Uber, Ola drivers hit by losses; on indefinite strike: Top 10 developments

Ola and Uber drivers allege their earnings are not enough for them to make ends meet

Do you use Ola and Uber for your daily commute? If yes, you may want to find other modes of transport as Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has called for an indefinite strike of drivers of cab aggregators Uber and Ola starting Monday midnight.

The strike, which will be observed in key cities like Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, aims to voice the drivers’ woes of not being able to cover rising costs due to falling business. They are currently being paid Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month, according to media reports.

“Ola and Uber had given big assurances to the drivers, but today they are unable to cover their costs. They have invested Rs 500,000 to Rs 700,000 and were expecting to make Rs 150,000 a month. But drivers are unable to make even half of this because of the mismanagement by these companies,” said Sanjay Naik of Maharashtra Navnirman Vahatuk Sena, reported news agency PTI.

Naik accused Ola and Uber of giving priority to company-owned cars rather than driver-owned ones, thereby, hitting their business.

In Mumbai alone, there are over 45,000 Ola and Uber cabs but a slump in business has seen a drop of about 20 per cent in their numbers.

Meanwhile, the police has issued notices to leaders of the union under section 149 of CrPC relating to unlawful assembly.

Drivers claim Ola, Uber cheated them: Ola and Uber drivers said that while both the firms promised them an average monthly income between Rs 100,000 to Rs 150,000, the same was not the case. However, they initially believed them, and ended up buying cars on loans. Now that they are being underpaid, they have decided to go on a strike, said Swaraj Vahan Chalak Malak Sanghatna President Guru Katti, reported Times of India.An average cost of a car varies between Rs 500,000 to 700,000.

Drop in per-km fare giving nightmares: Where the per-kilometre fare once to hover around Rs 10, the same has dropped to Rs 6 now due to the stiff competition between Ola and Uber. Moreover, Ola Share offers share pass varying on the distance one intends to travel. For instance, once can buy a pass for Rs 10 valid for 30 days, where one would be required to pay just Rs 30 for distance up to four kms and Rs 200 for distance up to 20 kms. Similarly, Uber offers slashes rates on its ‘POOL’ rides and often gives 50 per cent discount to users on Uber Go, which is the cheapest Uber car ride after share.

Read More on → Ola Uber Strike

Air pollution: Odd-even scheme back in Delhi for 5 days from Monday

Women and bikers would be exempted

 

 

Delhi Odd Even Scheme will be rolled out in Delhi for five days from Monday as part of a graded response plan to tackle the alarming pollution situation in the city, the state government announced on Thursday.

The scheme would be in place from 8 am to 8 pm and there would be exemptions for women drivers and two-wheelers, Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said.

“The exemptions will be similar as last year and there is no need for people to panic,” he told reporters.

The minister also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call a meeting of chief ministers of Delhi and adjoining states to find a solution to the crisis.

The Delhi government has directed Delhi Transport Corporation to hire 500 buses from private contractors to
tackle the rush of commuters during the odd-even implementation week.

“Delhi Metro has also promised to provide 100 small buses during the period. Schools will be free to provide their buses voluntarily. However, there will be no compulsion,” Gahlot said.

Compressed natural gas vehicles will be exempted but will need to have stickers in place. These will be available at 22 IGL stations across Delhi from 2 pm on Friday.

“The old stickers which were issued in the last edition of odd-even will be valid, too,” the minister said.

Under the policy, Odd-numbered private cars are allowed to ply on odd dates while even-numbered ones can only run on even dates.

In 2016, the scheme was enforced twice — January 1-15 and April 15-30.

Click here to Read → Delhi Odd Even Policy

Kapil Mishra vs AAP: Money laundering allegations fly thick and fast

Mishra accused Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal of money laundering using hawala channel

Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra’s indefinite fast against the AAP on Saturday saw high drama with a ruling party legislator attempting a counter fast outside the former’s house, but was detained by police.

Sanjeev Jha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator from Burari, attempted to hold a counter hunger strike outside Mishra’s Civil Lines house to demand that he present proof of his bribery allegations against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Jha was detained by the police, who said the legislator did not have the requisite permission.

Mishra, who began his hunger strike on Wednesday, accused Kejriwal of using Jha as a pawn to disrupt his agitation. He insisted that he will present proof of his allegations only to investigative agencies.

He is on fast demanding that Kejriwal reveal the source of funding of the foreign trips of five AAP leaders – Sanjay Singh, Ashish Khetan, Satyendar Jain, Raghav Chadhha and Durgesh Pathak – in the last two years.

“I would like to advise Jha against sitting on a hunger strike as he is being used as a pawn,” said Mishra, and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will resort to “new drama” to distract attention from the “foreign trips controversy”.

“They must know that I will handover the evidence only to investigative agencies. But Kejriwal wants that I hand them over to the ‘thief’ who then will judge himself and then proclaim himself to be innocent (referring to Kejriwal). That is not going to happen,” he asserted.

AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia dubbed Mishra’s hunger strike as “BJP facilitated”.

Mishra declared that Kejriwal’s attempts to foil his “Satyagraha” will not be successful.

Mishra alleged that the Chief Minister has asked “at least 20” MLAs to launch hunger strikes to counter him “but only one (Jha) was willing”.

He said that Jha should be provided security, alleging that there could be an attack on Jha to portray Mishra in bad light. | READMORE…

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No-cracker Diwali to cleaner fuel: What Kejriwal govt can do to tackle Delhi pollution

Real policy is not defensive short term emergency measures but something proactive spanning multiple years

Every Diwali, a billion people in India wake up to the news of smog-ridden cities in the aftermath of celebratory fireworks. And much like the hangover after a night of drinking, we promise ourselves, never again!; that moderation will be the key next time around!, etc. Yet, we once again find ourselves in a similar (if worse) situation. And in 2016 again, a year after three infants challenged the Supreme Court to curb air pollution from firecrackers (one of the families has since migrated away from Delhi), we are faced with yet another hangover.

For the first time, more than 1,800 schools have been closed in the national capital region in response to high Delhi Air Pollution levels originating from a complex mix of emissions: from the Diwali fireworks burning, stubble burning in Indo-Gangetic states, wintertime meteorological changes and the ever-present urban emissions (vehicles, cooking, lighting, waste burning, industries and power plants). Starting with a bang during Diwali, the situation usually deteriorates till the height of winter.

The question that usually follows is what we can do now. The short answer: literally nothing. Perhaps stay indoors with air filters (for those who can afford them) or, better yet, vote with your feet and move away. There is nothing that one can do in two or three weeks short of clamping down on every industry and power plant, banning vehicles from all streets and avoiding all fires for burning – for warmth or to rid of waste.

That said, there are in fact measures that we can take over a medium to longer time-frame, especially if done with thought and sincerity, and that could begin to have an impact before Diwali in 2017. An earlier article spoke about the myths and the myopia of policymakers. Now, let’s take the long view, exemplified by the question: what is it that we can do to really make a difference in the coming years? These are real solutions that are not gimmicks and some of them are straightforward (which should not be confused for easy) and, more importantly, need some time to manifest their results over subsequent months and years. It is a basic human right to breathe clean air, so let’s discuss where we can start.

1. Public transportation has to improve

2. Support cycling and biking

3. Link parking fees with the air quality index

4. Pave and maintain the roads

5. Use cleaner fuel in all vehicles

6. Improve garbage collection

7. The city needs heating solutions

8. Adoption of cleaner technology for industries

9. A no-cracker Diwali

10. Find a solution for stubble burning

11. Clean power generation

12. Enforce construction debris norms

13. Address governance issues

Read More

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ACB officials question DCW chief Swati Maliwal

ACB officials question DCW chief Swati Maliwal

A team of Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) officials on Moday, questioned DCW chief Swati Maliwal in connection with a complaint of illegal recruitments in the women's panel.

A team comprising five ACB officers reached the office of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) at 11 am to question Maliwal, a senior ACB officer said, adding the questioning is still going on.

The ACB had sent a notice last week to Maliwal informing her that she would be questioned on September 19.

Also Read: ACB registers case against DCW chief Swati Maliwal

The probe has been taken up by the ACB on a complaint by former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh. In her complaint, Singh had claimed that several AAP supporters were given plum posts in the women's panel.

Singh, in her complaint, listed names of 85 people who, she claimed, got jobs "without requisite credentials".

Earlier, Maliwal had rubbished the allegations, saying the staff is needed in her office considering the number of cases the women's panel handles.

"During her tenure of nine years in DCW, Barkha Shukla Singh handled only one case. During this period, the commission made no recommendation to the government and conducted only six visits despite having a staff of about 50 officers," Maliwal had said.

India cuts RBI governor shortlist to four, officials say

India cuts RBI governor shortlist to four, officials say

By Douglas Busvine and Rupam Jain

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government has narrowed down its list of candidates to become the next governor of the Reserve Bank of India to four, a senior government official told Reuters.

A new Monetary Policy Committee also will be chosen soon, the official said.

The moves seek to ensure policy continuity after RBI chief Raghuram Rajan shocked markets 10 days ago when he announced he would not seek reappointment in September.

The failure of negotiations on his possible return had sparked fears that Rajan's departure could put at risk the inflation-targeting central banker's gains in stabilising Asia's third-largest economy over the past three years.

Sending a reassuring message to markets, the official said that the list of candidates to replace Rajan had been whittled down to four - three of them central bank veterans, with the other the head of the country's largest commercial bank.

The four were current RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn, and State Bank of India Chair Arundhati Bhattacharya.

Another official from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office said that Rajan was expected to join the search committee to appoint three external members of a new six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee.

The objective was to ensure that the MPC is constituted as soon as possible, before the appointment of Rajan's successor, both officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

"We are very hopeful that the present governor will be a member of this search committee," the first official said, adding that if all goes well the new panel would be formed by Aug. 1.

If that timetable holds, it would mean that the MPC is in place in time for the last bi-monthly policy meeting that Rajan is expected to chair in early August.

The central bank held rates earlier this month after an uptick in consumer price inflation, but maintained its easing bias, meaning it is more likely to reduce interest rates than to raise them in future.

Under the finance bill passed this year, three members of the MPC would be RBI insiders, headed by the governor.

The three external members would be chosen by a search committee comprising Modi's cabinet secretary, the RBI governor, the secretary of the finance ministry's department of economic affairs and three outside experts chosen by the government.

The makeup of the MPC, which would assume responsibility for setting interest rates, was the result of a hard-fought compromise between the RBI and the finance ministry. The RBI governor's vote would be decisive in the event of a tie. Read More

Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh on high terror alert for Shivratri

Delhi was today put on high alert after Police received inputs that 10 suspected LeT and JeM terrorists believed to have entered India from Pakistan through Gujarat may have sneaked into the national capital for an attack even as four elite NSG teams were rushed to the western state. Read More

JNU & sedition: Mad in India

“I decline to be utterly impartial as between the fire brigade and fire," said Winston Churchill once. The government of India has now decreed that some students in JNU are the fire while the government itself is the fire brigade. It has now set out to extinguish this fire with all its might.

The Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi has become the centre of hot political actions these days with the government of the Republic of India locked in a battle with students who have apparently shouted slogans against India.

Female Snapdeal employee abducted in Delhi

A 23-year-old female employee of ecommerce company Snapdeal was allegedly abducted on Wednesday night, while she was on her way back home after work.

Media reports, quoting the police say that Dipti Sarna travels from her office in Gurgaon to a bus-stand in Ghaziabad, from where her family members pick her up. On the night of the incident, Sarna was on call with her family, while she was in an auto-rickshaw.

Read Full Article: Snapdeal

Odd-even scheme: Delhi govt to assess over 11 lakh responses

Delhi government has received over 11 lakh responses on the future of its car-rationing scheme, as the deadline for public to give their opinion on the issue ended on Monday.

The government received the Odd-even scheme public opinion through emails, missed calls, online forms and suggestions of people whom it reached out to through interactive voice response system.

Tinder update: All you need to know for better user experience

US-based Dating App Tinder has chosen India as the first overseas country from where it will launch its international operations, three years after the app came to India. The office, which will be set up in Delhi, will be headed by Taru Kapoor.

Tinder’s India operations will focus on establishing the brand within the country, steering explosive user growth and increasing user engagement by focusing on needs of the local user.

According to Tinder, in just three years of its launch, more than 10 billion matches have been made around the world on the app. These matches have led to friends, dates and relationships.