HRAWI WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH MTDC AND GOVERNMENT OF MAHARASHTRA FOR EASE OF BUSINESS

HRAWI Maps Investor Friendly Policies To Attract “Gen-Next” Entrepreneurs

Mumbai: Hotel & Restaurant Association of India Western India (HRAWI), the apex body of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India in conjunction with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and Government of Maharashtra (GoM) has been advocating new business strategies with a goal to give boost to the hospitality industry.  HRAWI has shown optimism and believes that implementation of the new policy will encourage the growth of hotel/hospitality infrastructure in the country.

India ranked 140/189 in 2013 and 142/189 in 2014 on Ease-of-doing-business index where 1 is the most business-friendly regulation country as per data released by The World Bank. Sixty five percent of India’s population is under thirty years of age. It is, therefore, imperative to have investor friendly ease-of-business policies to attract “Gen-next” entrepreneurs to this sector. HRAWI, along with MTDC and GoM through Accenture, has identified Single Window Clearance as the key solution in the Ease-of-Business strategy paper.

“High taxation and unreasonable levies are the reason why more entrants are not looking at this industry with a keen investment opportunity. Moreover, local and smaller entrepreneurs are shying away due to high investment and low Rate of Interest. We need to look at this in a rational way with an attitude to give boost to an industry capable of singularly taking tourism to new heights and earning formidable revenues in foreign exchange,” says Mr. Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI

At present, there are around 112 clearances (70 project and 42 operational) required from various ministries/ departments from the GoM to set up a hotel. Recognizing that multiplicity and the delay in obtaining clearances from various ministries/ departments/ agencies is hampering the growth of the hospitality sector, it has recommended streamlining the current outdated systems and launch a transparent online “Single Window Monitoring Mechanism” for expeditious implementation of hotel & restaurant projects.

An online single window clearance shopping cart will increase room inventory for the State and reduce room tariffs besides reducing waste of time and increase efficiency. A foreigner staying one extra night will increase forex revenue to Maharashtra Government at INR 599 crores per night.

“With the implementation of the proposal, MTDC will become the nodal agency to which restaurants and hotels will apply for new licenses and renewals. It will act as a single window that will in turn fetch all licenses from the relevant departments on the Board and have the investors pick them up from the same window. It will also ensure that the permits are granted within a set time frame. The presentations made by Accenture include topics as curbing the number of licenses, permits, NOCs and registrations from 112 to 20 for opening new establishment as well as renewing existing licenses, appraisals for special tourist zones that would remain open round the clock and abolishment of archaic drinking permit rules among other. If sanctioned and implemented at the earliest, the proposal holds capacity to boost tourism and bring India on the International map as one of the most preferred tourist destinations,” says Mr. Kamlesh Barot, past President, HRAWI.

Hotel & Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) is the apex body of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. One of the strongest four pillars of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), since 2010 it is a nominee in the core committee of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 65 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants, representing majority of Hotels and Restaurants across Western India, which covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa and is more or less considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry / Fraternity. The four Regional Associations form a part of the “Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India” (FHRAI) at the center in New Delhi, which is our parent body. The Association is part of the national body of the “Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India”, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950, by the late Mr. J.R. D. Tata.

Editor’s Note: Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) was instrumental in initiating a first-ever move that was advised by the Committee of All India Secretaries, that got approved by the Union Cabinet of Ministers also, to set up the Hospitality Development & Promotion Board (HDPB) under Ministry of Tourism in 2011. Secretary (Tourism), Government of India is the Chairman of the Board with ADG as the convener and members include Secretaries of UD, Environment, Culture, Civil Aviation, Finance, Home, BMC, Delhi Development Authority and two non-official members being the FHRAI etc. The Chief Secretary of the State Government would be Chairman of the HDP Board at the State level. The Board was to be setup by each of the States, which has formally setup by Manipur, Mizoram and Maharashtra. The main functions of the Board would be to ensure timely accrual of approval / clearance/NOC by the multiple agencies and facilitate the implementation of hotel projects. It also monitors and facilitates the clearance of hotel projects in a time bound manner apart from reviewing hotel project policies to encourage the growth of hotel/hospitality infrastructure in the country.

SENIOR WRITER – JOURNALIST AASHU PATEL’S BOOK ‘MADAM X’ LAUNCHED IN MUMBAI

Small Town Girl Becomes The Most Dreaded Gangster Of The Underworld – 

Madam X

Mumbai: Aashu Patel’s saga on the underworld, narrated in his latest cult thriller book was launched on April 15^th at a grand event at the city bookstore, Granth in the presence of a bevy of Bollywood

(L-R) Tigmanshu Dhulia, Aashu Patel, Sanjay Chhel, Paresh Baua,
Ananth Mahadevan

and Tellywood celebrities. Actor-Director, Anant Mahadevan and actress Ishita Sarkar read parts of the book at the launch.  The event was also attended by Sanjay Chhel and Jayantilal Gada. The book is the first one in English for the bestselling Gujarati author and was launched by Tigmanshu Dhulia. At the launch the renowned Bollywood director announced his plans to adapt the book into a Bollywood film.

Tigmanshu Dhulia

“I had met Aashu almost a decade ago and since then we have been good friends. Aashu's knowledge of underworld amazes me. The moment he narrated the plot of Madam X, I decided to make a movie based on it. It is a very gripping book and gives us an insight into the very soul of the underworld. Madam X is set in the nineties when the underworld was at its peak," says Tigmanshu Dhulia.

“Back in the nineties while I was into journalism, I extensively studied and tracked the underworld. It is during this period that I got acquainted with people from the underworld and this gave me the edge when I began writing plots around the subject. Madam X is perhaps the only female protagonist in

Aashu Patel

the otherwise male dominated underworld,” says the author. “The story is about how a small-town girl’s ambition to make it big takes her on an unexpected, roller-coaster journey to becoming the protégé of an infamous don to eventually becoming the most dreaded gangster of the underworld.”

With this sensational novel senior Gujarati writer-journalist Aashu Patel enters the English market for the first time. After starting his career as a journalist in Gujarati, he made his mark as a columnist and later a writer. He has 26 published books to his credit including a coffee table book on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

The book is published by Shree Book Centre .It will be available at Granth and all leading book stores across India.

FOR THE 1ST TIME IN TELEVISION HISTORY, 100 EPISODES DEDICATED TO DIET – CARE WORD TV

One-Way Journey To Wellness, From Home – At Home

Mumbai: The first and largest healthcare satellite channel in Asia, Care World TV that had recently announced its plans to reorient its programmes towards Wellness, has announced its first programme for the season. ‘100 Days Diet Plan’ – the series is not only a first of its kind show but also is a well-researched and planned show on wellness that will be aired beginning the month of May. All episodes of the show have been shot in High-Definition (HD) with International feel and context. The programme aims at breaking certain notions about health diets and amplifying the goodness of a well-balanced diet, factoring in correct calories intake and appropriate nutrient levels.

100 Days Diet Plan_Host & Nutritionists with
Mr. Ajit Gupta, MD, Care World TV

The series is an all encapsulating Wellness diet regime that assures, if followed, will not only address the health quotient of an individual or family but also will make it equally interesting to the palate.

“Wellness is an everyday state of being and maintaining a well-balanced diet is the key to healthy living. ‘100 Days Diet Plan’ is designed to educate, clear misconceptions and most importantly bring a disciplined effort towards following a diet to attain wellness,” says Mr. Ajit Gupta, Managing Director, Care World TV.

“Today consumption of supplements, promoted by nutraceutical companies, is trending. Many may

not even know why they are consuming supplements and are unaware that the same constituents that go into its making can be consumed as simple, home-made food diets. The series is, hypothetically speaking, a hundred page menu card that will help one dish out everyday meals which will eliminate the need for consuming such supplements. Diets beginning with breakfast to addressing even night cravings will be prescribed by our panel of dietitians and nutritionists,” adds Mr. Gupta.

The TV channel has also leveled up its production facility to leave no stone unturned in presenting the show with world-class style. “To match the ideology of the show it is important to deliver it in contemporary style. We've taken efforts to build the studio to reflect its objective and audiences can enjoy viewing the same in 4K resolution,” says. Mr. Ashok Singh, Creative Head, Care World TV.

In the last 10 – 15 years, sales in the nutraceutical markets have seen an unprecedented spike. A couple years ago, the sale of supplements in this market stood at US $96 billion worldwide and is expected to show a CAGR between 6% - 7%.

“The diet industry is nearly a US $60 billion-a-year business globally and the Indian market is becoming a major player in this sector. The need for consumption of such processed, packaged diets stems from the need of wanting a healthy body for many in the urban populaces. Most people are concerned about their weight and may resort to dietary supplements that are available in the market. However, there is no such thing as ‘one size fits all’ in dieting and consuming such foods may prove futile in achieving the end result. Our series aims at completely eliminating the need for supplements intake and instead promotes indulging in a wholesome, nutritious, healthy diet as a habit,” concludes Mr. Gupta.

About Care World TV: CARE WORLD TV, Asia's only Satellite healthcare TV Channel, emerged as the need of the hour by fulfilling a vacant niche, has successfully completed 7 years of disseminating health related information to the masses thus bridging the gap between the functionary and the beneficiary. Keeping in tune with the boom in the healthcare Industry with constant changes, in trends, development, research, the channel has introduced various innovative shows with exclusive content. The content is produced in its Mumbai involving experts from the industry has generated viewers in India, Bangkok, Pakistan, Nepal and many more Asian countries. Care World is available on all major Cable Networks across the country and also can be accessed on Videocon DTH.

NOTED POET-NOVELIST C P SURENDRAN'S 'HADAL' LAUNCHED IN MUMBAI

Noted poet-novelist C P Surendran's 'Hadal' Launched in Mumbai

Mumbai: C P Surendran's third work of fiction was launched today at a grand event at the city hotel,

(L-R) Ravi Subramanian,CP Surendran,
Anurag Kashyap

Palladium in the presence of leading personalities from the field of cinema, literature and art. The launch was followed by a round of reading and play acting of a passage from the book.

A newsman, C P Surendran was the editor-in-chief of DNA and Resident Editor of Times of India. His earlier works, 'An Iron Harvest' and 'Lost and Found' were bestselling novels, while his collection of poems that included Gemini II, Posthumous Poems, Canaries on the Moon and Portraits of the Space We Occupy were considered to be path breaking and had set many precedents in modern English poetry. Surendran also marked his debut in Bollywood by scripting 'Gour Hari Dastaan' which has been winning accolades at various international festivals. Directed and jointly screen written by national award winner, Ananth Mahadevan, the theatrical release of the film is expected soon.

(L-R) Suchitra Pillai, Denzil Smith, Ravi Subramanian,
CP Surendran, Anurag Kashyap

"Inspired by a real-life incident, Hadal is an incisive critique of the rot at the heart of India and the corruption, physical and spiritual, that permeates the structure of authority," says the author. The plot revolves around Marian a young, attractive and unhappily married lady. Taking a break from her job as internal security officer at the palace of the Maldivian president, she comes to Trivandrum to write a novel. Honey Kumar is a police officer on a punishment transfer from Delhi to Trivandrum for a spectacular act of graft. When Miriam refuses to comply with Honey Kumar’s demands for sexual favours in return for extending her visa, he fabricates an espionage charge against her and arrests her. Before long, Miriam, who has secrets of her own, realizes that the tropical vacation spot she has landed in is like a hallucinogenic dream, where everybody has a tale to tell. They collectively contribute to a fable about her as a spy and a honey trap, shaking her up and shaping her struggle.

The book is published by Harper Collins.