Nizamuddin. Also, they do not have the grit to speak out if any wrongdoing does take place, given the fact that they are systematically, increasingly sidelined on the political, business and education fronts. They must think it is just safer, for survival, to adopt a second-class positioning. After all, who really got punished after the communal riots in Muzaffarnagar? The victims actually lost their homes and everything else dear to them, but the culprits were later ‘honoured’ by the establishment.

Another disturbing truth to emerge in recent months is that several Muslim families have been made to ‘exit’ their ancestral villages, in several villages in and around the national capital, and in particular where there have been only a dozen or so Muslim families – which have then been persuaded to ‘leave peacefully’.

Despite knowing about these undercurrents, last week’s communal clashes in Delhi’s Trilokpuri came as a big shock. Thinking about it later, I wondered why I was so stunned – going by how the BJP and the RSS normally stress their dominance by manufacturing riots and then pretending to control them, it was an incident that would have come sooner or later, especially with the Right Wing becoming stronger by the day. Who will the affected people complain to?

Humra Quraishi is a senior political journalist based in Gurgaon. She is the author of Kashmir: The Untold Story and co-author of Simply Khushwant.

(Picture courtesy firstpost.com)

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Trends

Mumbai sees drop in hiring for telecom, marketing, advertising

With markets improving, hiring is on an upswing in other parts of the country but low in Mumbai and Chennai.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

It seems that more jobs are available in the market, or rather, companies are willing to hire more talent, if a recent survey by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India) is anything to go by. The survey finds that hiring was on an upswing in sectors like telecom, marketing and advertising in the first half of year 2014 across the country, except in Mumbai and Chennai, which registered a drop in hiring.

“Post-Budget 2014, aided by investment friendly measures like Real Estate Investment Trust (REITs) and prospects of easing of interest rates, the construction sector has also slightly improved in terms of hiring plans. The Budget focus on infrastructure has proved to be morale booster for the infrastructure but would still take time for on-the-ground action”, adds the ASSOCHAM survey.

Hiring in IndiaDeciphering the trend, DS Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM said, “While the industrial production growth has pleasantly surprised for May with the manufacturing showing signs of uptick, the employers would like to see a definite trend line before firming up their hiring plans. Somehow, the marketing and advertising remain in relevance even in difficult times with the only difference being that marketing requires hard sell”.

“Marketing and advertising professionals emerged as the next best in terms of demand profile during January to June 2014. On the other hand, manufacturing and automobile sectors reported stable hiring figures due to slowdown in the sales of vehicles and launch of new models,” adds the survey.

The inputs were tracked on a daily basis for vacancies posted by about 2,500 companies via job portals like timesjobs.com, naukari.com, monster.com, shine.com and others together with advertisements offering job opportunities published in national and regional newspapers across about 32 prominent cities and 20 sectors.

Who’s hiring the most?

Among the top locations, Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad reported the most active location during the January–June 2014. Some of the Tier-II and Tier-III locations (Surat, Vadodra, Nashik, Allahabad, Udaipur, Agra, Ajmer, Kota and Meerut) which have emerged as high growth markets, retained their position.

During January to June 2014, the demand for mid-level candidates was upbeat. However, the demand for talent at senior levels with 10-20 years and over 20 years of experience, recorded flat to negative activity across industries. It further shows that organizations are only looking to hire on demand, and hiring is restricted to niche skills. Focus is more on up-skilling available talent rather than sourcing fresh talent, reveals the ASSOCHAM latest estimates.

Telecom

As per the ASSOCHAM findings, Delhi-NCR region have recorded an impressive 54 per cent increase in hiring during January –June 2014 period followed by Bangalore at 38 per cent and Hyderabad, which reported a 32 per cent increase in hiring. On the other hand, Chennai and Mumbai reported a drop in hiring for the same period, recording a 15 per cent and 28 per cent drop, respectively.

BPO/ ITeS
The survey points out, the falling rupee has also helped the overall outlook of the ITeS industry in India, as outsourcing becomes a cheaper. Marketing and advertising profiles reported highest increase (48 per cent) in demand for talent. Customer service/Tele-calling profiles witnessed a drop of 8 per cent in demand during the same period. Hiring was upbeat for junior level candidates as the demand for the senior personnel came under pressure. However, those with skills in cutting edge technology stayed in demand.

Among top locations, Bangalore recorded a maximum growth (43 per cent) in hiring BPO/ ITeS professionals. Chennai reported highest drop (26 per cent) in demand during the period as compared to similar months last year. Candidates with experience of 2-5 and 5-10 years, reported maximum increase (22 per cent) in hiring in the BPO/ITeS industry. Candidates with over 20 years of experience saw highest drop (35 per cent) in demand in the BPO/ ITeS industry.

Consumer Durables/ FMCG
Consumer Durables/FMCG sector are expected to witness more than 10 per cent growth during this fiscal. Delhi-NCR (39 per cent) followed by Bangalore (37 per cent), Ahmedabad (23 per cent) witnessed a whopping 35 per cent increase in demand. Reasons for cities have picked up their hiring activity is because several chains are increasingly working towards expanding their businesses, and therefore talent requirement has gone up. Mumbai and Chennai, on the other hand, witnessed a negative demand for talent, a dip of 15 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively.

Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI)

The Banking, Financial services and Insurance (BFSI) industry reported the highest growth in demand in the month of January 2014. The positive hiring movement in June (12 per cent) is significant, considering a major dip (16 per cent) February 2014, another dip in demand expected around fourth quarter.

Among the key locations, Delhi–NCR, Hyderabad witnessed maximum growth in demand (over 30 per cent) as compared to December 2013. In the insurance domain, demand for future hiring will be for frontline sales personnel with less than two years experience.

(Pictures courtesy indiatoday.intoday.in, zeenews.india.com)

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Kharcha paani Uncategorized

Vegetables prices up by 80% in two months

The retail and wholesale gap has reduced in two months in Mumbai, but is on an upswing in other places.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Just how expensive have vegetables become in the last two months? A recent study by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India) maps out the exact numbers.

The ASSOCHAM study of 33 ‘mandies’ in India has revealed that during April to June 2014, the gap between the wholesale and retail prices of vegetables has increased by 80 per cent whereas retail prices in 10 centres has been to the extent of 30 per cent.

Releasing the study, ASSOCHAM says, it was also observed that on an average, retailers are selling vegetables at more than 48.8 per cent of wholesale prices and even in some centres, selling prices are at more than 51 per cent.

Vegetables in MumbaiThe study found that while cabbage retail and wholesale price gap has increased from 69.4% to 78.1%, brinjal 62.4% to 66.7%, cauliflower 59.0% higher than the wholesale price, chilly 56.2% to 62.6%, tomato 55.1% to 62% percent, garlic 52.4% to 54.2%, tomato hybrid 50% 58.2%, okra 49.5% to 58.7%, bitter gourd 48.6% to 50.7%, brinjal 45.9% to 56.7% peas and ginger 43.6% and 41.3% and onion increased from 35.3% percent to 48.1%.

The ASSOCHAM study further reveals that while Surat retail and wholesale price gap has increased from 49.7% to 50.8%, Lucknow 48.5% to 54.8%, Shimla 37.9% to 47.3%, Jammu 37.5% to 42.4%, Chennai 34.6% to 37.3%, Guwahati 33.7% to 37.3%, Amritsar 120.5% to 121.8%, Abohar 107.4% to 110.3%, Agra 90.2% to 93.6%, Nagpur 82.8% to 88.2%, Ahmedabad 69.4% to 96.1%, Delhi 68.9% to 83.4%, Chandigarh 68.5% to 73.9%, Dehradun 67.4%  to 63.3%, Jaipur 64.6%  to 62.7%, Mumbai 63.5% to 46.8%, Kolkata 60.8% to 69.5% Raipur 58.0% to 62.7%, Patna 57.2% to 65.4%, Ranchi 56.1% to 57.1%, Hyderabad 53.0% to 51.2%, Bangalore 51.8% to 59.2%,Kanpur 50.9% to 57.1%. 

ASSOCHAM Secretary General DS Rawat said, “The analyses are based on the wholesale price of vegetables and retail price of vegetables in the different markets in India. Wholesale price indicates the price at which retailers are buying from different markets and retail price is the price at which consumers are buying from retailers. The essential vegetables incorporated in the study are Bitter gourd, Brinjal long, Brinjal round, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Garlic, Ginger, Chilly, Okra, Onion, Peas, Potato, Tomato hybrid and Tomato local.”

On the other hand, the ASSOCHAM study has considered 33 market centers in India. The centers are Mumbai, Abohar, Agra, Ahmadabad, Amritsar, Bangalore, Baraut, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Delhi, Gangatok, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Nagpur, Nasik, Patna, Pimpalgaon, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, Surat and Trivendrum.

The study has observed that most of the vegetables arrival have recorded declining trend except local tomato, potato fresh and onion (noticeably onion price during 2013-14 has recorded a  life time high). 

Onion arrival grew at a rate of 13.0 per cent during 2013-14 followed by tomato local grew at a rate of 7.9 per cent and potato fresh arrival grew at a rate of 6.2 per cent. Okra and Cauliflower arrival have recoded marginal growth rate of 0.4 percent and 1.9 per cent during the same period, mentioned the study.

(Pictures courtesy www.daijiworld.com, www.chinadaily.com.cn)

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Trends

Country gets latest vitrification procedure from France

In a workshop, doctors from France demonstrate a new but expensive egg freezing technique that is a must-follow in Europe.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

India is home to over 30,000 egg and embryo freezing procedures every year, as per research figures. As more and more hospitals and clinics offer egg and embryo freezing options to women today, it is natural that the latest technologies in the area be put to use.

Recently, two doctors from France demonstrated the use of a cutting-edge technology in egg freezing at Delhi’s ISIS IVF Hospital. They presided over a workshop of over 35 Indian doctors from Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, who had all turned up to see a demonstration of the ‘High Security Vitrification’ process by the French embyologists.

It turns out that the technology is a must-follow in Europe if a clinic wants a CE certification, and is already used by most clinics there. “During freezing in the current systems, there is a risk that liquid nitrogen can come in contact with the embryos and this could compromise the safety of the embryos. In the High Security Vitrification system, the ends of the straw in which the embryo is placed are sealed and closed so that liquid nitrogen doesn’t come in direct contact with the embryos. This will increase the cost of the procedure and depending on case to case basis cost could be Rs 10,000 more per patient,” explained Dr Shivani Gour, Director, Isis Hospital.

Doctors also said that the risk of damage to precious gametes and also the risk of infection in this high security system is next to nil. “The shelf life is approximately eight weeks, which is longer than conventional media,” said Dr Jean Louis.

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Kharcha paani

Mall tenants shifting from Mumbai to smaller cities

More mall tenants are moving to smaller cities, which promise better returns. Mumbai and other metros are seeing this trend.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Mumbai’s spiralling real estate costs and high inflation are jointly pummelling shopping mall tenants – they are now shifting out of pricey Mumbai and other metros’ malls for locations in Tier II and III cities, finds a recent survey by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India).

“Under pressure of high rentals and low footfalls, one-third of retail tenants at the shopping malls in the large cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata are shifting in tier-II and III cities like Nagpur, Jaipur, Pune, Indore, Lucknow, Ludhiana and Chandigarh among other such cities,”, the survey reveals. Titled ‘Shopping malls increasingly losing shine in big cities’, the trend survey adds that as per estimates, roughly 300 to 350 malls came up in the country over the last two years but 75 to 80 per cent of the spaces in these malls lie vacant. Around the same time, as many as 95 malls have shut shop, according to the survey.

shopping in Mumbai“The major three core benefits for the retailer-tenants to move to smaller cities are lower operational costs and comparatively lesser competition and the novelty value still left in these areas where even the nearby rural population is thronging the air-conditioned halls and getting the taste of comfortable shopping,” says Rana Kapoor, President, ASSOCHAM.

Other such cities where mall-based retailers are moving include Goa, Kochi, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Mysore, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Guwahati, Ahmedabad and Surat and they still hold more potential for growth. “High cost of operation, economic slowdown and wearing down of the novelty [associated with malls] have all combined to reduce the number of foot falls in the malls in big cities. One of the main reasons for the high rentals in the big city malls is the exorbitant land prices and high development costs. Thus, in the foreseeable future, making such malls profitable ventures will remain a challenge,” said Kapoor.

In Tier II and tier III cities, there is greater scope for growth.  Also, larger chunks of land are available in these cities compared with metros, and at lower cost. The shopping trends in metro cities have influenced the consumer behaviour in Tier II and III cities that are now witnessing a major shift from conventional trader-run standalone shops to larger format retail malls.

The trend can be attributed to factors like the dynamic change in the shopping trend, average spending power of the socio-economic classes in the Tier II to VI cities, demand of various products under one roof, increase in brand consciousness are a few factors that multi-brand discount franchising stores drives on, adds the ASSOCHAM survey.

(Pictures courtesy gyaandarpan.com, www.hg2mumbai.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

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