logo
Dhami flags off 20 AC mini buses to ease traffic on tourist routes

Dhami flags off 20 AC mini buses to ease traffic on tourist routes

Time of India6 days ago
Dehradun: Chief minister
Pushkar Singh Dhami
flagged off 20 new air-conditioned mini buses (tempo travellers) under the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation (UTC) during a ceremony held at his camp office in Dehradun on Monday.
Of these, 10 vehicles will operate on the Dehradun-Mussoorie route, while the rest will run between Haldwani and Nainital.
The CM said the initiative aims to ease traffic congestion on these popular tourist routes and provide passengers safe, convenient and affordable travel options. He added that if the service proves successful, more such vehicles will be introduced. To promote the new fleet, Dhami also took a brief ride in one of the mini buses from his camp office to the GTC helipad.
Highlighting the state's ongoing efforts to modernise its transport system, Dhami said these new buses will strengthen public transportation and boost economic and tourism-related activities. He emphasised the govt's commitment to connecting every region of the state with reliable road networks and transport services.
Dhami also praised UTC's recent performance, noting that the corporation has remained profitable for the past three years, supported by reforms such as digital ticketing, online booking and tracking systems.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
He further announced that electric buses will soon be added to UTC's fleet, with the procurement process already underway. The govt is also working on employee welfare measures, including DA hike, implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and strengthening human resources through new recruitments.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Rural boost: RBI allows gold pledge for agricultural loans
Rural boost: RBI allows gold pledge for agricultural loans

Time of India

time13 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Rural boost: RBI allows gold pledge for agricultural loans

Representative image MUMBAI: A new directive issued by the RBI permits banks to accept voluntary pledges of gold or silver from borrowers seeking agricultural and MSME loans, even within the limits traditionally classified as "collateral-free". This will help small borrowers, particularly in rural India, get easier terms on their loans. According to the circular issued on July 11, banks may now accept household gold and silver as collateral for loans under Rs 2 lakh, provided the pledge is voluntary. "This regulatory clarification ensures that a borrower's choice to pledge personal gold or silver does not disqualify them from collateral-free benefits," a banker said. The change is expected to enhance financial inclusion. In rural India, gold remains the most liquid household asset. By allowing its use as security, banks can process loans faster, especially critical during sowing seasons or emergencies. Gold-backed loans are easier to disburse, reducing dependence on informal moneylenders and tightening repayment discipline. In 2023, the RBI had asked banks to classify all loans that were advanced against the security of jewellery as 'gold loans'. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Các chỉ số toàn cầu đang biến động — Đã đến lúc giao dịch! IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo However, this reclassification also meant that banks would need to apply the stricter repayment norms that are applicable to gold loans, unlike loans to farmers, where some flexibility is provided for the seasonality of income. Because of the reclassification, the gold loan portfolio of public sector banks almost doubled last year. Banks, in turn, benefit from a lower risk profile. Secured lending makes it easier to expand credit to underserved rural borrowers. The move could also help banks meet priority sector lending goals. The rules permit only physical gold and silver, such as jewellery, ornaments and coins, as collateral. Financial products like gold ETFs, mutual funds, or digital gold are excluded. This distinction aims to keep volatility in check and lending standards robust. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

44% of engineering students eye gig work: Autonomy, skills, and extra cash drive trend; says NASSCOM report
44% of engineering students eye gig work: Autonomy, skills, and extra cash drive trend; says NASSCOM report

Time of India

time13 minutes ago

  • Time of India

44% of engineering students eye gig work: Autonomy, skills, and extra cash drive trend; says NASSCOM report

HYDERABAD: Be it for the flexibility, the chance to make some extra money, or for skill development, gig work has become the go-to option for students in higher educational institutions in recent times. According to the Building the Next Generation of Tech Professionals report, released by NASSCOM recently, 44% of students are interested in gig work or freelancing. Reasons range from the autonomy it offers, increased access, and educational and institutional support. The survey was conducted in over 200 engineering colleges. "Apart from regular internships and projects, I took up several projects, right from my second year of BTech to build my resume," said Karthikeya B, who completed his BTech in 2025 and secured a job with Rs 40 lakh as annual package. He added: "While my coursework focused on web development using Python, I learned and did projects on web development using Java scripts on the side. In my third year, I did projects based on machine learning, deep learning, and cyber security. " You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The freshly minted engineer said it is his interest in Java which helped him crack job interview. He got placed in first semester of his fourth year in a US-based company. Another student, Shiva Krishna C, a final-year mechanical engineering student, said he took up freelancing to earn a passive income. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like All-Business Class da Milano-New York La Compagnie Scopri di più Undo "Right now, there is a huge demand for digital marketing and content creation as we have many social media influencers. To earn while studying B Tech, I learned image and video editing using YouTube and now charge influencers for making thumbnails for memes and video editing," said a student of JNTUH University College of Engineering, Science & Technology. He said that this gig work will help him earn a livelihood if he fails to secure a job after engineering or will become a source of side income in the future. "I am also doing projects on user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) to stand out from the crowd during placements," he added. Faculty in these colleges say that they are encouraging students to take up various projects and internships, as coursework alone will not help them secure a job or build their own firm. "Those students who work on building their resume right from the start and are putting efforts to acquire various skills and are getting high-paying jobs," said Bangarraju Jampana, TPO, BV Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT) adding students too have realised the importance of taking up projects or internships to gain practical exposure.

Market very delicately poised; any bad news and we run the risk of downside: Aashish Somaiyaa
Market very delicately poised; any bad news and we run the risk of downside: Aashish Somaiyaa

Time of India

time14 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Market very delicately poised; any bad news and we run the risk of downside: Aashish Somaiyaa

Aashish Somaiyaa , CEO, WhiteOak Capital AMC , says India's domestic economic condition is currently better than last year but external macro factors are preventing any significant upside. The market is delicately balanced, vulnerable to negative news. Investor behavior remains consistent. Net inflows decreased when the market dropped to 22,000. Confidence returned as the market reached new highs. Enthusiasm at lower levels would have been ideal. Somaiyaa also says stock picking has become more effective recently after a period dominated by macro trends. Domestic micro factors are expected to improve, but external factors like the US economy, tariffs, and geopolitics create uncertainty and may limit potential gains. What is your view on the market texture as we are seeing a lot of volatility contingent scenarios and uncertainties coming from the globe front? At the same time, the latest AMFI data show that the conviction of the market participants in the equity markets is still intact. Aashish Somaiyaa: Yes, the market is a bit delicately poised because it has not been going anywhere for months. September '24 onwards, we have been range bound, that is where we made the last peak; a couple of months earlier, we went down below 22,000 and obviously we have just been going nowhere. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo The way things are stacked up, as far as domestic economic conditions are concerned, we are doing better than probably a year back at the same time. That maybe is giving some downside protection and the external macro is preventing any upside. So, on balance, we are very delicately poised, any bad news and we run the risk of downside. As far as flows are concerned, that habit does not seem to be changing because two-three months back when we went down to 22,000, there was a reduction in net inflows. We saw discussions about stoppage of SIPs and in June, when we started making new highs, the confidence seems to have been restored so that the basic behavioural psychology does not seem to change. It would have been great to see so much enthusiasm at 22,000, but yes, that is how things have been. What will take the markets out of this range? Could it be global news, could it be something on the earnings front because right now there is nothing on the horizon which will generate fear or generate upside momentum? Aashish Somaiyaa: Yes, that is why I stuck my neck out and said that there is more risk for downside because when generally we say when there is no news, it is good news but not necessarily so for the market because if there is any surprise lurking around the corner, then we are poised for risk. Live Events You Might Also Like: Nifty headed to 28,000? Abhishek Banerjee on global risks, rupee, and sector bets As for the earnings, there has been some improved trajectory, at least what we saw on 31st March and 30th June. Obviously we are just seeing the numbers. In March there were some positives in the smallcaps and midcaps or when we look at the broader earnings rather than just the front line, because it always starts with it and then spreads out. As we go along, maybe the earnings trajectory needs to continue. Secondly, as far as the external environment is concerned, when the trade deals are announced and if there is any positive news on that or maybe the earnings, then maybe we break out into a new area. If it continues like this, then I am afraid that eventually people will lose momentum. With respect to the earnings, help us understand any sector you are building your hopes on at this point in time because we have seen IT major TCS disappoint and other stocks are reacting to that. Which are the other sectors that you are building your hopes on? Aashish Somaiyaa: There are no clear sectoral bets. When the March quarter result season ended and by the time we went into May, the realisation came about that if you look at the broader performance across midcaps and smallcaps, on balance, that turned out to be the positive. This time around, if we get the trajectory to be broad, if we find a broadening in terms of the earnings, that will be the positive thing to look at, and not necessarily betting on any sector. We generally never bet on sectors but right now I am finding our portfolios are fully focused on bottom-up and I do not find very many. If I benchmark with the BSE 500, I do not find very many stark underweights or overweights as far as our team is concerned and we generally manage portfolios which are reasonably balanced. Yes, we do have underweights and overweights. Right now, we are not actually sticking out heavily into any sector really. The portfolios are reasonably balanced. It is only the bottom-up that we are watching for and that is why I said that if what began in March continues, it will be great rather than worrying about any one sector. You Might Also Like: US Stock Market outlook: S&P 500, Dow Jones, Nasdaq projections made by experts If that is the game, then tell us about the benchmarks versus the broader markets. It is always a debate whether to stick with the benchmarks or shift to the broader markets. Last quarter, Nifty 50 companies grew only 3.5% while the next 450 companies grew over 20%. So, how should the market participants decide and draw their portfolios? Aashish Somaiyaa: That is precisely what I was alluding to. If I have to name themes, the first is that the BSE 500 is what we generally benchmark with. Yes, of course, we manage a largecap fund where the top 100 is our benchmark, but by and large, whether it is Flexicap, whether it is Quality, Special Opportunities, Large and Mid, for most of our funds, the benchmark is the BSE 500. Even for our PMS AIF, BSE 500 is the index to watch. From that perspective, where we are slightly overweight would be themes related to industrials and manufacturing. But there again, more of the midcaps and smallcaps. We are overweight on consumer discretionary. Financials in totality we may not be overweight vis-à-vis BSE 500, but the composition is very different. Apart from the banks and the usual suspects, it is more NBFCs and capital market companies. The last one where I find significant overweight is healthcare. These are the broad areas where one finds more ideas and more overweights, but yes, I hope that the breadth is what we can get. On one side, there is good macro, REITSs, liquidity. The second side is macro which is expensive. When do you see macro deteriorating or micro becoming better? Aashish Somaiyaa: Counterintuitively, to be honest, the last six to nine months is good for people like us because stock picking is working. Personally I found that 2023 and the first half of 2024 was difficult because it was all hot hands . – whether you are in smallcap or not, whether you are in PSUs or not, whether you are in railway, infrastructure, defence. So, either you are in or you are out. It is the macro, the top down which really determines. That is the environment we were in in 2023 and early part of 2024. The last eight-nine months have been great for stock pickers because the alpha is coming back very sharply and that is why I have been harping on the breadth and the bottom up. Coming to your question, I feel that the case for the domestic micro continuing to improve is probably what one is watching out for and that is highly likely. But if you see the externals, the upside gets capped there because of two or three reasons. One is that we are going through a time correction. One year back, where we were on our micro and our fundamentals were not looking encouraging. Only in the last six months, has there been a change of RBI policy, a change of liquidity, and stabilisation of the rupee. You Might Also Like: Q1 results boom: 11 companies set to double profits with up to 2,500% surge. Own any? A lot of things have started working for us only in the last six months. There is a high probability of domestic conditions improving, but the external macro is completely unpredictable with the US economy, the tariffs, as well as the geopolitics. There are many hot spots in the world which are lurking to cause escalations and turbulence. I am afraid it is going to be boring for some more time, that is my sense.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store