Latest news with #Rs400
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
From Classrooms To The Streets: Educated Riders With Dreams On Hold
Nagpur: On almost every street, delivery workers can be seen navigating the lanes with speed and concentration. Beneath their helmets lie tales of hardship, ambition, and sacrifice. Many are graduates, students, or aspirants of competitive exams, who have turned to delivery jobs out of necessity, not choice. One delivery worker had achieved a commendable NEET score, sufficient for admission to a prestigious medical college. However, a financial crisis at home left him unable to afford the high tuition fees, forcing him to abandon his dream. Now, he spends 10 to 12 hours a day delivering food and essentials, often passing hospitals that remind him of what might have been. "Seeing people in white coats affects me," he says. "But this delivery bag is what supports my family now." Another rider, currently pursuing a BSc degree, begins his day at college and ends it delivering groceries until late at night. With no father, an ailing mother, and an elder brother working small shifts to contribute, he shoulders a significant portion of the responsibility. From medicines to daily expenses and tuition fees, both brothers combine their earnings to keep the household afloat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villa Prices in Dubai Might Be Lower Than You Think! Villa for sale in Dubai | Search Ads Learn More Undo For many like them, becoming a delivery partner is straightforward — anyone over 18 can apply with basic documents like Aadhaar, PAN, and a valid driving license. No formal education is required. Once on-boarded, the company provides a branded delivery bag, uniform, and even an electric vehicle on rent or lease. With just 4 hours of work, many earn Rs400 daily — about Rs12,000 monthly. "There's no time to complain. We just keep going," he says. A third delivery worker, who holds a diploma in mechanical engineering, lost his job during the pandemic. After months of unsuccessful job applications, he joined the delivery workforce. "I never imagined doing this after studying so hard," he says. "But I needed to stay productive and support my family." Delivery platforms also include persons with disabilities. One such delivery partner, who is not a student, works full-time using a modified electric vehicle provided by the company. Unlike others, he earns slightly more per kilometre as an incentive for being specially-abled. "I may not walk fast, but I deliver fast. And here, I feel acknowledged," he says. "Both the company and the customers treat me with respect. " These stories are not isolated — they represent a growing trend. Educated and determined young people are entering the gig economy because formal employment remains inaccessible. They carry not just food, but dreams postponed by reality. Until the system provides better opportunities, they will continue riding, quietly holding on to hope with each order.
India.com
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Aamir Khan's 2-hour 50-minute film, made on budget of Rs 55 crore, earned profit of Rs 400 crore, IMDb rating is 8.4; Movie is...
Aamir Khan is currently making headlines with his film Sitaare Zameen Par, which has earned Rs 259 crore worldwide so far and is still running in theatres. Meanwhile, today we're talking about another Aamir Khan film that gave the makers a profit of over Rs400 crore. Released 16 years ago, this film proved to be a goldmine for its producers. The movie we're talking about is a coming-of-age satirical comedy-drama, written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani under the banner of Vinod Chopra Films. The story revolves around the friendship of three engineering students. The film stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani in lead roles. You must have guessed the movie – it's 3 Idiots . This film is one of the most iconic works of Aamir Khan's career. Even after a decade and a half, audiences still love to watch it. A film that won hearts in theatres also created a storm at the box office. 3 Idiots earned nearly eight times its production budget. What was the budget of 3 Idiots? Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots was released on 25th December 2009. The film also featured Kareena Kapoor Khan, Omi Vaidya, and Mona Singh. The makers spent Rs 55 crore on this comedy-drama. How much did 3 Idiots earn? 3 Idiots created a storm at the box office. The trio of Aamir, Sharman and Madhavan left no stone unturned to win the hearts of the audience. The collection of the film at the Indian box office was recorded at Rs 202 crore. At the same time, it earned more in foreign countries than in India. It earned Rs 460 crore worldwide.
Gulf Today
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Lightning strikes kill 33 people in Indian state of Bihar
Lightning strikes during monsoon storms in eastern India this week killed at least 33 people and injured dozens, officials said on Friday. The deaths in the Indian state of Bihar occurred during fierce storms between Wednesday and Thursday, a state disaster management department statement said, with the victims mostly farmers and labourers working in the open. More heavy rain and lightning are forecast for parts of the state. Bihar state's disaster management minister, Vijay Kumar Mandal, told AFP that officials in vulnerable districts had been directed to "create awareness to take precautionary steps following an alert on lightning." The state government announced compensation of 4 million rupees ($4,600) to the families of those killed by lightning. At least 243 died by lightning in 2024 and 275 the year earlier, according to the state government. India's eastern region, including Bihar, is prone to annual floods that kill dozens and displace hundreds of thousands of people during peak monsoon season. The Meteorological Department on Friday issued a warning of heavy rainfall in West Champaran, Gopalganj, and Siwan over the next 24 hours, along with the possibility of strong winds (30-40 km/h) and lightning in north-central Bihar. In the past 24 hours, Bhagwanpur in Kaimur recorded the highest rainfall at 160.4 mm. Districts such as Vaishali, Rohtas, Aurangabad, and Madhubani also received good rainfall, helping bring down temperatures across the state. A dense cloud cover in many areas during the evening created near-night conditions, making the weather pleasant. According to the Meteorological Centre, Patna, a low-pressure area formed around southeast Uttar Pradesh and southwest Bihar is moving northwest. This will further activate the rain system in Bihar from July 20 to 23, increasing the chances of widespread rainfall across the state. Monsoon havoc has intensified, with continuous heavy rain over the last three to four days leading to rising river water levels, waterlogging, and flood-like conditions in several districts. Tragically, 19 people lost their lives in lightning incidents across 10 districts on Thursday. In Nalanda, 5 individuals lost their lives after they came under the impact of lightning strikes. As many as 4 persons were also killed in Vaishali, 2 each in Banka and Patna and 1 each in Sheikhpura, Nawada, Jamui, Aurangabad, Samastipur and Jehanabad districts. Additionally, 2 women suffered burn injuries in lightning incidents. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia of Rs400,000 each for the kin of the deceased. He has directed the Disaster Management Department to expedite relief and rehabilitation efforts across affected districts. Indo-Asian News Service
Business Recorder
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Discos's miraculous second half recovery
The Ministry of Energy (Power Division) has taken to social media and press briefings with a celebratory tone, touting a dramatic decline in inefficiency losses by discos during FY25 — from Rs591 billion in the previous year to Rs400 billion. A reduction of Rs191 billion is no small feat. But let's not lose sight of the fact that a Rs400 billion loss is still nothing short of catastrophic. It may be a better year, but it's far from a good one. What truly deserves a double take is what transpired in the second half of FY25. According to the Power Minister, recoveries surged to 96.06 percent for the full year — up from a modest 92.02 percent at the end of December 2024. That's a lot of ground covered in just six months. Some might even call it… magical. To put things into perspective: at the halfway mark of the fiscal year, discos had billed Rs3.12 trillion and collected Rs2.87 trillion — a shortfall of Rs249 billion. And then, in the remaining six months, they somehow managed to collect Rs117 billion more than what they billed. In other words, the second half of FY25 witnessed over 100 percent recovery. Approximately 3 billion units' worth of 'extra' collection materialized. Remarkable, no? Of course, consumption patterns, seasonal variations, and tariff structures differ across fiscal halves — that much is fair. But historically, it is the second half that has contributed the lion's share of inefficiency losses — about 60 percent in each of the past two years. That this trend reversed so dramatically in FY25, and with lower effective tariffs in Q4 no less, is a statistical curiosity. The Minister also claimed the recovery was the highest in history. Not quite. FY21 still holds the title at 97 percent. So while the recovery this year may be impressive, it's not unprecedented. Unless, of course, we're using a new definition of "record-breaking." Now, if the recovery side of DISCO inefficiencies is truly turning a corner — that would be welcome news. But for now, let's just say we await Nepra's State of Industry Report for a little more. Whenever it arrives. The second half of the inefficiency equation — Transmission & Distribution (T&D) losses — tells a different story. Here, performance has remained stubbornly poor. The T&D loss rate is still hovering close to 18 percent — miles away from Nepra's target of 11.4 percent. In financial terms, the 'improvement' has been a mere Rs10 billion. Hardly worth framing. Worse still, the gap between allowed and actual T&D losses is now the widest in recent memory. Over the last seven years, losses have moved within a tight band — and not in a good way. There has been little meaningful progress despite ambitious targets and consistent tariff adjustments. And let's not forget — these calculations only account for losses above the allowed threshold. The rest are already priced into consumer tariffs. So, every extra percentage point of inefficiency is a direct transfer from taxpayers and bill-payers to system leakage. In sum: one half of the disco loss problem appears to have undergone a miraculous transformation — or so we're told. The other half continues to underwhelm. Until both parts of the puzzle are fixed — with transparency and structural reform rather than spin — the sector's chronic inefficiencies will remain business as usual.
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Time of India
In 24 hrs, Ambazari, Gorewada lakes close to overflow levels, citizens fear flash flood
1 2 3 4 Nagpur: Incessant rainfall for the last three days led to a sharp rise in the water level of two major lakes — Ambazari and Gorewada — pushing them dangerously close to the overflow level, reviving fears of a repeat of the September 2023 flash floods that devastated over two dozen localities. According to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) water works department, the level of Ambazari Lake rose by 1.82 metres in 24 hours, from 314.18 metres on Tuesday to 316.00 metres on Wednesday, just 20 cm short of breaching its new overflow cut wall level of 316.20 metres. With a catchment area of 15.4 sq km, the lake has been filling up rapidly amid continuous rainfall. Gorewada Lake, another key drinking water source, recorded an even steeper rise of 2.68 metres, from 312.06 metres on Tuesday to 314.74 metres by Wednesday. With the overflow mark at the Godbole Gates at 315.65 metres, an increase in water level by just 91 cm will cause the lake to overflow. "Incessant rains along the catchment areas of both the lakes have increased the water level significantly," said a senior official from NMC's water works department. Officials are on high alert as more rainfall could force the administration to initiate controlled discharges, which might lead to flooding in low-lying areas downstream and along Nag and Pili rivers. Warnings are likely to be issued to vulnerable settlements near the lakes if levels continue to rise. Already, Nag River is flowing close to the brim at several locations. The surge in Ambazari Lake's level has alarmed citizens in areas affected by the September 23, 2023, flash floods, when the lake overflowed and inundated over 25 localities downstream and along the Nag River, including parts of Dharampeth, Ramdaspeth, Dhantoli, and low-lying colonies near Shankar Nagar. The disaster caused damages pegged at over Rs300 crore, affecting homes, businesses, and public infrastructure. Following the calamity, the civic body launched a Rs400 crore mitigation plan that includes strengthening Ambazari dam, reinforcing retaining walls along the Nag, Pili, and Pora rivers, and installing flood early warning systems. With Ambazari just centimetres away from overflowing again, residents are praying that the rains relent before history repeats itself.
