Category Archives: Business

UPI Based Pension Access Set to Reach More Unorganised Workers

Mumbai, Sep 11: India is looking to use digital technology to expand pension coverage among workers in the unorganised sector, many of whom do not have access to regular employer-backed retirement benefits.

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is developing easier digital solutions to help millions of such workers join the formal pension system. The focus is on making registration, contribution and access to pension services simpler through mobile-based platforms.

A key initiative in this direction is the NPS Instant platform, which uses a UPI-based digital framework. It is designed to allow users to open a pension account through their mobile phones and make contributions digitally through UPI.

The move could make pension enrolment more convenient for workers who may otherwise find traditional registration processes difficult or time-consuming. By bringing pension services closer to people through familiar digital payment systems, the initiative is also expected to support wider financial inclusion.

The e-Shram database maintained by the Ministry of Labour could further strengthen this effort. The database contains verified information on a large number of workers and can potentially help simplify pension account opening and identification of eligible beneficiaries.

PFRDA is also working on multilingual and user-friendly digital solutions so that pension services can reach people across different regions and language groups. The broader objective is to make retirement planning easier to understand and access, particularly for workers outside the formal employment system.

Another area under consideration is the development of pension products offering guaranteed returns. PFRDA is examining different options for creating such products for the non-government sector. While the Unified Pension Scheme includes a guarantee mechanism for government employees, developing a comparable framework for other workers presents additional challenges.

An expert committee is currently examining the issue, while PFRDA is also working on products that could potentially support future guaranteed-return pension offerings.

The regulator has also completed the proof of concept for a new product called ‘Swastya’. Final guidelines for the product are expected shortly, with its formal launch likely within the next 30 days.

The increasing use of technology in pension services could have a wider impact on India’s financial ecosystem. Easier pension access can encourage more workers to begin long-term savings, strengthen financial security after retirement and gradually increase the participation of the unorganised workforce in formal financial systems.

At the same time, India’s bond market is seeing growing interest from retail investors. Online Bond Platform Providers are contributing to this trend by making bond investments more accessible to individual investors.

Together, these developments point towards a broader shift in India’s financial sector, where digital platforms are increasingly being used to expand access, simplify financial products and bring more people into formal financial systems.

ASHRAE, UNEP Renew Environmental Partnership

ATLANTA | Sept 11 – ASHRAE and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have renewed their longstanding partnership to advance sustainable refrigeration and air conditioning, signing a new Memorandum of Understanding that strengthens cooperation on lifecycle refrigerant management, energy efficiency, technology, safety and capacity building in developing countries.

UNEP OzonAction and ASHRAE have cooperated strategically since 2007 to advance sustainable, lower-GWP technologies and best practices in the Refrigeration Servicing Sector (RSS).

The new agreement establishes a two-year framework to support the implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment. Priorities include strengthening the refrigeration and air-conditioning workforce in developing countries, advancing international standards and technical guidance, promoting energy-efficient cooling, and exploring digital and artificial intelligence (AI)- enabled tools to improve refrigerant management and system performance.

The partnership will be implemented through the 2026–2027 Work Plan, the seventh in a series of joint work plans. Under the theme “Lifecycle Refrigerant Management,” activities will address refrigerants from manufacture and importation through equipment selection and use, servicing and leak prevention, and ultimately end-of-life management. Projects include an AI-powered mobile field companion for RAC technicians, new fact sheets on safe handling of flammable refrigerants, continued promotion and evaluation of ASHRAE-UNEP educational products, and stronger connections between ASHRAE chapters and National Ozone Units.

The 2026–2027 Work Plan is available through the ASHRAE-UNEP Portal at ashrae.org/ashrae-unep-portal. The portal also provides information on joint ASHRAE-UNEP products available to ASHRAE members and National Ozone Units, including a free technical guide with operational checklists for assessing the sustainability of RAC plants.

The collaboration combines ASHRAE’s technical expertise and global professional network with UNEP OzonAction’s international mandate to assist developing countries in meeting their Montreal Protocol obligations.

India-Russia business talks open new opportunities for manufacturing and investment

New Delhi, Sep 11: India and Russia explored new opportunities for industrial cooperation and investment during a series of business-to-business meetings organised by the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC) at INNOPROM India 2026.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov visited the NICDC pavilion at Bharat Mandapam and discussed initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s manufacturing ecosystem.

The discussions focused on expanding cooperation between Indian and Russian companies in manufacturing, industrial technology, localisation, investment and supply-chain development.

The NICDC pavilion attracted investors, industry representatives, technology companies and business delegations from India, Russia and other BRICS countries. Participants showed strong interest in industrial locations, infrastructure, connectivity, land availability and opportunities to establish or expand manufacturing operations in India.

During the B2B meetings, businesses explored potential partnerships in advanced engineering, machinery and equipment, automobiles, transport systems, metals, energy, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and advanced manufacturing technologies.

NICDC also highlighted the opportunities available through India’s emerging Industrial Smart Cities, which are designed to provide serviced industrial land, modern infrastructure, multimodal connectivity and investor support. Such facilities can make it easier for companies to establish manufacturing units and connect with domestic and global supply chains.

The meetings also opened possibilities for greater collaboration between Indian and Russian manufacturers, technology providers and supply-chain companies. Stronger cooperation in these areas could encourage investment, support technology partnerships, strengthen local manufacturing capabilities and create new employment opportunities.

The participation of international investors and businesses at the NICDC pavilion reflects growing interest in India’s industrial infrastructure and manufacturing potential. Greater engagement with Russian and BRICS companies could further strengthen India’s position as an attractive destination for global manufacturing and industrial investment.

INNOPROM India 2026 has provided a platform for government representatives, businesses and investors from India and Russia to discuss practical opportunities for industrial and technology cooperation.

NICDC will continue its investor and B2B engagements on the concluding day of the exhibition, with a focus on taking forward business opportunities and partnerships discussed during the event.

Scoop Room Takes Ice Cream After Dark with a One-Night-Only Ticketed Experience in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sept 11: What if your Saturday night plans involved ice cream instead of the usual bar crawl? This September, Scoop Room is giving Bengaluru a new reason to stay out after dark with “The Scoop After Dark”, a one-night-only, ticketed experience that brings together ice cream, music, playful energy and a distinctly after-hours mood.

Taking place on Saturday, September 19, from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM, the experience is designed to reimagine how a dessert destination can come alive after sunset. Rather than treating ice cream as the final stop of a night out, Scoop Room is putting the scoop centre stage.

The evening taps into Bengaluru’s growing appetite for experiences that blur the lines between food, socialising and nightlife. The city’s after-dark culture has increasingly expanded beyond traditional pubs and clubs, with younger audiences looking for spaces where they can unwind, meet friends and experience something that feels a little different. 

For Scoop Room, that means taking its playful, flavour-forward identity and turning it into an evening experience.

“The Scoop After Dark” is intended to be more than a regular visit for a scoop. It is a limited-format experience built around the idea of enjoying ice cream in a completely different setting after hours, with a curated atmosphere and a crowd coming specifically for the experience.

Scoop Room, which launched in Bengaluru earlier this year, has already been making a case for premium ice cream as a category worthy of the same attention given to coffee, chocolate and other craft-led food experiences. Its menu currently features 24 vegetarian and eggless flavours, spanning familiar favourites and more unexpected combinations such as Cookie Dough Hour, Paan-tastic, Pick Me Avo and Nutty Basil. 

The Scoop After Dark takes that philosophy one step further,  shifting the focus from simply what’s in the cup to what happens around the scoop.

The result is an evening aimed at Bengaluru’s food lovers, dessert enthusiasts, young professionals, content creators and anyone looking to trade the conventional Saturday-night plan for something more playful.

Event Details:
Event: The Scoop After Dark
Date: Saturday, 19 September 2026
Time: 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Venue: Scoop Room, Bengaluru
Format: Ticketed experience

Dubai Freehold Rental Pace Continues Towards New Record

Dubai South the best-performing area in off-plan sales for sixth month in succession

Dubai, UAE, Sept 10: The pace of new and renewed rental contracts recorded in Dubai’s freehold areas continues to increase as the property market moves steadily towards an all-time record in 2026.

A market analysis from fäm Properties today shows that 39,645 rental contracts were registered across Dubai’s freehold areas in August, a 3.79% MoM increase. The volume of new contracts climbed 19.4% YoY to 20,611, while renewals increase by 4.4% YoY to 19,034.

This takes the total number of freehold rental contracts recorded for the first eight months in 2026 to 257,284, a 5.5% increase on the same period in 2025 which ultimately set a full-year record of 377,944 registered contracts.

To date this year, the leading area of Dubai in freehold rentals is Al Warsan First, with a total of 23,894 registered tenancy contracts. Underlining a consistent apartments preference in the market, 105,880 (41%) tenancy contracts registered were for one-bedroom units.

Meanwhile, Data from DXBinteract shows that the market delivered 12,018 sales transactions valued at AED28.6 billion last month. Once again off plan sales dominated with 8,359 transactions worth AED 16.3 billion compared with 3,659 valued at AED12.4 billion in the resale market.

For a sixth consecutive month, Dubai South was the emirate’s best-performing area in primary market sales volume, recording 1,908 off-plan transactions worth AED2.3 billion.

“The rental market is an important indicator of how committed people are to living and working in Dubai, regardless of regional uncertainties over the last months,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties. “The volume of new contracts in part reflects the fact that tenants are moving to take advantage of lower rents in some areas, which is natural in the circumstances.”

August recorded 9,974 apartment sales worth AED 15.7 billion, alongside 1,354 villa sales worth AED 7.9 billion, 183 plot sales valued at AED2.6 billion, and 420 commercial transactions, including offices and shops, worth AED AED1.5 billion.

The most expensive apartment sold in August went for AED86 million at The Address, Jumeirah Gate Tower 2 at Jumeirah Beach, while the most expensive villa fetched AED110 million at Signature Villas.

With properties worth more than AED5 million accounting for 5.7% of sales, 7.25% were between AED3-5 million, 10.9% between AED2-3 million, 33.2% between AED1-2 million and 42.8% were below AED1 million.

TOP FIVE PERFORMING AREAS IN OFF-PLAN SALES AUGUST 2026

                                                Volume           Sales value

BEST-SELLING PROJECTS DURING AUGUST

Primary market apartments

Primary market villas

Resale apartments

Resale villas

BREAKDOWN OF RENTAL AGREEMENTS BY BEDROOMS TO DATE IN 2026

TOP TEN AREAS BY RENTAL CONTRACTS REGISTERED TO DATE IN 2026

Qubo takes its “Doesn’t Just Record. It Protects” campaign to OOH with larger-than-life Installations

Gurugram, September 10, 2026: Qubo, the smart devices brand from the Hero Group – best known for its Security Cameras and Dashcams, is taking its brand promise off the screen and onto the streets of Gurugram through larger-than-life OOH installations of its flagship products, bringing its campaign line, “Doesn‘t Just Record. It Protects.,” to life in a way audiences can actually watch in motion. The campaign brings together Qubo’s connected security portfolio, spanning AI-Powered Security Cameras and Smart Dashcams, and reflects the brand’s broader vision of giving consumers technology that can actively help protect what matters – at home, on the road and even when they are away.

Taking its campaign offline with OOH, Qubo’s installations on Golf Course Road, Gurugram, features its Outdoor 360° Smart Security Camera and 4G Dashcam bringing its everyday security proposition to life. The Outdoor 360° Smart Security Camera installation, in particular, turns heads with illuminated lights and a motorised pan movement that mirrors the scanning motion of the actual device. As the camera moves and scans its surroundings, the billboard goes beyond being a conventional static display to create a more dynamic, real-world demonstration of how technology can actively monitor and respond to its surroundings. Bringing together everyday security needs, protecting personal spaces and staying safer on the road, the execution uses a high-traffic urban setting to make the category more visible and relatable to consumers.

Both these products are part of Qubo’s growing portfolio of smart security devices, powered by its proprietary AI Guard technology that transforms these cameras from passive recording devices to active protectors armed with advanced capabilities including AI-powered person / motion detection, instant alerts and automatic alarms.

Speaking about this leg of the campaign, Mr. Nikhil Rajpal, Founder s CEO Qubo shared, “The execution brings the idea of “Doesn’t Just Record. It Protects.” to life in a simple yet impactful way – a security camera that doesn’t just sit and watch, but appears to actively look around and protect. Our products go beyond what their conventional counterparts can do, and we wanted our communication to follow the same philosophy – going beyond the conventional to create something that truly stands out.”

Rather than focusing on individual product features, “Doesn’t Just Record. It Protects.” reflects Qubo’s larger vision for how security technology is evolving from simply documenting what happens to helping people understand, anticipate and respond to what’s happening around them.

Currently live at key locations across Gurugram, the campaign brings this idea to life through high-impact installations and will extend to other cities. At its core, Qubo believes the future of connected security is about moving from simply recording what happens to actively protecting what matters most, in real time.

Pracheen Kala Kendra to Present Uttarbanga Festival 2026 in Siliguri

Two-day festival to celebrate Indian classical music, dance and fine arts on October 5 and 6

Siliguri, West Bengal | Sept 10: Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, will present Uttarbanga Festival 2026, a two-day celebration of Indian Classical Music, Dance and Fine Arts, in Siliguri on October 5 and 6, 2026.

The festival will bring together eminent artistes, performers, disciples and cultural institutions for two days of artistic expression, celebrating the richness and diversity of India’s classical traditions.

As part of the festival, an Art Exhibition will be organised at Ramkinkar Hall, Siliguri, on October 5 and 6 from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM daily.

The Indian Classical Music and Dance performances will be held at Dinabandhu Mancha, Siliguri, on both days from 5:00 PM onwards.

A Celebration of Classical Dance on Day One

The opening day of Uttarbanga Festival 2026, on October 5, will feature a vibrant presentation of Indian classical dance forms, including Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kathak.

The performances will include:

• Bharatanatyam by Vidushi Sangita Chaki & Disciples
• Odissi by Dr. Pompi Paul & Disciples
• Kathak by Ms. Dona Dutta & Disciples
• Bharatanatyam by Smt. Rimpi Saha & Disciples
• Kathak by Vidushi Sahelee Basu Thakur & Disciples
• Kathak by Mrs. Debjaya Sarkar & Disciples
• Kathak by Hakimpara Nritya Malancha, Siliguri
• Bharatanatyam by the Disciples of Mr. Prosenjit Deb
• Bharatanatyam by the Disciples of Mr. Shuvam Ghosh
• Kathak by Smt. Agnimitra Sengupta & Disciples
• Kathak by Shri Jyoti Mondal & Disciples
• Kathak by Ms. Sanchari Sarkar & Disciples
• Odissi by Dr. Dripta Chakraborty & Disciples
• Kathak by Shri Gobinda Saha & Disciples
• Kathak by Shri Ayan Bhattacharjee and Smt. Sujata Chatterjee

The first day’s programme will be anchored by Shri Amitava Ghosh and Smt. Sumita Dutta.

Day Two to Showcase Indian Classical Music

The second day, October 6, will focus on Indian classical music, featuring vocal, instrumental and solo performances by distinguished artistes and emerging performers.

The programme will include:

• Vocal performance by Shadaj Music Academy, Siliguri
• Vocal performance by Vidushi Mousumi Dasgupta & Disciples
• Vocal performance by Vidushi Barnali Basu & Disciples
• Tabla performance by Pandit Subir Adhikari & Disciples
• Solo performances by Vidushi Malobika Chakraborty, Dr. Sutapa Dutta, Vidushi Nibedita Bhattacharjee, Shri Ashish Banerjee, Shri Satyaki Chakraborty, Shri Abhiman Roy and Shri Deborshi Hore
• A Sitar Solo Recital by Pandit Debopratim Roy

The accompanying artistes will include Pandit Subir Adhikari, Dr. Dhrupad Ray, Pandit Sudip Chakraborty, Shri Riju Saha, Shri Prianshu Nandi and Shri Amit Saha on tabla, along with Shri Ashis Kansa Banik on harmonium.

The second day’s programme will be anchored by Shri Subir Bhattacharjee and Smt. Tapasi Deb.

Uttarbanga Festival 2026 aims to create a platform that brings together artistes, students, connoisseurs and lovers of Indian art forms while celebrating the continuing relevance and richness of India’s classical cultural heritage.

With classical dance, music and fine arts coming together over two days, the festival promises to offer audiences in Siliguri an opportunity to experience a wide range of artistic traditions and performances.

RSVP

Shri Sajal Koser
Secretary, Pracheen Kala Kendra
Ashutosh Mukherjee Road,
(Upstairs Bani Library), College Para,
Siliguri, Darjeeling – 734001, West Bengal

Pracheen Kala Kendra

Creativity, Technology and Innovation, the new frontiers of Fine Arts, aver experts at Amity

KPMG in India and Mastercard Report Highlights India’s Opportunity to Build an Intelligent, Sovereign and Scalable Financial Ecosystem

Amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), evolving cybersecurity threats, growing demands for digital trust and the increasing importance of technological self-reliance, KPMG in India and Mastercard today unveiled their report, Intelligent, sovereign and scalable: Architecting the future-ready financial operating system, at Global Fintech Fest 2026. The report highlights how AI, digital public infrastructure (DPI), trusted data-sharing frameworks, tokenisation and sovereign technology capabilities are reshaping the future of financial services.

It examines the strategic forces transforming the industry and explores India’s opportunity to build a financial ecosystem that is intelligent in decision-making, sovereign in its technological foundations and scalable in its ability to drive innovation and inclusive growth.

The report explores the convergence of AI-driven decisioning, programmable finance, consent-based data sharing, quantum-safe security and embedded regulatory intelligence, highlighting how these developments are creating a more connected, resilient and responsive financial ecosystem globally. It also examines how financial institutions are moving beyond standalone technology deployments towards integrated architectures that connect intelligence, execution and governance across the financial services value chain.

For India, these themes have particular significance. Over the last decade, the country has demonstrated how interoperable digital public infrastructure can drive financial inclusion and innovation at population scale. Platforms such as Aadhaar, UPI, DigiLocker, ONDC and the Account Aggregator framework have helped establish a foundation that supports seamless digital interactions, real-time payments and trusted data sharing across the economy. As the focus now shifts towards sovereign AI, trusted governance frameworks and resilient digital infrastructure, India is well positioned to shape a globally relevant financial ecosystem that balances innovation, trust and strategic self-reliance.

As financial services continue to evolve, institutions are increasingly exploring AI-native operating models, tokenised financial infrastructure, federated fraud intelligence and real-time compliance capabilities. At the same time, strengthening sovereign technology capabilities, enhancing cyber resilience and preparing for emerging risks such as quantum-era security threats are becoming important priorities for long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth.

Akhilesh Tuteja, Partner and Head, Clients and Markets, KPMG in India said “The future of financial services will be defined by the convergence of AI, trusted data sharing and real time digital infrastructure. India starts from a position of strength, having built some of the world’s successful digital public platforms at scale. The next opportunity is to combine innovation with trust and resilience to create a financial ecosystem, that is intelligent, sovereign and globally relevant”

Hemant Jhajhria, Head of Consulting, KPMG in India said “India has already demonstrated the transformative power of digital public infrastructure at scale. The next frontier lies in combining AI, trusted data-sharing frameworks, programmable finance and sovereign technology capabilities to create a financial operating system that is intelligent, resilient and future-ready. By embedding trust, governance and innovation into the foundation of financial services, India has the opportunity to shape a globally relevant model for the future of finance.”

Manoj Kumar Vijai, Non Executive Chairman, KPMG in India said “India’s digital journey has created a strong foundation for the future of financial services. As technology reshapes the industry, the opportunity lies in harnessing innovation responsibly to drive sustainable growth, greater inclusion and lasting value for the economy.”

Vishnu Pillai, Financial Services Technology Leader and Office Managing Partner- Kochi, KPMG in India said “The report highlights that the future of financial services will be shaped by the convergence of AI, tokenisation, trusted data-sharing frameworks and resilient digital infrastructure. As these capabilities mature, institutions will need to move beyond standalone technology adoption towards integrated operating models that can enable more intelligent decision-making, programmable solutions for customers and scalable innovation across the financial services value chain.”

Kunal Pande, Partner and Leader – Cyber, Risk and Compliance, KPMG in India said “The true test of innovation is not whether it can be launched, but whether it can be trusted, scaled and sustained. As financial services become more intelligent and interconnected, trust, risk, resilience and sustainable unit economics must form part of the design blueprint. Institutions that combine technological ambition with strong governance, cyber resilience and commercial viability will be better positioned to scale responsibly, navigate emerging risks and create enduring value for customers and the wider financial ecosystem.”

Highlights from the report :

• India’s fintech ecosystem has grown to more than 17,700 fintechs, driving AI-led digital transformation across banking, payments, and financial services
• Financial services firms are approaching an AI inflection point, with adoption expected to rise from 26 per cent to 65 per cent within 12 months, signaling a rapid shift from experimentation to scaled deployment across the industry
• Approximately 2.9 billion financial accounts are enabled to share data through the Account Aggregator framework, supported by over 538 million fulfilled consents as of July 2026, enabling faster and more data-driven financial services
• With the global digital assets market expected to generate ~USD 101 billion in revenue by 2026, tokenization is emerging as a key catalyst, enabling the conversion of financial assets into digitally tradable instruments that enhance liquidity, accessibility, and market efficiency
• Quantum-safe security is becoming an increasingly important strategic priority, with institutions preparing for future cryptographic risks across payments, digital identity and financial infrastructure
• Regulatory intelligence is becoming increasingly embedded within financial operations, enabling AI-driven monitoring, automated reporting and continuous compliance oversight across complex regulatory environments

Together, these developments point to a new phase of transformation where AI, trusted digital infrastructure, programmable finance and sovereign capabilities are increasingly shaping how institutions operate, manage risk and deliver value. For India, the convergence of DPI, trusted governance frameworks and strategic technology investments presents a significant opportunity to build a financial architecture that is intelligent, resilient, inclusive and globally relevant.

TechnoStruct Group Becomes an Authorized Autodesk Reseller and Authorized Autodesk Learning Partner in India

New Delhi, Sep 10: TechnoStruct Group, a player in Building Information Modeling and Virtual Design & Construction in India, announces that it has been named an Authorized Autodesk Reseller and an Authorized Autodesk Learning Partner. As an Authorized Autodesk Reseller, TechnoStruct is now empowered to sell and support a portfolio of Autodesk’s AEC solutions, including Revit, NavisWorks,Civil 3D, AEC Collection to name a few, to clients across India. Combined with its existing standing as an Autodesk Learning Partner, the dual designation allows TechnoStruct to offer clients an end-to-end pathway: from selecting the right Autodesk products, through implementation and adoption, to training teams and providing ongoing BIM services support.

The partnership marks a significant step in TechnoStruct’s broader expansion plans across the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations space. The company positions the reseller status as a natural complement to its established BIM skilling business under TechnoStruct Academy and BIM/VDC services under AECO TechnoStruct, giving it a differentiated edge in serving clients with a single integrated offering.

“Becoming an Authorized Autodesk Reseller and Learning Partner is a natural next step for us. It allows TechnoStruct to move beyond training & BIM/VDC services, and offer clients a true end-to-end solution, from choosing the right Autodesk products to implementing them, training their teams, and supporting them through every stage of adoption. This is a key part of our larger AECO expansion, and it strengthens the value we bring to the industry,” said Mr. Roy Aniruddha, Founder, TechnoStruct Group.

With this authorization, TechnoStruct becomes one of the few organizations in India equipped to combine Autodesk software procurement with hands-on implementation and training expertise under one roof. The company said the move strengthens its ability to support AEC organizations navigating digital transformation, particularly as demand for BIM adoption, Digital Twins, and data-driven project delivery continues to accelerate across the sector.

Going forward, TechnoStruct plans to build out its Autodesk solutions and services offering further, integrating it with its BIM training programs and industry partnerships to support clients through every stage of their digital transformation journey.