Mia by Tanishq Unveils India’s First Flagship Store In Bengaluru

~Spread across 2,000 square feet, the store features over 1,800 unique design pieces~

As the festive season begins, Mia by Tanishq, India’s trendiest fine jewellery brand, proudly unveils its first flagship store in India. Nestled in the high-street shopping area of Bangalore at Indiranagar, this new store sets the stage for a truly elevated shopping experience. The store located at 100 Feet Rd, Kodihalli, Indiranagar, Bengaluru, was inaugurated by Ms. Shyamala Ramanan, Business Head, Mia by Tanishq accompanied by Mr. Rajiv C Menon, National Sales and Retail Head - Mia by Tanishq. The launch of the 2000 sq.ft. store is a part of the brand’s strategic expansion plan to increase its retail presence in the southern market while providing an unparallelled customer experience.

The latest store offers a wide range of jewellery embodies Mia’s signature design language, showcasing a rich narrative of craftsmanship across over 1,800 exquisite pieces. In addition to the vibrant colors and architecture standard to Mia store, the Indiranagar flagship store features an array of highlights designed to offer elevated experiences and memories for their shoppers. One of the experience zones is the Gift Wrapping Nook, where customers can make their gifts truly special with customizable wrapping options. Shoppers can also take advantage of the Engraving station to add a personal touch to any jewellery. The Mia Kids Zone is sure to engage the little ones while you explore Mia’s stunning collections. For those looking to relax and unwind, the inviting Mia Moments Café offers a cozy space, further enriching the overall shopping experience.

The Silver lining of the store is a display of special Mia silver curations. Adding to its comprehensive offerings is an Old Gold Jewellery Purity Check facility with cutting edge Karatmeters and convenient parking space, ensuring a seamless and premium shopping experience for customers. Mia also has an inaugural discount of up to 20% off on Mia products and the offer is valid till 31st October 2024.

Commenting on the store openings, Ms. Shyamala Ramanan, Business Head, Mia by Tanishq, said, “At Mia, customers are always at the heart of our journey, and this Mia’s first flagship store in Indiranagar is a testament to that commitment. Designed to offer an experience that goes beyond jewellery shopping, this store invites customers to explore a world where every piece tells a personal story, and every visit feels like a celebration. With unique services like personalized engravings and a curated selection of exclusive designs, Mia ensures that every customer can make their purchase truly their own.

As the festive season brings with it moments of joy and togetherness, Mia is excited to present exclusive offers and exciting collections that blends elegance with nostalgia, offering jewellery that resonates with individual style and personality. For Mia, Bangalore is not just close to home but is also a key market in our retail expansion strategy, as the city’s retail landscape is rapidly evolving. The vibrant and diverse community here inspires us, and this flagship store is our way of connecting with customers on a deeper level, providing an inviting space where they can find pieces that resonate with their eclectic tastes.”

The store houses a wide selection of contemporary 14kt and 18kt jewellery designs. It features the new launched Diwali collection ‘Mia Disco’ inspired by the iconic 70s disco era. The collection includes wide range of earrings, hoops, bracelet, neckpieces, drawing inspiration from the designs and motifs of disco light, strobe lights and zig zag patterns. Mia’s disco-inspired collection is a striking blend of retro charm and modern chic, designed to add a radiant allure to every festive occasion.

Shoppers can look forward to exclusive festive designs that capture the essence of artisanal craftsmanship, while adding a stylish touch, making this an ideal destination to find the perfect festive jewellery. The wide assortment of earrings, studs, finger rings, bracelets, modular bangles and pendants, neckwear and Mangalsutras at the store caters to diversified consumer preferences of Bangalore. The store also features the exquisite ‘Lovestruck’ collection crafted in finest natural diamond, perfect for celebrating special moments and the ‘Evil Eye’ collection is all about keeping your energy in check while flexing cosmic style. The store has something special for every Bangalorean.

Diageo India Partners With The SCPwD To Train And Place Over 300 Students Under Its ‘Learning For Life’ Program

Diageo India (United Spirits Ltd.) among the country’s leading alco-bev companies has partnered with the Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD) to train and place over 300 students in Food & Beverage Services under the ‘Learning for Life' program. The convocation ceremony for the first batch of 22 students trained in the Bengaluru centre was held in the presence of Ms. Shilpa Vaid, Chief Human Resource Officer, Diageo India, Mr. Ravindra Singh CEO – SCPwD, Ms. Lizanne Pinto, Area Director of Human Resource, South & East India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Marriot International, Mr. Amlan Kumar Dasgupta Vice President – Skill Development, Royal Orchid and Regenta Hotel, and other senior leaders.

In 2023, Diageo India expanded its ‘Learning for Life’ programme to include Persons with Disability, preparing them for roles in the Business and Hospitality sector. The three-month long residential training program is conducted at SCPwD-affiliated training centres in Delhi NCR (Noida) and Bengaluru by certified trainers and assessors. Students are trained in Food and Beverage Services, Interpersonal skills, Employability skills and Communication skills- this ensures they are equipped with the support needed to meet demands of the hospitality sector. Post completion of the program, students are employed by SCPwD’s placement partners including Accor Hotel, Lemon Tree Hotel, Marriott Hotels India, Hotel Royal Orchid and Regenta, and QSR chains like La Pino’z Pizza and Compass Office Cafeterias, all of whom have come together to build a more inclusive hospitality industry.

Shilpa Vaid, Chief Human Resources Officer, Diageo India, said, “We're proud to strengthen our partnership with SCPwD, advancing inclusion in line with our Spirit of Progress ESG action plan. Our 'Learning for Life' program seeks to support Persons with Disabilities, equipping them with vital skills and resources, while opening doors to employment and opportunity. We’re keen to work collaboratively, shaping a hospitality sector that works for all.

Ravindra Singh, CEO of the Skill Council for Persons with Disability (SCPwD), added, “Diageo India’s leadership in driving inclusion and diversity sets an example for others to follow. Together, we are not just creating job opportunities but breaking down barriers that have previously limited Persons with Disabilities from gaining mainstream employment.”

One of the program's beneficiaries, Ramya S, shared, "For the longest time, I wasn’t sure if someone like me could ever land a regular job. I worried about whether I had the right skills and how people would treat me at work. But the ‘Learning for Life’ program changed everything. It gave me the platform and the training I needed, and now I’m ready to join the hospitality industry with confidence and hopes for a bright future.”

About SCPwD: SCPwD was incepted in October 2015 jointly by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Confederation of India Industry (CII) under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), to fulfil the mission of mainstreaming ‘Persons with Disability’ (PwD).

About Diageo India: Diageo India is among India’s leading beverage alcohol (alcobev) companies with an outstanding portfolio of premium brands. A subsidiary of Diageo Plc., it is listed in India on both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) as United Spirits Limited (USL).

Headquartered in Bengaluru, Diageo India has one of the largest manufacturing footprints in alcobev with 36 facilities across India. It manufactures, sells, and distributes Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, The Singleton, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No1, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan and Godawan, an artisanal single malt whisky from India, bringing together global expertise and local pride to deliver innovative, world-class products and experiences to consumers. With a strong focus on driving a positive impact on society, Diageo India has been working on collective action to improve livelihoods, championing Grain to Glass sustainability, responsible consumption and nurturing the alcobev ecosystem, to contribute to India’s growth agenda. 

For more information about Diageo India, our people, our brands, and our performance, visit us at www.diageoindia.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

AiDash Expands Leadership With Key Appointments In India And Globally Amid Rapid Growth

AiDash, an enterprise SaaS company making critical infrastructure industries climate adaptive and resilient with satellites and AI, has announced the expansion of its leadership team with several key appointments both in India and abroad.

AiDash has welcomed Mrigank Shekhar as the Head of Product and Engineering for BNGAI – a fast-growing Biodiversity Net Gain solution. Prior to AiDash, Mrigank worked as the Chief Product Officer at Niyo, co-founded a consumer lending startup, Quiklo, and held senior engineering roles at RSA Security. An IIT Delhi alumnus with extensive expertise in product innovation and development, Mrigank’s leadership will play a pivotal role as AiDash continues to scale. He will be based in Bengaluru.

“AiDash brings the power of cutting-edge satellite and AI technology to help solve some of the biggest sustainability challenges that the world faces today,” says Mrigank. “I am passionate about building innovative products, which can help our future generations enjoy a greener and more secure future.”

Rahul Saxena, CPTO and co-founder of AiDash, expressed his excitement about Mrigank joining the team, stating, “Mrigank has had an outstanding career building large-scale enterprise products and leading engineering processes. His expertise will be instrumental as we continue to build world-class, satellite-first AI products to achieve climate-resiliency, sustainability, and biodiversity goals globally. We’re excited for him to lead this transformation.”

Company Adds More Top Talent to Global Team

In addition to Mrigank’s appointment, AiDash has strengthened its leadership team with strategic hires, including Samantha Hamlin (formerly of Cruise, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Facebook and Hewlett-Packard) as Chief People Officer, Angela Shi (formerly of Menlo Security, Wonolo, Turner Impact Capital, Barclays Capital, and Deutsche Bank) as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, and Gaurav Bawa (formerly of Balbix, Oracle, and NetSuite) as Head of Engineering, Platform, among others.

These additions reinforce AiDash’s commitment to driving innovation and scaling its operations both in India and globally as part of its ambitious growth plans. AiDash is witnessing significant demand for its biodiversity net gain solution in the UK, as well as its vegetation management and climate resilience products in the US, Australia and Europe. With these wide-ranging recruitments, AiDash is poised to lead the global market in climate technology solutions, further solidifying its position as a trailblazer in the AI and satellite technology sector.

About AiDash:

AiDash is making critical infrastructure industries climate-resilient and sustainable with satellites and AI. Using our full-stack SaaS solutions, customers in electric, gas, and water utilities, transportation, and construction are transforming asset inspection and maintenance – and complying with biodiversity net gain mandates and carbon capture goals. Our customers deliver ROI in their first year of deployment with reduced costs, improved reliability, and achieved sustainability goals. Learn more at www.aidash.com.

Team '24 Europe: Atlassian Rovo Now Generally Available, New AI Capabilities, And A Glowup For Jira

During its Team '24 Europe conference, Atlassian, a leading provider of team collaboration and productivity software, announced the general availability of Rovo, an AI-powered tool that enables teams to unlock organizational knowledge at scale, less than six months after its introduction.

It was announced alongside a host of new AI capabilities across its product suite, empowering teams to unlock greater levels of productivity and collaboration. Atlassian also unveiled new features and a new look for its flagship product Jira that make it easier, more flexible, and powerful for all types of work.

Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO and co-founder, Atlassian said, "Rovo is one of the most ambitious and important products we’ve ever built. I’m thrilled we can get it into our customers’ hands just five months after we first announced it in Las Vegas.

“Whether you’re a dev team building the next big thing, a marketing team creating your next big campaign, or a service agent helping your customers solve a really big problem, AI is going to transform the way your work gets done. It’s a huge opportunity for us, and most importantly, for our customers."

Rovo: Unlocking organizational knowledge at scale

Powered by generative AI and the teamwork graph, Rovo seamlessly integrates into the Atlassian platform, and helps speed up work by making it easier to access the information teams need. Teams are already saving 1-2 hours of time per week on average, with 75% of beta users saying Rovo helps them get work done faster and 80% say Rovo helps them find the right information at the right time.

With the newly announced Rovo Search Connectors, Rovo Data Center Connectors, and the Rovo Browser Extension, these teamwork graphs become even richer as they get access to more sources. The search connectors also provide more knowledge to Rovo Chat, helping teams get the answers they need without switching tabs. Teams globally are pulling Rovo Agents into workflows to get better outcomes, while simultaneously saving hours or even days.

AI-powered innovation across the Atlassian suite

To improve collaboration and empower teams, Atlassian infused AI into all its products under the Atlassian Intelligence umbrella. The newest in-product AI features help customers reduce friction for developers, promote better collaboration across all teams, and accelerate service delivery and incident management. The key highlights include:

Jira: The new AI capabilities automatically break down work items, generate tickets, and streamline project management.

Jira Service Management: The AI-powered agents now assist with incident management, resource allocation, and post-incident reviews.

Development Tools: AI assists developers with code generation, analysis, and pull request reviews, boosting velocity and code quality.

A refreshed Jira for all teams

Earlier this year, Atlassian announced the next evolution of Jira - a shared place for every team to align on goals and priorities, track and collaborate on work, and get the insights they need to build something incredible, together.

Today at Team 24 Europe, Atlassian shared a refreshed and improved Jira experience to empower all teams to collaborate effectively and achieve ambitious goals. Now, Jira is bringing more flexibility to support any team's work style, through a new customizable sidebar that simplifies navigation and brings AI-powered search front and center. There are also new background colors, images, and card covers to take personalization even further.

To better reflect Jira's expanded user base to all teams, issues will no longer be the default name in Jira and teams can choose what to call their work (whether it’s “task” or “launch” or “issue”). Teams can also create custom project templates with pre-configured workflows, automations, permissions, and more, to scale their ways of working while remaining consistent.

For further details about the products, and updates click below:

AI blog: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/announcements/team-24-eu-ai-updates

Jira blog: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/announcements/the-new-jira

Enterprise blog: https://www.atlassian.com/blog/jira-align/announcing-focus-atlassians-new-enterprise-strategic-portfolio-management-offering

About Atlassian

Atlassian unleashes the potential of every team. Our agile & DevOps, IT service management and work management software helps teams organize, discuss, and complete shared work. The majority of the Fortune 500 and over 300,000 companies of all sizes worldwide - including NASA, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and Salesforce - rely on our solutions to help their teams work better together and deliver quality results on time. Learn more about our products, including Jira, Confluence and Loom at https://atlassian.com.

Dozee Shravan - AI-Powered Remote Parent Health Monitoring Service Launched For NRIs

* Enabling NRIs to remotely monitor their parents' health with real-time alerts for early detection of any critical health deterioration

Dozee, India’s Health AI leader, has unveiled Dozee Shravan, a clinical-grade AI-powered Remote Parent Monitoring (RPM) service. Monitoring a parent’s health while living overseas is a significant concern for the Indian diaspora. Dozee Shravan now enables families abroad to regularly track their parents' health in India. Dozee’s AI-powered, contactless remote health monitoring technology is designed for seamless use by the elderly. The health data is securely shared with both families and healthcare providers. Dozee’s continuous health monitoring and real-time alerts help detect subtle deviations in vital parameters, ensuring timely medical intervention. As India’s No. 1 Remote Patient Monitoring company, Dozee is trusted by over 280 leading hospitals across the country.

For millions of NRIs, distance from ageing parents in India poses critical health management challenges. Existing support systems—occasional check-ins, help from relatives and neighbours, and limited telemedicine—offer limited reassurance and often fail during emergencies. The lack of effective early detection mechanisms leads to poor health outcomes, as manageable conditions are overlooked until it’s too late. Currently available solutions frequently fall short; many elderly individuals find them uncomfortable or forget to use, charge, or maintain them. Real-time, continuous data monitoring and alerting is another gap that must be addressed. This underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive, clinically proven, real-time monitoring solution that is accurate, dependable, and user-friendly—empowering families to care for their loved ones from afar while adhering to international standards of data security and privacy.

Dozee’s Shravan addresses this gap by offering continuous, contactless monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and sleep patterns. Built on AI-powered Ballistocardiography, the system uses advanced AI algorithms to analyze biomarkers and provide timely alerts for any deviations, reducing the risk of health emergencies and enabling timely medical intervention. The technology is US FDA-cleared and adheres to international standards for data privacy. Health data can be accessed via a user-friendly mobile app, ensuring that NRIs stay connected to their parents’ health 24/7, regardless of distance.

Already a trusted partner of more than 280 hospitals across India, the USA, and Africa, Dozee has emerged as a beacon of ‘Made in India’ Health AI, delivering global impact. With Shravan, Dozee enters a new chapter, offering NRIs clinical-grade solutions to manage the health of their elderly parents in India.

Key Features of Shravan:

Contactless, Continuous Monitoring:

AI-based monitoring of vital signs such as heart rate, respiration rate, non-contact blood pressure and sleep patterns without the need for wearables, ensuring elderly parents experience minimal disruption.

Real-Time Alerts and Notifications:

Immediate notifications sent to both NRIs and healthcare providers in India in case of deviations from health parameters, enabling timely interventions.

Seamless Integration with Healthcare Providers:

Collaboration with top hospitals in India ensures that parents have access to top-notch healthcare services, from regular consultations to emergency interventions.

Proactive Health Management:

Monthly reports and trend analysis, allow NRIs to track their parents’ health patterns over time and make informed decisions.

Ease of Use:

With its simple and user-friendly interface, Shravan is designed to be easily adopted by elderly users without interrupting their daily lives.

“Shravan embodies the essence of parental care in Indian culture. Caring for our parents is deeply rooted in our society. While the Indian diaspora continues to make us proud globally, managing their parents’ health from afar remains a major concern. With Dozee Shravan, NRIs can now be reassured that their parents in India are continuously monitored and cared for, allowing them more quality time and peace of mind.” said Mudit Dandwate, CEO & Co-Founder, Dozee.

As India’s No. 1 remote patient monitoring and early warning system solution company, Dozee’s technology has already proven its value in hospital settings, from helping hospitals achieve Zero Code Blue events to reducing ICU admissions by up to 50%. Dozee has revolutionized how healthcare providers respond to patients in need, with its Early Warning System enabling timely medical interventions for enhanced patient safety and improved clinical outcomes.

BMW Group And Tata Technologies Establish BMW TechWorks India – A Joint Venture To Drive Automotive Software And Business IT Innovations

 

* The joint venture (JV) will innovate automotive software, including software-defined vehicles (SDV) and business IT innovations +++ Strategic Indian talent centres Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai become part of BMW Group’s global network of software and IT hubs +++ Rapid growth to a four-digit number of employees planned by end of 2025 

The BMW Group and Tata Technologies, a global product engineering and digital services company, are proud to announce the official launch of their joint venture BMW TechWorks India with offices in strategic talent hubs Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai. With the final signing of the contracts and the approval of the authorities, the joint venture will initially start with 100 employees at these three locations and rapidly scale to four-digit number of employees by the end of 2025, with a strong focus on attracting top-tier Indian talent. The BMW Group and Tata Technologies each hold 50 per cent of the shares in this JV.

BMW TechWorks India complements BMW Group’s global strategy by engineering seamless, scalable software solutions for next-gen vehicles and delivering leading digital experiences. Tata Technologies’ proven capabilities across the entire product value chain, from conceptualization to detailed engineering and turnkey SDV development, will drive key software projects for the BMW Group’s premium mobility solutions and facilitate access to India’s impressive talents.

At the heart of this collaboration is the ethos of “Engineer in India for the World”. India’s exceptional engineering and IT talent will play a pivotal role in developing strategic software solutions for SDVs, automated driving, digital infotainment, and automotive digital services.

In addition to automotive software, the joint venture will provide digital innovations for the BMW Group's Business IT. Consequently, BMW TechWorks India will expedite the digital transformation of the car manufacturer's global production network, along with enhancing its digital customer journey and sales processes. Another key area of focus will be the development of AI applications and platforms, which will increase the speed and efficiency of all core business processes.

The JV offers young Indian professionals an unparalleled opportunity to work on breakthrough technologies that will shape the future of mobility on a global scale. The JV's commitment to nurturing local talent and innovating next-gen automotive innovations reinforces India’s emergence as a global innovation hub in the automotive tech ecosystem. Aspiring talent can apply here to be part of the JV and innovate solutions that deliver a global impact.

Christoph Grote, Senior Vice President of Electronics and Software BMW Group expressed his enthusiasm on the establishment of the JV: “BMW TechWorks India is a significant addition to our global vehicle software development initiatives. India’s software talent will be a great asset for our Software-Defined Vehicles of the future. With agile processes and state-of-the-art tools, engineers at BMW TechWorks India will co-create innovative automotive digital experiences, such as automated driving and next-gen infotainment systems.” 

Alexander Buresch, CIO, and Senior Vice President of BMW Group IT commented: “With BMW TechWorks India, we are steadily advancing our international IT-Hub strategy and broadening our global Business IT presence. The partnership with Tata Technologies represents a strategically important step and provides excellent conditions for developing innovative software solutions along our value chain. We are excited to welcome Indian tech talents to join us in driving the digital transformation of the BMW Group.”

Warren Harris, CEO and MD of Tata Technologies, said: “Our joint venture with the BMW Group, BMW TechWorks India, underscores our deep expertise in Software-Defined Vehicles (SDV) and reflects our commitment to driving innovation in both automotive software and business IT. By leveraging Tata Technologies' strong brand presence in India, this JV will attract top talent and provide a platform to develop forward-thinking solutions that redefine the future of mobility. We are excited to partner with the BMW Group in engineering premium, software-driven vehicles, enhancing digital experiences, and accelerating their digital transformation journey.”

Nachiket Paranjpe, President of Automotive Sales at Tata Technologies, commented: "The rapid evolution of automotive technology is transforming the way vehicles are developed, with Software-Defined Vehicles at the forefront of this shift. At Tata Technologies, our deep automotive expertise and end-to-end solutions across the value chain – from concept and detailed engineering to manufacturing engineering and turnkey SDV development – position us perfectly to support the BMW Group in shaping the future of mobility. Through this joint venture, we will push the boundaries of automotive technology, creating vehicles that are not only cutting-edge but also deliver exceptional driving experiences to consumers worldwide."

Aditya Khera, CEO of BMW TechWorks India: “With the launch of BMW TechWorks India, we are establishing a world-class software hub that will play a critical role in the BMW Group's automotive software and business IT strategy. By combining the BMW Group's and Tata Technologies' leadership in software-defined vehicles and product engineering excellence, we are poised for innovation and growth, offering India's top talent the opportunity to shape the future of the BMW Group's mobility solutions“.

The management team of BMW TechWorks India is comprised of seasoned executives from both partner companies. Representing Tata Technologies are Aditya Khera as CEO and Sweta Girinatham as CFO of this JV. From the BMW Group, Oliver Scheickl holds the position of COO of Automotive Software in this new JV and Stefan Flader serves as COO of Business IT.

Lakhs Of Small Shopkeepers In Karnataka Unite To Vehemently Oppose Government’s Bid To Introduce License Raj Through Draconian Laws

*       Over 2.0 Lakh retailers to continue protests across the state

*       The proposed License Raj law will impact 2 lakh plus small retailers, their families; have a bearing on 10 lakh people

*       Small shopkeepers are already fighting a huge battle for survival against supermarkets , multi-national companies and high inflation

More than 2,00,000 small shopkeepers under the aegis of the Karnataka State Retail Beedi-Cigarette Merchants Association, which represents the Karnataka Chapter of the Federation of Retailer Association of India (FRAI), have been protesting across the state against various Municipal bodies bid to introduce ‘License Raj’. This is despite earlier assurance given by the government and authorities that the proposal for License Raj will be dropped and harassment against small traders would not be allowed.

“License Raj” Impact on Small Retailers

• Harassment of poor and uneducated micro retailers by enforcement officials at a time when the former have already losing income to organised Big Retail Chains and Super Markets.

• Sharp increase in the cost of doing business. 

• Adverse effects on the livelihoods of small retailers who will not be able to afford extra spending for getting a license or renew a license to sell tobacco products. 

• Shift in tobacco retailing business to foreign companies/supermarkets/ malls, hurting livelihoods of small shopkeepers.

The aggrieved retailers have been holding demonstrations in Mysuru, Hubli, Mangalore, Vijayapur among other cities, to voice their opposition against the proposed implementation of licensing regulation, despite earlier assurances against the same which will make it impossible for them to sustain their families. Shopkeepers in large numbers gathered in Bangalore today to carry out a demonstration against the draconian law.

The Karnataka State Retail Beedi-Cigarette Merchants Association strongly believes that the proposed regulation will be devastating for lakhs of small traders and their family members, who have already suffered humungous financial setbacks in the last couple of years and are barely managing to sustain livelihood in the given the high inflationary  condition. It is to reemphasize that too many tobacco laws will only increase the scope of harassments and corruption by enforcement officials. 

The Association is a body of over 2 lakh micro, small and medium retailers from across Karnataka. It also represents the livelihood of over 10 lakh poorest of the poor retailers and their families and is known for raising issues concerning their lives and livelihoods.

Explaining the concerns around the proposed draconian “License Raj” proposals, Mr. B. N. Murali Krishna, President, Karnataka State Retail Beedi-Cigarette Merchants Association, said, “On account of the provisions of the Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution Act, 2003, COTPA, our members are already being subjected to daily harassment by enforcement officials, who take advantage of their illiteracy and lack of awareness to extract gratifications. As per the proposed laws, tobacco product sellers will have to get a license, which will be renewed every year. In addition to that, multiple obligations on the part of the retailers, such as the display of license and maintenance of a suggestion book, along with heavy penalties in case of non-compliance, are being proposed.”

The Association believes that such measures will cause massive harassment to lakhs of poor and mostly uneducated micro retailers at the hands of enforcement officials. It will also lead to a sharp increase the cost of doing business at a time when retailers are reeling under the aftermaths of the Covid pandemic.

Mr. Murali Krishna added that based on the past experience with other laws, the very act of getting a license will be challenging for small sellers, who do not have the money to pay the fees and are not educated enough to complete the paperwork required for licensing. “More laws will also mean more opportunities for local officials to harass our members. Our Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka have taken several important measures to simplify processes for trading in Karnataka in the true spirit of ‘ease of doing business’ and ‘promotion of entrepreneurship’. However, the Urban Development Ministry and Municipal Corporation’s proposal to make licences mandatory for trading in tobacco products through the proposed laws its draconian clauses is in complete contradiction with the Prime Minister and Chief Minister’s vision for the state.”

If one reads the proposed Municipal orders and circulars  then it is very clear that the only objective behind this exercise is to cause hardships to small shopkeepers. The members of the Karnataka State Retail Beedi-Cigarette Merchants Association belong to the lowest economic strata of society. It will be impossible for them to afford extra spends for licenses and renewals.

The Association demands that the state government must provide alternate means of livelihood to its members before implementing such draconian License Raj rules, which will surely result in a loss of income for lakhs of traders. It has further claimed that its members sustain their livelihood by selling goods of daily needs like biscuits, soft drinks, mineral water, bidi, cigarettes, etc. The average earnings of a small and marginal trader is about Rs 6,000-12000 per month which is barely adequate to feed two square meals a day to an entire family. Such regressive laws being proposed will further derail their businesses and earnings.

The Association is shocked to see that the Government of Karnataka, instead of supporting small retailers, is trying to implement laws that will deal a deadly blow to them. It is of the view that the proposed licensing law for selling tobacco products is being brought/proposed because of pressure from anti-tobacco NGOs with vested interests. The development will only support shifting of tobacco retailing business to foreign companies/supermarkets/malls, hurting livelihoods of lakhs of small shopkeepers of Karnataka.

India already has one of the toughest anti-tobacco laws in the world, which includes 85% graphic health warnings on packets, no sale to minors, public smoking ban, no sale within 100 yards around educational institutions, etc. The Association strongly believes that the existing provisions under COTPA 2003 for tobacco control/trade are more than sufficient for regulating tobacco products. Therefore, there is absolutely no need to introduce any new regulation.

The Karnataka State Retail Beedi Cigarette Merchants Association humbly request the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Karnataka to stand by lakhs of  poor ,small shopkeepers of the State and his commitment that  the License Raj for selling tobacco products  will be  dropped forever and instead help our members sustain and recover in the given difficult high inflationary market conditions.