Tag: kolkata

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Trends

About 35% couples took a trip this weekend

Survey reveals that about 5 lakh travelers from the metros went to nearby tourist spots over the long I-Day weekend.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The long weekend, starting from Friday, August 15 (Independence Day), and ending on Monday, August 18 (Pateti, Janmashtami) certainly allowed several people to take short trips to nearby locations. If a quick survey by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India) is to be believed, about 35 per cent working couples of 500 couples surveyed in the metros of the country took planned an extended weekend trip during this time. 

About 5 lakh travelers made the journey to renowned weekend destinations, as per the survey based on feedback received from various working couples and tour operators in metros. “The weekend, starting this Independence Day on Friday, was extended up to Janmashtami on Monday (August 18) and about 35 per cent of working couples in metros planned to make it an extended holiday and escape to the nearby tourist destinations,” highlighted the survey.

ASSOCHAM representatives interacted with about 500 working couples to gauge their mood and plans for the Independence Day weekend in five cities of Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Delhi-NCR, and Kolkata during the last fortnight.

While about 35 per cent respondents conceded they had planned their itinerary in advance, about 55 per cent said they would relax at home and enjoy some good quality time with their family and the remaining 10 per cent said they have not made any plans so far. “With work schedules getting hectic by the day, working couples in India impatiently await weekends and thus make the most of extended weekends,” said DS Rawat, secretary general of ASSOCHAM.

The survey also took into account inputs from representatives of leading travel portals, travel agencies, and hoteliers who came up with various packages, as they had received a good number of bookings for traditional picturesque destinations located around the metros.
 
Certain respondents even said that their companies enabled the ‘work from home’ facility for their employees so that they could spend the weekend comfortably and complete their tasks as per their convenience.

Ashtvinayak, Goa, Khandala, Lonavla, Mahabaleshwar, and Matheran were the top destinations for about 30 per cent working couples in Mumbai, while almost 40 per cent respondents from Delhi-NCR rated Agra, Dharamshala, Haridwar, Jaipur, Jim Corbett, Khatu Shyam, Landsdowne, Mathura and Vrindavan, Manali, Mussoorrie, Nainital, Rishikesh, Shimla, Vaishno Devi and other spots among their favourite spots. 

Ambaji, Gir, Kutch, Mount Abu, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Udaipur and others were significant getaway destinations for about 45 per cent working couples planning a quick holiday this weekend in Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, Chikmagalur, Coorg, Madhugiri, Mysore, Nandi Hills, Ooty, Ramanagara, Shivanasamudra Waterfalls, Wayanad and others were most sought-after weekend getaway destinations for 35 per cent working couples in Bangalore.

Bakkhali, Darjeeling, Digha, Mandarmoni, Murshidabad, Navadivpa, Raichak Santiniketan, Sunderbans, Tajpur, Tarapith and others were preferred weekend getaways for about 25 per cent respondents in Kolkata.

Also read: ‘Four-day holiday causes six-hour traffic snarl on Mumbai-Pune Expressway‘, TOI

(Picture courtesy www.planmoneytax.com)

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Kharcha paani

Mumbai will spend less this Diwali: Survey

City is second to New Delhi in probable cut in Diwali spending; inflation and shaky job situation are the reasons.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Diwali will be upon us in November, but it seems that worried Mumbaikars are practicing thrift already.

A country-wide survey conducted by ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and released recently reveals that this Diwali, there will be a 40 per cent cut in most households’s festive budgets, with Delhi-NCR topping the list. The survey sample includes a majority of middle and lower income families.

The reasons given for slashing their Diwali spends were: rising monthly expenses due to high inflation, less job opportunities, shrinking real wages, and staggering costs of food commodities that are commonly used during Diwali.

Titled ‘High prices dampening the festive spirit’, the survey was conducted under the aegis of ASSOCHAM and showed that over 72 per cent respondents from middle and lower middle income families would spend nearly 25 per cent of their monthly salaries on Diwali for shopping, sweets, gifting, apparel etc. Delhi-NCR is on top of the chart projecting curtailment of festive budget thanks to eroding purchasing power, while Mumbai ranks second, followed by Ahmedabad, Kolkata and Chennai.
 The survey was conducted over two months beginning August to September 2013 in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Pune, Chandigarh, Dehradun etc. A little over 200 persons were selected from each city on an average. 
“The skyrocketing prices of essential commodities have left the aam aadmi  hard pressed. Be it sweets, dry fruits, crackers, pulses, dairy products, fruit or vegetables, the prices have registered large increases this year compared to the Diwali of last year. Even gold, the much sought-after item during this festive season, stays in the range of Rs 30,000 per 10 gm compared to Rs 22,000 last Diwali,” said DS Rawat, Secretary General, ASSOCHAM.
The survey reveals that the high income group remains unaffected from rupee fall, double digit food inflation. However, a large number of lower and middle income groups indicate that they are finding ways to cut back spending now or indicating they will do so in the future, noted the survey. A majority of respondents said that they plan to spend fewer amounts on this festive season as the prices on average of most of the gifts and traditional Indian sweets have gone up by 55 per cent, while the value of saving has gone gown by almost 15 per cent. Revisions in interest rates by banks have also sent their EMIs soaring, further eroding their monetary power, adds the survey.
Most of the respondents plan to cut down on personal expenses or go bargain hunting to keep their festive budgets in control. Over 57 per cent of the respondents will buy only on sale or discounts, 12 per cent will buy fewer gifts and the rest 2 per cent will buy a group gift. Only a small percentage feels that festivals are the time to splurge, even as discounts remain the biggest attraction for most buyers.
Over 76 per cent of respondents said that monthly grocery bills have jumped to about Rs 7,000, compared to Rs 4,000 in the last 12 months. The prices of vegetables and bakery products have also risen in the last few months. Obviously, this will affect the Diwali celebrations. Milk, butter, sugar, dry- fruits, flour and labour charges all go into making sweets. On the other hand, dry fruit and sweets are the most expensive items in Diwali.
The survey adds that the rates of ghee, sugar, edible oils, atta and spices have also registered increases of around 25 per cent to 35 per cent during the past one year.
(All figures courtesy ASSOCHAM. Picture courtesy webylife.com)
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Campaign

Losing a grandmother to ‘that’ disease

Rachel Tseng describes the agony and helplessness of watching a beloved relative succumb to the ravages of Alzheimer’s Disorder (AD).

For most people Kolkata is a place synonymous to rasagollas and puchkas but for me it is a place reminiscent of my childhood vacations spent with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, their grandparents and the whole jing-bang of distant relatives and family friends.

Once during a head count, I was included as a grandchild by my cousin brother’s paternal grandmother. Since I was staying over at my cousin’s home, his grandmother very generously christened me as one of her grandchildren. Predictable as it sounds, I grew very fond of her and was completely drawn to her very generous and loving personality.

alzheimer's careOver the years during every visit to Kolkata I would actually look forward to meeting her. But on one particular visit, she failed to recognise me and it was then that my cousins told me that she was suffering from Alzheimer’s. I knew about Alzheimer’s, the symptoms and what it does to you but it was the first time in my life that the Alzheimer disease struck someone I knew and admired. It was a heart wrenching experience watching her lose herself to the disease. There was nothing that we could do except be patient and be there for her.

The pain that she went through is something that nobody can comprehend. She rarely had memory of her present. Sometimes she had a perfect memory of her childhood and would wonder what she is doing amongst strangers who were actually her children and grandchildren. She would cry out like a child in distress and demand to be taken back to her childhood home, recounting her maiden address and the identity of her parents. In response, we pacified her like a child, promising to take her to her parents in the hope that she would snap out of it soon.

On another occasion, she refused to recognise her grandchildren and even called them untouchables and thieves. She would hide anything and everything, including food, in cupboards and draws in the fear that ‘the thieves’ who had invaded her home would steal her belongings.

Once she even ran away from home, hopped into a cycle-rickshaw and asked the driver to take her to her son’s home in America. The rickshaw driver was initially shocked and thought that he probably hadn’t understood the address and requested her to give directions. As soon as he started off, my uncle who was in his car spotted her sitting in the open cycle rickshaw like a queen on her throne. My uncle immediately intervened, explained about her condition to the rickshaw driver and drove her home, much to her annoyance.

During the last few days of my stay in Kolkata, one afternoon she came up to me, called me by my name and commented on how I had grown to be a replica of my mother. We spoke alzheimer's memory gapsabout my cousins and she even expressed her love for her daughter-in-law (who is my aunt) and appreciated everything that the family had done for her. She spoke in the most normal way, just like the way she spoke to me during my earlier visits and before Alzheimer’s.

At that moment, although she was in the present and everything she said made perfect sense, I could see it in her eyes that she had no idea of what she had been suffering from and how it had worn her out.

This went on for about 12 years before she faced her end.

The degree of pain and suffering an Alzheimer’s patient goes through is something I am unable to understand or express. But one thing for sure, the family of an Alzheimer’s patient suffers in silence with immense grief and anguish. It takes a lot of patience and endless love to live with and care for a family member with Alzheimer’s.

This is the last of the series of articles that we featured on Alzheimer’s awareness as part of our campaign to focus the spotlight on dementia and Alzheimer’s. However, we are committed to the cause and welcome news of new developments in the field of elder care and positive ageing. If you have something to share, do write to us at editor@themetrognome.in or tweet to us @MetrognomeIndia.

(Pictures courtesy trialx.com, io9.com, www.smallfootprintfamily.com. Images are used for representational purpose only)

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Enough said

Lessons on love

Kolkata’s Presidency College is starting a course on love. What could be a better idea in this day and age?
Humra Quraishiby Humra Quraishi

In the midst of the almost daily barrage of bad news and gloom, comes this good news of an ‘academic’ nature, which has come as a breath of fresh air. Kolkata’s Presidency College is starting a new course…on love.

Yes, I said ‘love’. The subject is to be introduced as a full-fledged one by the College’s Sociology Department, and like English Literature, would be open for all students from different departments, faculties and streams.

Perhaps, for the very first time in this country, love will be discussed in a formal way, just like it used to be centuries ago, when there would be heady discussions on love, romance and emotions, before a frenzied development mode took over and bypassed lay ‘subjects’ like love and everything connected to it.

So we are finally moving backwards, towards the very basics of our existence, for with love, there are bound to be emotions. I’m not sure whether these classes on love will be held under sprawling banyans or neems. And why not? Why not impart all this gyaan out there in the open, amidst the natural environment?

Wherever these classes are conducted – indoors or outdoors – those discussions on love will have a direct impact on the very thought processes of students, and might have long-lasting effects. I have no idea of the teaching format or how the syllabus is going to be shaped for this newly-introduced subject, but in all probability, these classes will help simplify the tangle of confusing notions blamed on love. These discussions would bring about a de-link between love and lust, between want and desire, between fulfillment and release, between innocent spontaneity and stalking, between fall-outs and falling in love!

Today’s youth need these lessons, at least to be able to tell negative emotions apart from positive ones, when several confused boys and girls associated both with real love. Even some loveof our current films reinforce these wrong stereotypes, and which can be dangerous on a vulnerable mind.

And what about the other departments of our other universities and colleges moving ahead with the times and introducing ‘love’ as a subject? When will they discuss it and all that is connected to it, right from the theoretical to the practical to the mystic and even beyond, taking the learner towards the Divine?

Love is important in today’s times. Love is powerful. There’s something so magical about love; it has the power to heal, to protect, to smoothen out troubles, to reach out, to keep illnesses at bay, to help you understand life with all its complexities. When one accepts love in its totality, with the immense pain and turmoil it brings along, it takes one to another level of existence. After all, love brings along a powerful ingredient – emotion.

You can buy sex, but you cannot buy emotions. I’m tempted to quote this line from Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s Memory of My Melancholy Whores, ‘Sex is the consolation one has for not finding enough love.’

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

 (Pictures courtesy www.fanpop.com, funlava.com)

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Trends

Young and the restless investing in realty

Majority of urban young are shying away from investing in gold and stocks, preferring real estate amidst a global slowdown.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

With the rupee showing further signs of a slide, and stocks and mutual funds becoming a riskier investment proposition, about 85 per cent of the urban working class is preferring to invest in real estate, finds a survey.

The survey, titled ‘Rise in demand for real estate in urban cities’ was conducted by premier industry body ASSOCHAM (Associated Chambers of Commerce) in the metros – Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata – and other cities such as Pune, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. The survey sample included directors of companies, officers/managers in Central/State bodies, teachers and self-employed professionals like lawyer, CAs, doctors, consultants, druggists and small traders. A unanimous thought to emerge from the survey was that a global slowdown and a weak rupee have started casting a shadow on stocks.

The Mumbai city skyline is seen from a s“Over 1,500 respondents felt that investments in real estate, residential and commercial properties are found to be lucrative and much safer these days as such investments are completely insured as against those in gold, stocks and mutual funds,” the survey found. “As many as 82 per cent said that real estate should be the preferred investment option compared to gold and other traditional investment instruments.

“According to them, investment in yellow metal is not as profitable as that of real estate, as they expect that gold prices to further fall. The recent fall in prices has led many to believe that funds can face increased redemption pressures because of the general change in belief that gold is a safe haven. This trend has slowly changed in the country, especially among the investment-savvy class.”

Releasing the survey on Sunday, June 30, the ASSOCHAM Secretary General, DS Rawat said, “About 78 per cent of the urban working class remain keen to park their surpluses in buying residential properties in view of better connectivity, infrastructure and basic facilities and they attach not much preference towards buying commercial properties as these properties are beyond their means which involve higher volumes of investments. On the other hand, about 22 per cent working class and professionals give preference to the commercial properties especially in tier I and tier II cities as they feel that within one or two years, prices of commercial properties will also jump up substantially to get them an attractive premium.”

The survey also revealed that the  maximum concentration of real estate investments from urban working class and professionals are seen towards residential properties in emerging tier II and III cities which include Jaipur, Bhiwadi, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Nainital, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Sonepat, Panipat, Pune, Nasik, Jaipur etc. Moreover, this is also indicative of the fact that buyers in tier II and III cities are looking for quality development and developers with proven track records are reaping the benefits on those given scale of expectations. Over 62 per cent respondents from the professionals’ lot chose real estate properties in Tier I cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, entire NCR, Hyderabad and Bangalore for maximum returns.

Expressing their opinion about the investment in stock markets, a majority of respondents felt that with global slowdown most of the corporations are rationalising the salary structure of their employees with emphasis on cost cuttings, thus dampening the spirit of investment in capital markets.

Nearly 200 respondents, however, still favour stock markets to park their funds and feel that it can give them best returns in a shorter and longer time. They expressed hope that in future, stock markets will bounce back and catch investors’ attention as usual.

As far as urban working class, the investment in gold is concerned, the survey has revealed that the fall in gold and jewellery prices have discouraged the working class to invest in it.

More than half of them said they would prefer to stay in rented apartments and instead, invest in their tier II and tier III city home town for better appreciation potential. About 78 per cent of those working professionals with double income, who bought a house in a metro city, wanted to invest in their home town for a second home.

(Pictures courtesy www.vakilhousing.com, india.nydailynews.com)

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Trends

Your office could be checking you out

Companies have started verifying employees’ credentials in the wake of several crimes –  existing employees are included in the checks.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The recent spurt of crimes, both economic offenses or otherwise, is spurring several companies to quietly check out the antecedents of those in their employment. And it’s not just the ones that companies are hoping to employ that are being given the once-over, a lot of companies are conducting background checks on those working for them already.

Details such as education, residence and personal information are being cross-verified to see if employees have given wrong data on any of these counts. Any misinformation is a potential red flag – companies then probe if the person has a past criminal record.

Employee verification is a routine practice among corporations in the West. Our country has only recently woken up to the threat that a ‘wrong’ employee can pose to the company, in the wake of several crimes being committed by supposedly ‘suitable’ individuals.

A recent survey by the Associated Chamber of Commerce (ASSOCHAM) found that nearly 52 per cent corporates in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Dehradun and Hyderabad have been verifying their current and prospective employees at all levels. The verification was conducted by the Human Resource departments of small, medium and large businesses, the survey found. “Companies are fast realising the benefit of doing background checks of prospective employees or risk hurting their brand image in a fraud case. Screening of job candidates at all levels, and even vendors and contract staff is preferred. Previous employment details, academic and professional certificates, identity, criminal records, and credit risk, among other information, are checked thoroughly for authenticity and veracity,” the survey says.

Corporates are certainly becoming more careful and cautious when they are recruiting for the junior, middle and senior level positions, highlights the ASSOCHAM survey. “Many companies hadn’t done any background checks before hiring an employee, mainly at junior levels. The horrendous rape case in Delhi has certainly led to the need for carrying out a comprehensive scrutiny of employees at all levels.”

The survey majorly focused on broad sectors such as BPO, IT/ITes sector, financial and other services, construction, real estate, hospitality, tourism, FMCG and infrastructure, media and advertising, manufacturing and textiles, logistics, transport operators etc. Those companies that cannot conduct checks on their own are outsourcing the work – nearly 25 per cent of the companies surveyed had outsourced the verification work to specialised third party agencies. Under the most intense scanner were jobs that entailed working with children, or in healthcare.

(Picture courtesy www.eharmony.co.uk)

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