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<ul><li>The <keyword id="541763" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telangana-Government">Telangana government</keyword> slashed salaries of civil servants — IAS (<keyword id="61344" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Administrative-Services">Indian Administrative Services</keyword>), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Services) and other officers — by 60%. </li><li>The pension of the retired government employees will also be trimmed to half. </li><li>The state Chief Minister <keyword id="80355" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="K-Chandrasekhar-Rao">K Chandrasekhar Rao</keyword> said that his salary would also get deducted by a whopping 75% to back the state’s finances and economy. </li><li>This comes after the revenue department reported a loss of ₹12,000 crore. </li></ul>The outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> triggered massive unemployment on one hand, and also impacted salaries, pension and appraisals. In a surprise move, the Telangana government slashed the salaries of civil servants — IAS (Indian Administrative Services), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Services) and other officers — by 60%. While the pension of the retired government employees will also be trimmed to half. “The coronavirus is adversely impacting Telangana’s economic situation. In this background, the state government has to act with caution and foresight,” the official statement said. In fact, the state chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that his salary would also get deducted by a whopping 75% to back the state’s finances and economy. Other political members — including state ministers and MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) will also have to offer three-fourth of their salary to the government. <div type="twitter" handle="TelanganaCMO" handlename="Telangana CMO" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/493733709787308032/Zer8dZ3-_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="71" retweetcount="18" status="CM, Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, Chairperson of all Corporations and Elected Representatives of all Local Bodies - 75% Al… https://t.co/1h9h5V0xVs" createdat="1585625802000" id="1244830957175095296"></div>

 This comes on the backdrop of mounting losses reported by the revenue department, thanks to the nationwide lockdown that has put a halt to all the services. That accounts to ₹12,000 crore. “The state treasury needs to get Rs 12,000 crore since March 15. Everything is shut — petrol, GST, excise. So, we may have to cut salaries of MLAs and government employees. People have to cooperate – we are in a crisis, this is not a luxury. You have to eat half of what you were eating before,” Rao said. However, the least affected would be the contractual employees — who will have to share 10% of their pay. The move will also impact the employees of the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and other government aided institutions — including Human Rights Commission. “For all public sector undertakings and institutions that are receiving government grants employees, like government employees and retirees, there will be a cut in their salaries,” the statement noted. The state government said that it will contribute nearly ₹500 crore to tackle the pandemic. However, they might need to spend more as the number of infections spiked to 71, leaving eight dead, as on Monday (March 30). "Six people from Telangana who attended a religious congregation at Markaz in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi from 13-15 March succumbed after they contracted coronavirus. Two died in Gandhi Hospital while one each died in Apollo Hospital, Global Hospital, Nizamabad and Gadwal,” Telangana CMO tweeted. <div type="twitter" handle="TelanganaCMO" handlename="Telangana CMO" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/493733709787308032/Zer8dZ3-_normal.jpeg" favoritecount="4270" retweetcount="2029" status="Six people from Telangana who attended a religious congregation at Markaz in Nizamuddin area of New Delhi from 13-1… https://t.co/qJi9J6pW3N" createdat="1585590792000" id="1244684114000662528"></div>

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Eat half of what you’re now eating, says Telangana CM who cuts government salaries and pensions

<keyword id="6354552" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="hyderabad">Hyderabad</keyword>, The health and police employees in Telangana will not only be paid full salary for March but will also get cash incentive in recognition for their efforts to check the spread of coronavirus. The decision to pay full salary and incentive to employees of the medical and health department and police personnel was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister K. <keyword id="199243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chandrashekhar-Rao">Chandrashekhar Rao</keyword> late Wednesday night. The Chief Minister will announce the incentive in a day or two. The government has already announced salary cut for all its employees in the wake of the crisis triggered by spread of COVID-19 and resultant lockdown. The cut has been imposed according to grade and service cadres. The highest cut of 75 per cent was imposed on salaries of the Chief Minister, State cabinet, MLCs, MLAs, <keyword id="8983024" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="state-corporation-chairpersons">State Corporation Chairpersons</keyword>, and Representatives of Local Bodies representatives. <keyword id="625922" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="All-India-Services">All India Services</keyword> cadre employees such as IAS, IPS, IFS and other such Central services Officers stand to face the second highest cut of 60 per cent, while all other category of employees will see their salaries cut by 50 per cent. Salaries of Class IV, outsourced and contract employees will be cut by 10 per cent as per the government. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-cases-in-hyderabad-telangana-news-and-updates/articleshow/74823424.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink"> Telangana Coronavirus cases rise to 129, 9 dead, 14 cured</a>

Telangana will pay police in full with extra cash incentives even as civil servants pay is slashed

<ul><li>Millions of government employees across multiple state-owned companies are either anxious, ready to protest and have even taken to roads — to make sure they get their due. </li><li>Thousands of employees have taken to roads, protesting over delays. </li><li>As many as 25,000 home guards in Uttar Pradesh police department lost their jobs overnight. </li><li><keyword id="86569" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Limited">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</keyword> (HAL) also dismissed the employees' demand for higher wage revision saying that "workmen cannot be at par with officers on salaries and perks.”</li></ul>During bad times, there is nothing like a secure job — even when you are employed with the government. As many as two millions government employees across multiple state-owned companies are either anxious, ready to protest and have even taken to roads — to make sure they get their due. This is extra pain on the Indian economy as millions of blue collar jobs have already been lost in the last few months — across auto, textile and diamond polishing sectors. Delayed salaries and job cuts The worst-affected of all government employees are the 176,000 at telecom operator BSNL. In the last few months, the debt-ridden company has been paying salaries two weeks late. While the government is still mulling a bailout package, the employees are left in doldrums. Another 20,000 employees of <keyword id="2573" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-India">Air India</keyword> are just as angry and anxious about their future. And, the government has already decided their fate — which is a sell-off. The pilots union has already told the government that they will go for mass resignations if the national carrier lands in the hands of a private entity — which is sure to downsize. Wage revisions are too little, too late As many wonder about the state of their employment, others are annoyed with delayed wage revisions. As many as 20,000 workers and a few officers of Bangalore-headquartered Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) are protesting against low salary hikes. The company dismissed their demand for higher wage revision saying, "workmen cannot be at par with officers on salaries and perks.” “We hope this realization will percolate to the employees sooner to make them call off their indefinite strike," HAL Chief Financial Officer C B Ananthakrishnan told IANS. Employees of public sector banks — which employs nearly 800,000 people — also seem to be unhappy with the<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/salary-hikes-at-government-banks-ahead-of-diwali/articleshow/71473853.cms"> wage revision</a> as the bankers association decided to offer one month extra salary without reaching a consensus with the bank unions. They are expected to go on a strike on October 22. Interestingly, the wage revision was due since 2017 in both cases. State government employees lose jobs and hope The employees of state governments have their own set of problems. Over 49,000 <keyword id="2981720" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telangana-State-Road-Transport-Corporation">Telangana State Road Transport Corporation</keyword> (TSRTC) employees have been on a 12-day long protest, demanding salaries for September. But, not just delayed payments, job loss is hurting the most vulnerable of employees. As many as 25,000 home guards in Uttar Pradesh police department <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/economy-politics/yogi-adityanath-govt-terminates-25000-up-police-home-guards-on-diwali-uttar-pradesh/story/384879.html">lost jobs</a> as the government could not afford to pay the salaries at par. And, the administration called it a ‘resource constraint.’ Abiding by the Supreme Court verdict, the department was liable to pay the increased salaries at ₹672 per day to the home guards — who are paid ₹500 as of now. But, it slashed the workforce to 65,000, in order to compensate for the hike. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bsnl-which-is-yet-to-pay-august-salaries-wants-to-give-an-attractive-retirement-package-to-80000-employees/articleshow/70988909.cms">BSNL which is yet to pay August salaries wants to give an attractive retirement package to 80,000 employees</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/article/air-india-could-be-grounded-for-lack-of-fuel/articleshow/71593551.cms">Weeks ahead of divestment, Air India faces multiple threats of being grounded</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/textile-workers-diamond-polishers-and-others-face-job-losses/articleshow/70977544.cms">The untold crisis to befall India’s artists, artisans and weavers</a>

Over 2 million government employees are angry, anxious and dejected over salaries, hikes and job security

(Eds: Combining related stories) New Delhi, Mar 31 () Seeking to ease hardships faced by people during the ongoing lockdown, several banks on Tuesday initiated steps to effect the RBI-suggested moratorium on loans taken by their customers and e-retailers began deliveries, but job losses and pay cuts continued to haunt many even as authorities promised special facilities, including for migrant labourers. As the 21-day nationwide lockdown entered its seventh day, the Centre also asked all states and Union Territories to ensure normal functioning of banks and ATMs during the lockdown period and said the Rs 27,500-crore financial package under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana will be disbursed in coming days. Separately, several public sector banks said they have started sensitising their branches about three months' moratorium on all term loans, including home, auto and crop loans, to help customers in overcoming financial difficulties due to the coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent nation-wide lockdown. Similar steps are expected from the private sector banks also. The Retailers Association of India, however, complained that banks are unwilling to extend the three-month moratorium to borrowers even after four days of it being announced. It sought the RBI's intervention in the matter. Some telecom companies also announced free talk time and free SMSes for a limited period, especially for the low-income group customers and those distressed during nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. Ride-hailing platform Ola said it will offer interest-free credit of up to Rs 3,600 to driver-partners to help them meet immediate household expenses amid the coronavirus pandemic. E-commerce companies like Amazon and Grofers are also gradually resuming services across various cities they operate in but it will still be at least a week or so before they can clear the pending orders, according to industry executives. However, job losses remained the biggest worry for many, for those working in the services sector as well as the contract labourers in the manufacturing plants most of which have been shut due to the pandemic. Besides, the Union Home Ministry said over 21,000 relief camps have been made operational in the country where more than 6.6 lakh destitute people and those stranded because of the COVID-19 lockdown are sheltered as of now. Punya Salila Srivastava, a joint secretary in the ministry, told reporters during a daily briefing on the coronavirus and lockdown situation that over 23 lakh people are also being provided food at these camps and other locations. Separately, the Supreme Court asked the government to prevent migration of people due to coronavirus and said "panic will destroy more lives than the virus". It asked the Centre to get trained counsellors and community leaders of all faiths to calm down the migrants kept in shelter homes across the country. The court said these shelters should be run by volunteers and not the police, and there should be no use of force and intimidation. Experts, meanwhile, said domestic violence cases in India have increased since the lockdown began with husbands venting their frustration on wives, who have no escape from their abusers. India has been under a three-week lockdown since March 24 with its 1.3 billion people instructed to stay home in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 32 lives and infected over 1,200 people in the country. The National Commission for Women (NCW), for instance, received 58 complaints from March 23 to March 30. Many of these complaints have come from north India, particularly Punjab, said NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma. In Kerala, the state government has decided that special passes will be issued for tipplers to buy liquor but on doctor's prescription that they are showing withdrawal symptoms due to non-availability of alcohol in view of the coronavirus lockdown. At least three men in Kerala have committed suicide after allegedly showing alcohol withdrawal symptoms within days after liquor stores shut the doors. Similar incidents have been reported in other parts of the country including in neighbouring Telangana and Karnataka. Kerala has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the country. The sale of liquor in the state has continued on an upward spiral despite the prohibitive tax on legal alcohol and the many dry days. At the same time, more companies announced pay cuts for their staff, while a large number of people, including the contract workers and daily wagers, have already been rendered jobless. Budget carrier SpiceJet has decided to cut up to 30 per cent salary of its employees in March, though the company told its staff that Chairman Ajay Singh has opted for the highest 30 per cent cut in compensation. In the US also, foreign IT professionals, a majority of them Indians with H-1B visas, have urged the Trump administration to extend their permissible stay from 60 to 180 days after job loss, amidst the massive layoffs in America due to the coronavirus pandemic. The H-1B visa, most sought after among the Indian IT professionals, is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. A record 3.3 million Americans have filed initial jobless claims for the week ending March 21. TEAM BJBJ

Lockdown Day 7: Banks begin loan moratorium measures, but concerns mount over job losses and pay cuts

<ul><li>Maharashtra Cabinet approved a proposal to cut MLA salaries by 30% for a year. </li><li>This decision came after the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh passed a resolution suspending the MLAs fund for one year. </li><li>Maharashtra is the epicenter of the disease with 1135 Coronavirus positive cases — with 72 deaths, as on April 9. </li></ul>Maharashtra Cabinet approved a proposal for 30% salary cut for all Members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) for a year today. This pay cut will be applicable from the month of April and there are as many as 288 MLAs in the state. This decision came after the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh passed a resolution suspending the MLAs fund for one year. This will help them add ₹1,500 crore for Covid-19 fund. Earlier this month, Maharashtra along with Telangana, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh announced pay cuts for government employees to back up the state economies amid the Coronavirus outbreak. Maharashtra's deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar then said that the state government employees — including the Chief Minister, MLAs and members of state legislative council — will have to forfeit 60% of their salaries in March in view of the global pandemic. "The salaries of Class I and II will be cut by 50% while that of Class III employees will be cut by 25%. There will be no cut in the salaries of remaining classes in the state bureaucracy," Pawar said. Pawar said that the economy has been affected due to Coronavirus and cutting down on resources due to lockdown is only making it worse. “I hope the public representatives will cooperate with the state finance department as a strong financial support is required for the state in this ongoing fight against coronavirus,” he added. Maharashtra is the epicenter of the disease with 1135 Coronavirus positive cases — with 72 deaths, as on April 9. India has 6373 cases in all, and is trying hard to stop the epidemic from spreading from Stage 2 to Stage 3, which is when community spread will be rampant. As of now, the government is hoping to arrest the disease within these hotspots and ensure unabated spreading does not occur. It is also considering extending the 21-day lockdown which is expected to end on April 14. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/after-telangana-maharashtra-announces-60-pay-cut-for-government-employees/articleshow/74912477.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Rajasthan, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh join the list of states which cut government employee pay</a>

Maharashtra to cut salaries of all its MLAs by 30% for the entire year

<ul><li>The Indian government mandated that commercial establishments must pay wages without deductions. </li><li>However, several companies already implemented pay cuts to keep up with operational costs. </li><li><keyword id="277037" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rituparna-Chakraborty">Rituparna Chakraborty</keyword>, EVP &amp; co-founder at <keyword id="6381892" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="TeamLease-Services">TeamLease Services</keyword> told Business Insider that in all possibilities, “the senior officials shall bear more of the brunt than others”. </li><li>There is an extent to which industry can fund unemployment insurance, she said.</li></ul>The Indian government mandated that all commercial establishments must pay wages without deductions. However, several companies already implemented pay cuts to keep up with operational costs when businesses are closed. As per directives of the<a href="https://mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/MHA%20Order%20restricting%20movement%20of%20migrants%20and%20strict%20enforement%20of%20lockdown%20measures%20-%2029.03.2020.pdf"> Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)</a>, “all the employees, be it in the industry or in the shops and commercial establishments, shall make payment of wages, on the due date, without any deduction, for the period their establishments are under closure during the lockdown.” ‘Senior officials will possibly bear the brunt of salary cuts’ But the reality is far from that. A recent survey of CEOs, that included over 50 Indian startups, shows that <a href="https://qz.com/india/1830676/salary-cuts-arrive-at-indian-startups-amid-the-coronavirus-slump/">one in four startups in India already announced pay cuts</a>. And, a third of them are considering doing so. Goibibo and redBus also slashed employee salaries. Rituparna Chakraborty, EVP &amp; co-founder at TeamLease Services says that organisations will implement a ‘balanced approach’ while deciding on who will get impacted by the move to cut wages. “In all possibilities, the senior officials shall bear more of the brunt than others,” she said. Meanwhile, startups like Droom, MakeMyTrip (MMT), ixigo axed jobs too amid the lockdown. Founder Deep Kalra also <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/corporate/startups-cut-jobs-salaries-as-coronavirus-impact-businesses/story/399971.html">told</a> Business Today that pay cuts would happen across top and managerial levels at MMT. Travel, tourism, aviation and hospitality are likely to be worst hit. On the other hand, airlines, which are the worst hit due to the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> pandemic, have trimmed employee salaries by up to 30% -- including their chairmen. However a few large groups like Tatas announced that all their working - including contractual employees - will be paid in full. Can the government really intervene? Chakraborty said that the government policies under the Industrial Disputes Act 1947 covers employees (and apprentices) working at salaries less than ₹15,000 per month. It however excludes those employed mainly in a managerial or administrative capacity. Considering that, “the scope of payment of wages shall extend to regular, casual and contractual workers. To that extent, the government has authority to intervene in employment practiced by the private firms. However any action taken by the private firms which is in line with the provisions available to them -- the necessary authorities cannot intervene,” Chakraborty explained. In most cases, lowest paid employees have been shielded from pay cuts. Do businesses have other options? A few organisations can safeguard their employees from bearing the brunt of the pandemic. But even those which can, will not be able to take the hit for a long time. Since there is uncertainty around Covid-19 and its possible impact, more pay cuts and job cuts are in the offing. “Some organisations can give away the salaries if they have deeper pockets. However the question is, for how long and are they willing? There is an extent to which industry can fund unemployment insurance. In the long run, organisations cannot afford to bear the burden of unemployment insurance fully,” Chakraborty added. The nationwide lockdown has already taken a toll on government and private companies alike. If it continues, cash conservation will be a top concern for organisations. “If India's is unable to flatten the curve of the spreading the disease it is a possible eventuality that companies will cut salaries further. However, organisations would do their best to avoid it till it becomes absolutely imperative,” says Chakraborty. Even <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/after-telangana-maharashtra-announces-60-pay-cut-for-government-employees/articleshow/74912477.cms">state government employees have had to forfeit salaries</a> in view of the pandemic. On April 9, Maharashtra government said that it will cut salaries of all its MLAs by 30% for the entire year, starting this month. Earlier, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have announced deferment of payment of full salaries to the chief minister, officers and other state employees, owing to the falling revenues and increased costs of healthcare. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/maharashtra-to-cut-salaries-of-all-its-mlas-by-30-for-the-entire-year/articleshow/75064785.cms">Maharashtra to cut salaries of all its MLAs by 30% for the entire year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ritesh-agarwal-to-take-a-100-pay-cut-oyo-sets-up-a-welfare-fund-for-coronavirus-hit-hotel-partners/articleshow/74950054.cms">Ritesh Agarwal to take a 100% pay cut, OYO sets up a welfare fund for Corona-hit hotel partners</a>

There is a government directive against salary cuts in private companies —  but can they be stopped?

<ul><li>Various states across India have also announced the NEET 2020 counselling schedule for the 85% state quota. </li><li>Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh and Telangana are among the states that already started the process for NEET state counselling, while Maharashtra is yet to release the schedule.</li><li>Here’s the complete state-wise schedule for <keyword id="10230405" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="NEET-state-counselling-2020">NEET state counselling 2020</keyword>.</li></ul>After the Medical Counseling Committee (MCC) recently ended the first round of NEET-UG counselling for the all India quota seats, various states across India have also announced the NEET 2020 counselling schedule for the 85% state quota. Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh and Telangana have already started the process for NEET state counselling. Here’s the complete state-wise schedule for NEET state counselling 2020: Uttar Pradesh NEET state counselling 2020 <ul><li>The Uttar Pradesh Directorate General of Medical Education and Training began the registration for the first round of NEET counselling in UP yesterday (November 5, at 4 pm). </li><li>Candidates who want to apply will have to pay a registration fee of ₹2,000 </li><li>Candidates need to fill the registration form on its website (<a href="https://upneet.gov.in/">upneet.gov.in</a>). </li></ul>Madhya Pradesh NEET state counselling 2020 <ul><li>The Madhya Pradesh Department of Medical Education started NEET 2020 counselling for state quota seats on November 1. </li><li>The eligible candidates are required to visit its website (<a href="https://dme.mponline.gov.i">dme.mponline.gov.in</a>) and register for the first round. </li><li>The registration will remain open till November 10.</li><li>The merit list of registered candidates of round 1 will be released on November 11. </li></ul><keyword id="10230408" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajasthan-NEET-state-counselling-2020">Rajasthan NEET state counselling 2020</keyword> <ul><li>The Rajasthan <keyword id="10230406" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="NEET-state-counselling-2020-schedule">NEET state counselling 2020 schedule</keyword> for state quota seats has been released on the official website of <a href="http://www.rajugmedical2020.com/">rajugmedical2020.com</a>. </li><li>The counselling began on November 1 and the last date to submit application forms and pay online fees is November 6. </li><li>The provisional merit list will be published on November 9. </li><li>The result of the first round, after the choice filling, will be published on November 19.</li></ul><keyword id="10230413" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tamil-Nadu-NEET-state-counselling-2020">Tamil Nadu NEET state counselling 2020</keyword> <ul><li>The Directorate of Medical Education (DME) of Tamil Nadu has already begun the registrations for the state quota and NRI quota seats for Tamil Nadu NEET state counselling 2020.</li><li> Students can visit the official website (<a href="http://tnmedicalonline.xyz">tnmedicalonline.xyz</a>) and apply for the registration. </li></ul>Himachal Pradesh NEET state counselling 2020 <ul><li>Himachal Pradesh University, which is responsible for conducting NEET counselling in the state has already begun the registrations for HP NEET 2020 admission on November 5.</li><li>The eligible candidates can apply for registration until November 11 on its <a href="https://admissions.hpushimla.in/">website</a>. </li><li>For details, i.e. eligibility criteria, fee and other information, the prospectus has been uploaded on the University website. </li></ul><keyword id="10230407" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Telangana-NEET-state-counselling-2020">Telangana NEET state counselling 2020</keyword> <ul><li>Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Health Sciences, the Telangana authority for NEET state counselling 2020 has released the NEET UG rank list for Telangana-domiciled candidates on its website (<a href="http://knruhs.telangana.gov.in">knruhs.telangana.gov.in</a>). </li><li>The cut-off marks for General category candidates is 147, and for General (PH), it is 129 marks.</li><li>For backward category candidates such as SC/ST, including candidates under physically challenged categories, the cut-off mark is 113.</li></ul>Andhra Pradesh NEET state counselling 2020 <ul><li>Dr <a href="http://ntruhs.ap.nic.in/index.html">NTR University of Health Sciences</a>, Vijayawada, the authority responsible for Andhra Pradesh NEET state counselling 2020 has released the Andhra Pradesh NEET rank list.</li><li>You can check the details <a href="http://ntruhs.ap.nic.in/notification/Admission/MBBS_NEET_Qualified_list2020.pdf">here</a></li><li>The state has set the cut-off for the general category at 147, General (PH) at 129 and for the backward category, SC, ST and candidates under physically challenged categories at 113 marks.</li></ul>Gujarat NEET state counselling 2020 <ul><li>The state of Gujarat has also begun the NEET Counselling 2020 on the official website (<a href="http://medadmgujarat.org">medadmgujarat.org</a>). </li><li>Students need to register their documents and verify at a help centre.</li></ul><keyword id="10230410" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharashtra-NEET-state-counselling-2020">Maharashtra NEET state counselling 2020</keyword> <ul><li>In Maharashtra, the Directorate of Medical Education and research is responsible for conducting NEET 2020 counselling in the state. </li><li>The authority has yet not released a schedule. Students should keep an eye on its official website (<a href="http://dmer.org">dmer.org</a>). </li></ul>SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/aws-expands-india-footprint-with-plans-for-a-second-cluster-of-data-centers-in-hyderabad-by-2022/articleshow/79075220.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">AWS expands India footprint with plans for a second cluster of data centers in Hyderabad by 2022</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/india-and-china-slated-to-hold-8th-round-of-military-level-talks-as-troops-gear-up-for-ladakhs-sub-zero-winters/articleshow/79074473.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">India and China slated to hold 8th round of military-level talks as troops gear up for Ladakh’s sub-zero winters</a>

NEET state counselling 2020 schedule released — Here are the state-wise details for MBBS, BDS counselling

<ul><li>State-owned telecom operator <keyword id="57998" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Sanchar-Nigam-Limited">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited</keyword> (BSNL) is considering to reduce 80,000 employees with a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) to cut down on its operational costs. </li><li>BSNL revenues dipped from ₹32,000 crores to ₹ 18,000 crores, according to its Employee Union. </li><li>It is also looking to reduce its energy consumption by 15% to keep itself afloat. </li><li>The company has not paid the August salaries to its employees, which has led to massive protests by the contractual workers.</li></ul>State-owned telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) is looking to cut its headcount by 80,000 employees by offering an attractive Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS). The debt-ridden telecom company which is looking to reduce its operational costs, is awaiting government response to its scheme. Once approved, the operator will cut the headcount to half of its existing workforce in India, Pravin Kumar Purwar, Chairman of BSNL <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/bsnl-eyes-to-cut-50-of-employees-on-voluntary-basis/articleshow/70972957.cms">told</a> ET. With this, the telco is looking to outsource employees on a contractual basis to run operations. However, even after retiring the said number, it will have as many as 100,000 employees on payroll. The move will boost revenue of the company as employees cost three fourths of its total revenue. According to the <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bsnl-delays-august-salary-employee-unions-stage-protest-across-country-108293">Employee Union</a>, “BSNL revenues dipped from ₹32,000 crore to ₹ 18,000 crore. The government has not taken any meaningful action to curb the predatory pricing.” “The number of persons in the organisation are far higher than the competitors. One of the proposals under discussion is the VRS. We are looking forward to reduce 70,000 to 80,000 employees, and make it attractive for the employees, so that they can see value in the VRS," Purwar noted. It is also tightening costs by reducing its energy consumption by 15%. It is not just BSNL but all telcos are suffering from reduced income from data services, thanks to Jio’s prices. BSNL is looking to loop in 4G services to keep up with the financial costs. Meanwhile, the telco is also looking to address the payment dues as it is yet to pay its August salaries, The News Minute <a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/bsnl-delays-august-salary-employee-unions-stage-protest-across-country-108293">reported</a>. This is the third time that the company has delayed salaries. In fact, over 6,500 BSNL’s employees in Telangana protested due to the delay in salaries. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-fate-of-180000-bsnl-unpaid-employees-hangs-in-balance-as-fears-of-a-shutdown-loom-large/articleshow/69954923.cms">The fate of 180,000 BSNL unpaid employees hangs in balance as fears of a shutdown loom large</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bsnl-employees-support-its-management-says-its-expanding-customer-base/articleshow/69967595.cms">BSNL employees support its management, says its expanding customer base</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bsnl-and-mtnl-may-shed-flab-and-get-4g-spectrum-as-a-part-of-its-proposed-740-billion-bailout-package/articleshow/70054787.cms">BSNL and MTNL may shed flab and get 4G spectrum as a part of the proposed ₹740 billion bailout plan</a>

BSNL which is yet to pay August salaries wants to give an attractive retirement package to 80,000 employees

<ul><li>Under the programme called '<keyword id="6721616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="experience-the-jail">experience the jail</keyword>', people can now find out how a regular day in prison is.</li><li>They can pay and stay in a special closure in the <keyword id="1280102" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viyyur-Central-Prison">Viyyur central prison</keyword> and be treated like “prisoners” for a day along with prison uniform and jail food.</li><li>The project hopes to ascertain for the people that jail is not a pleasant place and crimes must be avoided at all costs.</li></ul>We do suppose that many of us have wondered about how life behind bars is like? And when TV shows and movies don’t cut it for you anymore - to find out first-hand is perhaps a good option. Now, we cannot encourage you to get arrested, but there is a way you can find out. Taking inspiration from Telangana’s <keyword id="1731640" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jail-Tourism">jail tourism</keyword> model, <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/soon-you-can-book-a-day-in-kerala-prison/articleshow/65047414.cms">Kerala </a>prisons and correctional services department have decided to give the general public an idea about what life as a prisoner looks like. And the programme is called 'experience the jail'. People can come and stay for 24 hours at a separate closure in the Viyyur <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/come-pay-and-stay-in-kerala-prison-proposal-on-anvil/articleshow/65038141.cms">central prison</a> compound, in Thrissur, which also has a <keyword id="63115" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jail-museum">jail museum</keyword> in the making. During the stay, just like the other 'prisoners', they will be provided with a prison uniform made of khadi, a steel meal plate and a glass, a mug, washing soap, bathing soap, bedding, fan and other facilities as per the state prison manual. The original plan for the compound was to build a museum which would include British and royal era records, torture equipment, armaments, handcuff models, uniform models of British police personnel and rare prison photographs. It will also to have an exhibition area, library, cafeteria and a light and sound show. But, the idea of the jail museum is being set aside for now to give people a chance to see life on the other side. The whole idea is to convey the message that prison is not a pleasant place and the state believes that a first-hand experience will help people realise that and steer them off crimes. The ‘experience the jail’ proposal is worth ₹60 million and is still under the process of getting the final clearance from the state. Though, ₹30 million has already been sanctioned for the construction of the museum, the rest is under deliberation. However, this is not a first. A <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/escape-boredom-by-spending-a-day-in-this-220-year-old-telangana-jail-for-rs-500/story-jpdn5agPjsUU5iMNHDKE6J.html">similar initiative</a> was launched in Telangana in 2016. Citizens are charged ₹500 each to stay a night at Sangareddy jail, which is a 220-year-old defunct prison converted for the 'feel the jail' project.

Curious about prison life? You can pay and find out for a day at this Kerala jail

<ul><li>The stress among <keyword id="6359766" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-schools" source="Orion">private schools</keyword> is emerging mainly due to poor fee collections, which is not just affecting their cash flows but also impeding their ability to pay loan dues. </li><li>Many of them fear that a third wave of COVID-19 infections, and a subsequent lockdown, if any, may even force them to shut down forever. </li><li>The worst-hit have been pre-primary to middle-level schools, especially those catering to low-income families in rural and semi-urban areas. </li></ul><keyword id="4363300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-schools-in-india" source="Orion">Private schools in India</keyword> have been struggling to pay their bills and loan dues to banks and other lenders due to poor student turnout amid the pandemic. Many of them fear that a third wave of COVID-19 infections, and a subsequent lockdown, if any, may even force them to shut down forever. The worst-hit have been those that focus on pre-primary to middle-level education, and cater to low-income families in rural and semi-urban areas. Aside from causing a disastrous loss in the form of lack of access to education for children, this could lead to a lot of unpaid loans for banks and other lenders, and loss of livelihood for teachers and support staff. Take Kerala High School, located in Karimnagar in Telangana, for instance. The budget private school that runs classes from Nursery to Xth standard has a strength of 550 students, with most hailing from the neighbouring villages. For the past 18 months, it has been surviving on near-zero cash flows as most of the fees it collected got exhausted in paying salaries to its staff, repaying loan installments, and running online classes. The fee collection, at close to 20% for the last academic year, has been poor mainly because parents either lost their livelihoods during the pandemic or were unwilling to pay school fees due to absence of offline classes. Further, even the attendance for online classes has remained low at just 20-30%, said Rajendra B, chairman and principal at Kerala High School for the past decade, as most students did not have smartphones and internet connections. But if a third Covid wave happens and lockdown curbs are announced again, the 27-year old school may not even survive. “We had to take loans from family and friends to pay our loan installments during the pandemic as debt kept piling up,” said Rajendra. “If a third wave strikes and there is a lockdown again, I may have to sell half of my 1,000 sq. ft school land to repay the dues,” he said. Further, many students studying in private schools have already switched to government schools over the past three years, as per the<a href="https://www.pratham.org/about/"> Annual Status of Education Report 2020</a> that surveyed 16,761 schools across India. The study, conducted by non-government body<a href="https://www.pratham.org/about/"> Pratham</a> in Sep. 2020, said that the reasons for the switch “may include financial distress in households and/or permanent school shutdowns among the private schools.” Pain Points Private schools that operate in pre-primary, primary and middle education categories (classes Nursery to Class VIIth), according to Vivek Iyer, partner and national leader-financial services risk advisory at Grant Thornton Bharat, have been the worst-affected as they have remained shut the longest for close to 17-18 months. The Covid impact, he said, has also been higher on schools catering to children from low-income families and rural areas “Lower the school fees and the category of the school, worse the Covid impact. That way, private schools catering to the most vulnerable segments have been the worst-hit, while their quality of education has also suffered due to poor transition to digital learning models,” he said. Steve Hardgrave, co-founder and chief executive of Varthana, a Bengaluru-based non-bank lender that focuses on loans to affordable private schools that charge fees of up to Rs 3,000 a month, is dreading the expected third wave of the pandemic. “Of the 4,000 schools that we have funded, close to 5% (or 200 schools) have cited issues with continuing their business, but that number is expected to go up to 25% if the third wave strikes. Also, owners that were running schools on leased land and property are finding it difficult to sustain,” he said. “In some cases, schools had to be sold to a third-party to facilitate clearing off their loan dues.” And Hardgrave is not alone. Even as schools have reopened in most parts of the country, classroom attendance remains thin at about 20-30% as parents are afraid to send their children to schools due to lack of vaccination for children below 18 years of age, said V L Ramakrishnan, managing director and chief executive at Shikha Finance, a Tamil Nadu-based lender that focuses primarily on school financing. “Even though schools have reopened, it is an abstract factor, because parents are still reluctant in sending their children, especially those studying between Nursery and class VIIIth, back to schools,” he said. “About 3-5% of school entrepreneurs, or roughly 20 schools, in our portfolio, have expressed that they will not be able to continue their business. If a third wave strikes, that number would go up,” he said. Mounting Debt It is clear that the stress among private schools is emerging mainly due to poor fee collections, which is not just affecting their cash flows but also impeding their ability to pay loan dues. Chirag Jagdish Chandra Pathak, who has been running Mother Care School that offers education for kindergarten to Class XIIth students in Kheda, Gujarat, had taken a ₹6 crore loan in March 2018 to construct a new school building. As the pandemic struck in March last year, the school’s cash flows fell to near-zero in the following five months. Pathak, however, took quick action and gave teachers at his school smartphones and internet connection to impart online education. But a 25% fee cut by the state government and unwillingness of parents to pay school fees as they did not consider online education at par with classroom learning, led Pathak to avail a loan moratorium during the first wave. Later, he also applied for loan restructuring as his school’s cash flow remained deficient by 30-50%. “Despite schools getting reopened again, our loan repayment ability has reduced by at least 30%. The biggest reason for that is uneven cash flow as fee collection has still not stabilized, while our leverage has gone up due to accumulation of interest,” he said. Like Mother Care, <keyword id="9434367" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="many-private-schools" source="Orion">many private schools</keyword> in the country are dealing with mounting debt as most either opted for a loan moratorium or restructuring, in anticipation that their cash flows would improve eventually. But fee collections still remain inadequate, while interest on their loans have either gone up or their loan repayment period extended. “Schools are over-leveraged by at least 2-3 times as their revenue took a beating of anywhere between 20% to even 80%, depending on the fee category of the school. Restructuring was granted to schools as their cash flows were expected to improve, but if a third wave strikes, it will be difficult for many to manage their debt as fee collection would drop again,” said Anuj Pandey, chief risk officer at non-banking financial company U GRO Capital. So far, U Gro Capital that has ₹136 crore in assets under management across 75 schools as of June 30, has restructured close to 12% of its loan portfolio in school financing. Varthana Finance, which has ₹1,000 crore in AUM towards school loans, has also restructured about 15% of its portfolio. Shiksha Finance restructured close to 10% of its ₹185 crore loan book dedicated to 2,200 schools. “Restructuring has not been much of a solace. Most schools continue demanding for extended repayment terms and moratorium, as their situation has barely improved,” said Ramakrishnan. Agreed, Hardgrave. “Of the 70% schools that had applied, only 15% could be offered restructuring. Even among the most vulnerable schools, we could only restructure loans for those that showed clear signs of business continuity,’ he said. The lack of restructuring options for schools, Hardgrave said, was mainly because there was no provision made by the government or the Reserve Bank of India for non-banking financial companies (NBFC) catering to schools. “There were no special liquidity provisions announced for NBFCs catering to schools and no benefits offered for higher restructuring of school loans, which also affected our ability to do so,” he said. To be sure, the RBI had announced a one-time restructuring scheme last year to aid borrowers affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The scheme was to be invoked by December 31, 2020 and implemented within 180 days for corporate borrowers. This year, the scheme was further extended for retail and small business borrowers to September 30. “The government did not just reduce school fees but actively encouraged parents to not pay up, even when we were doing our best to provide online education. On top of that, there was no loan waiver and our debt kept piling up,” said Pathak. A Systemic Issue Not just schools, but specialized non-bank lenders catering to the school segment have also seen their asset quality deteriorate during the pandemic. While Shiksha Finance saw its gross non-performing assets rise from 8.3% of its gross advances, as of June 30, to nearly 17% by August-end, Varthana’s gross NPA rose from a little over 6% by June-end to its highest-ever at almost 8%, as of Aug. 31. But U GRO, which lends to small and medium sized schools, managed to keep its gross NPAs at less than 1%. This, Pandey said, may be because most schools that it lent to were located in urban centres and catered to the middle-class population strata. And a third wave is likely to make matters worse. “While restructuring has helped with immediate cash flow issues, many schools may get pushed to the brink of shutting down if a third wave leads to a fresh set of lockdowns in the country. Even those with better cash flow management may face issues with running their enterprises,” said Pandey. Iyer, however, sees the outcome a bit differently. More than permanent shutdowns, the pandemic would lead to further consolidation among private schools, he said. “Many large school chains backed by deep-pocketed investors are seeing distressed schools in rural and semi-urban areas as good acquisition opportunities for their own expansion.” Be it closure or distressed sale, it is clear that the fate of already stressed private schools hangs in balance. A third wave may also mean the end of the road for many. But Rajendra remains hopeful. In September, Kerala High School reopened following the state government’s directions. The attendance, however, has been low at about 30%, as school buses— the only mode of transportation for over half of its students, are yet to ply. “Once our buses get repaired, we may even touch 70% attendance in the coming weeks. And, if a third wave does not happen, we expect to return to normal fee collections over the next six months,” he said.

EXCLUSIVE: Many private schools in India are on the brink of bankruptcy and fear that a third wave of COVID-19 could be their end

Summers are at peak and the power situation at specific locations is grim due to severe hydel shortfall because of bad rains. A number of measures are being taken to curb the situation and improve the overall power situation of the country.
 As the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Indian government is going to complete two years on May 26, Power Minister <keyword id="6355222" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Piyush-Goyal">Piyush Goyal</keyword>, in a free-wheeling interview, elaborated his plans about generating enough power for the whole country, Make in India and how he intends to make India a diesel-generator free nation.

	Q. Summers are here, how worried we should be about the power situation?

	A. We are absolutely prepared. Last year, I think, the entire summer we did not have any problem, except in Karnataka, which had a severe hydel shortfall because of bad rains and where there is not much of transmission ability, which of course cannot be created overnight. So except for some specific locations, where the constraints are beyond human management – like transmission or the last mile connectivity, or break down of a major power plant and not enough time to ramp up the rest of the supply lines of a particular locality-by and enlarge the nation has got power and we are totally geared up to meet any sort of requirement. 
	 

	Q: Tell us more about energy efficient pumps for agricultural sector, ceiling fans and air conditioners and that too through the EMI route?

	A: The energy efficient fans scheme has been launched in Andhra Pradesh and once we get the demand and feedback from the customers, we will scale it on a huge scale, just like we did in the LED program. These energy fans can cut down the consumption by actually 25%.

	Once we complete the LED program, for which the deadline is 2019, we will be decreasing the energy consumption by around 112 billion units only on the lighting side, such as street lights and home lighting.

	But more importantly, we are focusing on agricultural pumps. India uses nearly 20 million (2 crore) old agricultural pumps, which are energy guzzlers. We also have about 10 million (1 crore) agricultural pumps which are working on diesel or other forms of power. Therefore, the effort is to make these old pumps energy efficient and replace diesel pumps with electrified pumps.

	Q: What is the timeframe for this changeover?

	A: I am looking at accomplishing this in the next three or four years. This is a big effort and lot of work has gone into it. We want to make it a win-win for all for all stakeholders.

	Q: Coming next to electric cars, which is again a very innovative concept. How do you plan this?

	A: Prime Minister Modi has been very concerned about the environment. We believe that as days progress and renewable energy becomes more attractive coupled with cost of storage falling in the years to come, we should simultaneously see how we can bring down the expanding demand for petroleum products. So it’s a 360 degree approach to bring down usage of all fossil fuels. Electric vehicles, particularly on the passenger side, are something which is very much doable. Costs are falling and as storage costs fall and electric cars are made at a larger scale, our estimates demonstrate that we will be able to pay back the costs of the car in 7 or 8 years.

	Q: Any timeframe for this roll out?

	A: Well, I think we should plan to do this by 2030 but all this is still at a very preliminary stage. We have got some small teams working and exploring the availability of products so that we can scale up such a program.

	Q: Renewable Energy has been a focus, especially solar and wind. How long have we come in two years?

	A: We have executed our set targets. We have reset the targets (about 7 or 8) about a year ago and I have since then been creating the policy of framework — the tariff policy came out, UDAY became a reality, energy efficiency schemes under UJALA have gained a lot of momentum.
 Simultaneously we have taken out tenders of nearly 19,000 megawatt of <keyword id="70990" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Solar-power">solar power</keyword> in the current year which ended yesterday. Our target for next year is 12,000 Megawatt of additional installed capacity as against the original capacity of 3000 or whatever it was.

	Now we are planning to scale it to that level for which it was obvious that unless if you bid out a large number of contracts now, we wouldn’t be able to achieve it. That’s why we have focused our energies on the Solar Parks, transmission lines, working with the states for power purchase agreements, and with these 19,000 MWs, of which nearly 10,000 is awarded, another 5000-6000 mw will get awarded in this month of April and then balance by May probably,

	So I am fairly confident that in the current year itself by March 2017, we will exceed 12,000 mw, which will be twice as what we are today.

	Q: And what about the wind energy?

	A: The wind also has seen a 40% growth last year and I am fairly confident that we will continue to achieve the targets of wind also. There are certain very specific issues related to wind particularly with regards to their ability to manage the grid, forecast the demand and supply, make sure the grid does not become unstable. My people are working in the wind industry to emulate these issues.

	Q: What about transmission in Telangana, Tamil Nadu?

	A: A lot of stalled projects have also been revived in southern part of India. As a result of this, power prices for the southern region– Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh have fallen by nearly 60 or 70 % in less than two years.

	Transmission has gone up by 71% in only 18 months and most of the southern region today has power surplus– from an era when they used to buy power at as high as Rs 16-Rs 18 a unit to have reached a point when they do not have to pay more than Rs 4-5 now. Usually, it is available under 3 Rs and with the launch of Vidyut Pravah, I am sure the people of India will be benefitted with more power in their hands… or literally in their mobile phones.

	Q: Should we also worry about any tariff hikes?

	A: Personally, I think efficiency gains in terms of UDAY--where we are talking about Rs 1,80,000 crore savings per year that all the states which join into UDAY can enjoy. My sense is that when all states come on board, which I am quite sure of, all these gains will be enough to take care of the existing requirements of the discoms. I think we will have to perk up our acts, we will have to be efficient across states and the political pressure of people demanding better quality service and affordable power will make sure that (hopefully) we don’t have to increase tariffs. Unless in some stray cases where efficiency gains are not as much as we desire them to be. 
	 

	(Anupama Airy is the Founder and Editor of EnergyInfraPost.com and DefenceAviationPost.com. She can be reached at <a href="mailto:anupama.airy@gmail.com" target="_blank">anupama.airy@gmail.com</a>​, Twitter handle: @anupamaairy) 
	 
	(Image: BCCL)

We have sufficient power and progress is on for last mile connectivity, says
Power Minister Piyush Goyal

<ul><li>Snapdeal added 6 million new buyers on its platform during the pandemic.</li><li>Its recent 5-day sale kicked-off on October 16 and ended on October 20. </li><li>Rajnish Wahi, Senior Vice President, Snapdeal tells us some of the trends the platform saw during its pre-Diwali sale, its plan to go deeper into Bharat and USPs that helped it stand out in the clutter of online sales. </li></ul>Indian consumers have always been value-conscious, who take pride in their haggling skills and with the pandemic, buyers are expecting greater value for their spends. Therefore, e-commerce player Snapdeal’s sale, which took place between October 16 to 20, focused on offering ‘Kum Mein Dum Diwali,’ i.e., value deals for lesser money. According to Snapdeal, less than 5% percent of retail is online and during this on-going <keyword id="36208" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="festive-season">festive season</keyword>, the platform’s aim is to bring more users online and give them strong reasons to switch. Snapdeal observed that consumers weren’t willing to buy premium brands this year and wanted to access the online platforms in their regional language. So, as other e-commerce platforms offered premium brands at a discounted price, Snapdeal wanted to make online shopping more inclusive for buyers across India. It focused more on non-metro cities, which is a market with potential 400 million users and shipped orders to rural places like Palasner in Maharashtra, Abdasa in Gujarat, Kalsi in Uttarakhand, Chitkul in Himachal among many others. Ahead of the sale, Snapdeal added 1300 new pin codes to go deeper into Bharat, areas which were previously unserviceable or where users were compelled to travel to nearby towns to collect their orders. It also updated its user interface by adding eight languages including Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Marathi. As a result, 70% of its orders were received by sellers located beyond the top 5 metropolitan areas of the country and 90% of its orders were placed from non-metro cities. We caught up with Rajnish Wahi, Senior Vice President, Snapdeal to further understand some of trends that the platform saw during its sale. Excerpts: Q. The role of engagement and communication has never been more important, especially in today’s digital-first world. How are you making sure your communication during this year's sale is relevant to consumers? Snapdeal is sharply focused on catering to the value-conscious consumers, who see e-commerce as the connecting link between their aspirations, access and affordability. Our theme for this year’s festive sale - “Kum Mein Dum Diwali '' clearly communicates our core message - your shopping rupee has more value this year. As part of our sale preparations, we had conducted a survey of nearly 1.25 Lakh users and one of the key insights was user unwillingness to pay for brand premiums this year and instead focus on the functional value of their purchases. Based on these inputs, the festive assortment was expanded in a focused manner by on-boarding additional sellers for popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed linen, apparel, footwear and fashion accessories like watches, wallets, etc. Shaping our sale offers around the clearly-stated expectations of our customers and conveying the same unambiguously through our festive promotions and digital marketing is the sum and substance of our festive communication. Q. This year is different. People have been observed to be judicious in spending. How has the consumer sentiment improved? While 2020 has been a volatile year, we see that there are many tailwinds that are propelling our business. The pandemic has resulted in redistribution of demand between offline and online channels, with online gaining share due to its inherent advantages of reach, convenience, large assortment and safety of buying from home. It has also accelerated the familiarity and acceptance of e-commerce amongst new buyers. With the pandemic, consumers have become more price conscious and are likely to opt for lesser-priced products, while not compromising on their quality expectations. Given all of this, we have seen two sets of buyers come on Snapdeal - one which is trading up to a better assortment and one that is trading down and opting for better functional value instead of big brands. In fact, we have added 6 million new buyers on our platform in the pandemic. We are witnessing the return of enthusiasm for festivities and it is also apparent that online channels will be a preferred medium for a larger number of buyers this year. But it will also be different this year, as more people will be price conscious and will look to spend on quality products that suit their price sensibilities. In a way, Snapdeal’s “Kum Me Dum” focus is about “offering more choices at price points better than last year”, especially for popular categories like home &amp; fashion, which has been made possible by year-long focus on expanding our value selection. Q. With the on-going festive season, many other platforms will have their Sales days too. How do you then cut the clutter and make sure you win consumers? How will you be different from the other players in the segment? Snapdeal is synonymous with value e-commerce. While others in the industry are now starting to build a value segment, we at Snapdeal have been focused on “only value” for the last three years. While other platforms are making efforts to sell branded items at discounted prices, these are still not affordable for a majority of the buyers in the country. On the other hand, we are focussed on bringing the depth and diversity of India's bazaars &amp; markets to the doorsteps of our users. On Snapdeal, buyers find endless varieties of regional and local brands that not only serve their needs, but also offer immense value at affordable prices. The result of our “Kum Mein Dum” Diwali sale bears testimony to this - more than 80% of Snapdeal’s Diwali shoppers chose to buy regional &amp; local brands on Snapdeal. The strong growth of lesser-known brands relative to national/international brands has been because of two key reasons: increased choice and a substantial price difference. Our value-focused positioning runs consistently through our selection and communication and is one the reasons why 90% of our orders flow from non-metros cities and towns across the country. Q. What are some of the other trends you are expecting to see this festive? Our first sales results are out and are reflective of how close the lives of users revolve around their homes. The sale in the home products category has grown by 30% over last year and has become the largest category on Snapdeal this year, overtaking the fashion category, which has traditionally been the top-performer at Snapdeal. The growth in the home category is propelled by popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed &amp; bath,decor,cleaning equipment, lighting and comforters &amp; blankets etc. This growth in the fitness category reflects the extra time that people have on their hands and also underscores heightened awareness about personal health &amp; fitness. This category has grown by 45% over last year led by gym essentials like tummy trimmers, push-up bars, wrist supports, fitness gloves, hand grip strengtheners etc. Users buying sports equipment like badminton racquets &amp; cricket sets and weighing machines are also strong consumer trends. While the fashion category has also grown from previous years in terms of shipped units, the growth is less than other higher-performing categories. In the fashion category, there is an increased spending on kidswear in the festive season. . Among popular picks in Snapdeal’s Diwali sale are men’s &amp; women’s grooming products, nutritional supplements, religious items (prayer books, temples accessories etc). With the deterioration of air quality in North India, the sale of N95 masks, air-purifier filters, anti-pollution skincare items, skin moisturisers, lip balms has also increased. Snapdeal also witnessed an increase in gifting via e-commerce early in this festive season. The range of festivals starting with Karva Chauth and followed by Dhanteras, Diwali, Bhaiya Dooj and Chhath Puja have become important gifting occasions for users in various parts of the country. While in the previous years, shoppers used e-commerce channels to buy and ship to families &amp; friends in other cities, this year many shoppers in metro cities are also sending gifts to people living in the same cities. This year gift cards have also been hugely popular among people to send to their friends and family, with a 3X surge in orders as compared to the festive sale last year. These included gift cards of travel, entertainment, food and retail brands which were upto 30% off. Q. How are you working towards improving the overall consumer experience? E-Commerce in India has grown beyond the first 100 Mn largely urban, English-speaking users. A market of potentially 400 Mn users is now emerging across India’s smaller non-metro cities. This is a very diverse cohort in terms of languages spoken, literacy levels, frequency of online purchases and familiarity with technology. A large part of Snapdeal’s existing user base and new users come from this cohort and all our focus and efforts are on building the right experience that our users want. That means we work tirelessly to give them a wide array of products to choose from, and at just the right prices they are looking to spend. We also make it easy in many other ways for users to buy on Snapdeal. This includes providing interfaces on our app &amp; m-site in eight Indian languages, so that they can browse through products &amp; transact in a language of their choice. We also enable conversation with our customer service agents in multiple Indian languages. Transaction and promotional messages all are available in many Indian languages. Some other ways, in which we support our users to buy is by helping them make well-informed choices through short 10-second product videos which are far more captivating and help buyers to make decisions faster than static pictures of the products concerned, easy 7-days return, no questions asked refunds policy. We are the only platform that provides uninterrupted access to cash-on-delivery option even during the turbulent early days of pandemic lockdowns. Q. Which are your strongest markets currently? How are you planning to strengthen your presence in other markets? We have a strong pan India presence. During the current sale and consistent with Snapdeal’s positioning, more than 90% of Snapdeal’s orders were placed from non-metro cities. Populous cities like Nagpur, Vijayawada, Surat, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Visakhapatnam, Ranchi, Patna, Guwahati and others continued to drive orders on Snapdeal, but smaller cities like Sagar (Madhya Pradesh), Raniganj &amp; Durgapur (West Bengal), Patiala &amp; Gurdaspur (Punjab), Anand, Bharuch, Una, (Gujarat), Miryalaguda (Andhra Pradesh) and Bhimavaram (Telangana) also clock impressive order volumes. With our recent network expansion, Snapdeal has also shipped orders to rural places like Palasner in Maharashtra, Abdasa in Gujarat, Kalsi in Uttarakhand, Chitkul in Himachal amidst many others. Q. What are your current MAUs? More than 70 million users visit Snapdeal every month to browse and buy from our vast catalogue of 220 million plus listings. Q. What kind of target have you set for this year's sale? Do you anticipate people to buy more, considering a lot of people might have pushed buying things for the festive season? What kind of numbers do you aim to reach this year? Less than five percent of retail is online, which is an incredibly small penetration number. In our view, Diwali or not, our job to bring more buying options for our users doesn’t change. Diwali does serve as a milestone to accelerate some of our related initiatives or build virtual infrastructure to connect the dots between demand and supply in our country. This year, ahead of the festive season, we on-boarded additional sellers of popular products like kitchen appliances, kitchenware, bed linen, apparel, footwear and fashion accessories like watches, wallets, etc., as indicated by our users in a survey. In the run-up to Diwali, Snapdeal also on-boarded 5000 manufacturer-sellers who sell products like water purifiers, choppers &amp; blenders, steel &amp; copper utensils, crockery items, bedsheets, quilts, geysers, etc directly from their manufacturing units. This year, we knew more and more people would be buying online and ahead of the sale, and expanded our network to add 1300 new pin codes to go deeper into areas which were previously unserviceable or where users were compelled to travel to nearby towns to collect their orders, reaching out to 50 million additional users. Today, we are India's leading value-focused marketplace with more than 500,000 registered sellers and we cover 27000 + pin code areas across the length and breadth of the country.

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