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The Prime Minister’s Internship Scheme, announced in the Union Budget 2024-25, is set to offer a tremendous opportunity for young Indians to gain hands-on experience in leading companies across diverse sectors.<br /><br />As of October 12, the portal for this ambitious initiative is open for registrations, with over 90,000 internship positions posted by top companies like <keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, <keyword id="19895995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HDFC-Bank" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="HDFC Bank" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="HDFC Bank">HDFC Bank</keyword>, <keyword id="19950119" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Consultancy-Services" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Tata Consultancy Services" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Tata Consultancy Services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> (TCS), ONGC, Maruti Suzuki, and more. Here’s everything you need to know about how to apply, the companies participating, and answers to frequently asked questions.<br /><h2>Step-by-Step Guide to Applying for the <keyword id="23273918" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-Internship-Scheme" source="keywords">PM Internship Scheme</keyword></h2><ol><li>Visit the Official Portal: The PM Internship Scheme’s application process takes place on the official website,<a href="http://pminternship.mca.gov.in"> pminternship.mca.gov.in</a>.</li><li>Register and Set Up Your Profile: After opening the portal, you’ll need to register and fill out basic information, including educational qualifications, age, and internship preferences.</li><li>Explore Internship Listings: With over 90,000 internships available from 193 companies, you can browse listings in sectors like Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, Banking, and more. Each listing will provide details on job roles, skills required, and specific fields like Operations Management, Production, Maintenance, and Sales.</li><li>Apply for Your Chosen Roles: You can apply for up to five internships based on your interests, qualifications, and preferred location. The portal allows for an easy application submission and lets you track your applications.</li><li>Confirmation and Next Steps: Once you apply, download the confirmation page for reference. Internships are set to begin on December 2, 2024, so selected candidates will receive further instructions as the start date approaches.</li></ol><h2>Major Companies Participating in the PM Internship Scheme</h2>Here are some of the top companies that have already posted internships on the portal, with more joining every day:<br /><br /><ul><li>Reliance Industries Ltd.</li><li>HDFC Bank</li><li>Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)</li><li>Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)</li><li>State Bank of India (SBI)</li><li>Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.</li><li>Jubilant FoodWorks</li><li>Larsen &amp; Toubro Ltd.</li><li>Eicher Motors Ltd.</li><li>Muthoot Finance</li></ul>These companies are providing internships across over 20 fields, covering a wide range of skills and sectors. The biggest opportunities are currently in the Oil &amp; Gas sector, followed by industries like Travel, Automotive, and Financial Services.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113986236" title="Why so many entry-level jobs aren&amp;#39;t entry-level" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Key Features of the Internship Scheme</h2>Under the scheme, interns will receive a stipend of Rs 5,000 per month, plus a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 to support miscellaneous expenses. These internships are available across 737 districts in all 37 states and Union Territories, making this a truly inclusive national program.<br /><br />Interns can indulge in many diverse internship roles. From operations to maintenance, sales, marketing, and production, these internships offer a variety of hands-on experiences that match real-world corporate needs.<br /><h2>FAQs about the PM Internship Scheme</h2><h5>Who is eligible?</h5>The scheme is open to Indian citizens aged 21 to 24 who are not employed full-time or enrolled in full-time study programs. Candidates in online or distance learning programs are eligible.<br /><h5>What sectors offer the most internships?</h5>The largest number of internships are in the Oil &amp; Gas, Travel &amp; Hospitality, Automotive, and Banking &amp; Financial Services sectors, with positions also available in fields like Manufacturing, IT, and Retail.<br /><h5>When do the internships start?</h5>Internships for this year will begin on December 2, 2024. The scheme aims to facilitate 1.25 lakh internships this financial year and eventually reach one crore internships over the next five years.<br /><h5>What are the application deadlines?</h5>The portal is open from October 12 for candidates to start applying, with companies continuing to post positions as the scheme rolls out. It’s recommended to apply early, as some positions may fill up quickly.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114029056" title="Read 5 résumés that helped techies land $300,000-plus jobs at Google, Meta, Amazon, and Salesforce" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><br />

PM Internship Scheme finally launched — here’s how you can apply to work with Reliance, TCS, SBI and more!

<keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, under the leadership of <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, showcased its vision for the future during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held today (August 29). During the AGM, <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> laid out ambitious plans that span across its diverse businesses. The conglomerate, which has interests ranging from oil to telecom to retail, is positioning itself as a key player in India’s growth story, with a particular focus on <keyword id="20239522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-innovation" source="keywords">technological innovation</keyword>, energy security, and retail expansion.<br /><br /><h2>Not chasing short-term profits</h2><keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword>, during his speech, said that Reliance is not merely chasing short-term profits but is dedicated to creating long-term wealth for the nation. He reiterated the company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services that enhance the lives of Indian consumers. The chairman announced that the company’s board will consider issuing bonus shares on September 5, further rewarding shareholders as Reliance continues to grow.<br /><br /><h2>Transforming into a deep-tech company</h2>A major theme of the AGM this year was Reliance’s transformation into a deep tech company, with advanced manufacturing capabilities at its core. Ambani described this shift as essential to securing a place in the global top-30 companies in the near future. He highlighted the company’s strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), calling it one of the most transformative events in human history. AI, he noted, opens up new avenues to address complex problems, making Reliance a net producer of technology.<br /><br />Reliance has been making significant strides in R&amp;D, with over ₹3,643 crore invested in FY24 alone, taking the total research expenditure to over ₹11,000 crore in the last four years. This investment is driving innovations in various areas, including bio-energy, solar power, green energy, and high-value chemicals. The company has also been active in digital research, filing patents in 6G, 5G, AI, and IoT, among others. Ambani assured that this tech-driven transformation would propel Reliance into a new phase of hyper-growth, multiplying its value in the coming years.<br /><br /><h2><keyword id="20337020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-business" source="keywords">Retail business</keyword> to double</h2>In addition to technological advancements, Reliance Retail, the company’s retail arm, is set to double its business in the next three to four years. Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail, shared that the retail segment recorded a gross revenue of ₹3.06 lakh crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, marking a 17.8% growth over the previous year. The retail business has rapidly expanded, with Reliance opening 1,840 new stores in the past year, bringing the total to 18,836 stores across 79 million square feet of retail space. This growth has positioned Reliance Retail among the top-5 global retailers in terms of store count and among the top-10 in market capitalization globally.<br /><br />Isha Ambani emphasised that much of this growth is driven by a focus on smaller towns, where two-thirds of the new stores have been opened. Reliance Retail is also focused on creating high-quality, affordable products through its Consumer Brands business, which has seen the re-launch of popular brands like Campa, Lotus Chocolates, and Sosyo.<br /><br />Mukesh Ambani concluded by underscoring Reliance’s mission to provide energy security to India while also contributing to a cleaner and greener world. As the global landscape becomes increasingly uncertain, he expressed confidence in India’s role as a key growth engine in the global economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, surpassing Japan and Germany. Ambani affirmed that Reliance will continue to be a driving force in India’s march toward becoming a developed nation.<br />

Reliance AGM 2024: Company aims to double retail business, Mukesh Ambani says not pursuing short-term profit

Indian companies across multiple sectors have reported disappointing results in the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, notes a new JM Financials report. Consequently, their poor performance has triggered stock price corrections for affected companies. The brunt of this weaker than expected earnings was largely borne by consumer centric sectors like FMCG (fast moving consumer goods), retail, and auto, which slacked largely due to dampened urban demand.<br /><br />For instance, India's largest automaker, Maruti Suzuki, reported a 5% YoY decline in its total domestic passenger vehicle wholesales, largely on the back of pent-up inventory. Similarly, Honda reported a staggering 23% YoY dip in its total sales during October 2024. <br /><br />A recent report by Bernstein noted that around 48% of the companies listed on the NSE100 index missed their earnings estimate for Q2FY25, the highest since March 2020. Most companies have mentioned deteriorated domestic demand, urban slowing, macroeconomic risk, and margin pressures as the main reasons behind the dip. <br /><br />"The quarter's earnings have made investors nervous," noted the JM Financials report. The challenging environment stems from multiple factors: softening consumer demand, rising input costs, and companies' limited ability to increase prices. Moreover, this is not limited to just one quarter. Companies have been reporting weak, single-digit earnings growth for the last six consecutive quarters. <br /><br />Data from India Data Hub also suggests that corporate profits of listed companies plunged by as much as 3.4% during the quarter ended September 30, 2024. This is in stark contrast to the year-ago period, where they had shot up by over 40% <br /><br />The oil and gas sector had a difficult quarter, with refiners hit by weak margins and city gas distributors struggling with higher input costs. Financial institutions showed mixed results. While government-owned banks reported strong numbers, microfinance institutions and some private lenders faced massive difficulties with their unsecured loans. Most notable amongst this was the case of IndusInd Bank, which saw its net profits dip by 40% amidst burgeoning provisions, which climbed 87% to Rs 1,820 crore in Q2, as against Rs 974 crore reported in the year-ago period. <br /><br /><h2>Markets head southwards</h2>The selling trend by FPIs has dragged down the major Indian indices, the Nifty 50 and Sensex, both of which have dropped by around 8% since the beginning of this selling spree in October. According to National Securities Depository Ltd. (NSDL) data, FPIs offloaded equities worth a significant Rs 19,994 crore in just the first five trading sessions of November last week.<br /><br />The impact is clearly visible on Indian stock markets. Data suggests that while every sector in October closed the month in red, auto, oil and gas, and consumer durables were the most badly hit, each declining by as much as 10% during the month. Another indicator underlining the inherent weakness of the market was that the month saw only 242 stocks hit their 52-week high, significantly below the usual monthly average of 310. <br />

India Inc. stares at an earnings dearth in Q2, FMCG, auto, and consumer durables falter

Back in November 2022, when <keyword id="19918826" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ChatGPT" source="keywords">ChatGPT</keyword> was launched for the public, interest around <keyword id="19896272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="generative-AI" source="keywords">generative AI</keyword> reached new heights. The AI chatbot’s ability to respond to questions in a manner as if a human being was talking left many people surprised as well as awestruck. Soon, AI became a buzzword in the tech industry and investors started pouring funds heavily into AI companies.<br /><br /><h2><keyword id="19959576" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Dunzo" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Dunzo" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Dunzo">Dunzo</keyword> co-founder staring his <keyword id="20128843" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-company" source="keywords">AI company</keyword></h2>In May, an Economic Times report based on insights from market research firm Tracxn said that AI startups in India have already raised USD 91.7 million in funding so far this year, which is a significant increase from USD 29.6 million during the same period last year. And now, former <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/quick-commerce-platform-dunzo-lays-off-30-of-its-workforce/articleshow/99290084.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Dunzo </a>chief <keyword id="22628971" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukund-Jha" source="keywords">Mukund Jha</keyword> is reportedly looking forward to start his own AI company.<br /><br />A Moneycontrol report citing sources said that Jha is in discussions to raise between Rs 50-80 crore (approximately $6-10 million) from <keyword id="22628972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Together-Fund" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Together Fund" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Together Fund">Together Fund</keyword> for his new venture. This comes after Jha stepped down from the board of the cash-strapped startup Dunzo last year. <br /><br />Jha's new venture reportedly focuses on generative <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/ai-startup-neysa-raises-20-mn-from-matrix-partners-nexus-venture-partners-more/articleshow/109181059.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">artificial intelligence</a> (Gen AI) and aims to automate quality assurance (QA) processes. "Think of it as a blend of AI and SaaS," an insider told Moneycontrol. QA involves creating and running tests, identifying errors, and providing feedback to ensure products meet quality standards.<br /><br /><h2>What happened with Dunzo?</h2>The delivery startup Dunzo delivers essential goods like groceries, household items, fruits and vegetables, pet supplies, pharmaceuticals etc to people locally. Supported by <keyword id="19901342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Retail" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Retail" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Retail">Reliance Retail</keyword>, the startup has faced strong competition from companies like Zepto, Swiggy, and BlinkIt. Despite raising around $500 million, Dunzo has struggled to secure additional investment and manage payroll. In February, there were rumors that Flipkart might acquire the platform, but there have been no updates on this matter since.<br /><br />Dunzo, on the other hand, was making headlines earlier this year for facing various financial struggles. The company’s top investor Lightbox also exited in May this year.<br /><br />On the other hand, the company is reportedly experiencing a cash crunch and owes approximately Rs 11.4 crore to various vendors, including Google India, Nilenso, Clover Ventures, Facebook India, Cupshup, Koo, and Glance. <br /><br /><h2>About Together Fund</h2>Together Fund, from which Jha is reportedly going to raise funds for his new venture, has invested in over 20 companies across various SaaS sectors, including recruitment, sales intelligence, marketing, healthcare, and cloud solutions for connected devices.<br /><br />“Our areas of focus span across SaaS, enterprise software, developer tools, open source software, cloud-native infrastructure and API-first businesses. We typically invest early (seed, pre A or series A) to help founders through the crucial zero-to-one part of their journey,” the company’s website reads.<br /><br />Together Fund was founded in 2021 by Girish Mathrubootham of Freshworks, Manav Garg of Eka Software, and Shubham Gupta formerly of Matrix Partners India. It initially raised USD 85 million for its first fund and increased the total to USD 150 million with its second fund announced in 2023<br />

Dunzo co-founder Mukund Jha plans to start his own AI company, seeks to raise up to Rs 80 crore from Together Fund

Imagine this. You have a younger sibling you’re mighty envious of. And why not? Unlike you, they seem to enjoy all the freedom and money in the world. They party like there’s no tomorrow, and here you are, stuck in a boring, ultra-disciplined but responsible routine that feels completely devoid of any independence, and mostly, funds.<br /><br />But of late, things are changing. This sibling is in massive trouble and just cannot escape the parent’s wrath anymore. Long story short, the party is over, and it is time to go back home. The rising defaults on this sibling’s part have now begun pulling the entire house down, thereby attracting the regulator’s ire.<br /><br /><h2>The Wild West of microfinance and unsecured loans</h2>It's hard to ignore the issues with microfinance and unsecured loans in India.<br /><br />Many saw them as a small gamble and ignored the rising defaults much like the younger siblings’ tantrums, and now they find themselves in hot waters. The skyrocketing instances of non-payments aren't a micro-issue anymore and are threatening the stability of the entire banking system.<br /><br />In the quarter ended September 30, 2024, 5 of India’s 8 largest private sector <keyword id="19934118" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="banks" source="keywords">banks</keyword> reported a steep rise in their bad loan book, mostly thanks to microfinance loans.<br /><br />Some banks, in a bid to strengthen their fortress against these <keyword id="142154" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bad-loans" source="Orion">bad loans</keyword>, have significantly upped their provisions. For instance, <keyword id="46717" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IndusInd-bank" source="Orion">IndusInd Bank</keyword> set aside Rs 525 crore during July and September 2024 to battle the menace of defaults on microfinance loans, which make up about 9% of its total loan book.<br /><br />See, banks rely heavily on their interest income, which they earn from advancing loans. Any loan where the borrower has not paid interest to the bank or defaulted for 90 days or more becomes bad, i.e., an <keyword id="79363" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="npa" source="Orion">NPA</keyword>, or non-performing asset for the bank. And who likes things going bad?<br /><br />Simply put, there has been a steep rise in three areas, much to the dislike of banks and MFIs (micro-finance institutions). But hey, it's mostly their doing!<br /><ol><li>GNPA ratio (gross net performing assets): The quantum of non-performing assets a bank has in proportion to its total assets.</li><li>Provision: The amount banks set aside to take care of such NPAs.</li><li>Slippage ratio: The rate at which good girls go bad, or the speed at which good loans turn into NPAs</li></ol>But how are these plaguing the Indian banking sector? And what does the road ahead look like? We decode it for you.<br /><h2><br />Microfinance: A not-so-micro-menace</h2>Microfinance loans were initially brought forth for low-income households and individuals, i.e. for those who might not generally have access to traditional ways of credit, like bank loans and more. They don’t require collateral or an asset to be pledged in lieu of the loan, making it a tad bit easier for borrowers.<br /><br />As of June 2024, the amount of outstanding loans in the microfinance industry stood at a staggering Rs 4,20,256 crore. Of this, NBFC-MFIs accounted for 40% and banks made for 33% of these.<br /><br />In 2022, <keyword id="30067" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RBI" source="Orion">RBI</keyword>, in a bid to inspire some competition in this space, did something radical-they did away with the ceiling on how much interest MFIs could charge their customers. Previously, MFIs could add up to 12% to their cost of acquiring funds to determine the final interest rate chargeable to the consumer.<br /><br />So, assuming that Bank A incurs a 5% cost to acquire funds for further loaning, A could charge up to 17% interest from the end consumer. So, interest rates were in the hands of MFIs, and boy, did they have a gala time with it.<br /><br />Instead of spurring some healthy competition, as RBI expected, MFIs and banks went rogue and all guns blazing, competing for the title of “Who will charge the highest interest?”<br /><br />Recently, RBI banned 4 microfinance institutions (MFIs), namely Asirvad Micro Finance Limited, Arohan Financial Services Limited, DMI Finance Private Limited, and Navi Finserv, from disbursing loans effective October 21, 2024. Why? Because they were charging 14% extra interest over their original cost of funds.<br /><br />To maintain their loan books (and pockets), banks and NBFCs resorted to shady practices like netting off loans, which RBI has now advised MFIs against. Here, lenders allow borrowers to settle a previous outstanding loan by issuing them a new loan! As crazy as it sounds, it helped banks to report less of their total assets as NPAs, since the new credit would cover pending installments of the borrower’s previous loan.<br /><br />Then there was the issue of borrowers overleveraging, i.e. taking multiple loans using different IDs from various lenders and then failing to honor any of them. The consequence? Banks and NBFCs end up with massive NPAs.<br /><br />Data from credit bureaus suggests that over the last quarter, there was a 17.2% rise in the number of borrowers who had 5 or more active loans at the same time.<br /><br /><h2>Growth &gt; Caution</h2>It's an age-old tale unfolding yet again in India’s banking sector- Icarus flew too close to the sun and eventually, fell to its death. Between April and June 2024, NBFCs microfinance portfolio jumped by 2.7%. If you see this in terms of loan sources, microfinance loans issued by banks grew by 11.2% in Q1FY25. But the same portfolio in NBFCs swelled by almost double-23.9%.<br /><br />While most of these loans had an average ticket size between Rs 30,000-50,000, there was a sharp spike in the number of loans that had a ticket size of Rs 80,000 or more. Data suggests that as of March 2024, more than 12% of all microfinance borrowers had over 4 or more active loans.<br /><br />In dating parlance, this is a classic case of borrowers going polyamorous, minus the honesty and transparency. Not the best of situations, you'd agree!<br /><br /><h2>Will banks and NBFCs stand up to this stress?</h2>If their results for Q2FY25 are to be believed, NBFCs are not handling the pressure all that well. Or even slightly well. Only a few banks like Bank of Baroda (BoB), ICICI, and Indian Bank were up for the battle, even witnessing a decline in their loan delinquencies.<br /><br />Some others, like IndusInd Bank, saw their stock dip by a massive 16.2% over the last 5 days.<br /><br />Its slippages in the previous quarter burgeoned from Rs 15.3 billion in Q1FY25 to Rs 17.9 billion in Q2. As a result, the bank pushed a staggeringly high amount of money to create an NPA cushion for itself.<br /><br />While its management has highlighted its preference for secured lending, that was hardly reflected in its actions during the quarter, where growth in unsecured personal loans remained exceptionally high at over 7% on a QoQ basis.<br /><br />Turns out, only 44% of customers in IndusInd Banks’ microfinance loan portfolio were exclusive to it. The rest 47% were, you guessed it right-polyamorous! 27% had borrowed from another lender as well, apart from IndusInd Bank, while 20% were those who had outstanding loans with two other lenders, apart from IndusInd Bank. IndusInd Bank’s credit card segment did not miss the NPA bus and accounted for 7-8% of its GNPAs.<br /><br />Canara Bank’s total slippages during the previous quarter jumped to Rs 11.1 billion, up by 24.7% QoQ, and making up for 3.6% of its total loans. As for Bandhan Bank, its <keyword id="763994" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gross-NPA" source="Orion">gross NPA</keyword> for Q2FY25 inched up on a QoQ basis, up from 4.23% in Q1, to 4.68% in the second quarter.<br /><br /><keyword id="62152" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IDFC-bank" source="Orion">IDFC Bank</keyword>’s heavy provisioning for its NPAs marred its profits significantly, causing its PAT (profit after tax) to dip by 73% on a YoY basis.<br /><br />Data from ICRA Analytics suggest that the AUM (asset under management) growth in microfinance loans and unsecured (personal and business) loans by the NBFCs will moderate to 10-12% and 19-21%, respectively, in FY2025 compared to 30% and 38%, in FY2024.<br /><br />Says A M Karthik, Senior Vice President &amp; Co-Group Head, Financial Sector Ratings, ICRA, “As bank funds constitute a larger share in the overall funding of NBFCs, a slower credit flow from banks to the NBFCs will compress their AUM growth. The NBFCs in unsecured and digital lending businesses shall face a higher squeeze in funding compared to others, and the unsecured lending space will continue to be a source of stress in the near term.”<br /><br />There has been uninhibited growth in unsecured loans, apart from just the microfinance segment. For instance, Axis Bank’s gross slippages jumped by Rs 4,443 crore, largely thanks to its unsecured business. The same is the case with Yes Bank, which saw 35–40% of its retail slippages emerging from the unsecured loan portfolio. Kotak Mahindra Bank was also quick to follow Yes Bank’s suit, with around 35%-40% of its slippages coming from credit cards.<br /><br /><h2>How is the road ahead?</h2>While RBI has just cracked its whip and served a warning at the moment, experts at Morgan Stanley believe that more changes (read regulatory lashes) are underway. Moreover, with both festive and wedding seasons underway in our country, unsecured lending might pick up momentum, much to the disdain of the calibrated approach banks have been taking towards it so far.<br /><br />But if the situation doesn't improve, RBI will not waste any time in becoming the typical tyrannical Bollywood headmaster who runs his dominion with an iron fist and takes things (and ceiling rates) into their own hands. However, that's a story for another day.

Is the lending party over? The dangerous tango of Indian banks with microfinance and unsecured loans

<keyword id="19938772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries Ltd">Reliance Industries Ltd</keyword> on Monday reported an almost flat March quarter net profit, while its annual earnings hit a record high on the back of a recovery in its core oil and petrochemicals business and sustained momentum across the consumer-facing telecom and retail businesses. The oil-to-telecom-and-retail conglomerate's consolidated net profit stood at Rs 18,951 crore, or Rs 28.01 per share, in January-March quarter of the 2023-24 fiscal compared to Rs 19,299 crore, or Rs 28.52 a share, a year ago, according to a company's stock exchange filing. <br /><br /> The profit was, however, higher quarter-on-quarter when compared to Rs 17,265 crore in October-December period. <br /><br /> For the full fiscal FY24 (April 2023 to March 2024), Reliance posted a record net profit of Rs 69,621 crore as compared to Rs 66,702 crore earnings in the preceding financial year. <br /><br /> Reliance also became the first Indian company to hit Rs 10 lakh crore turnover in FY24 when revenue from operations rose 2.6 per cent from Rs 9.74 lakh crore in 2022-23. <br /><br /> The oil-to-chemicals (O2C) business, the main milch cow, posted a rise in profitability annually as well as sequentially, while retail business' earnings rose on new store openings despite lower footfalls. The firm helmed by billionaire <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> saw telecom revenues soar as it outpaced competition in subscriber addition and data traffic. <br /><br /> While quarterly EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) was up 14.3 per cent year-on-year to Rs 47,150 crore, registering growth across all businesses, the revenue from operations rose almost 11 per cent to Rs 2.64 lakh crore. <br /><br /> The mainstay oil refining and petrochemicals business, called O2C, posted a 11 per cent rise in revenue and a 3 per cent higher EBITDA at Rs 16,777 crore in Q4. <br /><br /> This was primarily because of "advantageous" sourcing of feedstock (crude oil) for refining business and use of ethane for making chemicals as well as higher domestic product placement, a company statement said, adding exports were down 8.5 per cent. <br /><br /> With the consumer base swelling to 481.8 million from 470.9 million at the end of December on a flat per-user revenues of Rs 181.7, Reliance <keyword id="21397660" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio-Infocomm-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Jio Infocomm Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Jio Infocomm Ltd">Jio Infocomm Ltd</keyword> - the digital services business - posted a 12 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 5,583 crore in the fourth quarter of FY24. Also, aiding the business was rise in data traffic to 40.9 billion GB in January-March from 38.1 billion GB in the preceding quarter. <br /><br /> For the full year, Jio posted a profit of Rs 21,424 crore as compared to Rs 19,124 crore in FY23. <br /><br /> Profits from the retail business climbed 11.7 per cent to Rs 2,698 crore as store count rose to 18,836 from 18,774. Store footfalls dropped to 272 million from 282 million in October-December 2023 but were higher than 219 million recorded in January-March 2023. <br /><br /> Oil and gas EBITDA soared 47.5 per cent to Rs 5,606 crore as higher gas volumes partly offset lower price realisation. <br /><br /> The firm's flagship KG-D6 block in Krishna Godavari basin in the Bay of Bengal is now producing about 30 million standard cubic metres per day of gas and 23,000 barrels a day of oil/condensate. <br /><br /> The company said its outstanding debt rose to Rs 3.24 lakh crore from Rs 3.11 lakh crore in December-end. After accounting for cash in hand, net debt at Rs 1.16 lakh crore as on March 31 was lower than Rs 1.25 lakh crore a year back. <br /><br /> Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of <keyword id="20076630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries-limited" source="keywords">Reliance Industries Limited</keyword>, said all segments of business have posted a robust financial and operating performance. <br /><br /> "This has helped the Company achieve multiple milestones. I am happy to share that this year, Reliance became the first Indian company to cross the Rs 1 lakh-crore threshold in pre-tax profits," he said. <br /><br /> Performance of the digital services segment has been boosted by accelerated expansion of subscriber base, supported by both mobility and fixed wireless services, he said. "With over 108 million True 5G customers, Jio truly leads the 5G transformation in India." <br /><br /> <keyword id="19901342" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-retail" source="keywords">Reliance Retail</keyword>, he said, continued to provide customers endless choices through its robust omni-channel presence. <br /><br /> "We continue to offer product differentiation and superior offline experience through stores re-modelling and revamping of layouts. Our digital commerce platforms also provide newer solutions to users with a broad brand catalogue," Ambani said. <br /><br /> Strong demand for fuels globally, and limited flexibility in refining system worldwide supported margins and profitability of the O2C segment. <br /><br /> "Downstream chemical industry experienced increasingly challenging market conditions through the year. Despite headwinds, maintaining leading product positions and feedstock flexibility through our operating model that prioritises cost management, we delivered a resilient performance," he said. <br /><br /> "We remain committed to our projects and initiatives, including those in the new energy segment, which will bolster the company, and help it deliver sustainable growth for the future," he added.<br /><br /><b>SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vodafone-idea-fpo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-and-more/articleshow/109504341.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vodafone-idea-fpo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-gmp-and-more/articleshow/109504341.cms" target="_blank">Vodafone Idea FPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-8a-may-be-more-expensive-than-its-predecessor-as-per-a-new-leak/articleshow/109499394.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-8a-may-be-more-expensive-than-its-predecessor-as-per-a-new-leak/articleshow/109499394.cms" target="_blank">Google Pixel 8a may be more expensive than its predecessor, as per a new leak</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/at-17-indian-chess-prodigy-d-gukesh-becomes-youngest-challenger-for-world-championship/slidelist/109492021.cms" target="_blank"></a></b><br /><br /> <b><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/webstories/at-17-indian-chess-prodigy-d-gukesh-becomes-youngest-challenger-for-world-championship/slidelist/109492021.cms" target="_blank">At 17, Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh becomes youngest challenger for World Championship</a></b><br />

Reliance Industries quarterly profit stays flat; annual earnings hit record at ₹69,621 crore

<keyword id="19938772" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries-Ltd" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries Ltd" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries Ltd">Reliance Industries Ltd</keyword> (<keyword id="20002939" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="RIL" source="keywords">RIL</keyword>) is set to hold its much-anticipated 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) today, August 29, 2024. The AGM, which will be held virtually, is expected to feature some key announcements that could be of great interest to investors as well as shareholders. The meeting will start at 2:00 p.m. IST and will be live-streamed across various digital platforms. Read on to know all about <keyword id="22949345" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Reliance-AGM" source="keywords">Reliance AGM</keyword> and what can be expected from it this year.<br /> <h2>What is Reliance AGM?</h2> The Reliance Annual General Meeting (AGM) is an important event where Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) presents its financial performance, future strategies, and key developments to shareholders and the public. Held annually, this meeting is led by RIL Chairman <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> and serves as a platform for major announcements, including potential IPOs, business expansions, and technological advancements. The AGM attracts widespread attention from investors, analysts, and industry watchers, as it provides insights into the company’s direction and its impact on various sectors.<br /><br /> <b><h2>Where to watch livestream</h2></b> The AGM will begin at 2:00 p.m. IST and will be conducted virtually, allowing millions of shareholders and investors to join from anywhere. The event will be live-streamed across various digital platforms, including RIL's social media pages on YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook. Shareholders can join the live broadcast using the following link: <a href="https://jiomeet.jio.com/rilagm" target="_new">https://jiomeet.jio.com/rilagm</a>.<br /><br /> <b><h2>What to expect from Reliance AGM 2024</h2></b> IPO announcements: One of the most closely watched aspects of the AGM is the potential announcement of IPO timelines for Reliance <keyword id="19906886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jio" source="keywords">Jio</keyword> and Reliance Retail. The possibility of these two giants going public has been a topic of discussion since 2019, and with the five-year mark approaching, investors are keen to hear concrete plans. <br /><br /> <strong>Energy projects:</strong> Reliance’s foray into the green energy sector has been a key focus in recent years. The AGM is expected to provide updates on the progress of the company’s ambitious new energy projects, particularly the development of a large green energy complex in Jamnagar. This complex, featuring giga factories for solar PV, energy storage, and other technologies, is part of Reliance’s broader strategy to transition from traditional energy sources to more sustainable options. Investors will be looking for detailed timelines and potential earnings projections from these ventures.<br /><br /> <strong>5G Rollout: </strong>Reliance Jio’s 5G rollout is another critical area of interest. The company has already made significant strides in expanding its 5G network across India, and the AGM is expected to shed light on how RIL plans to monetize this infrastructure. This could include potential partnerships, new service offerings like the JioPhone 5G, and strategies to increase subscriber growth. The success of Jio’s 5G rollout will be crucial in maintaining its competitive edge in the rapidly evolving telecom market.<br /><br /> <strong>AI focus:</strong> In addition to its core business areas, Reliance is also expected to make announcements related to artificial intelligence (AI). With global tech giants increasingly focusing on AI, RIL is likely to reveal new AI initiatives tailored to the Indian market. This could include expansions to Hanuman AI, a generative AI tool developed with leading Indian institutions, which supports multiple Indian languages.<br /><br /> <strong>Succession planning:</strong> Another topic of interest is Reliance’s succession plan. With Mukesh Ambani having previously outlined a blueprint for leadership transitions within the company, shareholders will be looking for updates on how these plans are being implemented. The AGM may provide further clarity on the roles of Ambani’s children—Akash, Isha, and Anant—who have been earmarked to lead the telecom, retail, and energy segments, respectively.

Reliance AGM 2024 at 2 pm today: What it is, where to watch, and what to expect

<ul><li>Market is not rushing to downgrade <keyword id="17277356" type="General" weightage="90" keywordseo="jio-fin" source="Orion">Jio Fin</keyword> rivals just yet, despite its deep pockets and ability to disrupt.</li><li><keyword id="2003276" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="jio" source="Orion">Jio</keyword> Fin’s aggression in the unsecured loan business will decide how badly rivals will be impacted in times to come.</li><li>Given that cost of funds for JFS is expected to be significantly lower than other NBFCs, it can price its offerings much better than rivals in consumer finance. <br /></li></ul><br />A behemoth was born on Monday with the listing of the financial services business of <keyword id="6355199" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="reliance-industries" source="Orion">Reliance Industries</keyword> on the exchanges. With the listing of <keyword id="15323576" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="jio-financial-services" source="Orion">Jio Financial Services</keyword>, the obvious question is the impact that this entity will have on other listed financial services players because it will take them head on. The obvious assumption is that companies that currently are in the consumer and MSME lending space will be directly impacted. Jio Fin’s rich parentage and high capital base will be its biggest advantage. <br /><br />The net worth of the newborn is higher than its nearest competitor and this will enable it to build a large loan book much faster. But this may not be enough to win in the marketplace as it is a total novice when it comes to underwriting and execution. The market will closely monitor Jio Fin’s aggression in the consumer finance business before downgrading its competitors. For now, the jury is out.  <br /><br />Like all other businesses that Reliance has set foot in, even in financial services the market is expecting two things – scale and mega disruption. The first segment that Jio is set to rock first is the lending space. Jio Financial Services ahead of its listing on 18 August released some details on the structure of the company and businesses it would operate in. Jio Financial Services is not just a systemically important non-banking financial institution but also a core investment company (CIC). The RBI has mandated the conversion of Jio Fin into a CIC and NBFC over the next three months. What this essentially means is that all the other businesses will operate under this holding company as subsidiaries. In time, all the subsidiaries could also be listed.<br /><br />The key businesses that Jio Financial Services will be present include: Reliance Retail Finance, Reliance Retail Insurance Broking, Reliance Payment Solutions, Jio Payments Bank, the Asset Management Company will be a joint venture with Blackrock. Reliance Industrial Investments and Holdings will be the sole beneficiary of the 6.1% stake in Reliance Industries. Jio Information Aggregator Services will pursue the account aggregator business, which is yet to commence. Jio Infrastructure Management Services will offer project management services.<br /><br />The first segment that Jio Fin seeks to aggressively pursue is retail lending. The dominant player in this segment is Bajaj Finance, which offers small ticket loans to consumers to buy consumer durables. This business has been mastered by Bajaj Finance over the last decade and a half by tying up with stores like Vijay Sales and Croma. This is where Jio will strike first. Reliance Retail has over 550 digital stores against 517 stores owned by its two rivals Croma (387 stores) and Vijay Sales (130 stores). <br /><br />In merchant lending, its focus is on financing options for merchants in grocery, digital, fashion and pharma formats. According to Nomura, the focus of its MSME lending business will be better geographic penetration. Jio Fin will seek to meet the borrowing needs of small businesses that often resort to high-interest informal channels for small-ticket loans. The company will enter into secured loans in the medium term.<br /><br />Over a period of time Jio Fin will offer unsecured loans too. Sources in the banking industry believe that the new entrant will disrupt the sector with differentiated and cheaper offerings as it can afford to do it because of its strong capital base. The cost of funds of JFS are expected to be significantly lower than other NBFCs.<br /><br />According to Morgan Stanley, “The consolidated entity is starting with a capital base of Rs 114.1 bn as of March 2023 (Rs 193.5 bn ex-book value of RIL stake). If it were to allocate this capital to the lending business, this would likely result in it being among the largest NBFCs by net worth. While this implies significant capacity to lend, we will need to see the pace and mode of execution (organic/inorganic). Hence, the market will closely watch every move JioFS makes.”<br /><br />While the markets believe that Jio will put technology and analytics at the heart of the business, building data will take time. Also, given the competition in the sector, borrowing by consumers is high and that is also leading to higher delinquencies. Therefore, the franchise that Jio builds will matter more than the scale of the loan book.<br /><br />The other issue that analysts see is the capital base of the new entity. Jio Fin as a consolidated entity has a capital base of Rs 114,100 crore or Rs 1.14 trillion as of March 2023 (Rs19,350 crore ex-book value of RIL stake). According to Nomura, if Jio Fin were to allocate this capital to the lending business, this would likely result in it being among the largest NBFCs by net worth. “While this implies significant capacity to lend, we will need to see the pace and mode of execution (organic/inorganic). Hence, the market will closely watch every move JioFS makes,” the report adds.<br /><br />

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