Friday, November 30, 2012

Why Mumbai erupted in joy after Pujara’s dismissal

Why Mumbai erupted in joy after Pujara’s dismissal
If ever confirmation was needed that Mumbai’s psyche is wrapped in denial, and not in sync with that of India and the world, last fortnight provided it.
Three events, and the way Mumbai took part in them, are ample testimony. Bal Thackeray’s demise, Ajmal Kasab’s execution and ‘Uncle’ Sachin Tendulkar’s debacle at the Wankhede have exposed that Mumbai refuses to accept that times have changed, that it is no longer India’s pre-eminent metro.
I think it was media personality M J Akbar who delivered a sharp rebuke more than two decades ago that Bombay should establish “diplomatic relations with India”.
That was when Bombay’s reputation as the capital of everything – media discourse, fashion, culture, high society lifestyle, corporate games, market moves, prime property, art, films, fast-and-efficient city commutes and what not – was secure. That made Bombayites so full of themselves.
Bombay was the world. The world did not exist. India – what/where was that? Oh, wasn’t it incidental that, politically and geographically, Bombay was part of India?
Last fortnight has shown things have not improved much. Mumbaikars may still rise to the national anthem at cinemas, but deep down, they resent that all their ‘glory’ has been lost (or stolen by Delhi, Bangalore and other cities), I think.
But they wish to delude themselves, or make others believe, that they still matter more than others.
Although India and the world at large do not figure much in Mumbai’s collective consciousness, Mumbaikars seek them from time to time to show the metro still exists, that it matters. So events like Bal Thackeray’s funeral or 26/11-related hanging (even if it took place in Pune) are milked dry, to deflect national and international attention on to the metro.
After all, the annual monsoon mess, of late the only event that brings copious media attention to the city, had given a miss this time. When other cities skip Test cricket, Mumbaikars descend in thousands on the Wankhede as much to reinforce their fame as aficionados of the game as to root for their favourite but furiously failing ‘God’.
If ever faced with a ‘Mumbai or India?’ quandary, the choice would be easy for Mumbaikars. Witness the way they reacted to Pujara’s dismissal in India’s second innings. They welcomed the new batting sensation to the crease alright with almighty loud screams of “Pu-ja-ra, Pu-ja-ra...”, but the moment he got out, signalling a probable defeat, there was a louder, deafening applause! What gives?
Why, ‘God’ is in next; Mumbai is in, celebrate – never mind India could be out; never mind if this is an India-England match. (By the way, Hyderabad has thrashed Mumbai in Ranji; Mumbai is no longer the cradle of Indian cricket. Even films and books are set elsewhere.)
Thackeray, Tendulkar and the Terrorist – in a sense, all of them belong(ed) to the past, but Mumbaikars needed them to feel significant in the present. That begs the question: Why is Mumbai in denial?
I can only theorise that denial and the attendant make-believe help Mumbaikars to cope with the pain of having lost their
pre-eminence and the shame of now having to negotiate sub-human conditions and sub-optimal infrastructure in the metro every day. Both denial and make-believe, I suspect, are attempts by people to take others along with themselves from reality to fantasy. But, doesn’t that perpetuate the status quo and trap one in a rut?

Ponting times retirement perfectly like his strokes

Ponting times retirement perfectly like his strokes
Perth: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Thursday announced his retirement from international cricket, telling a stunned news conference that he would be calling time on his glittering 17-year career after this week’s third Test against South Africa. Ponting has scored 13,366 runs in 167 Tests — only Sachin Tendulkar has more.

“A few hours ago I let the boys know of my decision to make this Test my last,” Ponting, who turns 38 next month, told reporters. “It’s a decision I thought long and hard about. It was based on my output and my results in this series so far. It hasn’t been what I expect of myself and certainly not the level required of a batsman in the Australia team.”

Ponting, who made his Test debut in 1995, has scored 0, 4 and 16 in his three innings in the ongoing series against South Africa. He stressed the decision to retire had not been prompted by the selectors and said it was not hard to miss out on one final Ashes contest next year because he realised he was not good enough to get there. “I’ve given cricket my all; it’s been my life for 20 years, there’s not much more I can give,” he said. Ponting will play his last Test on Friday at Perth — the ground on which he made his Test debut — and equal Steve Waugh’s Australian record of 168 Tests.

Australian skipper Michael Clarke couldn’t hold back his tears. “The boys are obviously hurting at the moment. He’s been an amazing player for a long time,” Clarke said. —Reuters

Thursday, November 29, 2012

RAIGAD HAS THE WIDEST RANGE OF OFFERINGS ACROSS PRICE-POINTS

RAIGAD HAS THE WIDEST RANGE OF OFFERINGS ACROSS PRICE-POINTS

From the new, developing nodes in Navi Mumbai's periphery, through Panvel and Karjat, to Khopoli and Alibaug, Raigad's new developing areas offer homes that arguably have the widest price points, that provide much scope for future value appreciation, says Shilpa Pandya



    The first thought that comes to mind when one mentions Raigad is Panvel and its periphery, then, one continues through the linkage to Karjat and one to Alibaug and subsequently, to Khopoli, Rasayani, etc., with high-end townships situated a few kilometres from Panvel's periphery. Within existing residential realty hot-spots, offerings include plain vanilla, standalone buildings too. Also, the central railway links destinations in more ways than one - Karjat is linked to Mumbai CST via Kalyan and also via Panvel; Thane is linked to Panvel via Kurla; a direct line via Sanpada and a third route from Diva Junction. Experts keep repeating that the three most important things in property are location, location and location. They might have added, 'price point appreciation' and this would be apt in describing most locations in Raigad.
OPTIONS: These locations offer housing options across a wide band of price points - some of the lowest entry level options are available here. From Karjat to Panvel and its peripheral region and also the locations along the Alibaug-Virar multi-modal transport corridor, offer plots, row houses, villas and apartments.
PRODUCT MIX: An upmarket ambience and leisure facilities that is considered similar to those in Mumbai, ensures that a home here is no 'compromise'. Spacious flats and row houses are a visible trend in sync with the buying capacity of buyers. Aspects like the improved infrastructure, new commercial facilities and many retail outlets are the icing on the cake. In fact, Vastu and Feng Shui compliant homes are also part of the offerings.
INFRASTRUCTURE: Railways and road linkages, coupled with the upcoming airport in Navi Mumbai, the Nhava-Sewree sea link, Alibaug-Virar multi-modal corridor, the planned linkages with Delhi Mumbai Freight Corridor, will redefine these investor-friendly areas soon.
DEVELOPER SPEAK: “A house-hunt has to start with Panvel. Take that as the cen
tre-point in terms of how jazzy the location is and also the price-point. More you go towards Vashi, the two parameters increase and if you go towards Karjat or Alibaug, the same goes a bit lower” says Manish Bathija, MD, Paradise Group. With projects in Kharghar, Taloja, Ulwe and an upcoming project in Panvel’s Pasalspha Phata, Bathija has price points and amenities at his finger-tips. At the ‘MCHICREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012’ expo, Paradise Group will offer 16 projects across Navi Mumbai.
BUZZ ABOUT RAIGAD: The Navi Mumbai Airport,

the Alibaug-Virar multimodal corridor and the Trans Harbour Sea Link are among the infrastructure projects which promise to bring in a paradigm change.
LIFESTYLE:
    
Serene, quiet, with verdant greenery and in the lap of mother nature, homes in Raigad are just a hop, skip and jump away from Navi Mumbai and Mumbai is just another jump ahead.

It started off as an alternative to Mumbai but has ended up becoming the defining part of the creation of a megalopolis

IT ’STHE CITY OF A HOME BUYER S DREAMS

It started off as an alternative to Mumbai but has ended up becoming the defining part of the creation of a megalopolis that will stretch from Mumbai to Pune. Navi Mumbai is easily 'centre perfect' - be it Thane or Kalyan-Dombivli and beyond or SoBo/western suburbia. It even straddles the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Mumbai-Goa highway; via Thane, it links to the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway too; there’s little that you won’t find in Navi Mumbai, says Kamlesh Pandya



    When it comes to being a residential real estate destination, a place to call 'home', Navi Mumbai scores again on central location and connectivity aspects. From the established nodes like Vashi and Sanpada to new, developing nodes like Ulwe and Roadpali, locations along the Thane-Sanpada railway line, like Airoli and Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai has arguably, the widest choice in terms of locations, budgets and types of homes located within one city.
    Navi Mumbai comprises of 14 self-contained nodal townships, which are strung along the mass rapid transport corridors; these are planned to minimise travel time between the nodes and neighbouring cities. The city's economic muscle is driven by the major wholesale markets and industrial belts, which are evenly distributed in the outer areas. Near its periphery is the JNPT, which has logged some of the largest sea-cargo movement in the western India. From commercial hubs to intervening nodes, these are predominantly residential settlements. Each Navi Mumbai node is self-contained with educational, health, social, religious, cultural, sports and recreational facilities.
    With high-end homes, in what is the answer to south Mumbai's Marine Drive, Palm Beach Road and Seawoods, Navi Mumbai offers some of the 'most happening' real estate options. Ulwe is the latest 'star' with a global
property consultant suggesting, it has the potential to grow at a rate faster than other locations across the MMR - Navi Mumbai's real estate is on a roll.
    With its planned development and serene ambience, coupled with superior infrastructure, Navi Mumbai has emerged as an ideal residential-cum-commercial destination. The nodes like Ulwe, Kharghar, Taloja, Airoli and Koparkhairne offer something for every home seeker, from the entry-level buyers to the HNIs. Additionally, an 'investor friendly' region, with real estate options that offer lucrative prices and value appreciation options, Navi Mumbai shares a common link with the central suburbs: the central railway. The new airport which is coming up near Panvel has ensured that the city 'takes off' - this city also has a crucial role to play, being the link between the urban sprawl of Mumbai and Pune.
OPTIONS: These locations which also have linkages with the central railway, offer some of the most amazing housing projects across a wide band of price points. In fact, some of the lowest entry level options are available here.
PRODUCT MIX: The city of the new millennium offers home seekers a wide range of property options. Mulund is just across the creek at Airoli and Vashi is hop, skip and
jump away from Chembur-Ghatkopar. Navi Mumbai offers home seekers locations where real estate offers amenities and facilities at high levels and at price points which are moderate. HNI buyers interest at higher price points in this city has ensured that builders create new projects with bigger homes, better amenities and an abundance of greenery too. An upmarket ambience and leisure facilities that is considered similar to those in Mumbai, ensures that a home here is no 'compromise'.
INFRASTRUCTURE: Rail and road links are excellent and are poised to get even bet
ter. The metro network will bring nodes even closer; the multi-modal transport linkage will make it easier to access the city. The Sewree-Nhava trans-harbour link, the new airport, the multi-modal transport terminal at Panvel are among the infrastructure projects that will go a long way in making Navi Mumbai truly the 'city of the new millennium'.
BUZZ ABOUT NAVI MUMBAI: Residential options to suit every budget, organised retail and entertainment, education institutions, transport linkages which make it the centre of Mumbai-Pune and also the jumping off point for Mumbai-Goa: Navi Mumbai is a safe and serene location.
LIFESTYLE: The city of the new millennium offers residents a lifestyle of the new world.

Why should a home seeker make his dream home, a reality in Navi Mumbai?

Q: Why should a home seeker make his dream home, a reality in Navi Mumbai?
    
A: The answer is simple - it is 'advantage Navi Mumbai'. CIDCO adopted a polycentric pattern of planning and development of Navi Mumbai. It prepared a master plan in October 1975 which was approved by the government in August 1971. It is being modified from time to time as per the needs. The pattern ensured balanced land and even distribution of residential areas, job centres, wholesale markets, non-polluting industry and population density.
    The 14 self-contained nodal townships are strung along the mass rapid transport corridors, designed to minimise travel time and distance between nodes and neighbouring cities. The major wholesale markets and industrial belts are evenly distributed in outer areas. Intervening nodes are predominantly for residential settlements. Each node is selfcontained with education, health, social, religious, cultural, sports and recreational facilities.
Q: Why should a home seeker visit the MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012?
    
A: As an official body representing developers in Mumbai and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), the MCHICREDAI is the organiser of property exhibitions which are considered to be one of the best platforms to find one's dream house at affordable price points. MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012 is part of the same series of property exhibitions that one sees in BKC or in kalyan/Mira-Bhayandar. Over the years, MCHI-CREDAI has gained the trust of home seekers and MCHICREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012 will carry forward the same sentiments.
Q: What makes the MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012 important for Navi Mumbai home seekers?
    
A: From high-end premium homes to homes that fit mid-range budgets and also affordable housing, Navi Mumbai offers homes across a wide price band.
For home seekers, it is the perfect venue - the one stop shop where the MCHI-CREDAI will showcase a wide range of properties under one roof for the convenience of the home seekers.
Q: What makes an MCHI-CREDAI property exhibition one of the best platforms to find one's dream house?
    
A: Over the years, the MCHI-CREDAI has built a reputation of trust and transparency, drawing more than 3,00,000 satisfied families to its exhibitions in various locations in
Mumbai and the MMR. For a home seeker looking to make a dream home into a reality, the MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012 will provide some of the best options.
Q: What will be different from other property exhibitions at the MCHI-NMR - Property exhibition 2012 expo?
    
A: It is not just about property and home finance. The expo will also have stalls by social institutions like Lions International,
ISKCON, Tafisa, Cancer Aid organisations and so on. It is not just about square feet of constructed space but also about lifestyles. We have these organisations participating in the expo as our gesture towards social responsibility.
Q: If you had to sum up the expo in one sentence it would be?
    
A: The MCHI-NMR - Property exhibition 2012 expo is poised to be the gateway, the much needed impetus to initiate and ensure the phenomenal growth that is to be seen for the city of Navi Mumbai and district of Raigad in the very near future.


If one had to describe Raigad-Navi Mumbai's retail trends, the focus would have to be on the experience aspect: shopper's delight is what drives organised retail in Navi Mumbai and Raigad, says Ami Pandya

RETAIL THERAPY: SHOPPING COMFORT

If one had to describe Raigad-Navi Mumbai's retail trends, the focus would have to be on the experience aspect: shopper's delight is what drives organised retail in Navi Mumbai and Raigad, says Ami Pandya



    If shopping is to be considered as 'therapy', then residents of Navi Mumbai and Raigad have some of the best 'treatments' available across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). How does this help define a residential conglomeration? It is simple - it 'ups' the lifestyle quotient, says management student Nivedita Shetty. "Across Raigad district and in Navi Mumbai, Vashi is easily the mall capital, giving residents from Karjat to Alibaug and Panvel, to locations beyond, the perfect venue to shop, be it for necessities or luxury products," she adds. Does organised retail help a home seeker define where his/her future home will be? "Yes," answers Arvind Goel, president, Navi Mumbai Unit, MCHI-CREDAI. "For an urban conglomeration that boasts of being 'the city of the new millennium', Navi Mumbai's shopping options - organised retail have kept pace with the 'new millennium' aspect. Some of the best brands and retail chains have made successful forays into Navi Mumbai and from hyper marts to luxury brands, all seem to have found the customer base that actually 'buys' as compared to 'footfalls' which do not always translate into retail sales," he explains.
    Calligrapher and design guru Achyut Palav, a Navi Mumbai resident, has seen retail options grow exponentially. "Obviously, there are customers from Raigad and Navi Mumbai who buy or why else would retail outlets find Navi Mumbai attractive enough to 'settle down' and also grow in terms of additional outlets?'' he questions.
    Rajesh Prajapati, president, Raigad Unit, MCHI-CREDAI, shares that retail trends in Panvel, Raigad and Navi Mumbai, when viewed from the shopper's perspective, offer a wide array of shopping options across different price points. ''So, from a hyper market to a premium luxury retail brand, this conglomeration with Panvel at the centre, Raigad on one side and Navi Mumbai on the other, offers the entire range that a shopper would want,'' he points out.
    From the retail outlet's perspective too, the Raigad-Navi Mumbai region has scored high, feels Palav. ''Given that the 'mall culture' is fast growing, the potential for a retail outlet in the Raigad-Navi Mumbai region is high,'' he adds.
    In Raigad as also in Navi Mumbai, the 'mall culture' is growing fast, informs Shetty. ''The cosmopolitan population of the region which is literate and the growing youth culture, has given a boost to shopping in malls. The rising nuclear family concept with high income and disposable cash in hand has added flair. Raigad, as also Navi Mumbai, have become a shopper's paradise as all leading brands are present,'' she points out.

    It is Navi Mumbai's strong points as a city that make it an attractive retail destination, states Mohanjeet Singh, president, Navi Mumbai Unit of National Association of Realtors. ''If one looks at the MMR, Raigad and Navi Mumbai comprise the most progressive, fastest growing urban conglomeration. It is fast becoming a 'self sufficient and self reliant city'. Retail in India is driven by the young, educated and salaried population. More than 63 per cent of Navi Mumbai's population is below 35 years and Raigad has similar statistics,” he adds. “Additionally, in Navi Mumbai and most parts of Raigad, we see world class infrastructure and quality spaces, devoid of slums and shanties unlike in Mumbai. The

population of Navi Mumbai has been seeing over a 100 per cent decadal growth rate and in all probability it is going to touch five to six million within next five to six years and Raigad will follow suit. So, the future of retail is great in Raigad-Navi Mumbai,'' he feels. Singh further adds that when it comes to retail, Navi Mumbai's Vashi, wins hands down over the remaining suburban destinations on the central railway's suburban section. "Palm Beach Galleria, City Centre, Centre One, RaghuLeela Mall, Inorbit Mall and Hawre Fantasia, are some of the larger malls here," he lists down. Reliance and Walmart have plans to base their cash and carry format retail option in Raigad and Navi Mumbai in a big way. International brands like Bose, Mont Blanc etc., are present here with many more in the offing. High end salons like Juice, L'Oreal, Habibs, Enriche,
Kaya, etc., are in Vashi and a world famous salon brand from the USA is reportedly, coming up soon,'' he shares.
    Manohar Shroff, honorary secretary, Navi Mumbai Unit MCHI-CREDAI takes up 'retail therapy' for Raigad-Navi Mumbai. “The retail trend is very strong across Navi Mumbai and locations in Raigad, although organised retail tends to cluster in Vashi. Across the various nodes of Navi Mumbai, as also locations in Raigad, there exists good infrastructure and proper connectivity and I foresee growth in the days to come. The future of Raigad's and Navi Mumbai's retail market is going to be very good,'' he smiles. Vikas Bhamre, honorary secretary, MCHI - CREDAI Raigad Unit concurs with 'retail

therapy'. ''In general, Raigad and Navi Mumbai have always experienced an upward trend in the retail market. This is due to meticulous planning, infrastructure facilities and continuous improvement that local bodies have provided. If one has to compare the retail trend of Raigad-Navi Mumbai with those in the neighbouring conglomerations, like KDMC/Thane/Mumbai's suburban locations, Raigad and Navi Mumbai are definitely the better option,'' he clearly states, adding that he sees 'a great future' for retail in Navi Mumbai.
    Palav points out that Navi Mumbai's retail outlets attract not just local shopaholics. He usually finds shoppers from Chembur, Ghatkopar, Mulund, Thane, Panvel and even Pen-Alibaug, shopping at the malls in Navi Mumbai. ''It is truly a shoppers' paradise,'' he signs off.

'RAIGAD DISTRICT HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT DESTINATION '

'RAIGAD DISTRICT HAS BECOME AN IMPORTANT DESTINATION '

Rajesh Prajapati, president, MCHI Raigad Unit, has created real estate projects across Raigad, Navi Mumbai and Panvel, apart from other locations across India. He shares his thoughts on the exhibition, with Kamlesh Pandya


Q: Why should a home seeker make his dream home a reality in Raigad?
    
A: Raigad district has become an important destination on the Mumbai-Pune and Mumbai-Goa business corridor. With its close proximity to the national highways, upcoming educational institutes, corporate offices, adequate infrastructure and systematic development plans by the government; Raigad is on the fast track to growth. According to a recent survey, Raigad district has shown an extremely handsome growth in urbanisation at 81.89 per cent (as against the national growth of 32 per cent and 23 per cent for the state of Maharashtra). Considering that the adjoining satellite city of Navi Mumbai along with the district of Thane is on the verge of reaching saturation point, the district of Raigad easily scores over to be the immediate frontier and the most preferred destination for home seekers. With an increased and efficient transport system and
with a proposed metro rail network and international airport, Raigad with an area of more than 7000 sq kms has a lot to offer a home seeker.
Q: Why should a home seeker visit the MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012?
    
A: With Navi Mumbai and Raigad emerging as the new hot realty destinations, the developers representative body's, MCHI-CREDAI's units here, have planned the first ever joint property exhibition from November 30 to December 03, 2012. It is a 'don't miss' event for home seekers, given the trust and confidence that the MCHI-CREDAI inspires.
Q: What makes the MCHICREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012 important for Raigad home seekers?
    
A: There has been an unprecedented level of interest among home buyers across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) for Raigad as a proper
ty destination. This is due to the all round development in the region, coupled with the government's ambitious mega projects such as the Navi Mumbai airport, the metro services and extension of passenger rail network.
Q: What makes an MCHI
CREDAI property exhibition one of the best platforms to find one's dream house?
    
A: Not just a dream house,
but one that also comes at an affordable price point. The MCHI-CREDAI stamp of assurance provides a trust factor to home buyers in search of their dream house. It has been built up over the years and at the 'MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012', the same will hold true.
Q: What will be different from other property exhibitions at the MCHI-NMR - Property exhibition 2012 expo?
    
A: To my mind, it would be the special advisory pavilion which will give visitors free advise on legal, society and architectural and interior design related matters at the expo.
Q: If you had to sum up the expo in one sentence, it would be? A: The 'MCHI-NMR Property exhibition 2012' expo will be a showcase, where home seekers will witness a rare combination of nature-friendly living and modern lifestyle, at pricepoints which fit their budget.

NAVI MUMBAI AND RAIGAD: DREAM HOMES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

NAVI MUMBAI AND RAIGAD:
DREAM HOMES OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM

For home seekers looking out for their 'dream homes', some of the best options can be found at the 'MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012' expo, says Shilpa Pandya



    For home seekers looking for their dream home to become a reality, the 'MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012' expo promises to be the ideal option. Rajesh Prajapati, president, MCHI Raigad Unit, explains how the joint exhibition results in properties of a wide range being available. "There has to be one home in the exhibition which will suit a home seeker's budget and requirements," he smiles.
    Arvind Goel, president, MCHI-Navi Mumbai, concurs and adds that the residential locations covered in the exhibition, offer homes of different types, with amenities and facilities that are in sync with the expectation of potential home buyers. "From nodes of Navi Mumbai to Panvel and locations which come under Raigad MCHI, the choice available will be wide
enough to suit everyone's requirements," he informs.
    It is not just the end-user who stands to gain. For those looking at an investment op
tion, real estate is an asset which has grown to be the preferred one and the 'MCHICREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012' expo will also offer investment opportunities that will be relevant for years to come, says Manohar Shroff, honorary secretary, MCHI Navi Mumbai Unit.
    "The expo is poised to be the gateway, the much needed impetus to initiate and ensure the phenomenal growth
that is to be seen for Navi Mumbai and locations in the Raigad District in the very near future," adds Vikas Bhamre, honorary secretary, MCHI-CREDAI Raigad Unit.
    It begins from Vashi and extends along two railway lines - the one from Sanpada to Thane and the one to Panvel, says Mohanjeet Singh, president of the Navi Mumbai unit of national Association of Realtors - India. "Navi Mumbai was at first, a satellite township dependent on Mumbai for just about everything. Today, it is a selfcontained city and locations beyond Panvel - the Raigad MCHI Unit areas, together offer a win-win situation for home seekers. Navi Mumbai and Raigad have now scaled the next level - the twin destinations are on their way to becoming a 'global city'," he adds.
    Goel says, Navi Mumbai and Panvel's peripheral areas have undergone a tremendous change. "In the recent years, this change has been even more evident in the areas of quality residential projects, academic institutions, malls and five star hospitality establishments," he points out. Across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Navi Mumbai and Raigad attract discerning home seekers across a wide budget range, he says. "The biggest USP of Navi Mumbai, which reflects in its growth story, is the sheer range of homes, across locations and price points that range from 'plain-vanilla, stand alone' to 'super premium luxury'. From LIG through MIG and HIG to HNIs, Navi Mumbai has a home to suit all requirements," he adds. "It is a similar scenario across the region which begins from Karjat and goes through Panvel to Rasayani and Pen to locations like Alibaug in Raigad district," adds Goel.
    What really makes a home in Navi Mumbai and Raigad special is the character of the twin locations: both offer wide, open spaces, verdant green cover and arguably, the smoothest traffic flow in the entire MMR. "Apart from
these aspects, ideal sized homes to suit requirements are something that Navi Mumbai and Raigad entices home seekers wherein world class amenities are a given," says Prajapati. It is not just the HNI buyers looking out for premium homes, even budget home seekers find Navi Mumbai and Raigad interesting and probably, the best place to find their dream homes, he says. "A large number of nodes across Navi Mumbai in varying stages of development mean that there is something for everyone, especially for the discerning home seeker - from the entry level buyer to the IT professional, ditto for locations across Raigad district. Since many of the nodes are still being developed, there is ample scope for home seekers - all categories included, to get a 'preferred' direction facing home at a 'preferred' floor, something that is difficult in other parts of the MMR," he adds.
    The primary factors driving Raigad and Navi Mumbai's property growth are growth of infrastructure and the aspect of being wellplanned. "There are gardens, recreational facilities, job opportunities and all the necessities of life. Most importantly, Raigad and Navi Mumbai offer a global lifestyle with malls, eating out opportunities, hospitality brands and entertainment options. Thus, the residential projects here are increasingly attracting people from across the MMR who want a better quality of life," opines Bhamre.
    A number of locations have already attained high profile status, says Goel. "For instance, Palm Beach Road is considered Navi Mumbai's equivalent of Marine Drive. Luxurious apartments offering panoramic views along this stretch are greatly in demand.

    Similarly, Kharghar has emerged as a major node, thanks to its proximity to the upcoming international airport and the educational facility that has fuelled Navi Mumbai's growth," he shares.
    “The ‘MCHI-CREDAI's Navi Mumbai-Raigad Property 2012’ expo will definitely provide home seekers with options which will make their dream homes, a reality”, states Yogesh Thakkar, partner, Nisarg Nirmaan Developers. “We will offer homes in our almost ready project, Hyde Park, which is one of the larger projects in Kharghar. “It is an environmentfriendly project that offers 775 flats and is equidistant from the two metro stations,” he adds.
    “Navi Mumbai is witnessing buyers' demand because it now has an
identity of its own. The booming IT-sector in Navi Mumbai with companies like Reliance Corporate Park, Dhirubhai Ambani Knowledge City, Patni Computers, L&T Infotech, Mastek Ltd, etc., have contributed to its image,” points out the president of MCHI-Navi Mumbai. From Khopoli to Rasayani, there are hidden gems in Raigad's residential realty offerings. The outskirts of Karjat and Panvel offer a wide range, from high-end villas to budget homes. The lifestyle quotient here is defined by spaces that add greenery and provide relaxation to citizens, adds Prajapati. ''Common spaces and spaces within projects, where the latter represents how developers position their projects and indirectly, the locations for potential home buyers and the former is about how the city's administration creates a perception in the minds of potential home buyers. In Raigad and Navi Mumbai, its a win-win situation with common spaces and spaces within projects, reflecting a lifestyle quotient that is truly high,'' he concludes.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT MCHI-CREDAI'S NAVI MUMBAI-RAIGAD PROPERTY 2012 With Navi Mumbai and Raigad emerging as the new hot realty destinations, the two respective MCHI-CREDAI units, have planned their first ever joint property exhibition, from November 30 to December 3, 2012. The exhibition will be held at GS Tandel Ground, Near Seawoods railway station, off Palm Beach Road. It will focus on projects with convenient price points, ranging from an affordable Rs 11 lakhs to luxury apartments of Rs one crore. Projects from Navi Mumbai, Pen, Raigad, Kharghar, Thane district and surrounding areas, will be on display. The expo will have more than 150 stalls, over 100 developers and 20 housing finance companies and banks as participants. This will provide home buyers with an unique opportunity to view and compare properties in the twin emerging realty destinations.

QUICK
BYTES
THE TWO MCHI-CREDAI UNITS OF NAVI MUMBAI AND RAIGAD HAVE PLANNED THEIR FIRST EVER JOINT PROPERTY EXHIBITION, FROM NOVEMBER 30 TO DECEMBER 03, 2012 AT GS TANDEL GROUND, NEAR SEAWOODS RAILWAY STATION, OFF PALM BEACH ROAD


Monday, November 26, 2012

One Idiot is part of the IDFC Foundation's commitment to educate the youth of India to be financially independent


One Idiot is part of the IDFC Foundation's commitment to educate the youth of India to be financially independent



Network International buys majority stake in TimesofMoney

The deal is a prelude to further acquisitions, the Dubai-based firm said


Neither the exact size of the stake nor financial terms of the deal are known. Photo: Ramesh Pathania
Neither the exact size of the stake nor financial terms of the deal are known. Photo: Ramesh Pathania


Dubai: Card payment processor Network International, which is owned by Abraaj Capital and Dubai’s largest bank, said on Sunday it has bought a majority stake in an online remittance firm held by a unit of India’s biggest media group.
Network International chief executive Bhairav Trivedi said the purchase of a stake in TimesofMoney, a unit of India’s Times Group, was a prelude to further acquisitions by the Dubai-based firm.
He declined to give the exact size of the stake nor financial terms of the deal but said it was within the industry average of 10-15 times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization.
“Our strategy is to become the dominant payments player in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia,” Trivedi said at a press conference.
“We have a significant amount of money set aside and we will be active in the next couple of years. When we look at acquisitions, they will be complementary services across these geographies,” Trivedi said.
He said the firm was looking for technology in certain areas such as mobile payments, pre-pay cards and home delivery payments.
Network International is 49% owned by private equity house Abraaj Capital and 51% held by Emirates NBD .
Dubai-based Abraaj has been expected to offload its stake in the card payment processor, either through a public listing in either London or Hong Kong or a private sale, Trivedi said. However, there were no plans in place at the current time, he added.
Deloitte, FT Advisors Ltd and AZB and Partners advised Network International, while UBS, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Nishith Desai Associates assisted Times Internet Limited, TimesofMoney’s previous owner. Mint on 3 May reported that Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd (BCCL) is in talks with Network International to sell TimesofMoney .

Brands exiting Linking Road Since 2008, many brands such as Converse, Wrangler and Tashi have closed their stores on Linking Road


Linking Road in Bandra, Mumbai. Photo: Hindustan Times
Linking Road in Bandra, Mumbai. Photo: Hindustan Times

Updated: Sun, Nov 25 2012. 11 46 PM IST
Mumbai: When a brand exits a high street, it typically indicates the retailer is in trouble, say experts.
In August, Tashi, a premium shoe brand from Tata International Ltd, shut its store on Linking Road, a high street in Bandra that gets customers not only from all over Mumbai city but also visitors from other parts of the country and abroad.
A high street is a generic name given to the primary business street of a town or city.
Linking Road is the second-most expensive high street retail destination in India with a rent per square feet of Rs.850 as on June 2012 after Khan Market in Delhi with a rent of Rs.1,250 per sq. ft, according to a Cushman and Wakefield (C&W) report released earlier this month.
Tashi was launched by Noel Tata after he took over as managing director of Tata International in 2010. Prior to that, Noel Tata headed Trent Ltd, which runs the Westside departmental stores and Star Bazaar, a hypermarket chain.
At the time of the launch, the company had planned a rollout of 15-20 stores in Mumbai and Delhi and hired a senior team of executives led by Deepak Deshpande who came from Bata India Ltd.
The plans for the rollout have been curtailed. Deshpande and his team, too, have been replaced by a new management.
This was first reported by Financial Chronicle on 19 August.
“The company envisaged a launch plan of 15-20 stores in two trial regions—namely Delhi and Mumbai, to test market the concept. Based on the results of these trial stores, it was felt that changes were necessary in store location and product pricing strategy. A new management team has been put in place to make these changes. The brand will continue to operate in these two markets with eight operational stores and through shop-in-shop stores, including Westside, while evaluating the relevance of the changes in strategy,” said a company spokesperson.
Footwear retail is a $8.5 billion market of which organized shoe retail is 30%. The overall market is growing at 18% per annum and has over the last five years seen more than half-a-dozen international brands and at least 20 domestic brands launch here, according to Harminder Sahni, managing director, Wazir Advisors.
He said that international brands are, on average, priced between Rs.1,800 and Rs.2,000 whereas domestic brands are half of that.
Tashi’s pricing of women’s shoewear between Rs.750 and Rs.4,700 and men’s shoes between Rs.600 and Rs.7,000 was comparable to prices of established brands from the US and UK like Nine West, Aldo, Puma and Steve Madden.
“I find the brand expensive and can buy other international brands for the same price,” said Amit Rathod, an engineer working with an IT company in Mumbai.
Tashi’s trouble on the Linking Road high street is just a case in point.
Following the global downturn in 2008, many brands like Gini and Jony, Converse, Wrangler, Lilliput, Spykar’s kidwear brand Oyo, Dockers downed their shutters on Linking Road.
While some of them are struggling to turn profitable, others have eventually exited from the retail business, pointed out experts.
“Retailers usually look at establishing a presence on a high street like Bandra to build their brand and brand experience rather than mere sales push. If a brand is committed to the retail business, they stay put there even if the store is not really profitable,” said Santosh Verma, director, IDFC Capital Ltd.
“There are two ways of showing that you are committed to retail for the long term,” said Sanjay Vakharia, director marketing, Spykar Lifestyles Pvt Ltd. Retailers, he added, need to have the gumption to be able to sustain operations on the high street and create a pull.
“It is most difficult to get consumers to walk into your high street stores. In a mall, people anyway come as it’s a congregation of brands,” said Wakharia, explaining that for a brand to survive on Linking Road it needs to do business of Rs.75 per square feet per day.
Spykar had planned brand extensions in 2008 for launching a hi-end denim brand Voto and kidswear Oyo. For these new brands, the retailer moved into a store of 2,500 sq. ft store on Linking Road. Following the collapse of the Lehman Brothers, however, the company did not launch Voto and eventually exited from the kidswear market. It now has a smaller store of 1000 sq. ft on the street.
Linking Road is a key benchmark for demand for retail space which rose 24% over the past year, higher than the overall average growth rate of rent at 12.5% across India, according to the same C&W report.
“There is limited good retail real estate in India whether it is high streets or quality malls. Hence brands have to have a presence on both the high street and malls in India,” said Jaideep Wahi, director, agency, retail services, C&W.

Dubai in new bid to build world’s largest shopping mall The project is to include 100 hotels, residential areas and green spaces 30% bigger than Hyde Park


Emaar, the UAE’s largest developer by market value, and Dubai Holding will together build the district called Mohammed Bin Rashid City, named after the Persian Gulf emirate’s ruler. Photo: Steve Crisp/Reuters
Emaar, the UAE’s largest developer by market value, and Dubai Holding will together build the district called Mohammed Bin Rashid City, named after the Persian Gulf emirate’s ruler. 
 
Dubai’s ruler announced plans for a development boasting the world’s biggest shopping mall and gardens larger than London’s Hyde Park, as the emirate revives property projects on hold since the global financial crisis.
Emaar Properties PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ largest developer by market value, and Dubai Holding LLC will together build a district called Mohammed Bin Rashid City, named after the Persian Gulf emirate’s ruler.
The project near central Dubai is to include 100 hotels, residential areas and green spaces 30% bigger than Hyde Park, according to an emailed statement on Saturday.
Dubai already has bragging rights to the biggest emporium by total area, Dubai Mall, which sprawls opposite the planet’s tallest skyscraper, Burj Khalifa.
Between these two Emaar structures is a man-made lake where the world’s largest dancing fountain shoots water 50 stories high.
Dubai, seeking to stimulate its economy, wants to resume several projects that halted after the global credit crunch drove down property values by 65% and caused companies to suspend construction of hundreds of developments.
Builders in the UAE have aborted about $757 billion of projects since the crisis, Citigroup said in a report on 16 October.
Dubai is the country’s second largest emirate, after Abu Dhabi.

Desert Venice

Meydan City Corp., which built a 60,000-seat horse-racing stadium and hotel complex in Dubai, said in October it would revive plans for two developments, one with low-rise buildings and lagoons and the other for a tower with sky gardens and nine swimming pools.
At about the same time, the emirate’s government re-approved construction of a mile-long canal from the Business Bay commercial area to the ocean.
New projects announced in the past two months include a replica of India’s Taj Mahal that would be four times the size of the original.
Emaar’s shares climbed 2.2% on Sunday to 3.73 dirhams, the highest close since 23 October.
The company’s shares have jumped 45% this year.
“The current facilities available in Dubai need to be scaled up in line with the future ambitions for the city,” Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, according to the official statement. “We have to start work immediately on the project and boost the economy, he said.”
Under the ruler’s plan, Mohammed Bin Rashid City would span 5.1 sq. Km and contain the biggest cluster of art galleries in the Middle East and North Africa.
Its so-called “Mall of the World” would cater to 80 million shoppers a year.
The announcement didn’t specify the development’s expected cost or a construction schedule. Dubai racked up $113 billion of debt transforming itself into a tourism and commercial hub.
The emirate has $7 billion of debt maturing next year and $32 billion in 2014, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report 20 October.
A construction boom in the emirate, where developers began selling property to foreigners in 2002, led to several large projects including the world’s tallest tower and man-made islands off the coast.
Work on two of three palm-shaped residential islands was interrupted as the bonanza turned to a bust in the third quarter of 2008.

Penny stocks As the name suggests, penny stocks trade at a low absolute price.


Hemant Mishra/Mint
When equity markets turn volatile or move in a tight range for a long period of time, it gives rise to two types of market traders—those who swear by “bluechips” and those who fish for “penny” stocks, thanks to low valuation. “Bluechip” and “penny” are commonly used terms to describe particular types of stocks found in the equity markets.
Bluechips, as we know, are premium shares that are backed by high market capitalization and quality companies. Penny stocks, on the other hand, are not so easy to define. 
 
What are penny stocks?
As the name suggests, penny stocks trade at a low absolute price. The price may not be in paise, but it is generally accepted that penny stocks trade for a price that is no more than Rs.10-20. Another way to identify a penny stock is to check if its price is less than its face value.
It is more important to consider the fundamental attributes of such stocks and the underlying company. A penny stock has a low price and low market capitalization. It isn’t necessary that these stocks trade every day. Often they are part of the trade to trade segment. What this means is that they have very low liquidity and the difference between the bid price (buy price) and ask price (sell price) can potentially be very large. So transactions are done over the counter rather than through an exchange.
Thanks to the lack of liquidity, speculative trading in such stocks picks up and hence, these are considered risky. With regards the underlying company, usually it is a small-cap company with limited business and growth prospects. The company behind such stocks usually has little to show by way of financial health and management strength. But often these companies are in news and stocks get a boost from that.
 
Why is it attractive?
The sheer number of penny stocks in the market makes them hard to miss. In the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), there are 725 stocks trading below Rs.10 and 1,171 below Rs.20. On the National Stock Exchange, the number is 355 and 189, respectively.
The main reason for buying a penny stock is that an investor can get a large number of shares at a small total value. For example, if a company’s market price is Rs.9, you can buy 1,000 shares for just Rs.9,000. On the other hand, if you were to pick a bluechip company with a current market price of, say, Rs.1,800, you would only get five shares. The hope is that the penny stock will give superior returns as the stock price is low; with 1,000 shares, you can benefit a lot.
In reality, stocks that are backed by companies with good fundamentals, financial health and strong management are the ones likely to give good returns in the long run, no matter what the share price is. So don’t get fooled into buying penny stocks just because the price is low. Also, keep in mind that not all low-priced stocks are poor quality, so, do your basic research on financials and management before buying or rejecting a stock.

Be an intelligent investor Always question how returns are generated and don’t let greed decide whether your investments.


Shyamal Banerjee/Mint

The concern over mis-selling of financial products to retail investors is rising and for good reason. Recently, HSBC Bank Ltd came under fire in India and globally for some practices that go against customer’s best interests. But this isn’t a first.
Taking official note of such activities, commonly termed as “mis-selling”, the capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India, issued draft guidelines in August, which clearly define the role and responsibility of investment advisers and also differentiates between an adviser and a pure distributor. More recently, the Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission released an approach paper dealing with such issues. Among other things, this paper highlights the need for consumer protection and suggests a single financial regulator which will embrace the securities market, insurance, pension and commodities.
But there are gaps. For example, the above approach keeps banks out of the ambit. A few months ago Mint Money had highlighted that private sector banks are foremost in churning mutual fund portfolios, resulting in lower gains and higher expenses. While regulatory aspects will get tightened eventually, as a customer you can do your bit. So don’t blindly accept whatever comes your way as financial advice; learn to question, do a quality check and only then sign on the dotted line. Here are four questions you should ask your adviser and what you should do to sort yourself out.
Does your agent know you have a surplus?
If the bank where you hold your salary account is also managing your investments, there is a distinct possibility that your “adviser” or relationship manager knows your bank balance. In the case of actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthy, who has filed a legal notice against HSBC India, the bank’s officials contacted her after she deposited Rs.1.4 crore in her account in their Juhu branch.
If the only reason for an adviser to get in touch with you is a lump sum deposit or a hefty bonus in your savings account, it’s your first clue that the intentions may not be right.
The job of an investment adviser is not simply to allocate surplus money in different products, but to understand your financial objective and recommend products accordingly. This is irrespective of whether or not you have a sudden surplus to invest.
How does your agent earn his income?
If the adviser is employed by a bank or any other wealth advisory company, he probably earns a fixed salary and over that some incentives.
Typically, incentives are directly linked to the revenue generated from a client’s investment corpus. Given this, it’s possible that your relationship manager is motivated to earn as much revenue as possible for the bank/company and that may or may not have a link to how your investments are performing. As an extreme example, a high commission product such as insurance may look attractive to your adviser even if it does not suit you.
Instead, if your adviser earns a bonus linked to the performance of your portfolio, it may work better for you. This will ensure that the adviser sincerely works towards giving you products and solutions that bring you closest to your return objective.
Similarly, for an independent adviser, the key to your benefit is if the adviser charges a performance or a fixed fee linked to achieving your financial objectives. While some of you may feel happy if you have an adviser who is not charging any fixed fee, remember they also have to earn a living: this means ultimately you may get sold products that have high commission to facilitate the adviser’s earning.
Says Ashwin Parikh, partner and national head (financial services), Ernst and Young, “When we move away from commission to fees, the contractual agreement changes between the client and adviser. In case of commissions, it is clear that the agent is interested in his own income. Our market is in a stage of transition and this change will take time to pick up.”
Is your asset allocation in place?
Ensure that your adviser considers an overall asset allocation rather than individual products.
Financial planning entails doing an overall analysis of your objectives and drawing up an asset allocation, where your savings are split in a pre-determined ratio across assets such as equity, debt and gold. This is important because it considers how much risk you can take and determines the returns you can expect.
For example, if you are a low-risk investor, check your equity allocation—having too many unit-linked insurance policies (Ulips) tied into equity market will not help. Says Surya Bhatia, a Delhi-Based financial planner, “Doing an asset allocation helps know the risk-return framework and is a way to rebalance automatically in line with market movement.” For example, if you have invested 50% in equities and that has reached 60% because of a market rally, knowing your asset allocation will help in rebalancing the exposure back to 50%.
How often are products churned?
Once an asset allocation is put in place, the need for change seldom arises. Long-term assets need to be looked at or rebalanced once a year or at the most twice a year.
If your adviser showcases a new product almost every month and tries to fit it in your portfolio and asset allocation by replacing another, be wary. A good adviser will try to pace out your investments over a period of time and encourage regular investments keeping in mind your overall asset allocation. So if new and interesting products do come about, there will be space in your portfolio to accommodate those rather than disturbing the balance. Says Bhatia, “We will include a new product only if there is a compelling reason to change the existing allocation. But this doesn’t happen often.”
Work on yourself
Don’t let greed dictate your investments: Recently, a couple who ran a multi-level marketing scam called Stock Guru got arrested for duping nearly 200,000 people for an estimated Rs.1,100 crore. Those who were defrauded have a website called Stockguruvictims.com, which claims that people had invested money in the hope of receiving interest of 20% per month as promised by the promoter of Stock Guru. A 20% per month return compounded every month for a year will increase your money nearly nine times. If this would be true, everyone would be involved only in this business and nothing else.
When you are presented with an investment proposition that sounds too good to be true, think about where and how the returns will get generated. For any kind of returns there has to be an underlying investment and that can be in financial securities such as stocks, fixed deposits and bonds or in physical assets such as real estate and gold. Stocks and bonds are backed by actual businesses that are productive and that’s how a bond can give a fixed return. But if none of the above are attached to an investment proposition, there is something amiss. Money does not generate more money by itself. Always question how returns are generated and don’t let greed decide whether an investment is worth your while.
Be upfront: Your adviser can help you only if they know what you need. For that to happen, you have to talk openly about your financial matters. This means you have to discuss your long-term goals and reveal how much money you have, how much you earn, even what you spend every day and also how much debt you have. If you are not willing to discuss details openly, you can’t expect your adviser to give you the right product, solution or asset allocation.

Product Crack: Reliance My Gold Plan

It allows investors to buy physical gold in paper form without using a demat account


Priyanka Parashar/Mint
What is it?
Reliance My Gold Plan (RMGP) is a new product launched by Reliance Money Precious Metals Pvt. Ltd, a Reliance Capital company, and World Gold Council that allows investors to buy physical gold in paper form without using a demat account, which is normally required to invest in gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), another way to buy gold in paper form. 
 
How does it work?
You have to invest a predetermined amount every month. The minimum tenor is one year and the maximum 15. Gold will be bought through a daily averaging process. So from the day your investment starts, gold will be bought in 20 equal lots (total spend equals your instalment) spread across the next 20 business days and the accumulated grams will be credited to your account.
The gold grams will be 24 carat and of 995 fineness. You can start with a monthly subscription of Rs.1,000 and thereafter in multiples of Rs.500. Though you can’t change your monthly subscription over the tenor of the product, you can put in additional amounts starting with a minimum of Rs.1,000.
There is a lock-in period of six months after which you can claim gold in the form of coins or jewellery, but premature termination charges may apply. Also, you can make this transaction online and payment can be done only through ECS or direct debit.
To start the investment, you need to provide a passport photograph, identity and address proofs. Permanent account number card is not required unless the monthly subscription is above Rs.50,000 or the accumulated sum in your account exceeds Rs.5 lakh. 
 
How does it compare with existing options?
Jeweller schemes: Most jewellers offer monthly subscription schemes, where they typically ask you to pay 11 monthly instalments and add the 12th themselves. Here, you don’t get the advantage of daily cost averaging and in terms of counter-party risk, it’s not as transparent as RMGP. In case of RMGP, gold accumulated in your account is kept with Lemuire Secure Logistics Pvt. Ltd, a company that provides integrated logistics services for valuable cargo, and IDBI Trusteeship Services Ltd have been appointed as the security trustee to act on behalf of the customers in case the company is in financial trouble.
 
Gold ETFs: ETFs are better in terms of charges and redemption.
The one advantage RMGP has over gold ETFs is that you don’t need a demat account. But then there are gold fund of funds (FoFs) which also offer this convenience. Gold ETFs and FoFs have an expense ratio as low as 1%.
Moreover, in case of gold ETFs and FoFs you can invest and redeem cash for monthly amounts as low as Rs.100; in some cases, you can take physical delivery of gold. This option of redeeming in cash is not available with RMGP.
In terms of security and transparency, FoFs and ETFs also provide the benefit of trustees and custodians for safe keeping.

Friday, November 23, 2012

DUPLEX, WHICH IS A COMPLETE BLEND OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY


DUPLEX, WHICH IS A COMPLETE BLEND OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY



    The lavish duplex of the Dadialas in Lokhnadwala is worth a peep. The house is a complete blend of technology and art. They have used latest technology to upkeep and simplify the functioning of the house. They have used CCTV cameras to keep a watch on their children Aryan (11) and Ariana (2). While the CCTVs does the job of surveillance, they have remote controlled curtains for their comfort. The owner Surjeet Dadiala explains that, "Since it is a big house it is quite difficult to run around kids, therefore to make it convenient for us, we have placed CCTV cameras in almost all the rooms."

    TV Lounge The space has a huge projector and it also acts as a meeting room. Gizmo geek Surjeet has installed 24 speakers in the house. "It doesn't matter where you are — in the balcony, kitchen, living room or in the bathroom, you will be able to hear music that is played in the music system," says Surjeet.

    Living Room The white walls of the living room are perfectly in sync with the luxurious and elegant seating arrangements. The wooden interiors and artifacts add elegance to this space, while a beautiful wooden staircase that connects living room to bedrooms also doubles up as a pleasing destruction.

    Kitchen and Dinning Room The modular kitchen is seamlessly connected to dinning area. The wooden dining table with an Italian marble top is embellished with lights and diamond studs.

    Master Bedroom The wooden furniture set against the white walls creates the perfect contrast. A double bed, wooden veneer wardrobe and the huge mirror at the entrance complete the look of the room. For the bathrooms they have installed range of Italian showers.

Children's Bedroom They have used a rough veneer and walls are covered with caricature wall paper just apt for kids.

















RESIDENCE WHICH IS SPACIOUS AND FUNCTIONAL

LIVING IN A COMFORT ZONE

RESIDENCE WHICH IS SPACIOUS AND FUNCTIONAL



    The Gangwals have designed their 2BHK house in Thakur Village aesthetically with minimalistic furniture and earthy colours. They have decorated their house keeping comfort and utility in mind "While designing our house, the priority was to keep it spacious and functional. Hence, we used only few artifacts and paintings and didn't go overboard with them," says entrepreneur Ekta Gangwal.

MASTER BEDROOM The copper wallpaper on one of the walls will grabs the attention instantly, as one enters the room. The room has been designed with minimalistic furniture — a double-bed and a standard wardrobe complete the space.
SECOND BEDROOM Green is the theme of the room. Everything from wardrobe, double-bed to walls are done in different shades of green. While the celing has stars and clouds creating the look of a sky.

    KITCHEN It is a modular kitchen with purple and wooden cabinets. Kitchen is spacious and has enough storage for gadgets and appliances.

    LIVING ROOM The room is quite spacious and is designed with modern setting. It is adorned with a beautiful couch, few paintings and a wooden dining table in the adjoining space of the drawing room. The highlight of this room is the classic designer plasma unit.











Thursday, November 22, 2012

Government may issue gold bonds

Government may issue gold bonds

New savings instruments planned to discourage hoarding, build infrastructure projects

NEW DELHI: You may soon have options to invest in new financial instruments that are linked to gold, such as a possible gold bond.
With savings rates dropping from 35% about five years ago, the government, trying to boost savings and discourage hoarding of gold in physical form as a speculative activity, is planning to soon come out with attractive paper products including gold bonds, riding on India’s craze for gold.
Though the details are yet to emerge experts say that in such instruments, investors may be allowed to invest cash or offer gold against an assured minimum return.
At the time of maturity investors are given the option of receiving gold or cash. The funds raised are likely to be used to build infrastructure projects. The government is expected to offer soverign guarantee to notified companies that can sell such bonds and back it up with hedging in global gold markets to assure minimum returns linked to the metal.
Top government sources told HindustanTimes that a gold instrument proposal was discussed at a recent high-level meeting on efforts to boost savings and investment rates in which the chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC), C Rangarajan, and finance minister P Chidambaram were present.
“As the recent RBI data showed a declining trend of savings by Indian households including bank deposits, it was suggested in the meeting that in order to attract household savings, paper products that are linked to gold be developed,” a finance ministry official said.
Asked what would be the nature of these instruments, the official said, “We are still in the process of working out options, gold bonds could be one of them.”
In the past, India has never issued gold bonds but banks have gold deposit schemes that have not been very successful.
With gold prices soaring in the last couple of years, officials said there is a good chance that the new schemes would find takers unlike the past gold-linked schemes that were on offer that did not do well because investors preferred stocks that then offered higher returns. Now, with stock markets hit by high interest rates that lowered corporate earnings amid a global economic crisis, gold is treated as a safe haven Uncertainty in the stock market coupled with US fiscal cliff fear would favour gold and schemes and instruments linked to gold are likely to succeed,” said senior economist D H Pai Panadikar. However, a official in the Planning Commission said, “Breaking the trend of India households that are keen to hold gold in physical form to parking funds in instruments that are linked to gold will take time and may not happen immediately.”
India is the largest consumer of gold in world and investment in gold — mostly bought as coins, jewels and bars.
India and China account for nearly 50% of world demand for gold either as jewellery or investments. This year, India imported gold worth $60 billion amid rising prices, while in 2011, it was worth $40 billion, putting pressure on the country’s current account deficit that may in turn depreciate the rupee.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

List of colors or colours names shades html chart

List of colors or colours names shades html chart



BLACK
BLACK
ASH
ASH
NAVY
NAVY
ROYAL BLUE
ROYAL BLUE
RED
RED
SAND
SAND
SPORTS GREY
SPORTS GREY
SAFETY ORANGE
SAFETY ORANGE
WHITE
WHITE


Available Colour(s)
BLACK
BLACK
ASH
ASH
DARK CHOCOLATE
DARK CHOCOLATE
DAISY
DAISY
FOREST GREEN
FOREST GREEN
GOLD
GOLD
ICE GREY
ICE GREY
IRISH GREEN
IRISH GREEN
INDIGO
INDIGO
LIGHT BLUE
LIGHT BLUE
LIGHT PINK
LIGHT PINK
MAROON
MAROON
NATURAL
NATURAL
NAVY
NAVY
ORANGE
ORANGE
PURPLE
PURPLE
ROYAL BLUE
ROYAL BLUE
RED
RED
SAND
SAND
SAPPHIRE
SAPPHIRE
SPORTS GREY
SPORTS GREY
WHITE
WHITE

BLACK
BLACK
ASH
ASH
DAISY
DAISY
FOREST GREEN
FOREST GREEN
GOLD
GOLD
LIGHT BLUE
LIGHT BLUE
MAROON
MAROON
NAVY
NAVY
ORANGE
ORANGE
PURPLE
PURPLE
RED
RED
SAPPHIRE
SAPPHIRE
SPORTS GREY
SPORTS GREY
WHITE


Available Colour(s)
BLACK
BLACK
GOLD
GOLD
MAROON
MAROON
NAVY
NAVY
ORANGE
ORANGE
PURPLE
PURPLE
RED
RED
WHITE
WHITE
PINK
PINK
PEBBLE
PEBBLE
YELLOW
YELLOW
CHOCOLATE
CHOCOLATE
TURQUOISE
TURQUOISE




The colors in the chart below come from a variety of sources. Color swatches are defined by using the hexadecimal code for the color and are sorted by the hue, saturation, and light values for the color. The chart below shows each color's RGB hexadecimal code, decimal code, percent code, HSL (hue, saturation, light) code, and the CMYK code (for comparison--CMYK is not used in HTML or CSS). You can see these same colors in "chip" form defined by hexadecimal code and grouped by hue, saturation, and light. The color names are descriptive and shouldn't be used to specify a color unless you are using the 16 named colors or SVG colors. See the quick reference table for an explanation of the meaning of the labels (Safe 16 SVG Hex3).