Latest news with #RaviSharma
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
In a first, change brews with tea gardens in Kathua's Billawar
Taking a leaf out of the Kangra tea gardens in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur, the agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a tea plantation drive in the hilly Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. Taking a leaf out of the Kangra tea gardens in Himachal Pradesh's Palampur, the agriculture department of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a tea plantation drive in the hilly Billawar tehsil of Kathua district. (HT Photo) The initiative is being seen as a landmark step towards diversification from the maize-wheat cycle as the region's temperate climate and altitude of 5,000 feet is suitable for the cash crop. 'The region's climate and soil conditions, particularly across the Shivalik range, are akin to Palampur for tea cultivation. More than 20,000 tea saplings have been sourced from Palampur and planted in Billawar by over 500 farmers. Though we have done it on an experimental basis, we are confident of fruitful results. The crop will be ready in a year and a half,' says sub divisional agriculture officer Ravi Sharma. 'If this pilot project proves to be successful, more such plantation drives will be taken up across the region. The aim is to make villagers here self-reliant,' he said. Billawar MLA Satish Sharma, who inaugurated the plantation drive recently, had raised the issue of cultivating tea in Billawar during the budget session in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in March given the conducive climate and soil conditions though the region gets less rain than Palampur. 'Subsequently, the director of the agriculture department got in touch with the agricultural university in Palampur and we roped in more than 500 farmers in Billawar, where three clusters have been set up,' the agriculture officer said. Assuring growers of round-the-clock support from the department, he urged them to stay updated and avail benefits of departmental schemes and technical services. 'The yield can be processed here itself. We will definitely increase the area under tea cultivation next year,' he said. Additional deputy commissioner Vinay Khosla termed the initiative path-breaking. He urged young farmers to become active stakeholders in such projects and said the government was committed to rural transformation under the Mission Yuva campaign. Palampur tea, popularly known as Kangra tea, is known for its delicate flavour, fruity aroma, and tinge of honey-like sweetness. The drive was inaugurated on July 24. Local farmers have adopted the tea plantation as they anticipate higher income compared to wheat and maize. 'We adopted tea plantation because the climatic conditions in Billawar are similar to Palampur. For lesser rains, we have installed drip system wherein water droplets keep irrigating the saplings,' said Lokesh Sumbria, one of the farmers, who has adopted tea plantation. Sumbria has planted 250 saplings on his farm at Kishanpur Billawar. 'There is a positive response to the initiative by agriculture department. We have been cultivating wheat and maize but farmers should also try something new,' he added. Another farmer Rakesh Kumar said that tea was a favourite beverage across India and that's why tea estates have been thriving in north-east and Himachal Pradesh. 'We are confident of getting fruitful results and who knows that J&K also become a major producer of tea leafs in the times to come and change socio economics condition of farmers here,'he added.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
24-07-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
India credit, charge card payment market to cross $300bn in 2025: Report
India's credit and charge card payments market is projected to grow by 14 per cent in 2025 to reach Rs 25.4 trillion ($303.9 billion), driven by rising consumer preference for non-cash transactions, suggests a latest report by GlobalData, a leading London-based leading data and analytics firm. According to the report, India saw a growth of 27.9 per cent in credit and charge card payments value in 2023, and continued its growth trajectory with 15.3 per cent growth to reach the Rs 22.3 trillion ($266.5 billion) mark in 2024. Despite lower penetration than debit cards, GlobalData believes, credit and charge cards are highly preferred for payments. Payment frequency for these (credit and charge) cards, their repost suggests, is expected to reach 54.2 times a year in 2025 — much higher than for debit cards. "With the expansion of the middle-class workforce, increasing incomes, and heightened awareness of credit card benefits—fueled by banks' promotional campaigns—the adoption and utilisation of credit cards are on the rise,' said Ravi Sharma, Lead Banking and Payments Analyst at GlobalData. Total card spends Meanwhile, total card spends decreased during Jun 2025 (Rs 1.83 trillion versus Rs.1.90 trillion in May 2025), suggests a report by IDBI Capital. Credit Card spends decreased by around 3.6 per cent month-on-month (versus a rise of around 3 per cent in April 2025). Total number of cards in force stood at around 111.2 million as of May 2025 (up by around 7 per cent YoY). Net new card additions in June 2025 were almost 'nil', indicating a cautious or subdued sentiment among lenders towards unsecured loans, the IDBI Capital report said. Credit card volume That said, they expect card spends to gradually increase in the coming months of fiscal 2025-26 (FY26) supported by the festive season and other consumption tailwinds. 'Net new card additions are expected to see some improvement in FY26 though lenders will priorities on better credit quality as well as focus on cross-sell to existing customers rather than aggressive acquisitions,' said Bunty Chawla, an analyst tracking the sector at IDBI Capital. Market dominance Credit and charge cards, GlobalData said, dominated in terms of payment card transaction value, accounting for 81 per cent of the total in 2024. This it attributed to the value-added benefits that are provided to incentivise credit and charge card payments, such as discounts and cashback. 'The ongoing shift from cash to electronic payments, availability of pricing benefits on credit and charge cards and increasing merchant acceptance are expected to further boost credit and charge card usage. The credit and charge card market are expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5 per cent between 2025 and 2029 to reach Rs 39.3 trillion ($470.1 billion) in 2029.' An important factor contributing to this uptrend in India, GlobalData believes, is the availability of installment facilities. Notably, rising e-commerce payments in the country also contributed to the overall growth in credit and charge cards, accounting for 11.2 per cent of total e-commerce transaction value in 2024, the report said. "This can be attributed to the benefits offered with credit and charge cards for online payments," GlobalData report said.
Al Etihad
23-07-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE-backed IRH's investment drives revival of Zambia's Mopani Copper Mines
23 July 2025 11:54 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)A transformative investment led by the UAE's International Resources Holding (IRH) has fuelled a strong revival at Zambia's Mopani Copper Mines, one of Africa's most strategically important copper assets. A year after IRH became Mopani's majority shareholder, production is up, jobs have been created, and long-term expansion plans are underway. Mopani's latest operational update, presented to suppliers and community leaders in Kitwe on July 18, 2025, revealed a 35% increase in ore production, alongside a 14% rise in copper grades and a 54% boost in contained copper output in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in production surged by 103% versus the first half of 2023, prior to the acquisition. Since 2024, IRH has invested over $1.1 billion into Mopani, including $620 million in equity and $400 million in long-term funding. This substantial investment has been instrumental in securing Mopani's financial stability and driving operational improvements. It is not only the scale of investment, but also IRH's strong operational capabilities that have stabilised the business, improved performance, and laid the groundwork for future growth. Building on this momentum, Mopani is now targeting an ambitious copper production goal of 300,000 tonnes per year by 2029. An airborne geophysical survey is currently underway to identify additional reserves that could extend the life of the mine beyond 30 years. 'This is a proud moment for IRH and for the UAE,' said Ali AlRashdi, Chief Executive Officer of International Resources Holding.'Our partnership with ZCCM-IH in Mopani is a model for long-term, responsible investment. We are creating jobs, building capacity, and supporting Zambia's position in the global energy transition. Global copper demand is forecast to grow by around 70% to over 50 million tonnes a year by 2050 as the green energy transition accelerates, and our investment in Mopani means the mine can be at the forefront of enabling this change. This is the kind of impact we strive for as part of our international growth strategy.''Over the past six months, our analysis has revealed the potential to scale production to 500,000 tonnes of cathode and 28.5 million tonnes of ore,' said Ravi Sharma, Chief Operating Officer of IRH and Chairman of Mopani Copper Mines.'The economic impact - in terms of job creation and investment -speaks for itself. The progress we have made over the past year is the result of sharp vision and close collaboration. We have modernised our operations, digitised our mines, and built momentum to turnaround the operations. We maintained the Zambian workforce talent to 99.2%, alongside 0.8% of expatriates constituting strong operational turnaround skills.' Charles Sakanya, CEO of Mopani Copper Mines, described the turnaround as evidence of a shared commitment to performance and partnership, 'The next phase will be even more exciting-for Mopani, for our people, and for Zambia.' Mopani now employs over 13,000 people, having created 2,293 new roles since March 2024. The company's vendor strategy has also prioritised local value, with 80% of procurement spend in 2025 - totalling $685 million - flowing into the Zambian economy. Of this, $311 million was awarded to local Zambian companies and $374 million to Zambian-registered foreign firms. Health and education initiatives are also underway, including a $14.8 million investment in hospital Mopani's digitisation programme has made it one of the most technologically advanced mines in the region, with real-time monitoring systems, AI-supported grade control, and predictive maintenance has increased operational efficiency and safety while reducing costs. The mine's wifi infrastructure now reaches 2km underground. The Mopani investment forms part of IRH's broader strategy to develop long-term resource partnerships across Africa, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, localisation, and industrial development. The initiative aligns with the UAE's expanding investment footprint on the continent and reflects Abu Dhabi's commitment to responsible international growth.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Ramsar tag fails to arrest decline in sarus cranes at Yashwant Sagar
Indore: Despite being designated a Ramsar site three years ago, the Yashwant Sagar wetland, a crucial breeding ground for Sarus cranes and a rich avian habitat, is witnessing a worrying decline in its bird population and a degradation of its ecosystem. Conservationists warn that the prestigious international tag has yielded no tangible benefits for the wetland's protection, with detrimental activities continuing unchecked. The Nature & Wildlife Conservation & Awareness Society, which conducts annual surveys of Sarus cranes at Yashwant Sagar, released its latest findings from a survey conducted between April and the first week of July 2025. The results indicate a sharp and concerning reduction in Sarus crane congregation numbers, with a 13% drop from last year's count (from 32 to a maximum of 28 birds). This represents a staggering 68% reduction from the peak count of 76 cranes recorded in 2021. "The mere tagging of Yashwant Sagar as a Ramsar site (received in January 2022) almost three and a half years ago has not yielded any benefit to the wetland, its avifauna, or its ecosystem in terms of protection and conservation. In fact, things are going in the opposite direction," NWCAS president and ornithologist Ravi Sharma said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Luxury Living in Pimpri with 30+ Amenities Mahindra Citadel Enquire Now Undo The survey, which meticulously scanned the entire Yashwant Sagar and its surrounding areas, identified several intensifying negative trends observed over the past 4-5 years that directly or indirectly impact the avian population. "The reasons include excessive fishing activities, net entanglement risk, intensive soil digging, large-scale vegetable farming, increased tourist disturbance, direct impact of tourism infrastructure, motorised boats, and illegal poaching concerns. These combined factors are leading to a major change in the ecology of the wetland, pushing the Sarus crane population towards a critical state," Sharma said. The NGO and nature lovers have put forth several urgent suggestions to address the deteriorating situation, including prioritising conservation over beautification, promoting sustainable tourism, and curbing harmful activities along with local awareness. The society warns that "It's high time to work on Sarus cranes' protection and conservation at Yashwant Sagar, otherwise, in coming years, they will be extinct from the Indore region." The year-on-year reduction in Sarus crane numbers is a grave concern and a "red alert alarm," prompting an urgent need for further study into the causes and effective mitigation strategies.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Resident docs end strike at Udaipur's RNT Med College
Udaipur: Resident doctors at RNT Medical College in Udaipur resumed work on Monday after an 11-day strike, restoring medical services across all departments. The doctors ended the strike following assurances that the medical college and the district administration would jointly send a letter to the state govt to provide appropriate compensation to the family of Dr Ravi Sharma, who died due to electrocution from a water cooler at the college's Dilshad hostel on June 18. The doctors were also assured that action will be taken against anyone found guilty by the district-level investigation committee formed to ascertain the cause of Dr Sharma's death. The college administration will arrange group insurance for all residents, with a provision of up to Rs 50 lakh in the event of such accidental deaths. Simultaneously, all hostels will be inspected soon and a committee will be formed at the college level to address and resolve issues. During the strike, patients faced challenges including long queues and the postponement of hundreds of operations daily. TNN
