-
100 stations to get Google wi-fi free in one year: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu recently said that in one year at-least 100 railway stations across the country will have Google wi-fi. “We will start offering Google wi-fi connectivity to nearly 100 major railway stations in one year,” Prabhu told reporters at the sideline of an event in Goa. The minister said along with Google wi-fi, his ministry is also trying to ensure a better customer experience for all the travellers who take the Indian Railways at all the stations. (Reuters)
-
Apple iPhone 5S ‘improved’ version may be launched in March and the smartphone could well have specifications of pricier iPhone 6, a media report said. The smartphone may have a slight design change and a curved glass around its edges. According to the report, the new device will “likely” be called the iPhone 5SE and will support Live Photos. (Reuters)
-
Maruti Suzuki continues to hold sway in passenger vehicle segment: Maruti Suzuki India maintained its leadership position in the domestic passenger vehicle (PV) market in December, with six of its models featuring in the top 10 brands last month.According to the latest data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), in the top 10 best passenger vehicles, Maruti’s Alto retained the top position last month, with 22,589 units, as against 22,296 units in December, 2014. (Reuters)
-
E-tailers to deliver at metro stations: Come February, Delhi Metro stations will double up as terminals for e-commerce sites, with customers being given the option of getting products delivered at select stations so they can collect them at their convenience. The arrangement is expected to come in handy for those who make online purchase but are generally not at home to receive things ordered. (PTI)
-
France to invest $1 bn per year in India, signs 16 MoUs: Addressing business leaders of the two countries in presence of French President Francois Hollande, Narendra Modi said his government wants to ensure that foreign investors are clear about tax systems that will prevail in India over the next 15 years. He also announced that France would immediately start investing $1 billion in India annually which will be scaled up later. The two sides also signed 16 MoUs, including one for manufacture of helicopters in India. (Reuters)
-
Cairn India Q3 profit plunges 99 percent on low crude prices: Cairn India has reported a steep 99 per cent drop in its third quarter net profit as it suffered double blow of falling oil prices and high taxes. Consolidated net profit of Rs 8.69 crore, or Rs 0.05 per share, in October-December was 99.3 per cent lower than Rs 1.349/64 crore, or Rs 7.20 per share, in the same period a year ago, the company said in a statement. (Reuters)
-
Fin min approves buying 14 lakh new electronic voting machines: The Election Commission has moved a step forward towards procuring nearly 14 lakh new electronic voting machines(EVM), with the Finance Ministry giving in-principle approval for buying the new devices which are required ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. (Reuters)
-
New banks to complement existing banking system : Ruling out any competition to full-service banks from payments and small finance banks, top banker Chanda Kochhar has said they can actually complement the existing banking system and ICICI Bank will explore opportunities for mutually beneficial partnerships.She further said that while payments banks can focus on customer convenience and functionality/technology of several payment platforms, their areas of operations have been restricted. (Reuters)
-
Banks to get 2.5% commission under gold monetisation scheme: The Finance Ministry has announced that the government will pay banks a 2.5 per cent commission for mobilising gold under the gold monetisation scheme and depositors will be permitted premature withdrawal of the deposited metal.Under the modified rules, government will pay the participating banks a fees for their services — gold purity testing charges, refining, storage and transportation charges, among others — on medium and long term gold deposits.“It is expected that the above modifications will make the scheme more attractive for potential depositors,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement spelling out the revised guidelines. (Reuters)
-
Budget may roll out more support for start-ups: Keen to create the best ecosystem for start-ups, the government is likely to come up with more incentives for budding entrepreneurs in the upcoming Budget on the lines of Singapore. The Commerce and Industry Ministry has suggested several measures to the Finance Ministry in this regard, including easy conditions for availing of capital gains tax exemption and a further reduction in income tax on royalty for technical services. (Reuters)
