Reliance Defence plans to make 80-seater passenger aircraft with Ukraine’s Antonov
Reliance Defence , part of the Anil Ambani-led Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), is looking to manufacture 50-80 seater passenger aircraft in India soon with the help of its Ukraine joint venture partner Antonov . This makes Reliance the first Indian company to do so in the last 25 years after Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), which discontinued production. The move by Reliance Defence to make passenger aircraft in India also comes in the backdrop of HAL proposing to form a joint venture in India with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to produce and supply 50-80 seater aircraft. Reliance Defence’s president M.Matheswaran said their JV would also work with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics to produce low cost passenger aircrafts aimed at meeting the growing demand for connectivity to nearly 400 tier-II and tier-III Indian cities. He was speaking to journalists in Hyderabad on the eve of world’s largest cargo aircraft of Antonov, Mriya-The Dream, landing in India. Plan of action The 51:49 joint venture between Reliance and Antonov would initially start assembling aircraft with completely knocked down (CKD) units at its aerospace park in Nagpur, coming up at Rs 6,500 crore, and complete the indigenisation over the next 15-20 years. The Reliance’s Dhirubhai Ambani Aerospace Park in Mihan near Nagpur hopes to begin work on making aerospace components at the earliest possible. Reliance Defence had in March last week signed an agreement with the Ukraine based state corporation Antonov to cooperate on dual version transport aircraft for military, para military and commercial use in India. First response submitted “We have submitted the first response to RFI (request for information) (called for by HAL) and will be followed by RFP (request for proposal), which we expect in two-three months’ time,” said Matheswaran. “When they issue the RFP, we will respond. Once we are confident we’ll win that, then entire set up will come in.” Off-the-shelf buying Further, the Reliance Defence chief said, “There will be some initial offthe-shelf buying and supply to Indian airline operators first to show the strength and capabilities and (will) then follow it up by taking orders from them.” Matheswaran said the joint venture with Antonov would not only confine its business just to the Indian continent but also address the growing needs of the regional market for low-cost aircraft and subsequently, explore opportunities that are available across the globe. Jalen Mills Authentic Jersey
Six companies get NOCs for non-scheduled air services this year
At least six companies have received preliminary approval from the government for launching non-scheduled air services in the first four months of this year, mirroring the rising demand for private charters . In the whole of 2015, just ten entities received the No-Objection Certificate ( NOC ) from the civil aviation ministry. The uptrend in granting NOCs comes against the backdrop of government making efforts to bolster the domestic aviation space, which has high growth potential. Procuring an NOC is the first step in the approval process for starting air services in the country and, subject to fulfilment of conditions, the final nod in the form of Air Operator’s Permit (AOP) is granted by the aviation regulator, DGCA. Latest data from the Civil Aviation Ministry shows that six companies received initial NOCs till early April this year in the ‘Non Scheduled Air Transport Services’ category. The firms are LMCS Infra Holdings, U Y Aviation, River Engineering, Chipsan Aviation, AVV Skyshuttle and TAAL Enterprises. Out of them, LMCS, U Y Aviation and River Engineering got the approval in February while Chipsan and AVV Skyshuttle received the nod in March. The NOC to TAAL Enterprises was given last month. From January 2014 to April this year, as many as 34 entities have been given NOCs under the ‘Non Scheduled Air Transport Services’ segment. During this period, four companies — including Tata SIA Airlines — got the initial nod for starting ‘Scheduled Air Transport Passenger Services’ while four others received the approval in the ‘Scheduled Air Transport Regional Services’ category, as per the data. Tata SIA Airlines launched services in January 2015. According to the data, a total of 43 NOCs were issued in January 2014-April 2016 period across the three segments. However, just six entities have got the AOPs. Going by estimates, there are nearly 130 registered private charter operators in the country. Cody Parkey Womens Jersey
Civil Aviation Ministry to appoint people on deputation to AAIB
In order to provide adequate manpower to deal with exigencies, the Civil Aviation Ministry is looking to appoint personnel on deputation to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau ( AAIB), which has now become an independent body. The Ministry has written to the Department of Personnel and Training ( DoPT ) in this regard, a senior official said. While the regulatory framework has been put in place for functioning of AAIB as an entity independent of aviation watchdog DGCA , the recruitment rules are yet to be finalised. As many as 21 positions at AIIB, including the post of Director General (DG), have been notified. According to the official, the Ministry is awaiting approval of DoPT for taking people on deputation at AAIB. Such an arrangement would help carry out the functions of the board pending finalisation of the recruitment norms which would take some more time, he added. Discussions have been completed with DoPT on the draft recruitment rules for AAIB and the document would be put up for public comments soon. AAIB was under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and making it an independent body was required under ICAO norms. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) is a specialised agency under the United Nations which has the mandate to ensure that local civil aviation operations and regulations in different countries are in conformity with global norms. With AAIB becoming an independent body, concerns about possible conflict of interest would be addressed. The bureau, which was made a separate division under the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 2012, has the responsibility of investigating all major aircraft incidents and accidents in the country. The AAIB takes the help of experts on a case-to-case basis while probing aircraft accidents. Travis Kelce Womens Jersey
Kishangarh airport likely to be operationalised by July next year
The new airport at Kishangarh , which is being developed to cater to the historical city of Ajmer, is likely to be operationalised by July next year for which airlines have evinced interest to operate flights from Mumbai and Delhi. Located in the biggest marble market of Kishangarh, the airport building’s construction work is most likely to complete in December after which the process for DGCA approval to commission the airport will begin and inspection by teams of air safety directorate will take place, Airport in-charge Sanjeev Jindal told PTI. He said nearly 85 per cent of the civil and electrical work of the terminal building, which will have a capacity to handle 200 passengers at a time, has been completed and the 2000 meter long runway has also been constructed. 441 acres of land was handed over for the project in 2013 but possession of 69 acre of land is still pending due to compensation issue to be handled by the state government. Due to the problem of acquisition of the 69 acre land, four km long boundary wall and other important works are still pending. “Series of meetings took place with the state government and the district administration to resolve the issue and hopefully the piece of the land will be handed over in coming days,” he said. “Because of this issue, we are not able to install important equipment and communication set up. So far, runway of the length of 2 km and 60 per cent of the boundary wall along with perimeter road has been completed. “However, some runway work and safety area work for about 300 meter has not been completed in spite of various attempts and efforts by AAI because of the continuous agitation by villagers of Rathoron ki Dhani from more than a year, he said. The project comprises main terminal building which is being constructed to handle small aircraft operation, technical block, fire tower, Air Traffic Control Tower, electric sub station, rain water harvesting, sewerage treatment plant, horticulture and tree plantation. “After the construction of the infrastructure, approval of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is required.This has been targeted to receive by July 2017 thereafter the commercial operations will begin,” he said. The officer said that the airport will be based on a white theme. “The building will have installation of murals made of marbles which will give a 3D effect, ‘Bani Thani potrait’, the painting of the Kishangarh school of paintings, use of marble stone inside the building and other stones outside the building, fountains and other items will give the project a local touch. Apart from this, green cover in the area will be increased and 2000 trees are targeted to be planted in the monsoon season, he said. “Approximately 2000 small trees are proposed to be planted in the first phase so that at the time of starting flight operations, there will be a green belt to welcome passengers when they enter airport premises,” he said. Ajmer, which is visited by lakhs of tourists every year, is 135 kms from the state capital and the airport is near NH-11 and at a distance of 25 from the city of Ajmer. Ezekiel Elliott Jersey
Amazon.com has a huge anti-trust problem: Donald Trump
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said on Thursday that Amazon.com, the world’s biggest online retailer, has “a huge anti-trust problem.” In an interview on Fox News, Trump also said Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, is using the newspaper to influence politicians in Washington to help Amazon on taxes. “This (Washington Post) is owned as a toy by Jeff Bezos, who controls Amazon. Amazon is getting away with murder tax-wise. He’s using the Washington Post for power so that the politicians in Washington don’t tax Amazon like they should be taxed,” Trump said. “He’s using the Washington Post … for political purposes to save Amazon in terms of taxes and in terms of antitrust,” Trump said. “He thinks I’ll go after him for antitrust. Because he’s got a huge antitrust problem because he’s controlling so much, Amazon is controlling so much of what they are doing,” Trump said. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kevin Connauton Womens Jersey
Amazon selling wildlife specimens, alleges green body
A wildlife body today alleged that Amazon website was selling wildlife specimens including sea horses and alligator heads, protected under the country’s laws, and urged the company to stop their sale. Wildlife SOS claimed the website was offering an array of wildlife trophies, snares and manuals on hunting – including alligator heads, preserved snakes, butterflies, starfish, rare beetles and seahorses along with dangerous trapping and killing devices like snares. The body noted it was “incredulous” that a company like Amazon would list items for sale listed under protected species in India. An Amazon India spokesperson, however, said the company supports wildlife protection efforts and it was in the process of informing the seller about the concerns raised so that “corrective action” can be taken. “Amazon.in supports wildlife protection efforts. We are in the process of informing the seller of the concerns raised so that the seller can take corrective action wherever necessary,” the spokesperson said. According to SOS, it has launched a petition asking Amazon to stop selling such items that encourage or propagate maiming, hunting and killing of wildlife. The petition has gathered nearly 7,000 signatures, with animal lovers across the globe expressing their outrage and vowing to boycott the retailer, it said. The campaign aims not just to implore the website to stop selling these items but also educating people about snares and the suffering caused to innocent animals by their use, it said in a statement. Quoting Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, the statement said, “The government and NGOs like Wildlife SOS are struggling to protect our wildlife and make this country safer for animals, yet we have a giant like Amazon shamefully selling wildlife specimens and animal traps that directly contribute to the slaughter of wildlife.” It alleged that traps and snares are being sold on one of the world’s leading online retailer’s website (Amazon) not just in the USA but also in India where all wild animals are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and hunting is illegal. Brooks Laich Authentic Jersey
Amazon to market Chinese goods in 185 countries, regions
Chinese merchants will soon be able to sell their goods in 185 countries and regions through e-commerce giant Amazon’s online marketplace, state media reported today. Amazon signed a deal with a cross-border e-commerce pilot zone in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, to let traders use its site to sell to its 285-million active paying customers worldwide. Amazon’s global logistic network will deliver goods from China to 185 countries and regions, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Cross-border sales account for nearly one fourth of total revenue from third party merchants in Amazon’s global marketplaces. The number of Chinese traders there doubled in first quarter from a year ago. Zhejiang province is looking to cross-border e-commerce to shore up trade, which shed 0.9 per cent in the first four months. Exports edged up only 0.3 per cent in the same period. E-commerce has offset much of the slump in traditional exports. Andreas Borgman Womens Jersey
CAIT sharpens pitch on GST Bill, wants Congress to play ball
Throwing its weight behind passage of the GST Bill, traders body CAIT today urged Congress President Sonia Gandhi to back the legislation “so that the much-awaited tax reform could see the light of day”. In a communication sent to Gandhi, CAIT said “the roadblocks are giving a dismal picture of such an important tax reform in the country, which has become more of a political battle rather than a tax reform”. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has also sought an audience with Gandhi on the contentious issue. The traders body spoke of its intention to meet leaders of all political parties and urge them to support GST and will also send a memorandum to chief ministers of all states in this regard. CAIT has decided to launch a nation-wide protest campaign that will target all such parties opposing GST. “We cannot wait for an indefinite period for rollout of GST… want GST to be passed in the next session of Parliament at any cost,” CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said. However, CAIT said it has its own concerns about the proposed GST, but stalling of its passage is depriving the body of the opportunity of being heard. Subsuming various central and state-level taxes in GST will simplify and rationalise tax structure, it hoped. Yesterday, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the GST Bill will be put to vote in the next Parliament session even if the Congress continues to oppose it. The government has been insisting that most of the parties except the Congress are in favour of GST, which once rolled out will bring about a uniform indirect tax regime. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill, which has been approved by the Lok Sabha, is pending in the Rajya Sabha. JTR ARD Samuel Morin Authentic Jersey
Snapdeal takes commission cut to push up falling sales in move to compete with Flipkart and Amazon
Snapdeal has taken a cut on the commissions it charges sellers, a first by the ecommerce firm as it seeks to shore up sales on the platform that have slowed down after having grown at a scorching pace earlier. The New Delhi-based company, in a fierce battle with Amazon and Flipkart for supremacy in the Indian ecommerce space, wants the sellers to pass on the benefits to buyers in the form of lower prices, hoping that would attract more to shop on the portal. “You may gain from the reduced Snapdeal’s marketing fees in achieving more sales, as you will be able to pass on the benefit of reduced marketing fees to the buyer,” Snapdeal wrote in a May 12 email to sellers. ET has seen a copy of the email. While this reduction in commission, or marketing fee, is applicable initially to certain categories of products, it could later be extended to more segments, it said. SoftBank, one of the largest investors in Snapdeal, in its earnings presentation earlier this month said the ecommerce firm’s gross merchandise value had grown 90% in 2015-16. That was way too slow though on a higher base than the over fourfold jump reported in the previous fiscal year. “The marketing fee is levied with reference to the services provided by us to the sellers, and is reviewed periodically as per changing market scenarios, and seller requirements,” said a Snapdeal spokesperson. Snapdeal has been putting its thrust on three things: improving delivery and customer experience, increasing the average value of purchase to move towards premium buyers and getting towards profitability, said Anil Kumar, chief executive at RedSeer Consulting, which tracks the ecommerce sector. “The company has been sharing the baggage of discounts with sellers in the recent past in order to do so.” While sellers are happy to pass on the benefits of lower prices to consumers, some of them said only select vendors will benefit from the Snapdeal move. The marketing fee is reduced under what is called “eligibility basis seller rating & fulfilment mode”, and many won’t qualify for the lower fee under this, they said. “Through such a policy, Snapdeal reserves the right to reduce commission on any seller or product it wants to. A normal seller will not be able to avail of this benefit; hence his product would become uncompetitive. Snapdeal says that only vendors having a specific rating can take part in this,” said a seller requesting anonymity. Marquise Goodwin Womens Jersey
5,000 jobs affected by diesel vehicles ban in Delhi-NCR: SIAM
The ban imposed on diesel cars and SUVs of engine capacity 2,000cc and above in Delhi-NCR by the Supreme Court has impacted about 5,000 jobs in the automobile sector, according to the industry body Siam. It also said the ban, which is in effect since December 16, has resulted in production loss of around 11,000 units. “ … production loss due to the ban of these vehicles in NCR from December 16, 2015 to April 30, 2016 has resulted in 11,000 vehicles, which translates to impact on approximately 5,000 jobs in the industry,” Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam) said in a written submission to the Supreme Court. Giving a ground level impact of the apex court’s restrictions, it further said “if extended across the country, it (the ban) would lead to a loss of production of 1,00,000 vehicles over the same period and would have impacted 47,000 jobs.” Stating that no dealer is financially capable of indefinitely holding such large stocks of 2,000cc and above diesel passenger vehicles and SUVs, it said: “The banned stocks had to be transferred to non-NCR dealers for disposal.” Opposing levy of environmental compensation charge (ECC) on diesel vehicles, the automobile industry body said it “could result in permanent job loss of a significant number of industry employees and the problem becomes manifold if such measure gets extended to other parts of the country beyond NCR.” As there are several PILs filed for banning of four-wheeler diesel passenger vehicle and registrations are pending in different high courts in the country, Siam apprehended that a replication of the Supreme Court ban to across the country could “result in a huge, prejudicial adverse impact on manufacturing and direct and indirect employment on a pan India basis“. “Such adverse repercussions, even on existing employment and much more for future job creation are significant, and without a long term comprehensive policy could be potentially disastrous,” SIAM said in its submission. It further said: “There is no established link between engine capacity and emission levels. As such the 2,000cc limit is arbitrary and the impact of banning these vehicles has an infinitesimal effect on air quality.” Marquette King Authentic Jersey