Cover Story
- An inclusive, co-ordinated approach towards fintech innovation and regulation will go a long way
- Fintech lenders will have to change their business models to survive the ongoing liquidity crisis
- How the Finance Ministry and the RBI can avert an economic disaster
- NBFCs are facing asset-liability mismatches and undergoing a balance sheet adjustment. But they need more regulatory intervention, too
Budget 2019: Starting Point
The full-year budget to be presented on July 5 could change some allocations and other announcements made on February 1, 2019. Here are some high - lights of the interim budget in areas that may see fresh announcements in July How healthcare marketing will become more nutra- and wellness-centricAnatomy Of Successful Strategic Leaders
They help build a collaborative culture, nurture talent, drive change and work as enterprise guardiansFrom Reactive To Preventive Wellness
Focus should be on preventive product development to help promote people's wellness over a long periodWe Need To Diversify Beyond Kiranas In India
LOTS Wholesale Solutions is a late entrant to India's cash-and-carry market, having started in January 2017, years after formidable rivals such as Metro and Walmart entered the country. It has been very aggressive though - starting its first three stores within seven months and chalking out a plan to open 15 stores within three years. A subsidiary of Siam Makro, the cash-and-carry player with a long history in Thailand, it is part of the CP (Charoen Pokphand) group. Tanit Chearavanont, Managing Director, LOTS, responsible for cracking the Indian retail market, speaks to Business Today's Prosenjit Datta about how he plans to go about it. Edited excerpts Why is Ajay Piramal exiting the Shriram Group of companies in which he invested heavily only six years ago? Drug regulatory reforms in China have turned the heat on the Indian pharmaceutical industry and raised the cost of bulk drugs. But some firms have managed to turn the crisis into an opportunity by filling in the space left by the Chinese. Natural calamities have become a way of life, but the Indian infrastructure is yet to become resilient Huawei is under fire globally and its future in India is not yet certain Jet Airways might be heading for bankruptcy as it seems to have lost the chance to secure a buyer
A Gripping Tale
An insight into what has driven India's economic choices over the past 70 years A look at the factors that work in favour of global managers who have grown up and had their foundational education in a chaotic India From smartphones to laptops and tablets, most devices slow down over time, but there are ways to boost their speed A wide range of home health gadgets can help people take control of their lives. The only caveat - they must consult doctors and avoid self-medication India is one of the biggest opportunities for infrastructure digitisation Fully automated farms may not be functional yet, but robots are ploughing, sowing, reaping and, most importantly, picking fruits and veggies
Easier Participation
FPIs will be allowed to invest in unlisted companies ahead of their initial public offerings The draft National Education Policy 2019 put out by the government for comments from stakeholders stands out as an excellent text on what needs to be done The charge sheet filed by SFIO in the IL&FS default case points to a criminal conspiracy by the top management to hide the worsening financial health of the company In FY2019, luxury segment sales declined 11 per cent to just 3,439 units (Liases Foras) When fuel prices were low in the early years of the previous government, it passed on only a fraction of the benefits to consumers and used the high excise duty from sale of petrol and diesel to offset the shortfall in disinvestment income In the first quarter, solar investments were lower by 12 per cent to $2.8 billion compared to investments during the same period a year ago Niche social networks bring to the digital space the way real-life networking happens and could be a gold mine for advertisers The Noida-based healthcare financing platform offers medical loans at zero per cent interest The RBI is actually talking about more stringent exposure limits for certain categories of NBFCs The damage is more in the action itself than in monetary terms as it signals tougher bilateral trade negotiations between India and the US in the coming days Of the eight banks audited in 2017/18, four were foreign banks such as Mizuho Bank, Barclays Bank Plc; three were private sector lenders such as Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank
The Insidious Enemy
If not addressed soon, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases will take a heavy toll on people, productivity & growth What differentiates business leaders who display high octane stamina and productivity from lesser mortals who also work long hours Stuck to your computer throughout the day? It could trigger a whole bunch of health issues, but fortunately, there are solutions In spite of an expanding healthcare market, prevention and wellness do not get the attention they deserve
Leaderspeak
Samit Ghosh, MD & CEO, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank After his 30-year stint as a reputed banker, Ghosh set up Ujjivan, a microfinance institution, in 2005. Twelve years later, he turned it into a small finance bank, catering to four million customers, and is now launching a digital interface to serve 40 million customers in seven years.
Time To Fix Financial Holes
The RBI and finance ministry need to work together to fix the problem properly
