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<keyword id="587707" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sandip-Dutta">Sandip Dutta</keyword>, the PRO of <keyword id="65866" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="IRCTC">IRCTC</keyword>, has denied that the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation website was hacked. However, information worth lakhs of rupees is still feared to have been stolen. 
 
"We will set up a panel to probe the incident," Dutta said, clarifying that nothing is wrong with the website, which seems to be working absolutely fine. 
 
Dutta had to issue this statement after several reports came out in the media, claiming that the not only the IRCTC website was hacked, but personal data of around 1 crore customers was also stolen from its server. Even as the website is said to be working fine, there has been no denial about the theft of data, which can be used to create forged documents. 
 
IRCTC, India's largest e-commerce website, sees lakhs of transactions every day, with customers providing vital details like Pan Card numbers and bank account details while filling up online reservation forms. 
 
An IRCTC source said, "The data is a valuable asset and can be sold to corporations who may use it for targeting potential consumers." 
 
<a href="http://imagescdn.tweaktown.com/news/3/9/39120_01_stolen_laptop_opens_up_20_000_students_in_south_carolina_to_data_theft_full.jpg">Image source</a>

IRCTC website not hacked, says PRO Sandip Dutta, but does not deny data theft

Chinese smartphone maker <keyword id="874458" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Xiaomi">Xiaomi</keyword> on Wednesday announced its latest version of in-house Android-based skin <keyword id="9004889" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="miui-12">MIUI 12</keyword> in India. The <keyword id="8552990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="miui-12-update">MIUI 12 update</keyword> will add smooth animations with improved details to the icons, new calendar features, AI calling, new privacy and security tools, multitasking features, animations and wallpapers, the company said in a statement. The update will be first rolled out on Mi 10, Redmi Note 9/ Note 9 Pro, Note 8/ Note 8 Pro and Note 7/ Note 7 Pro device this month. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="75844379" title="MIUI 12 update will roll out to these 47 Xiaomi and Poco phones – Check if your phone is eligible for MIUI 12" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> "MIUI has gone through numerous crucial updates. India-specific features such as Panchang, Copy OTP, Smart IRCTC SMS, MIUI SMS Caller ID etc have been greatly appreciated by our Mi Fans. Features like these make MIUI stand out from the other flavours of Android," Muralikrishnan B, Chief Operating Officer, Xiaomi India, said in a statement. The OS will notify every time an app is accessing a sensitive feature such as the cameras, microphone, contacts, location and more. With MIUI 12, users can now remove sensitive information like the location and the metadata before sharing a picture with anyone. It also allows one to delete a screenshot automatically after sharing, which in turn helps one save space and maintain privacy. The new OS also comes with an ultra-battery saver which would enable a user to extend the phone's standby time and reduce power consumption. With this even at 5 per cent, the phone can last for an additional 5 hours with ultra-battery saver. Xiaomi has also added ‘Mi Light Core Animation' framework to ensure the system smoothness of the software.

MIUI 12 update rollout in India will begin this August with the Redmi Note 9 Pro series

New Delhi [India], May 16 (ANI): <keyword id="9766785" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-elections-2024" source="Orion">Lok Sabha elections 2024</keyword> have seen a <keyword id="20108198" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-turnout" source="keywords">voter turnout</keyword> at polling stations of about 66.95 per cent so far, as approximately 451 million people have voted during the first four phases of ongoing general elections. In a bid to encourage voters to exercise their franchise in large numbers, ECI has enhanced its targeted interventions to reach out to every eligible voter. The Commission led by CEC Rajiv Kumar along with ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, further directed CEOs of the states going to poll in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases to timely distribute voter information slips to all electors and enhance outreach activities. "Commission strongly believes that partnership and collaboration are essential pillars of the voter awareness programme. It's heartening to see that, at the Commission's request, different institutions, influencers and celebrities with significant reach are working enthusiastically on a pro-bono basis," Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said. Further, he added that a higher voter turnout would be a message from Indian voters to the world, about the strength of Indian Democracy. He urges all the voters to cast their vote in huge numbers, as voting day is not a holiday but a day of pride, by participating in the festival of democracy. According to an official release, various <keyword id="21686177" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="voter-awareness-drives" source="keywords">voter awareness drives</keyword> and campaigns have been carried out by stakeholders in collaboration with ECI. Telecom Service Providers such as Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Bharti Airtel Limited, Jio Telecommunication, and Vodafone-Idea Limited are reaching out to every mobile user in the respective parliamentary constituency through push SMS/Flash SMSs, outbound dialling calls to mobile users, RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging and WhatsApp messages/alerts. These activities are carried out two/three days before the poll and even on the poll day, in regional languages, with an appeal to vote. ECI has collaborated with BCCI for voter awareness activities during the ongoing IPL season. The voter awareness messages and songs are being played at different stadiums during the cricket matches. The most innovative aspect of this campaign is the administration of voter's pledges by cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in a pre-recorded video message, at various IPL venues. Further, voter awareness messages are integrated into cricket commentary. Cricketers from 10 IPL teams have encouraged voters to participate in the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="keywords">Lok Sabha</keyword> elections in 2024 with their recorded voter awareness messages. A voting day alert was sent to all Facebook users pan India to inform and inform the voters about the general elections and to nudge them to participate in the festival of democracy, the release mentioned. The release further stated that WhatsApp personalised messages have begun on polling day. Google India is contributing through its iconic feature of Google Doodle on poll days and banners appearing on YouTube, Google Pat and other Google platforms. The Retail Association of India has been actively engaging with voter awareness activities, through their retail network, whereby retail chains are encouraged to celebrate the election as a festival. The vast network of post offices and banking institutions was utilised by ECI to reach out to a wide and diverse audience across the length and breadth of the country. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the parliamentary elections campaign logo "Chunav ka Parv, Desh ka Garv" has been integrated with the IRCTC portal and tickets. Voter awareness announcements have been integrated with the public address system at all railway stations. The logo stickers are used on coaches of the superfast trains. In collaboration with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, hoardings on voter awareness have been installed in about 16,000 retail outlets. In collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Aviation, airlines are making an inflight announcement with an appeal message to participate in the ensuing elections. Voter guides are being kept in aircraft seat pockets. Apart from this, many airports are providing space for the display of voter awareness messages. Selfie points have been installed at airports in 10 major cities viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Patna, Chandigarh, and Pune. Cinema theatres across the country are playing ECI voter awareness films and ECI Song Main Bharat Hoon, Hum Bharat Ke Matdata Hai, at regular intervals, as a part of the Public Service Awareness (PSA) film. Sansad TV is creating short films on Unique Polling Stations set up in remote corners of the country by the election machinery after navigating difficult terrains to demonstrate the challenges in ensuring voting at the last mile. AMUL, Mother Dairy and other milk co-operatives have started branding their milk pouches with the message 'Chunav Ka Parv, Desh ka Garv' and encouraging voters through social media platforms. AMUL is also encouraging voters with its unique messaging through AMUL Girl Topical advertisements in newspapers. Prasar Bharati: Doordarshan has produced, various short films, including appeals from constitutional functionaries like President of India, Vice President of India, and Chief Justice of India, among others. Further, unique polling stations are being covered by the regional Kendra's audio-visual documentation. Music App Spotify is running a campaign called 'Play Your Part', and they have issued print advertisements, and curated the playlists for the elections, on their app. Payments app PhonePe has integrated voter awareness message into their app and is actively encouraging voters. BookMyShow has launched an integrated campaign, titled "Aaj Picture Nahi, Bigger Picture Dekho," to raise awareness among voters. MakeMyTrip is running a campaign titled 'MyVoteWalaTrip', whereby discounts are offered to citizens going to vote. Food delivery platforms such as Zomato and Swiggy are disseminating voter awareness messages through their platforms and social media activities. Grocery App Blinkit changed its logo to "Inkit" for the elections, incorporating a message encouraging people to "Go out and Vote" as a tagline. Uber India is reaching out to voters through multi-channel messaging (in-app, emails, push notifications), offering discounts for rides to polling stations, and amplifying voter awareness messages on social media platforms. Bike app Rapido has been encouraging voters with a free ride to vote. Urban Company has launched 'I Have Voted Campaign' to encourage voters. Tata Neu app, serving as the Tata Group's group-wide consumer-facing mobile app, prominently features the "Cast Your Vote" animated banner on its homepage, with additional initiatives currently underway. Truecaller is enhancing its layout by displaying voter awareness message during outbound calls Some other independent initiatives are Mankind Pharma #VotingVirgin campaign, clothing brand Neeru's "Vote ki Taiyaari" TVC, Tinder's "Every Single Vote Counts" campaign, creatively curated social media post by Matrimonial sites like Jeevansathi.com, etc and discounts for voting by popular brands such as Shoppers' Stop, MakeMyTrip, Chroma and many more. Four phases of Lok Sabha polls have been held and the voting will conclude on June 1 with results on June 4. The remaining phases will be held on May 20, May 25, and June 1.

451 million voters! First four phases of Lok Sabha elections witness 66.95% voter turnout so far

<ul><li><keyword id="1763236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cred" source="Orion">CRED</keyword> was valued at $2.2 billion in April, when it raised $215 million in a Series D round.</li><li>The company has raised $600 million to date from investors like Tiger Global, DST Global and others.</li><li><keyword id="192201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kunal-shah" source="Orion">Kunal Shah</keyword> claims that about 25-30% of all credit card bill payments in India are processed by CRED.</li></ul>Kunal Shah-led <keyword id="803708" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="credit-card-payments" source="Orion">credit card payments</keyword> app CRED has raised $251 million in a round led by existing investors Tiger Global and Falcon Edge. The company’s valuation has doubled to $4.01 billion with this round. CRED was valued at $2.2 billion in April, when it raised<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/kunal-shah-cred-raises-215-million-to-be-indias-latest-unicorn-with-a-valuation-of-2-2-billion/articleshow/81933639.cms"> $215 million in a Series D </a>round. London-based Marshall Wace and Steadfast Venture Capital also participated in this round, along with existing investors DST Global, Insight Partners, Coatue, Sofina, RTP and Dragoneer. It was first <a href="https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/cred-closes-251-million-fresh-fundraise-at-a-valuation-of-4-bn-11634581228658.html">reported</a> by Mint. A CRED spokesperson has confirmed the development to Business Insider. Founded in 2018, CRED started off as a credit card bill payments app. Over the years, it has entered e-commerce, lending, payments and now investment segments Shah, the founder and chief executive officer of the fintech startup, claims that about 25-30% of all credit card bill payments in India are processed by CRED. The company launched its lending business last year and claims to have a loan book of over ₹2,000 crore with non-performing assets at under 1%. Looking at these metrics, CRED introduced a<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/cred-launches-peer-to-peer-lending-option/articleshow/85477419.cms"> peer-to-peer lending option</a> on its platform in August this year. This feature would allow 7.5 million users to invest up to ₹10 lakh in a capital pool, which will be used to offer loans to other CRED users. The loans will actually be disbursed at an interest rate of 12-13% annually. Of which, upto 9% will be rewarded to those investing in the product. The company believes that the exclusivity of CRED would reduce the number of default loans. Notably, CRED only allows users above a certain credit score to set up an account on the platform. The company has raised $600 million to date. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-macbook-pro-and-airpods-3-launched-indian-pricing-features-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/87128713.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Apple MacBook Pro and AirPods 3 launched – Indian pricing, features and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/irctc-crosses-1-lakh-crore-in-market-cap-for-the-first-time/articleshow/87128390.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">IRCTC crosses ₹1 lakh crore in market cap for the first time as investors adore its monopoly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/dmart-is-continuing-to-do-what-it-knows-best-but-the-street-wants-more/articleshow/87113806.cms">DMart is continuing to do what it knows best but the street wants more</a>

Kunal Shah’s CRED doubles its valuation to $4 billion in less than six months

<ul><li>The Karnataka government bans online "games of chance".</li><li>As the IPL season has kicked in, Dream11, My11Circle, MPL Pro, Bet365, Gamezy and many others gaming platforms can come under the radar of Karnataka’s ban on online ‘game of chance’.</li><li>The offence under the law will lead to a prison term of up to three years and fine of up to ₹ 1 lakh.</li></ul>The Karnataka government on Tuesday <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/karnataka-assembly-passes-bill-banning-online-games-of-chance/articleshow/86407014.cms">reportedly</a> passed a bill that bans online "games of chance”. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai reportedly said that the government will deal with gaming operators who run “games of chance” camouflaged as “games of skill”. Even those skill games that involve the risk of the player losing money would invite action under the law, he said. However, there is not enough clarity on which games are considered under “game of skill” and “game of chance”. As the Indian Premier League (IPL) season has kicked in, online gaming firms like Dream11, My11Circle, MPL Pro, Bet365, Gamezy and many others can come under the radar of Karnataka’s ban on online ‘game of chance’. Operating such games, sheltering such operations, and abetting and participating in such online games both cognisable and non-bailable is an offence, according to the bill. The offence will lead to a prison term of up to three years and fine of up to ₹ 1 lakh. So far, Punjab, Haryana, Bombay and Rajasthan High Courts have given <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/startups/supreme-court-upholds-dream11-fantasy-sports-format-as-game-of-skill/articleshow/85040855.cms">verdict </a>supporting online gaming platforms like Dream11 and considers it as a “game of skill”. The Karnataka government has gone ahead with the ban despite the Supreme Court’s <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/tech/startups/supreme-court-upholds-dream11-fantasy-sports-format-as-game-of-skill/articleshow/85040855.cms">decision </a>that favoured the fantasy gaming industry, calling them skill gaming instead of gambling. Priyank Kharge, former information technology (IT), tourism and social welfare minister of Karnataka, batted against a blanket ban for all online games. “The government should form a committee with industry stakeholders and come out with a law that curbs online betting instead of a bill that won’t stand the test of law,” he said in a tweet. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Text"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Kharge mentioned Karnataka is the gaming hub with investments of ₹4,000 crore employing thousands of people. The former minister further added that more clarity is required on certain of these issues because these are buzzing businesses. “They (online gaming platforms) are run by very young players (individuals) who have just graduated from colleges and it will kill them at this stage. Tax certainty is required as you cannot tax the entire thing, just because you feel that there is revenue which can be collected from these activities,” said Abhishek A Rastogi, partner at Khaitan &amp; Co in a Twitter live session with Business Insider on Monday. <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> In the same conversation, another panelist, Sandeep Chilana, managing partner at Chilana &amp; Chilana Associates, said that there will be legal challenges by these online gaming entities in the court after the ban. “In the online gaming casino sectors, and the entertainment sector everything is charged under different categories of rates. So I'm saying, gambling betting is one thing, but if you see a serious casino business, you are charging me the royalty, the licence fee to operate the casino, you are charging GST [goods and services tax] on that also, then you are asking for the 20% tax only even if it's a slot machine,” said Rastogi. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tonetag-backed-by-amazon-and-mukesh-ambani-is-ready-to-go-beyond-payments-using-sound-waves-not-internet-and-smartphones/articleshow/86419124.cms">ToneTag, backed by both Amazon and Mukesh Ambani, is ready to go beyond payments using sound waves, not internet and smartphones</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zee-entertainment-merges-with-sony-pictures/articleshow/86416420.cms">Marriage Story! Zee gets a white knight in Sony</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/irctc-indiamart-zee-entertainment-cummins-india-share-price-under-pressure-but-still-worth-buying/slidelist/86407477.cms">IRCTC, IndiaMART, Cummins India and others have been under pressure in the last 5 days but still worth buying</a>

Experts say Karnataka’s ban on 'games of chance' may face a legal test

<ul><li><keyword id="12343398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zoho-lens" source="Orion">Zoho Lens</keyword> will leverage augmented reality to enable technicians to offer technical support to their customers remotely.</li><li><keyword id="265415" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zoho" source="Orion">Zoho</keyword> Lens converts your mobile phone to act as remote eyes according to <keyword id="4808228" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zoho-one" source="Orion">Zoho One</keyword>’s marketing head Hariharan Muralimanohar.</li><li>Zoho has also launched Zoho Commerce to enable retailers to set up their online shops and provide them with necessary tools.</li></ul>All this while you must have heard about your nearest kirana store coming online, but did anyone check with the nearest technician what he has been up to? Well soon there will be similar development happening on this front as well. You don’t need to wait for hours to get your internet or your car or your microwave oven fixed. Now you can do it all by yourself within a couple of minutes. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) company Zoho Corp has rolled out its latest smart remote assistant app called Zoho Lens to help you with it. The app — which mixes smart lens with video calling feature — will allow even your nearest technicians to set up stores online and assist you as you take on this new challenge. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="So how does this work?" text="So how does this work?">So how does this work?</cmsannotation> The company’s latest Zoho Lens app will leverage augmented reality (AR) to help technicians impart their technical know-how to the customer over a video call. Zoho Lens will give a “comprehensive view” of a customer's technical issues, the company says. A technician can simply invite the customer to a virtual session, exactly like how a video chat would work. The customer just needs to show the troubled device through their smartphone or smart glasses camera. “So what Zoho Lens does is, it can convert your mobile phone to act as remote eyes,” highlights Hariharan Muralimanohar, head of marketing at Zoho One, one of Zoho’s product suite. <a href="https://youtu.be/qrZGSfoqLIc"> <div type="Youtube" id="qrZGSfoqLIc" title="Zoho Lens - Augmented Reality Remote Assistance Software - Product Overview" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qrZGSfoqLIc/mqdefault.jpg"></div></a> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="But why not simply video call a technician?" text="But why not simply video call a technician?">But why not simply video call a technician?</cmsannotation> At the core of it, Zoho Lens is a video calling feature with a technician who will help you repair your own devices. But the technicians can also take a screenshot and freeze the camera screen to have a better estimate of the issue, while interacting on voice over or text chat. The technician will also be able to add an extra layer of annotation tools into the live video stream to help the customer identify the issues on their devices. This will help the technician to analyse a particular issue and help the customer even further. <div type="image" title="Zoho adds features that can turn a video call into remote assistance for repairing cars, appliances and more" msid="87136112" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Screengrab of Zoho Lens&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “You call a technician and they ask you what the problem is, so you can take your phone and point the camera at the problem area. [With the help of Zoho Lens], the technician is able to get a clearer view of what is really going on and he can then annotate on top of the app and tell you how it can be solved” Muralimanohar added. “This [Zoho Lens] is helping a technician to still do his job without being able to be in person, which is a situation that we are all facing now,” he added. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Who can use it?" text="Who can use it?">Who can use it?</cmsannotation> The enterprise tech startup claims that this latest feature can help individuals solve technical issues like car repairs, appliance repair, fixing an unstable internet connection and more. The Zoho Lens feature can be used by several industries including healthcare, maintenance and repair, customer service, insurance, manufacturing, construction and more. A standard one month subscription of Zoho Lens costs ₹720 per technician per month, where as a professional one would come up to ₹960. Besides this, Zoho has also launched Zoho Commerce to enable retailers to set up their online shops and provide them with tools to construct websites, accept orders, track inventory and more. This offering will allow 100 product businesses to set up online stores in three weeks. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-macbook-pro-and-airpods-3-launched-indian-pricing-features-and-everything-you-need-to-know/articleshow/87128713.cms">Apple MacBook Pro and AirPods 3 launched – Indian pricing, features and everything you need to know</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/irctc-crosses-1-lakh-crore-in-market-cap-for-the-first-time/articleshow/87128390.cms">IRCTC crosses ₹1 lakh crore in market cap for the first time as investors adore its monopoly</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/retail/news/dmart-is-continuing-to-do-what-it-knows-best-but-the-street-wants-more/articleshow/87113806.cms">DMart is continuing to do what it knows best but the street wants more</a>

Zoho adds features that can turn a video call into remote assistance for repairing cars, appliances and more

<keyword id="6358070" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="mumbai">Mumbai</keyword>, Public transport services in Mumbai, including suburban trains and buses, and in other parts of Maharashtra largely remained unaffected on Tuesday morning despite various organisations supporting the <keyword id="6379373" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharat-bandh">Bharat Bandh</keyword> for repeal of the Centre's agri laws, officials said. Services of local trains as well as out-station trains remained unaffected until now, said Shivaji Sutar, chief public relations officer (CPRO), Central Railway. Leaders of taxi and autorickshaw unions told that their services in Mumbai remained normal. A spokesperson of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), which operates a fleet of buses in Mumbai and metropolitan region, said almost 85% of the scheduled buses plied on roads. "Out of 3,435 scheduled buses, 2,913 buses plied on roads," he said. <keyword id="58636" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra-State-Road-Transport-Corporation">Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation</keyword> (MSRTC) PRO Abhijit Bhosale said buses plied normally across the state, barring few places where they have curtailed operations either due to the poor passenger response or as a precautionary measure. "No report of any untoward incident is reported in the state until now," Bhosale said. Truck operators said the movement of goods was affected to an extent as several truckers chose not to operate in view of the shutdown. "Many truckers have kept their vehicles off road in support of the strike, but we haven't stopped movement of essential commodities," said Kailash Pingle, leader of <keyword id="10396854" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="maharashtra-rajya-motor">Maharashtra Rajya Motor</keyword> Malak Sangh. Transportation of essential commodities like milk, vegetables and fruits have been excluded from the bandh, said Daya Natkar, secretary of Maharashtra Rajya Truck Tempo Tankers Vahatuk Sangh. Taxi union leader A L Quadros said taxis are plying in Mumbai as the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown had already hit the sector severely. The ruling Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress have extended their support for the shutdown, but appealed to protesters to not disrupt public transport services. In Pune also, public transport remained unaffected. "All our operations in the city are unaffected and no incident of buses being stopped anywhere has been reported yet," said an official from PMPML (Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal). SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stocks-to-watch-ril-maruti-suzuki-nmdc-sbi-ongc-eicher-motors-likhitha-infrastructure-tata-consumer-and-others/articleshow/79600409.cms">Top stocks to watch — RIL, Maruti Suzuki, NMDC, SBI, ONGC, Eicher Motors, Likhitha Infrastructure, Tata Consumer, and others</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/petrol-is-less-than-a-rupee-away-from-being-more-expensive-than-it-has-ever-been-for-indian-consumers/articleshow/79601841.cms">Petrol is less than a rupee away from being more expensive than it has ever been for Indian consumers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/top-stock-movers-ongc-hdfc-bank-nmdc-pfizer-spicejet-indigo-irctc-tata-chemicals-and-others/articleshow/79602525.cms">Top stock movers — ONGC, HDFC Bank, NMDC, Pfizer, SpiceJet, IndiGo, IRCTC, Tata Chemicals, and others</a>

Bharat Bandh: Public transport services in Mumbai, other parts of Maharashtra almost unaffected

One of the most popular statements in TV debates after the announcement of the budget meandered through visits to the zoo and museums becoming more attractive. 
 
Let me begin with the pre-budget zoo first. On the social media we must indeed be appearing like a zoo with exotic voices wanting a 200% tax on karela to prevent mothers from forcing us to eat them, free vacations for women as marriage is akin to bondage, a better tax slab to those who are able to book tickets on IRCTC in the first go, a higher tax slab on women as they talk more, a green tax rebate for flat owners with a hundred or more potted plants, and onions and potatoes priced in an inverse proportion so that at least one remains affordable. 
 
In such a zoo of ideas, the FM stood to announce 
A budget that only talked of a plan to pounce! 
 Well, Mr <keyword id="6390789" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jaitley">Jaitley</keyword> may not have preferred to salt-n-pepper his <keyword id="117156" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget-speech">budget speech</keyword> with a liberal dose of poetry, but he did mention his intent to usher in fiscal change, woo growth, and at least frame a picture of the uplift of the poor. All that the poet in me understood after hours spent listening to him was that he was encouraging me to save more and was hinting at making our spending habits more transparent. The finance ministry does seem to be saying: 
 
Disclose your assets abroad, dear friend 
We also want to curb black market trend. 
 
The FM began by saying that his government had ‘inherited a sentiment of doom and gloom’ but had a commitment to sweep it all, though in a phased manner, making sure that policies were streamlined to encourage banking for the unbanked and funded the unfunded. Now, some of us have interpreted this as highly pro-corporate and anti-people. This isn’t quite true. The high allocation for infrastructure is the main focus and the corporate sector gets a phased reduction in corporate tax-rate. There will be the emergence of a law to handle disputes in public contracts… well, isn’t the government planning a GDP growth between 8 and 8.5%and a <keyword id="6365485" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="fiscal-deficit">fiscal deficit</keyword> of 3.9% in 2015-16? The FM did reflect an optimism of the ruling party somewhat like: 
 
A double digit growth isn’t far into the future now 
A sentiment of doom and gloom will give way to wow! 
 
Really? The common man doesn’t seem to be sharing this optimism though. All over we hear people cribbing about the raw deal that that the middle class has been dealt. The absence of the conventional tax slab differences is irking us all. But I suspect these noises are because most of the hoi polloi do not know much beyond tax slabs and service tax. I find it funny to listen to people lamenting the loss of twenty rupees on a dinner of a thousand rupees! 
 
Increase from 12.36 to fourteen percent is unkind 
Why doesn’t the government let us relax and unwind? 
 
What most of us are not appreciating is the way the Jan Dhan – Adhar – mobile banking nexus is turning the nation slowly but surely towards a really swachch income Bharat. Just as stopping a subsidy leakage is more important than doing away with subsidies, if we manage to get all transactions done through credit and debit cards, we will have contributed towards building a nation with a strong fiscal profile where black money has no place at all. As I have mentioned earlier, the two major thrusts of this budget are ensuring transparency and encouraging a sensible planning for the future. 
 
Inflation is a result of wealth undeclared 
Fiscal health is spending transparently shared! 
 
As against the popular notion, I do not find this budget pro-business though the common grouse of the common man is that he is now asked to ‘walk more and eat less’, build his own pension, and stop dreaming of living in a tax-haven with up to 5 lakh free from any income tax. Even the 2% surcharge that is to be levied on incomes above a crore did not really placate the disturbed common man psyches who thought budgets are events that make life more affordable. 
 Let me end this short post with rhyming lines as this is the only facet that was missing from the <keyword id="2549811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget-2015">Budget 2015</keyword> presentation: 
 
Go ahead, common man, and learn to save more 
Your future now depends on your saving score 
 
Visit zoos and museums and have time to learn 
Generating black money you now need to unlearn 
 
Make it in India to earn more as you sell for less 
Corporate taxes will now give you less stress 
 
The poor aren’t affected and the rich don’t care 
Middle class thinks the budget, to them, isn’t fair 
 
But hey! The <keyword id="6484188" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sensex">Sensex</keyword> seems happy with what it hears 
As the future surely doesn’t seem to rhyme with fears! 
 
Allow me to add at this stage that it isn’t budgets that make or kill us as it is the way others interpret it that affects the way it is perceived. So, it is always good to look at what benefits and hum away in a rhyme all that doesn’t appear worth reading. 
 
(Image: This illustration has been drawn and shared by Arvind Passey, the author of this story)

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