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<ul><li><keyword id="132652" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="cleartrip" source="Orion">Cleartrip</keyword> to increase its workforce to 700 employees, a three-fold increase from October last year.</li><li>Earlier this quarter, the <keyword id="7254678" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="travel-aggregator" source="Orion">travel aggregator</keyword> had increased its workforce by 60%.</li><li>The hiring will be done in technology and product teams and across various destinations in India.</li></ul>Cleartrip, a Bengaluru-based travel aggregator website, is looking forward to ramping up its workforce by 400 employees by December 2022. Hiring of 400 employees will take the workforce to a total of 700 employees, a three-fold increase from 240 employees in October 2021. The hiring will be done in technology and product teams and across various destinations in India — Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. Earlier this quarter, the travel aggregator had increased its workforce by 60%. Large number of hiring was dedicated towards its plans to scale up its hotel category business. When asked about the reason behind this massive hiring spree, Ayyappan Rajagopal, chief executive officer (CEO) of Cleartrip said, “Cleartrip is actively hiring for their upcoming tech park in Chennai where all the technology-related backhand work will be handled so that we can reach the target of 400 employees by the end of this year.” He further said, “By hiring top talent from the industry across levels, we are infusing fresh energy and ideas into our teams, setting us up for success. As we move forward in 2022, one of our key goals this year is to bring more offerings, scale up our existing verticals to bring more digitally-enabled travel experiences for our customers to boost their confidence while travelling during what has been a difficult time.” The announcement comes after Cleartrip’s acquisition by the Flipkart Group, part of US-based Walmart Group, which has accelerated the brand’s growth strategy to make an end-to-end travel app for the company by the end of 2022. In 2021, e-commerce giant Flipkart had <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/flipkart-acquires-cleartrip-in-an-effort-to-cement-its-position-in-the-travel-booking-segment/articleshow/82081931.cms">acquired</a> a 100% stake in Cleartrip, making it a Flipkart Group company. Cleartrip has raised a total of $56.4 million in funding over 7 rounds, as per data from Crunchbase. Their latest funding was raised on October 29 last year in a secondary market round. Founded in 2006, Cleartrip is an online travel firm for booking flights, train tickets, hotel reservations, and activities in India and the Middle East countries. It holds offices across India, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/sharechat-to-acquire-short-video-platform-mx-takatak-for-around-4500-crore/articleshow/89479244.cms">ShareChat to acquire short video platform MX TakaTak for around ₹4,500 crore</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/two-indian-cities-are-in-global-top-10-of-the-most-congested-places-to-drive-through-take-a-guess/slidelist/89476030.cms">Two Indian cities are in global top 10 of the most congested places to drive through – Take a guess</a>

Online travel booking portal Cleartrip to increase its workforce by 400 by the end of this year

In this day and age where social media and e-commerce are ruling the digital space, half a dozen <keyword id="950489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="travel-e-commerce">travel e-commerce</keyword> companies have plans to take about 1,500 people onboard in the coming year. Most of these hirings would be done for technology, product development and marketing profiles. 
 This has come at a point when most startups are finding it hard to stay afloat. However, the travel industry has its own reasons to not get affected by the downfall in the startup sector. With frequent flash sales that have made flying cheaper, leisure travel is the new in thing for urban Indians. With this, the travel market is showing signs of promise, and travel companies like <keyword id="984795" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="goibibo">Goibibo</keyword>, <keyword id="944934" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="TravelTriangle">TravelTriangle</keyword> and <keyword id="2759998" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="iTraveller">iTraveller</keyword> have plans to increase their staff to at least double of what already is. 
 Other established players, like <keyword id="6362992" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="yatra">Yatra</keyword>, <keyword id="54613" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="makemytrip">MakeMyTrip</keyword> and <keyword id="132652" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cleartrip">Cleartrip</keyword>, have plans to hire for their technology teams. 
 
For working professionals too, travel space is an exciting place to be. "Travel is a great place to be in because it's so realtime and dynamic. I like the energy of constantly being updated and ahead of the curve," Vaibhav Arora, digital marketing manager at TripHobo, told ET. 
 
These perks include easy access to travel and hotel deals, not to forget constant updates about discounts and good times to book airline tickets. 
 
<a href="http://www.arabianindustry.com/static/content/images/larger1/jc-368217.jpg">Image source</a>

Travel e-commerce companies to offer 1,500 jobs in the coming year

<ul><li>SBI is inviting applications to hire 48 Specialist Cadre Officers.</li><li>The last date to apply for the opportunity is February 25.</li><li>Candidates can expect a basic monthly salary of ₹36,000 with added perks and benefits.</li></ul><keyword id="6354731" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="State-Bank-of-India" source="Orion">State Bank of India</keyword> (SBI) has rolled out a notification inviting applications for the recruitment of Specialist Cadre Officers across various locations in India.The online portal for filling out applications is open till February 25. Candidates will have to appear for an online written test, which will be conducted on March 20, and personal interview. Candidates who clear the online examination will later be called for an interview by email or will be uploaded on the bank's website. Candidates can expect a basic monthly salary of ₹36,000 with added perks and benefits as per bank’s salary structure. These are the vacancies — <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Post </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">No. of vacancies </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Assistant Manager (Network Security Specialist) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">15 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Assistant Manager (Routing &amp; Switching) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">33 </td></tr></tbody></table> Eligibility criteria for the roles — <ol><li>For Assistant Manager (Network Security Specialist) — Candidates must have 3 years of hands-on experience in managing the network of any reputed organisation with at least 1.5 years in either Level-2 resource in an organisation in the business of providing Network Services or as technical assistance centre (TAC) resource in an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) in the field of network security devices such as firewall, IPS etc. or have experience in managing network security for any organisation in BFSI sector with minimum 60% marks in graduation from a recognised university/institute. </li><li>Assistant Manager (Routing &amp; Switching) — Candidates must have 3 years' of hands-on experience in managing the network of any reputed organisation with at least 1.5 years in level-2 resource in an organisation in the business of providing Network Services or as TAC resource of an OEM in the field of network security devices such as firewall, IPS etc. or experience in managing network security for any organisation in BFSI sector with 60% marks in bachelor’s degree from any recognised university/institute. </li></ol>Candidates belonging to general/other backward class/economically weaker section (EWS) will also have to pay an application fee of ₹750. Interested candidates can fill out the online form <a href="https://bank.sbi/web/careers">here</a> and can seek out more information <a href="https://sbi.co.in/documents/77530/11154687/04022022_SCO_26_Asst.Mgr1.%28NetwSecuSpl.%29+2.%28RoutSwit%29.pdf/a3c9bf01-ab35-d47e-684b-8c04b6b13d4a?t=1643982749841">here</a>. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-releases-android-13-first-developer-preview-with-new-privacy-security-features-and-more/articleshow/89495916.cms">Google releases Android 13 first developer preview with new privacy, security features and more</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/online-travel-booking-portal-cleartrip-to-increase-its-workforce-by-end-of-this-year/articleshow/89481099.cms">Online travel booking portal Cleartrip to increase its workforce by 400 by end of this year</a>

SBI is hiring 48 assistant managers across India with a monthly salary of ₹36,000 per month

<ul><li>IT companies may not be hiring talent as slowdown curbs growth, but employees continue to search for jobs online. Naukri’s monthly active users at 12.1 million. </li><li>Cricket continued to give a boost to online food ordering apps in March. Daily active users online continue to increase month-on-month. </li><li>Despite the popularity of dating apps, young Indians continue to frequently visit online marriage portals and apps to find their true love. Matrimony apps see a jump in monthly and daily active users in March. </li></ul>On the face of it, there may be little or no connection between the white willow and online food ordering, but data shows that women in blue made Indians rather hungry in the month of March. And yes, most Indians also are as keen on marriage as ever, with matrimonial portals continuing to see higher month-on-month user metrics and app downloads. Three years after the pandemic struck, Indians are still addicted to their apps and are still looking for their dream job, if they are not planning their next vacation. From ordering food online to looking for jobs and homes online, Indian consumers are not putting the brakes on their online purchases just yet, even after the economy opened up completely post the lockdowns. App downloads continued in March as did higher monthly traffic across key consumer tech platforms. In the month of March, monthly and daily active users continued to surge across apps catering to consumer needs like online food ordering, travel, property rentals/purchases, groceries or even jobs. Yes, job searches have seen an unprecedented surge in the month of March shows data from Sensor Tower’s monthly data print. Leading technology services players may have slowed down on hiring, but employees are still flocking to job portals. According to a report by Bank of America, Naukri maintained its totem pole position in MAUs (monthly active users) with 12.1 million (+7.2% month on month) users and witnessed increase in daily active user base at 2.1 million (+6% MoM) in <keyword id="10294782" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="march-2023" source="Orion">March 2023</keyword>. LinkedIn has the highest DAUs or daily active users at 3.7 million and is a clear leader in terms of user retention at 33% followed by Naukri at 18%, says the report. Data shows that consumer apps have continued to see good traction in the month of March 2023 compared to February. What consumers have been interestingly visiting less frequently —- are the beauty apps like Nykaa and Purplle — whose traffic is down month-on-month. Beauty brands believe that omnichannel and physical store visits are the reason for the decline in online purchases. Food delivery &amp; grocery continue to see demand According to Bank of America’s India Internet report, a majority of online food delivery apps saw an increase in fresh app downloads and user metrics, while Swiggy saw a marginal decline in fresh downloads. Online food delivery apps launched special match day games to increase engagement, which resulted in higher ordering too. While Zomato launched ZPL prediction, Swiggy launched Match Day Mania. Not surprising that monthly active users of Zomato and Swiggy grew 4.9%/4.6% MoM to 53 million/35 million. Daily active users for both Zomato and Swiggy increased 2-3% MoM to 6.1 million/4.4 million, respectively. Domino’s Pizza continued to be third in all metrics. Swiggy showed a higher retention at 13% vs Zomato at 11%. Real estate continues to be hot property online Housing continued to see the highest online traffic, as searches for rented and ownership continued to jump. Both monthly active users and app downloads were healthy for online players. Monthly active users increased sequentially for all the apps catering to housing, while daily active users grew for 99acres and Housing. Traffic on Magicbricks remained stable. Monthly active users on 99acres MAUs witnessed steep growth +14.3% compared to February. In terms of user retention, Housing continues to lead at 11%, followed by 99acres and Magicbricks at 9%. Revenge travel is still a big deal With the onset of summer, consumers are planning their next trip, which has resulted in strong traction for online travel apps like Cleartrip and Makemytrip. User metrics improved for Cleartrip, GoIbibo and MakeMyTrip; while Yatra and EaseMyTrip witnessed a decline, says Bank of America. MakeMyTrip monthly and daily users inched upwards (+9%/4% MoM) ahead of the upcoming summer holiday season in May/June 2023. Cleartrip MAUs/DAUs both grew 44.8% MoM to 1.3 million /0.1 million, respectively, majorly driven by launch of bus services in over 90 cities and various offers like zero convenience fees and flat 10% off on all bus bookings. MakeMyTrip continues to be the leader in MAUs, DAUs and retention; with 15.8 million MAUs/1.5 million DAUs while Goibibo has 8.5 million MAUs/ 0.7 million DAUs. High five for fashion apps As social distancing has given way to more contact intensive interactions, demand for fashion apparel has also increased meaningfully. Consumers continue to look for bargains online and Ajio’s All Star sale has delivered the numbers. According to data, Ajio’s monthly active users showed a sharp increase sequentially as downloads of the app increased. Ajio’s MAU/DAU base rocketed 22%/26% sequentially. Myntra/Nykaa Fashion’s MAU base improved 3% MoM each while DAU base saw a slight 1-2% decline. In terms of user retention, Myntra is at 17% followed by Ajio at 16%, says the report. Marriages are forever Young Indians continue to look for their perfect partner. User metrics and downloads witnessed an increase across all apps. Shaadi.com continued to be a leader with monthly and daily active users at 9 million/2.9 million, respectively in March 2023. Jeevansathi’s monthly numbers grew 13% month-on-month, while daily users increased by 8% compared to February. BharatMatrimony user metrics remained largely stable. Jeevansathi has the highest user retention at 34% followed by BharatMatrimony at 33%. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/markets/news/-some-sectors-will-benefit-from-lower-energy-prices-in-fy24-a-balasubramanian/articleshow/99722850.cms">Earnings to remain volatile in FY24, but some sectors will benefit from lower energy prices, says Aditya Birla Sun Life MF’s CEO A Balasubramanian</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/zepto-preps-for-public-listing-in-2-years-brings-in-ramesh-bafna-as-cfo-to-lead-ipo-process/articleshow/99514143.cms">Zepto preps for public listing in 2 years; Brings in Ramesh Bafna as CFO to lead IPO process</a>

Consumers continue to throng apps in search of Roti, Kapda & Makaan, March sees healthy user metrics and app downloads

American banking major <keyword id="6400347" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="citibank">Citibank</keyword> on Thursday announced exiting the high visibility <keyword id="2678828" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-banking-business">consumer banking business</keyword> in India as part of a global strategy. The consumer banking business comprises credit cards, retail banking, home loans and wealth management. The bank will be exiting the segment in India after more than three decades. The bank has 35 branches in the country and employs approximately 4,000 people in the consumer banking business. On Thursday, the bank announced exiting from the consumer banking businesses in 13 countries, with its global CEO Jane Fraser attributing the decision to an absence of scale to compete in these geographies. Contours of the exit were not immediately known and the proposed exit from the consumer banking business will also need regulatory approvals. "There is no immediate change to our operations and no immediate impact to our colleagues as a result of this announcement. In the interim, we will continue to serve our <keyword id="6402030" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="clients">clients</keyword> with the same care, empathy and dedication that we do today," <keyword id="6372865" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="citi">Citi</keyword> India's Chief Executive Ashu Khullar said. " the sharpened strategy announced today will strengthen our ability to bring the full global power of Citi to our institutional clients, reinforcing our leading positions across corporate, commercial and investment banking, treasury and trade solutions, as well as markets and securities services," he added. Citi had entered India in 1902 and started the consumer banking business in 1985. From a social perspective, the consumer bank had extended loans of ₹27,911 crore to agriculture, affordable housing, renewable energy and MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) as of March 2020. Of that amount, ₹4,975 crore was extended to weaker sections as part of Citibank India's priority sector lending obligations, as per a release issued by the bank last year. Apart from the institutional banking business, it will continue to focus on offshoring or global business support rendered from centres in Mumbai, <keyword id="2094" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pune">Pune</keyword>, <keyword id="6354321" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword>, Chennai and Gurugram. Khullar said India is a strategic talent pool for Citi and it will continue to grow the five 'Citi Solution Centers'. At present, there are postings for 4,000 jobs at the solution centres posted on its hiring website, officials said. Citi had reported a post-tax net of ₹4,912 crore for FY20 as against ₹4,185 crore in the previous fiscal. Its retail bank serves people across the spectrum, including the salaried to the high net individuals, through dedicated offerings. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/flipkart-acquires-cleartrip-in-an-effort-to-cement-its-position-in-the-travel-booking-segment/articleshow/82081931.cms">Flipkart acquires Cleartrip in an effort to cement its position in the travel booking segment</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/remdesivir-injection-price-jumps-five-times-as-covid-19-cases-rise/articleshow/82083414.cms">The utter chaos and confusion over Remdesivir in India is making the COVID-19 second wave worse</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/jira-and-trello-maker-atlassian-is-looking-to-hire-300-engineers-in-india-in-2021/articleshow/82083765.cms">Atlassian, the maker of Jira and Trello, is looking to hire 300 engineers in India this year</a>

Citibank to exit consumer banking business in India

Cupertino, June 16 (IANS) Apple App Store facilitated $519 billion in commerce and sales globally in 2019 and more than 85 per cent of the $519 billion total accrues solely to third-party developers and businesses of all sizes, a new study by Apple has revealed. The new study, conducted by independent economists at Analysis Group, found that the highest value categories were mobile commerce (m-commerce) apps, digital goods and services apps, and in-app advertising. "The App Store is a place where innovators and dreamers can bring their ideas to life, and users can find safe and trusted tools to make their lives better," Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement late Monday. "In a challenging and unsettled time, the App Store provides enduring opportunities for entrepreneurship, health and well-being, education, and job creation, helping people adapt quickly to a changing world," he added. Of the $519 billion, the study found that sales from physical goods and services accounted for the largest share, at $413 billion. Within that category, m-commerce apps generated the vast majority of sales, and of those, retail was the largest, at $268 billion. "Retail apps include those that digitally represent brick-and-mortar stores such as Target and Best Buy, as well as virtual marketplaces that sell physical goods, such as Flipkart, Lenskart and Myntra but do not include grocery delivery, which is its own category," the findings showed. Travel apps, including Ixigo, Cleartrip and Makemytrip, accounted for $57 billion. Ride-hailing apps, including Ola Cabs, comprised $40 billion in sales, and food delivery apps, including Zomato, Swiggy and Freshmenu, made up $31 billion. Billings and sales from digital goods and services comprised $61 billion, and this category included apps for music and video streaming, fitness, education, ebooks and audiobooks, news and magazines, and dating services, among others. Games, the type of app most downloaded in 2019, was the largest generator of billings and sales within this category. In-app advertising sales accounted for $45 billion, and of that, 44 per cent was derived from games. Non-gaming apps that generate substantial in-app advertising sales are often free to download and use, such as Twitter and Pinterest, though others also offer in-app purchases to access content, such as The New York Times. Launched in 2008, App Store is currently home to almost 2 million apps and visited by half a billion people each week across 175 countries. "We're committed to doing even more to support and nurture the global App Store community  from one-developer shops in nearly every country to businesses that employ thousands of workers  as it continues to foster innovation, create jobs, and propel economic growth for the future," said Cook. According to the study, the direct payments made to developers from Apple are only a fraction of the vast total when sales from other sources, such as physical goods and services, are calculated. Apple only receives a commission from the billings associated with digital goods and services. --IANS na/

Apple App Store drives $519bn in sales in 2019, mobile commerce leads

<ul><li>According to a survey released by consulting firm Deloitte, 54% of people surveyed feel safe to <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> in June, as compared to 50% in the previous wave.</li><li>An OTA executive says people are doing “revenge travel” which is evident from significant increase in queries and bookings.</li><li>A recent ‘Back to travel’ research conducted by Booking.com found out that around 68% of Indian travellers who couldn’t travel in 2020 are extensively yearning to travel this year.</li></ul>Samaira Jain, a freelance content writer based in Delhi, feels that her life has become extremely “monotonous”. The pandemic, the lockdowns and restrictions it has induced have put on hold her dreams and plans of travelling to her favourite destinations. She wants her “normal life” back. Delhi is gradually limping back to normalcy, as lockdown relaxation kicked in from May 31. Jain, along with her family, has decided to visit <keyword id="6357787" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="shimla">Shimla</keyword> — in the neighbouring state of <keyword id="6358126" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Himachal-Pradesh">Himachal Pradesh</keyword> — after the lockdown. She sounds very excited and seems ready to embrace the beauty of the Himalayan foothills. “Our lives have become so monotonous, we have started feeling depressed. In order to change our mind we decided to travel and take some days off,” says Jain. India’s ramped up vaccination drive also seems to have given people a sense of confidence. Diyara Doshi, who is a teacher in a private school in Mumbai, echoes Jain’s views in a sense. Along with her husband, she is planning a getaway for a weekend in Lonavala, a hill station around 90 kilometres away from the capital of Maharashtra. Doshi and her husband got themselves fully vaccinated so that they can plan their leisure trip on a weekend. “We have taken both doses of the <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> vaccine, so we are now a little safe to travel,” says Doshi. As the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic stormed the country, heavy restrictions were imposed including strict lockdowns and travel restrictions. Decline in active daily cases lead many states to lift lockdown restrictions and open up for tourists once again trying to get back to pre-pandemic levels. On June 14, a beeline made by tourists was seen on the Kalka-Shimla Highway, near Parwanoo in Himachal Pradesh, choked with cars. It clearly shows that people are choosing to throng to hill stations despite fear of infection still being around. <div type="image" title="Heavy traffic jam at Kalka-Shimla Highway" msid="83867566" hostid="261"></div> According to a survey released in May by consulting firm Deloitte, 54% of people surveyed feel safe to travel in June, as compared to 50% in the previous wave. The survey also says that the intent to travel for leisure in these three months (June to August) will see an upward trend as compared to previous waves, partly because of COVID-19 vaccination boosting people’s confidence to return to normalcy. Ishaan Bilala, an analyst at consulting firm KPMG, wants to go on a short vacation in Tosh near Kasol in Himachal Pradesh. He is looking forward to booking a comfortable hotel with a “surreal view”, where he and his friends can take a small break from their work and enjoy themselves without worrying about COVID-19. “We know that COVID has not ended, and with rumours of a third wave already around the corner, we thought we should take one trip at least before cases hike again,” says Bilala. A recent ‘Back to travel’ research conducted by online accommodation aggregator Booking.com found that around 68% of Indian travellers who couldn’t travel in 2020 are extensively yearning to travel this year, while 70% travellers are planning to travel in the near future. The survey further reveals that around 72% feel that travelling this year is more important to them than it was before the outbreak of the pandemic. With lockdown restrictions being lifted in various states, the <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/air-traveller-numbers-treble-from-may-low-as-states-get-into-unlock-mode-121062500033_1.html">average number</a> of people taking flights per day rose from 42,000 in May to 1,25,000 from the third week of June. Travel bookings surge in the month of June “Within a week since restrictions began to ease, we have seen a jump of nearly 200% in hotel bookings for the month of June as compared to April — with the majority of states where lockdown restrictions have been relaxed considerably,” says Vipul Prakash, chief operating officer (COO) of online travel aggregator (OTA) <keyword id="54613" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="makemytrip">MakeMyTrip</keyword>. Rajiv Subramanian, vice president of Cleartrip tells Business Insider that there is a large pent up demand for travel. According to him, routes between Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi dominate the top sectors for flight bookings in the last few weeks of June. “In terms of hotel bookings, we have seen a growth in booking in states with hill stations such as Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu &amp; Kashmir. Areas in and around Mumbai are the leading areas of hotel bookings.” Travel bookings in month of April and May had seen a huge dip The number of domestic passengers travelling via air in the month of April fell by 27% and this further dropped by over 60% in the month of May as COVID-19 cases were shooting up in the country, as per the Directorate General of Civil Aviaion (DGCA). “Starting April, there was a decline in demand due to the rising COVID-19 cases across the country. Now with the incoming of <keyword id="79555" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vaccines">vaccines</keyword>, there are many reasons to be optimistic as travel intent climbs up again. With travel being an integral part of people’s lives, a few destinations have seen a 50% rise in hotel bookings in the month of June as compared to April and May,” says Sabina Chopra, co founder and COO of OTA platform <keyword id="6362992" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="yatra">Yatra</keyword>.com. The first three months of 2021 when COVID situation in the country seemed slightly improving, people had once again started to venture out of their homes. “First three months of the year saw a good number of travellers making leisure travel, with the next two being heavily impacted due to COVID-19,” says Nishant Pitti, chief executive officer (CEO) and cofounder of OTA site <keyword id="5030468" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="EaseMyTrip">EaseMyTrip</keyword>. Number of travellers searching for travel and accommodation sees an uptick Not only have the number of people who travelled have gone up but also the number of tourists who are seeking to or planning to travel has also surged in the past few weeks. “The number of people searching for places/queries for trips have increased multifold in the past few weeks. We have witnessed a booking increase of 40% from the lows in May that indicates the tendency of people for revenge travel has already kicked in with a significant increase in queries and bookings,” adds Pitti. The number of domestic tourists visiting India during 2019 was 2321 million as compared to 1853 million in 2018, with a growth of 25.3%, reveals India’s Ministry of Tourism statistics. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/microsoft-airtel-tiktok-just-dial-byjus-and-other-companies-are-calling-out-interns-for-different-roles/articleshow/83168022.cms">Microsoft, Airtel, BYJU’S, IIT-Bombay and more — here is a list of companies looking for interns</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/these-are-the-hottest-jobs-in-the-cyber-security-industry-right-now-with-a-salary-package-of-up-to-23-lakh-per-annum/articleshow/82629876.cms">These are the hottest jobs in the cyber security industry right now, with a salary package of up to ₹23 lakh per annum</a>

Indians are making big plans of ‘revenge travel’ as COVID-19 restrictions get lifted in many states

<ul><li>Wakefit.co, a Bengaluru-based startup was founded by <keyword id="650855" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ankit-Garg">Ankit Garg</keyword> and <keyword id="1639108" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chaitanya-Ramalingegowda">Chaitanya Ramalingegowda</keyword> in 2016.</li><li>In 4 years, the startup is now diversifying from its primary offering of <keyword id="9658763" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sleep-wellness">sleep wellness</keyword> products to <keyword id="306280" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Home-Solutions">home solutions</keyword>.</li><li>The startup has announced ambitious expansion plans and is also targeting Rs 450 crore revenue in FY2021. Garg and Ramalingegowda walk us through their strategy to achieve it.</li></ul> In a year when most organizations are being frugal, cutting costs and even slashing jobs, Wakefit.co recently announced that its expansion plan. It is going to invest Rs 15 crore towards setting up new facilities, expanding product lines and strengthening technological capabilities. It also aims to target Rs 450 crore in revenue for FY 2021. Moreover, the company also plans to hire close to 200 people in the next couple of months. The year 2020 has been difficult for organizations across the world. However, it is companies that have been able to adapt, stay agile and listen to its consumers and work on its offerings accordingly that have been able to weather the storm effectively. So how has Wakefit, a 4-year-old startup been able to not only grow in these adverse times without cutting any jobs but is now also looking at hiring and investing on expansion? Ankit Garg, CEO and Co-founder, Wakefit.co said, “We recently announced an investment of Rs 15 crore towards setting up of new facilities, expanding product lines and strengthening our focus on research and innovation. We believe that investing in Capex to improve quality, reduce manufacturing costs and thereby pass on the benefit to customers is the ideal way to grow a business, and we will continue to adopt that strategy while fuelling the next level of growth. As a company, our top priority will continue to be the enhancement of customer experience and satisfaction.” “As a fundamentally strong company that works on sound business values, we have always prioritized a solid balance sheet and employee welfare,” added Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, Director and Co-founder, Wakefit.co. “By virtue of these ethos, we have been able to pay full salaries to employees and avoid any layoffs during this time. In fact, being in the home solutions space, we have seen growing demand for our products, which strengthened our resolve to invest in Capex to bolster our back-end capabilities. While we have remained very frugal in marketing efforts and for potentially wasteful expenditure, we have not held back in terms of investments that will benefit the company and our hundreds of employees in the long term,” he shared. What started as an online mattress and sleep solutions startup is now diversifying its offerings too. It is now also looking at entering the home solutions space. However, that is one space that already has a few well-established players, both online and offline. So how is Wakefit.co trying to create differentiation in the segment? “With our foray into the home solutions space, we are now invested in the science and innovation of home wellness. Based on scientific research in home ergonomics, we have designed new products such as study tables, book shelves, bedside tables, coffee tables, TV units, sofas, shoe racks, and dining tables that offer superior value to customers at an affordable price. Given that we are a full stack company and own the manufacturing and back-end operations end-to-end, it is conducive to keep innovating on the products and keep the prices reasonable, yet be profitable,” explained Ramalingegowda. “Our direct-to-consumer DNA, powered by strong manufacturing capabilities, is definitely a big advantage. Currently, we have six world-class manufacturing facilities – spread across Bengaluru, Jodhpur and Delhi – to cater to the growing consumer demand,” he added. The lockdown experience The first two months when operations came to a sudden halt, there was a lot of uncertainty and confusions about the future. Supply chain had been completely disrupted. However, that halt also led to a lot of pent up demand. Moreover, with people staying more at home, they started paying more attention to wellness and sleep. “As the lockdown eased, we registered an increase in customer queries about our products. There has been a perceptible shift in customer preferences, possibly, due to prolonged stay at home as well as crucial conversations about health and well-being,” shared Garg. As working from home became the norm, Wakefit.com also witnessed an upsurge in the demand for better home solutions. “We understand that customers are creating their own efficient and ergonomic work spaces within their homes, while also filling the gaps in their home furniture needs now that they are spending more hours indoors. This has contributed to steady growth in demand over the last two months. We surpassed pre-Covid demand in June and are on track to do the same in July as well,” he added. Wakefit.co’s marketing plans for FY2021 Wakefit.co has had an interesting marketing journey so far. Last year, a campaign it did, inviting entries for its sleep internship went viral, for all the right reasons. It was a smart campaign, and appealed to a huge consumer base that was intrigued at the prospect of getting paid to sleep. More recently, another campaign the startup did featuring actors Sumit Vyas and Rasika Dugal was also widely shared, for voicing what a lot ofus had been experiencing during the first few weeks of the lockdown. So what comes next in their marketing journey? “Our goal is to build brand awareness and the best way to do it, in our opinion, is to take the stance of educating customers and to focus on innovative ideas and content that will resonate with our target audience. For instance, intelligent campaigns – such as our sleep internship campaign or the open letter campaign which went live during the lockdown period – give us opportunities to engage with our customers in meaningful ways,” said Ramalingegowda. Recently, the brand also launched the ‘Wakefit Rewards’ initiative to provide value-added benefits to its customers. It also partnered with brands like Gaana, Cleartrip, Bombay Shaving Company, Ajio, 1MG and Parentlane among others to offer value-added offers on the purchase of Wakefit.co products. The collaboration was purely on goodwill, without any commercial considerations. This allowed the partner brands to attract traffic from Wakefit.co’s users without incurring any marketing costs while Wakefit.co’s customers derived value too. On what kind of marketing budgets they are looking at allocating this year, Ramalingegowda said, “Our marketing budget allocations have always been made keeping consumer sentiment and situational awareness in mind. We do not believe in spending large marketing budgets for the sake of it or because other brands are doing it. We always think about the benefit it will add to the customer’s life and then create initiatives accordingly.” Going deeper into Bharat While the brand is expanding its offering by diversifying, its next phase of growth will also come from going deeper into the country. Already close to 30% of its demand comes from Tier II and Tier III markets. “When it comes to going deeper into the country, strategic collaborations will be the key. We work with multiple logistic partners, who have unique strengths in diverse geographies, to ensure that Wakefit.co has a robust distribution and delivery system in every corner of India. We have capabilities to deliver across 19,000+ pincodes in the country and around 30% of our demand comes from Tier 2 and 3 markets. As we grow steadily, we aim to target Tier 2 and 3 cities aggressively and target 50% demand from these markets,” shared Garg. Wakefit.co of the future Both Garg and Ramalingegowda are confident that the startup is on the right path. It will continue to keep the consumer at the heart of everything that it does. On what he thinks the Wakefit.co of the future will look like, Garg said, “The vision is to strengthen the brand and ramp up production capabilities as well as distribution network across Indian markets. Our focus is on providing cutting-edge home solutions to Indian consumers at a highly affordable price point. The idea is to create a pioneering company powered by constant innovation based on consumer data and feedback. At Wakefit.co, we are working towards inspiring healthy conversations that create greater awareness about the importance of sleep and home wellness.”

Wakefit.co is targeting Rs 450 crore revenue in FY2021. The founders tell us how they plan to reach there

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div>Indian tech companies are pulling out of Facebook's insanely ambitious plan to connect the developing world to the Internet, saying that it violates concerns with Net Neutrality, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/04/15/internetorg-withdrawal_n_7071532.html">reports the Huffington Post India</a>.Cleartrip, NDTV, Newshunt and the Times Group all withdrew their support Wednesday.The issue is simple. Facebook's Internet.org wants to get everybody online, saying it has the potential to raise hundreds of millions out of poverty by offering them health information, education, and job opportunities. India has had Internet.org available since mid-February of 2015, thanks to a partnership between Facebook and local carrier Reliance Communications. But it's limited. Very limited. In exchange for free Internet access, users in India who connect via the official Internet.org app only have access to 38 websites, including Facebook, Wikipedia, job sites, and other utilities that were designed to improve quality of life in the region. It's worth noting that none of the participating sites either paid or were paid to participate in Internet.org; this was a volunteer effort. During his Facebook Q&amp;A Tuesday night, Mark Zuckerberg actually answered a question from TechCrunch's Josh Constine on how to reconcile Facebook's support of network neutrality (which says that carriers shouldn't limit the content users have access to) with Internet.org's limitations: <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div> In other words, Zuckerberg says, it's better to double down on the most basic services and get those right for the disconnected world.But these startups, aren't buying it, saying that in light of responses from their users, an open Internet trumps a free one, even with these lofty ambitions."So while our original intent was noble, it is impossible to pretend there is no conflict of interest (both real and perceived) in our decision to be a participant in Internet.org," writes travel startup Cleartrip CEO Subramanya Sharma in a blog entry <a href="http://blog.cleartrip.com/2015/04/15/cleartrip-is-standing-up-for-netneutrality/">explaining the decision to pull out</a>. Internet.org is available in seven other countries in the developing world. Facebook has repeatedly named it as a major focus for the company - even going so far as to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-launches-internetorg-tv-ads-in-canada-and-australia-2015-2">make a TV commercial</a>. It'll be interesting to see what this backlash means for the initiative going forward, given how <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mark-zuckerberg-defends-internetorg-2015-1">skeptical Facebook's investors are </a>on how and why the initiative matters - especially since Facebook has been spending lots of cash on massive aerial drones that can send internet connections back to earth via laser beam. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-solar-powered-internet-drones-2015-3">Facebook's ridiculously large drones will beam internet from the sky</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="ZoZGY3dDoVTwPeVNsgH8H-kedfmIIFUt" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Indian tech companies are pulling out of Facebook's Internet.org campaign over net neutrality violations

<ul><li>Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> on Saturday announced <keyword id="8192304" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2020">Union Budget 2020</keyword> which gave an impetus to the country’s digital ecosystem.</li><li>The budget came up with an optional new tax regime which could lead to lower taxes for taxpayers.</li><li>She also acknowledged the role entrepreneurs have played in creating more jobs and capital for the country.</li></ul>As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on Saturday, the industry came together to applaud the government’s digital push with the announcement of the setting aside of Rs 6,000 crore for BharatNet, to ensure low cost internet reaches every household in the country. The government also announced an optional new tax slab which has lower tax rates, although the people opting for the new tax regime will not get any exemptions. The FM also spoke about the role that entrepreneurs have played in creating jobs and bringing in more capital to the country. However, there were a few industry experts who felt that the expectations from ‘the budget were much higher and it feels like a missed opportunity.’ Here are the views of some experts: Ashish Bhasin, CEO, APAC and Chairman, India - Dentsu Aegis Network: I think this is a good budget in some ways because it has attempted to put money in the hands of the middle class through rationalisation of tax rates as well as has concentrated on looking after the agricultural sector, including introduction of best practises like storage for producers and other measures. However, I do feel that the expectations from the budget were much more and it does feel like a bit of a missed opportunity. While it is good to see that the dividend distribution tax has been abolished, I expected more on the rationalisation of direct taxes, particularly the cess introduced over and above the tax rates. It is good to see efforts being made to encourage new-age skill development as well as helping the start-ups and what's particularly interesting is the proposal to set up data centre farms all over the country. This will prepare India for the economy of tomorrow. It is also good to see attempts at simplification of taxation through digitisation but the proof of the pudding will lie in seeing its implementation on ground. It would be fair to say that at best it is a mixed budget and while there are some encouraging decisions, enough does not seem to have been done for the situation the economy is in. RS Sodhi, Managing Director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation: <keyword id="7836802" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget-2020">Budget 2020</keyword>, an excellent move, will bring more investments in the dairy sector which will increase the farmers’ bargaining power to get better prices for their produce, if done properly it will create 80 lakh jobs in Rural India and 16 lakh jobs in Urban India. Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) India: The budget has provided relief to the middle class with lower tax rates which is a welcome move, as it will provide more liquidity. On direct taxes, the abolition of DDT and introduction of a tax dispute resolution scheme is a welcome step alongside tax reliefs for startups. The budget is focusing on easing and simplification of compliance, with changes in corporate laws as well as in GST and direct taxes. However, I was expecting further simplification of cess and surcharges beyond tax rates across slabs. The proposals for development of road infrastructure, setting up data centre parks and skill development initiatives are welcome steps in addition to allocations for social welfare schemes. However, the expectations from the budget were high on the background of current economic slowdown, and as such seems to be short on matching those expectations, with no specific industry sector focused sops to provide stimulus. While the budget shows focus on long term growth and social development, overall in the current scenario it looks like a mixed budget, falling a bit short of market expectations of more corrective measures. Mukesh Kalra, Founder &amp; CEO - ETMONEY: The Finance Minister's proposal to introduce a new tax regime is a great step towards giving equal chance to every Indian in the lower income segment to maximize their post tax incomes. In the old regime, an individual supporting a larger family &amp; negligible savings was forced to pay higher tax compared to an individual supporting a smaller family or one with no dependents. This created disparity when it came to effective taxation for the former group. In the new regime, the disparity ends &amp; also frees up income in the hands of individuals to give a boost to consumption. Nishant Pitti, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, EaseMyTrip: In tune with the present government vision to encourage Indian travellers to travel more and contribute towards the nation's growth, this budget takes it a step ahead. The budget has focused on promoting tourism &amp; travel with an overall budget of Rs. 2500 crores in year 2020-21. Government aims to develop 100 more domestic airports under the UDAN scheme. To promote travel via railways, the government will focus on more Tejas type trains that will connect tourist destinations in India. The Finance Minister has also laid stress on the development of archaeological sites into iconic sites with on-site museums. Five such sites are- Rakhigarhi, Hastinapur, Shivsagar, Dholavira and Adichanallur. Government has also announced the renovation of 4 key museums. Rs,150 crore have been allocated for the ministry of culture in 2020-21. We are hopeful that this budget will open new avenues for the travel industry. Sabyasachi Mitter, Founder and Managing Director of Fulcro: The key takeaway for me has been the simplification of tax regimes as well as giving a boost to consumer and investor sentiments. The removal of DDT is a significant move and long overdue as it effectively leads to double taxation. Simplification of personal Income Tax rates by giving the option to tax payers to avail the reduced tax rates by not availing deductions is a welcome step towards a future free from the historical legacy of compliance issues. The focus on encouraging start-ups is also welcome, both in terms of giving relief to the ESOP taxation which has been increased to 5 years. The turnover of availing 100% income Tax benefit has also seen two key changes; increasing the turnover threshold to 100 crores as well as increasing the block of years from which to avail three years of exemption to 10 years from the 7 years presently. All of these will increase the cash in hand of corporates, individuals as well MSMEs leading to a spur in demand. Specifically to the digital ecosystem the aggressive plans to increase the coverage of Fiber to Home being extended to 1 lakh gram panchayats will give a significant boost to the digital ecosystem. The recognition of the need for data and therefore the policy announcement on data centre parks is also a welcome move. Anish Sarkar, CEO, Sodexo BRS India: Sodexo always believes in giving our consumers the freedom of choice; the tax proposals in the budget are also on a similar philosophy. We believe that consumers should have a higher purchasing power – while this announcement will give them the power to choose their tax structure, our consumer base will continue to benefit from the current regime. Sodexo’s solution suite goes much beyond tax-saving products; driving the digitization of corporate cafeterias &amp; factories along with digitizing expense management to achieve workplace efficiency. We are very focussed on enhancing the employee experience of our clients by creating an ecosystem of value-added benefits much beyond tax savings. Devendra Shah, Chairman, Parag Milk Foods Ltd: We happily welcome the government's big push to the India's dairy industry. We are excited to be a part of the government's plan to double India’s milk processing capacity. Strategic measures like increasing the coverage of artificial insemination and eliminating Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis in cattle will result in higher yields. While such measures are welcomed, the dairy sector also needs to ensure the yearlong availability of green fodder. We can currently import the green fodder from Australia, Canada and USA. All these collectively help in Increasing milk consumption amongst urban and rural consumers thus attracting new investments and jobs. Navin Khemka, CEO, Mediacom South Asia: What is required is more purchasing power to the Indian middle class. This will help boost demand in the sluggish economy. I hope the investment in infrastructure and kisan express helps in achieving this objective in the long run. Short term, however, I think this budget is status quo. Demand growth could be sluggish and this could continue to impact media investments by corporates. Indroneel Dutt, CFO, Cleartrip: The government has backed its vision to turn India into one of the world’s top tourism hubs by allocating INR 2,500 crore for promoting tourism in general and setting aside a sum of INR 3100 crore for the Culture Ministry to boost regional tourism. What would be wonderful is to have an empowered nodal body comprising of the Govt / OTA / airline, hotel and other industry representatives with the objective of promoting discoverability, ease of booking and fulfilment of our cultural, natural and heritage sites. Introduction of more Tejas Express type trains and the inauguration of several culturally-significant archaeological sites are other much-needed moves. We also welcome the Hon’ble FM’s proposal to develop 100 more airports as well as the doubling of the airline fleet by 2024. This calls for skilled manpower development in parallel. The aim to double the fleet to 1200 in the next 3 years will certainly accelerate the passenger growth rate. Ramesh Kaushik, VP Brand Experience at Blackberrys: The government remains committed to accelerate consumption in budget 2020. Government measures of reducing corporate tax and initiatives to boost MSME sector will definitely help accelerate industrial and corporate growth in the country. Measures like simplifying GST and income tax relief are sure to give requisite push to consumer consumption and demand thereby accelerating growth across industries. Additionally allocation of funds for infrastructural development is a welcome move clearing path for expansion. We expect more measures/announcements specific to the retail industry from the government in the coming future that will give the right impetus to the industry. Sameer Makani, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Makani Creatives: Budget 2020 aims at the betterment of all sections of the society. The key highlight is certainly the tax regime where the government has proposed alternative tax policies and new rates to benefit the taxpayers. The vision to improve the start-up scenario in the country will help in creating more job opportunities and further ensuring the economic growth. The Skill development programme will enable overall personality development In comparison to budget 2019, MSMEs will experience a 71% rise over and above the budgetary allocation. Sudhanshu Agarwal, Founder &amp; Director, Citykart: The announcements made by the government in Union Budget 2020 are a promising move to boost the income and purchasing power of people. So far, the rollout of GST has resulted in gains of about Rs.1 lakh crores to consumers, which is likely to increase further with revised GST laws being implemented from April 2020. Simplification of GST norms will be significant in inspiring consumer demand &amp; consumptions and spur industrial growth. Additionally, allocation of Rs.100 lakh crores for infrastructure development also opens growth prospects for the brands in non-metro cities. However, we feel specific measures pertaining to the retail sector have still not been fully addressed in the budget. Kunal Lakhara, VP of Finance and Operations, Pocket Aces: Budget 2020's revised fiscal deficit target of 3.8% of the GDP seems more realistic and focus on spends/benefits was required to boost the economy. The thrust on entrepreneurship and tax regulations for both startups and taxpayers is a move in the right direction. India is the third largest startup hub globally and the announcement of an investment clearance cell to provide end-to-end support to startup founders will encourage more youth to be job creators. Further, the ability to defer taxes on ESOPs will democratise wealth creation for startup employees, ensuring the right talent is benefitted. Finally, the decision to grant 100% tax exemptions to sovereign wealth funds on their investment in priority sectors will provide the much needed funding boost to the sector and create value in the longer run. Sahil Vaidya, Co- Founder &amp; Director, The Minimalist: Following the announcement of the Union Budget 2020, one thing is certain, is that the Government is heavily focused on becoming an entrepreneurial superpower. By investing in the MSME sector, the Government’s support towards new companies will go a long way in producing high growth business. Furthermore, the tax waiver on ESOPs will enable more talent to place their bets on early stage disruptive start-ups, which have the potential to become the corporates of tomorrow. Among other sectors, the Budget 2020’s focus on start-ups and technology will be a boost to companies that are doing some cutting edge design thinking to enable the best of digital products for a booming digital economy. Sanil Jain, Co-founder, CupShup: The start-up ecosystem in India is not more than a decade old and has come a long way to become the third largest in the world after USA and China. 2019 was not what we can call a good economic growth year but this budget has definitely brought some relief to start-ups. The implementation of the Investment Advisory Cell will aid new start-ups. Deferring the Taxation on ESOPs is definitely a big win as it will go a long way in acquiring and retaining quality talent. While on the other hand, decreasing direct tax to a historic low of 22% will boost export opportunities and drive growth across various industries. Nikhil Mathur, Managing Director – India, GfK: The proposal to boost rural economy, infrastructure and enhance purchasing power of middle class, if implemented well would certainly be fruitful. It could further improve the consumption of consumer durable and electronics. As per GfK data, CE-MDA category registered a volume growth of ~9% in 2019/2018. I think the market is expected to grow in the back of technology companies and given the state of economy we can be hopeful of a better future. Besides, encouraging local manufacturing of mobile phones and semiconductors may fuel the ‘Make in India’ vision.

Industry experts share their optimism about Budget 2020

If you have leadership qualities and talent to create wealth, you fit the bill. E-Commerce companies like Flipkart, Amazon, Ola, Uber, Jabong, etc are hiring and offering huge salaries. If estimates of headhunting firms are to be believed, they could roll out 500 jobs with salaries of more than Rs 1 crore each this year. 
 
As per the five search firms including RGF Executive Search and Longhouse Consulting, Snapdeal, Quikr, CommonFloor, Yepme, OLX, Junglee, FashionAndYou, Hungama, BookMyShow, Cleartrip and Lenskart are among companies offering jobs with one-crore-plus salaries. 
 
Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal account for a huge chunk of these offers. 
 
Siddharth Raisurana, Director at ABC Consultants told Economic Times the company conducted more than 100 senior-level searches for e-Commerce companies in the past six months. 
 
The executive search division of CareerNet, Longhouse Consulting, is looking at a dozen plus mandates a month. 
 
"We have 70-80% of our business coming from e-Commerce and expect to handle 180-200 mandates this year, up from 75-85 last year," Anshuman Das, managing partner, Longhouse Consulting, told ET. 
 
"We are filling in at least one position a day at the leadership level," GC Jayaprakash, executive director at RGF Executive Search, told the financial daily. 
He added that the companies were willing to pay a premium to attract top talent that would lead to wealth creation and high valuation if they go ahead with an IPO. 
 
Meanwhile, human resource heads of e-Commerce companies also agreed on the estimates. 
 "Investors are bringing hundreds of millions of dollars. We can spend it either on infrastructure or people. And that's what they are doing - investing in people," the <keyword id="231518" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Human-Resource-Head">human resource head</keyword> of one of the leading online retailers, on conditions of anonymity, told ET. 
 
The financial daily also reported that the HR head of another online retailer was currently scouting for such senior level talent for several of its revenue generating core functions. 
 "This year also we are looking at 30-40% increase in hiring across the board and a corresponding increase in leadership levels," said Raj Raghavan, head-HR, <keyword id="6354743" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon-India">Amazon India</keyword>. He declined to comment on salaries. 
 
Even Snapdeal is looking to beef up leadership hiring. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

How about a Rs 1 cr salary package! Know how to get one

Hindustan Unilever’s (HUL) senior employees are one of the best paid in the industry. HUL has 169 executives who drew eight-digit salaries last year, six times more than its closest rival ITC's 23 crorepati employees, and half of them are less than 40 years of age, according to the Economic Times. The HUL number is also 50% higher than IT major Infosys' 123 eight-digit salary earners and more than double of Wipro's 70. 
 
The firm’s annual report states, 169 managers, representing just 1% of HUL's total workforce, drew home a combined salary of Rs 310 crore. 
This is more than the total employee spends of mid-sized rivals such as Marico, Godrej Consumer and Procter &amp; Gamble Health and Hygiene. "For the kind of talent HUL looks for, the company has to pay top dollars as supply is limited and they have to retain them," Aditya Narayan Mishra, chief executive at CEIL HR Services told the ET adding that HUL has the highest number of crorepati employees in India. 
 
"Since they also create strong leadership within their organisation, retaining them becomes crucial," he said. HUL is often referred to as a 'CEO Factory', having contributed over 400 CEOs within the corporate world. 
 
Despite ecommerce edging out FMCG as the hottest career destination for B-school students, HUL still remains the most preferred company overall in the list for the graduating batch of 2015, fourth year in a row and as a dream company across sectors for the sixth year running, as per Nielsen Campus Track Business School 2015 survey. 
 
"At HUL, the ability to identify, hire, groom and retain the best talent has been honed and developed over several decades and remains one of the most important agenda of my leadership team," Sanjiv Mehta, CEO and MD at Hindustan Unilever, had told the financial daily in March this year. Salaries at HUL are partly linked to the company's performance in sales and profitability, say analysts. 
 
During 2014-15, HUL posted 9% sales growth compared to 7% in the overall FMCG growth with 90% of its portfolio gaining market share. Nitin Mathur, consumer goods analyst at Societe Generale, said: "HUL is unarguably the leader when it comes to understanding the Indian consumption patterns, across economic strata. 
 
Any competitor, either incumbents or startups, would like to leverage on this experience by hiring their executives." 
 
ET in May had reported that ecommerce companies could roll out 500 jobs with salaries of more than Rs 1 crore each this year, according to estimates by five search firms, including RGF Executive Search and Longhouse Consulting. 
 
Also offering jobs with one-crore-plus salaries are Flipkart, Amazon, Snapdeal, Ola, Uber, Quikr, CommonFloor, Yepme, OLX, Junglee, FashionAndYou, Hungama, BookMyShow, Jabong, Cleartrip and Lenskart. 
 
(Image: Think Stock)

You Searched For "jobs in Cleartrip" and got 12 results

Online travel booking portal Cleartrip to increase its workforce by 400 by the end of this year

Vaamanaa Sethi

Travel e-commerce companies to offer 1,500 jobs in the coming year

BI India Bureau

SBI is hiring 48 assistant managers across India with a monthly salary of ₹36,000 per month

Vaamanaa Sethi

Consumers continue to throng apps in search of Roti, Kapda & Makaan, March sees healthy user metrics and app downloads

Malini Bhupta

Citibank to exit consumer banking business in India

PTI

Apple App Store drives $519bn in sales in 2019, mobile commerce leads

IANS

Indians are making big plans of ‘revenge travel’ as COVID-19 restrictions get lifted in many states

Vaamanaa Sethi

Wakefit.co is targeting Rs 450 crore revenue in FY2021. The founders tell us how they plan to reach there

Samarpita Banerjee

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