Government Revenue Collections Can Increase by Rs 30,000 Crore Through Regulation of Non-Virginia Tobacco

National Health Forum (NHF), India’s leading NGO working in the field of tobacco control and which has been involved in various key effective activities on tobacco control measures, lauded the efforts being made by the Government of India in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

NHF, through its letter to the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health Family Welfare has appealed to the Government for regulating the sale of non-Virginia tobacco by ensuring that the sale of non-Virginia tobacco is processed through auction platforms overseen by the Tobacco Board of India or via APMCs and taxing the non-Virginia tobacco at the same tax as the Virginia tobacco on per kilogram basis. The initiative will have a double benefit, firstly the enhancement of revenue and secondly controlling the sale of the so far unregulated tobacco products in India.

According to Mandakini Sinh, Managing Trustee, NHF, “As per our estimates, a 30% levy as a reverse charge levied upon and paid by the manufacturers and dealers of non-Virginia tobacco products will yield a revenue increment of around Rs. 30,000 crores. This will lead to a far wider net of taxation and all types of tobaccos will be uniformly brought into the tax net. Currently, all tobacco products manufactured using non-Virginia tobacco (such as Burley tobacco) are in the unorganized sector and there is large scale evasion of tax by manufacturers and scant respect for the tobacco control laws.”

Presently, non-Virginia tobacco is freely sold without any intervention by the government and in the process, the Indian farmer gets a raw deal. The non-Virginia tobacco is used in the manufacture of chewing varieties of tobacco, hookah, gutkha, kiwam, gudaku , zarda and bidis. These non-Virginia tobaccos constitute about 85% of tobacco grown in India. And these are neither appropriately taxed nor it’s growers who are the poorest of poor farmers get stable prices for their produce. There are private intermediaries and middlemen who take advantage of the situation and milk the poor Indian farmers.

Virginia Tobacco on the other hand, is properly and strictly controlled and taxed by the government with checks and balances in place, such that not only proper revenue is generated but the interest of the farmer is also addressed.

A sizeable quantity of the non-Virginia tobacco goes in the manufacture of chewing tobacco, gutkha, Pan Masala with tobacco, zarda and snuff which are all products that are extremely dangerous in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic as they need to be spat out after consumption.

There is no doubt in our mind and other like minded NGOs that if the government regulates the sale and distribution of non-Virginia tobacco as it has done in the case of Virginia tobacco, it will lead to fair and uniform taxation of all tobacco products and definitely benefit our farmers (who are currently not paid for almost a year after the sale occurs due to the price setting power of the powerful middle man).

COVID 19 pandemic has caused widespread destruction of economic activity and there is a need to channel increased resources in resurrecting economic activity and provide relief to the jobless. A new source of tax collection to the tune of 30 thousand crore will be a great boost to support the post COVID rebuilding efforts.

In conclusion, we reiterate and compliment the Government and the Ministry of Finance for proposing this measure, which is a step in the right direction and seeking to bring a structured and regulatory layer between the farmer and the manufacturers of tobacco products using non-Virginia tobacco, which will not only benefit the Indian farmer but also immensely benefit revenue collection and will curb the consumption of these pernicious products.

Bengaluru Based Sanjay Agarwal & Vinita Agarwal Recognized as COVID-19 Agent of Safety

Sanjay Agarwal & Vinita Agarwal, a Bengaluru based couple and owners of Sharda Design Studio, a small boutique firm, have come forward to help the country fight against COVID-19. They are recognized by Godrej Locks as an Agent of Safety for their efforts in dealing with the current pandemic. The couple stopped taking tailoring orders when the coronavirus pandemic began. They utilized their skills to make and distribute over 25,000 masks with their personal investment. The family distributed the masks free of cost to underprivileged people, police personnel, NGO workers and government officials including the Chief Minister of Karnataka. They also paid special attention to hygiene and made sure the workers sanitized themselves well before they started stitching the masks. This has come as a great relief at a time when there is a shortage of masks, and stores are charging exorbitant prices.

At a time, when there are many inspirational stories of COVID-19 warriors, Godrej Locks made a humbled effort to reach out to some of them and bring forth their real-life stories as they deal with the pandemic. Godrej Locks will showcase Mr. Sanjay and Vinita Agarwal’s story along with the stories of other Agent of Safety, on digital platforms in the form of video content capturing the initiatives undertaken by them, how they are keeping themselves protected and their message to citizens as Agent of Safety. The video stories will also be featured on www.hargharsurakshit.com.

Mr. Sanjay Agarwal & Mrs. Vinita Agarwal stated, “It is an honour to be recognized as Agent of Safety and see our humble act being recognized by Godrej Locks. When the COVID-19 pandemic first started in India, we went to purchase masks, however, they were not easily available and where it was in stock, it turned out to very expensive and not everybody could afford it. Hence, we thought it would be a good idea to use our expertise to stitch masks to help our country fight this virus in a small way which was possible for us. We are happy that we have been able to reach out to a considerable number of citizens be it policemen, NGO workers and underprivileged people.”

Commenting on the initiative, Shyam Motwani, EVP and Business Head, Godrej Locks, said, “As the nation is committed to fighting this pandemic, many individuals have demonstrated heroic efforts and contributed to the larger cause of keeping citizens safe, protected and well-informed.  With Agent of Safety, it is our small contribution to celebrate some of these individuals making an impact, driving change and championing the cause of providing safety to others. In these testing times, we salute all these heroes writing a new chapter of humanity. Together, through our continued efforts as compatriots, we will emerge stronger and defeat the virus.”

Along with Sanjay Agarwal & Vinita Agarwal, Godrej Locks has highlighted the stories of many COVID-19 warriors from across India and recognized them as Agent of Safety. This includes Chef Varun Inamdar, Puja Marwaha, CEO - CRY (Child Rights and You), Shishir Joshi, Founder & CEO, Project Mumbai, RJ Archana Pania Sharma, Dr. Anita Mathew, Senior Consultant, Physician & Infectious Disease Specialist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund; Dr. Sudesh Gupta, Ward & Casualty RMO, Cardinal Gracious Memorial Hospital; Sr. Minimole Varghese, Chief Nursing Officer, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Lokesh Kumar Sinha, City Superintendent of Police (CSP), Bhopal, Sarah Sharma, Superintendent of Police (SP) of District Gajapati, State of Odisha and Dr. Sachin Nayak of Bhopal.

About Godrej Locks

Godrej Locks is a 123-year-old leading manufacturer of innovative locking devices. Since its inception in 1897 by Ardeshir Godrej, the name ‘Godrej’ has become synonymous with trust, protection and integrity. From the first Anchor branded lock in 1897 to the first ever spring less lock in 1907, to the iconic 'Navtal' in 1954, and to the postmodern biometric locks, Godrej has set every benchmark in the locks industry. Over the years, Godrej Locks have changed in form, function and scope of application. But one thing still remains the same – the solid stamp of trust and reliability. Godrej Locks adhere to global quality norms and hold ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications.

With their locks reaching several countries around the world over a period of time, the brand has come a long way in delivering world-class smart locking solutions, therefore revolutionizing the very perception of a locking device from a mere functionality at an entry and exit point, to a proud pause at the doorstep, a moment to take in the significance of how far they have come. For more information, please log on to www.godrejlocks.com

Godrej Locks is a business unit of  Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd.

Colombia Pacific Communities Awards Its Creative Mandate To Famous Innovations

Columbia Pacific Communities, India's largest senior living community operators, has appointed Famous Innovations as its creative agency on record. The account was won after a multi-agency pitch and will be managed by the agency's Bangalore office.

Piali Dasgupta, VP-Marketing, Columbia Pacific Communities, said, "With a vision to help seniors live healthier for longer, our offering is a unique amalgamation of wellness, real estate, hospitality and technology. Senior living is an emerging category and a novel concept in India, The category is high on EQ and empathy and therefore requires communication that is backed by a strong, compelling narrative. Famous was able to synthesise this in a simple way and speak to the heart, not the mind."

In less than two years of operations in India, the brand has already bagged 10 coveted marketing awards for its digital campaigns, offline campaigns and its website.

Raj Kamble, Founder and CCO, Famous Innovations, added, "At Famous, we are always excited to work with brands that have a meaningful purpose at their core. Doing well yes, but also doing good. That's what we found in Columbia Pacific Communities and we believe their purpose is more important now than ever before because people need the safety and trust they provide. We are eager to partner the brand in exploring their complete potential."

Hyundai Salutes India’s Corona Warriors – Announces Corona Warriors Camp with Unique Service Offerings

Hyundai Motor India Ltd., country’s first smart mobility solutions provider and largest exporter since inception, announced the launch of Corona Warriors Camp, an initiative to salute the workforce involved in spearheading the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. Hyundai will conduct the Corona Warriors Camp from May 20 – 31, 2020, across all its Workshops that are operational as per Government guidelines.

Commenting on the Corona Warriors Camp initiative, Mr. Tarun Garg, Director – Sales, Marketing & Service, Hyundai Motor India Ltd., said, “As a Caring and Socially Responsible brand, it is our duty to support communities through times such as these. We have launched the Corona Warriors Camp as a token of our gratitude towards customers that are battling the COVID-19 crisis on frontlines and are extending our support through unique service offerings for their Hyundai cars, along with other added benefits.”

* Priority service with complimentary AC Check

* Complimentary Top wash & Hi-Touch point sanitization.

* Attractive offers on car interior sanitization, Labour charges, Air purifier, Roadside    Assistance & Extended warranty.

* Additional special offer for medical professionals on purchase of select models.

The Safety of our Customers and Employees has always been our top priority. Accordingly, we have aligned our Dealer operations in sync with Central & State government guidelines. Further, for a safe & convenient customer experience, Hyundai has stepped up its 360◦ Digital & Contact-less Service through online service booking, repair updates through ‘Hyundai on WhatsApp’ and online service payment facility.

Vedantu Largest LIVE Online Learning Platform in K-12 Education

Details

* 6.5 Lac new subscribers added
* 1 million students attended LIVE Online Classes on Vedantu’s platform
* Watchtime of 1 Billion minutes across platform & channels
* Highest Revenue Growth of 80%

Vedantu, a pioneer in LIVE online  learning has witnessed a major surge after it announced support to students with free access to its complete learning platform during Covid-19 lockdown.  Owing to the temporary pause in learning across schools, tuition & coaching centers, students have extensively adopted LIVE online classes of Vedantu. The interaction with Master Teachers, Study Material, Tests & Assignments, LIVE Doubts feature has seen a massive increase during this outbreak as students continue learning from the safe confines of their homes.  The learning & teaching methods are changing drastically during Covid-19 period. While the entire EdTech industry is witnessing a shift, the number of subscribers on Vedantu’s platform has grown exponentially to 6,50,000 additional learners across K-12 & Competitive Exams such as JEE & NEET.

Driving Impact at Scale is Vedantu’s singular vision as a pioneer of LIVE Online learning and a testimony of this is 1 Million students that attended LIVE classes on Vedantu’s patented platform WAVE post the lockdown in the country.

Students learn best when their brains are challenged in a peer learning environment. Wave is India’s first and only patented, revolutionary, interactive LIVE online learning platform by Vedantu. It is designed with interaction of students’ in mind. The platform enables the teachers to run Live Quizzes, Leaderboards, Hotspots in a gamified manner.

During this Covid-19 period, Vedantu has crossed a watch time of 1 Billion Minutes across its platform & channels

Vedantu’s delivery of best quality education with India’s best teachers, its patented WAVE platform along with the comfort, safety and flexibility has resulted in such strong numbers. And as per a recent survey conducted on its platform, Students find LIVE Interactive classes more engaging, convenient and a better way of learning than offline classes.

Vedantu’s collections and revenue grew by 80% over the previous month, achieving the highest growth over the collective last 2.5 years.

“We will continue to provide free access to our platform to support students across the country ensuring uninterrupted & uncompromised learning, from the safety of their homes. Staying true to our vision, we’ll continue to invest in providing the best in class holistic learning experience & learning outcome for every child” said, Vamsi Krishna, Co-founder and CEO, Vedantu

Vedantu's LIVE classes and the entire program can be easily accessed at home from your Mobile, Desktop & Tabs.

About Vedantu:
Vedantu is a LIVE interactive online learning platform for students. It offers individual and group classes delivered by experienced teachers in a LIVE real-time, virtual learning environment. Students also access content, take assessments and get their learning reports on the platform. 150,000 students study LIVE every month on the platform and more than 25 Million users every month from 1000+ cities and 40+ countries access free content, tests, doubts, videos on Vedantu’s platform and its channels on YouTube. To know more about Vedantu log on to https://www.vedantu.com or download the Application on your Android or iOS device.

Whistling Woods International Announced Dates for the Third Round of Online Entrance Exams for 2020

Whistling Woods International (WWI), Asia’s premier Film, Communication and Creative Arts institute, has announced the dates for the third round of entrance examinations for its 2020 intake. The registration for the entrance exam for WWI’s full-time degree and diploma programmes will close by May 22nd, 23rd and 26th, 2020, respectively.

WWI offers degree and diploma programmes accredited by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Asia's oldest institute for professional social work education. The entire entrance examination process will be conducted online, keeping the safety of the applicants on priority, amidst the ongoing global health crisis.

Following the registration, the online entrance examinations are scheduled to take place on May 25, 26 & 29, 2020. The schedule follows below:

Last Date to Apply  May 22nd, 2020

May25, 2020  BSc/BA Filmmaking | Advanced Diploma in Filmmaking | BA Screenwriting | Diploma in Screenwriting

Last Date to Apply May 23rd, 2020

May 26, 2020 BA Music Production & Composition | BA Acting | Advanced Diploma in Acting | BBA Media & Communication | Post Graduate Diploma in Media & Entertainment | Post Graduate Programme in Event Management & Experiential Marketing

Last Date to Apply  May 26th, 2020

May 29, 2020  Integrated BSc/BA + Post Graduate Diploma in Animation | Integrated BSc/BA + Post Graduate Diploma in Game Design | Integrated BSc/BA + Post Graduate Diploma in Visual Communication Design | BA in Fashion Design

Rated as one of the most ‘Influential Institutes of India’ by Forbes India, the institute has over 2200+ alumni successfully working with various media organisations, film production companies, and fashion houses in India and around the world. Through an academic curriculum that combines theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical experience, state-of-the-art technology at the institute, and a globally recognised teaching staff, WWI produces globallyqualified graduates in every field across the media and entertainment industries.

Aspirants can visit www.whistlingwoods.net to fill the online admission forms to undertake the entrance examination.

Airtel Launches ‘Work@Home’ - India’s First Enterprise Grade - Work From Home Solution for Businesses

With work for home becoming the new normal for millions of Indian professionals, Airtel Business – the B2B arm of Bharti Airtel – launched Work@Home solutions for enterprises. 

Airtel Work@Home is India’s first enterprise grade solution designed to enable employees operate efficiently and securely from their homes. With a range of connectivity options – wired & wireless, immersive collaboration tools, and security solutions that adhere to Indian regulatory norms,  enterprises can now safely embrace the open, borderless new world of work.

Ajay Chitkara, Director & CEO-Airtel Business said: “These are unprecedented times and businesses are adapting to the evolving environment with new way of working. For a large proportion of employees, working from their homes is set to become the new normal. Airtel Work@Home is yet another innovation to ensure that our B2B customers are able to empower their people with best-in-class connectivity and digital tools to drive business continuity.”

Key advantages of Airtel Work@Home:

* Flexibility to bundle a wide range of services based on employee specific remote connectivity requirements and bulk procurement on a company paid model

* Combines the strength of Airtel’s robust pan-India network offerings – 4G mobile, FTTH broadband, MPLS and VPN for secure remote access with industry leading collaboration and productivity tools

* Service Assurance and faster deployment. Dedicated call centre and fault resolution teams

In addition, Airtel is offering priority 4G network to all its Platinum corporate postpaid customers and cutting edge voice over Wi-Fi (VoWifi) technology to provide superior indoor coverage. Airtel Business is the largest player in B2B connectivity segment in India and serves over 2500 large enterprises along with 500,000 plus MSMEs.