New UK visa rules to have negative impact on business

The proposed new UK visa rules as highly discriminatory and very unfortunate, these would lead to negative impact on business and tourism inflow from India to that country.

CII strongly feels that such blanket rules for visas will negatively affect not only businesses, especially small businesses, it will also further bring down the number of students going to the United Kingdom (UK) for higher studies and affect the tourism inflow from India to UK.

Besides, the new rules would also not help the cause of early conclusion of EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), for which both the parties are committed, the chamber observed. 

Insurance sector to grow less than 5% in FY14

The Indian insurance sector is projected to grow at less than five per cent this financial year.

Non-life insurers were more optimistic about growth, compared with life insurers. 

According to a recent survey by CII. This survey was based on responses from 30 insurance companies from life insurance and general insurance sector.

Nearly 60 per cent of non-life insurance companies projected an average growth of more than 10 per cent, whereas 50 per cent of surveyed life insurers expected to see negative growth in the current financial year. While the Indian insurance industry is acknowledged globally to have matured tremendously since the opening of the sector in 2001, a facilitative and enabling regulatory and policy environment is critical to ensure insurance companies in India enter the next stage of growth and evolution on the foundation of greater insurance density and penetration.

Appeal to Fund Uttarakhand Relief Operations

As you are aware, Uttarakhand has been hit by heavy rains and flash floods at many places in the state causing loss of valuable lives and properties. Districts of Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Tehri and Pithoragarh have been severely impacted leaving thousands stranded.

The loss is tremendous and needs our help today. The State Government, District Administration and the Army are fully involved in the relief measures. 

As part of the corporate social responsibility and the compassion to such tragedies, the CII Members have always extended support for the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of similar natural calamities.  

Green buildings make good business sense

Green buildings make good business sense as any investment made in green buildings is paid back within 3-4 years.

By 2030, building stock in India is expected to reach 100 billion sq.ft., up from the existing 25 billion sq.ft. India has tremendous opportunity to go green and concerted effort by stakeholders is the need of the hour.

Green building projects

Green Buildings movement in India, with the support of all stakeholders is being spearheaded forward by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC). The council is represented by stakeholders across the board of the Indian construction industry comprising of the government, corporate, nodal agencies, architects, designers, institutions, builders & developers, product manufacturers, suppliers, facility managers among other sector players.

As on date, India has over 2,085 registered green building projects amounting to over 1.43 billion sq.ft of green building area. It is among the top three countries in the world fully involved in spearheading the global green building movement. CII’s Indian Green Building Council envisions to cross 5 billion sq.ft. by 2015-2016.