HRAWI Petition For Abolishing Of Sign Board Licences Gets A Thumbs Up From Maha Govt

“Beginning Of The End Of Licence Raj”

Mumbai: In a landmark move the Government of Maharashtra granted the long standing demand of hoteliers and restaurateurs and abolished the sign board licenses. A recent circular issued by the Government of Maharashtra has done away with the need for retail establishments to obtain licence for advertising their own business at their operational premises. The circular has also indicated that along with the licence, retailers will no longer have to pay for the fee either. The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) which has been leading advocacy for the cancellation of the license has welcomed the move and has commended the Government for taking progressive steps towards facilitating the ease of doing business policy.

“The move comes on the back of the ‘Model Shops and Establishments Bill’ which the Union

Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI

Cabinet has recently given a nod to which essentially allows establishments to remain operational 24/7. Although, the State Government is yet to finalize on introducing this bill in Maharashtra, the abolishment of the sign board licence is an encouraging indication of the Government’s outlook towards ease of doing business,” says Mr. Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI.

The new circular states that sky-signs are mainly set up for advertising, which is an integral component of every retail store. As long as the sky sign is fixed in and out of the self-owned, leased or mortgaged premise of the retail store, by the trader advertising his own business it shall not attract the requirement of permission of the Commissioner or Chief Officer or Competent Authority and payment of fees.

“The HRAWI has been tirelessly following-up with the Government for many years, including the previous Governments, to rationalize laws and policies that are either archaic or simply irrelevant today. The abolishment of this licence is welcomed by the association and the industry,” concludes Mr. Malkani.

About Hotel & Restaurant Association Western India (HRAWI)

The Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) is a 66 years old Association of Hotels and Restaurants in Western India. Its members include smaller Hotels up to 5-Star Deluxe categories. The bulk of its members like any growth economy are made up of budget hotels. With around 1300 members across Western India, HRAWI covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and the Union Territories of Daman, Diu & Silvassa, and is considered to be the voice of the Hotel Industry. The association is part of the national body of Federation of the Hotels & Restaurants Associations of India (FHRAI), located in New Delhi, which was originally founded in Mumbai in 1950 by the late Mr. J.R.D. Tata.

For more information about the association please visit: www.hrawi.com

INDIA’S FIRST RESORT ON THE LINES OF JAPANESE TREE HOUSE CHALET, RUMOURSS SKY VILLA TO OPEN AT LONAVALA, MAHARASHTRA

 INDIA’S FIRST RESORT ON THE LINES OF JAPANESE TREE HOUSE CHALET, RUMOURSS SKY VILLA TO OPEN AT LONAVALA, MAHARASHTRA

Mumbai: Lonavala, the popular hill station getaway from Mumbai and Pune, is all set to feature India’s first resort on the lines of Japanese Tree House Chalets. An architectural feat, the villas at Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort are erected on a single iron mast at a height of about 30 to 40 feet that tremble gently and pleasantly at periodical intervals.

“One of its kind, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort will forever alter the travel experience of tourists in India. Instead of going for regular structure with more rooms, we decided to make the villas unique and enhance user experience. We house only eight villas in the entire resort. Four of them are sky villas and four ground villas. This will enable us to provide quality service to each of our guests,” says Devang Badiyani, Managing Director, Rumourss Sky Villa & Resort Pvt Ltd.

The resort is expected to be formally opened and fully operational by the end of the month, however guests have been availing services with limited functions since August. Located on the lap of a mountain on one side and a lake across the road on the other, Rumourss is set on a picturesque location with easy accessibility. It houses a fully lit swimming pool and a multi cuisine restaurant.

“With a usable area of 400 sq. feet, each villa comes with a spacious balcony, a cozy attic with

double mattress, 50 inch LED television and free Wi-Fi, beside many other standard and exclusive amenities. With natural hills and forests complementing the background of the resort, the villas themselves are constructed with eco friendly materials to retain the mood of the destination. During the monsoons, guests can enjoy the view of Tata lake right from their Sky villas or visit a private waterfall,” adds Devang Badiyani.

One of the most popular weekend destinations for both Mumbai as well as Pune residents, Lonavala is located 96 kms from the former and 64 kms from the latter. Set on an altitude of about 2000 feet above sea level, Lonavala enjoys a pleasant weather throughout the year.

“It is however most sought during the monsoons and the winter. During the rains, you can literally see life blossoming and earth around you becoming a sea of green interspersed with idyllic blue of still water. The region is also historically significant with many forts and caves including Lohagad fort, Visapur fort, Karla caves and Bhaja caves. The hill station along with its twin Khanadala, sprawl over an area of 38 square kms and are set on the Sahyadri ranges,” concludes Devang Badiyani.

The resort at Lonavala marks the entry of Rumourss Group into hospitality industry. Over the next two years it plans to come up with more projects with its signature style sky villas across India.

HRAWI UNANIMOUS WITH FSSAI; HOPES FOR THE UNORGANIZED PLAYERS TO BE WITHIN FSSAI’S PURVIEW

FBOs To Be Better Regulated With FSSAI’s Restructuring

Mumbai: The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has advocated the restructuring of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to further strengthen its functions and to better regulate the Food Business Operators (FBOs) in the country. As specified by FSSAI, 04th August 2015 is the last date to acquire licenses to operate FBOs. HRAWI has appealed to the FBOs to obtain licenses and be acquiescent with FSSAI’s guidelines prior to the deadline.

The HRAWI has also expressed apprehension concerning the large unorganized FBOs and FSSAI’s role and reach to keep these in its purview.

“The fact that FSSAI will have a much better and robust infrastructure is good news not just for the hospitality industry but for the common man who consumes outside of home. We are glad that the Health Ministry has stepped up and we support the call unanimously. However, there is also the unorganized part of this sector that needs to be kept in FSSAI’s ambit. Our concern remains that street vendors and eateries which are non-compliant to standards, continue to operate and could pose serious health hazards,” says Mr. Bharat Malkani, President, HRAWI.

There are approximately 250,000 road-side eateries in Mumbai, serving anything from vada-pav to tandoori chicken. They operate on the footpaths or above gutters with indigenously built stalls and they use the nearest source of water to wash or rinse their utensils.

“We suspect if these eateries have licences to operate a business let alone having the licence to serve food. Maintaining cleanliness and hygiene are a distant dream and yet they continue to thrive. By running businesses without licenses they are discounted on taxes. Obviously they are making profits and eating into businesses of the certified FBOs and most importantly they are a threat to health,” adds Mr. Malkani.

“At present, the industry is so hard-pressed with taxes that new investors are keeping away from the business. Old hotels are finding it difficult to survive. In the scenario, FSSAI’s intervention will help the industry in the long run. We hope that there will be a hard check on eating joints for licenses and defined food safety standards which will not only restrain illegal operations of FBOs but will also help to regularize the standards of the Indian food industry on a whole,” concludes Mr. Malkani.

The HRAWI has also indicated that they may schedule a training session shortly for FBOs who seek guidance on the matter.

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 centre 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.

MUMBAI WARMS UP TO PRE SEASON ALPHONSOS

Greencart.in Introduces Its Range of Branded, Naturally Ripened, 100% Carbide Free Alphonsos

Mumbai: With the city beginning to warm up to the king of fruits following a relative drop in prices, Greencart.in has launched its own range of branded Alphonso mangoes. Available in six different varieties, the mangoes are graded, packaged and come with one hundred percent naturally ripened and carbide free guarantee.

“Mangoes of a particular variety that grow in the coastal belt of Konkan and certain areas of South Gujarat are called Alphonso Mangoes. The soil, the climate, the proximity to the sea, the wind and the temperature that the crop are exposed to are some of the key factors that determine their texture, aroma, color and flavor. Alphonso mangoes from Devgad are said to be the best followed by those from the neighboring Ratnagiri,” says Rajiv Tevtiya, co founder and CEO.

The Greencart mangoes, currently available at www.greencart.in, comprise six varieties of Alphonsos sourced from select orchards of Devgad and Ratnagiri. Greencart’s in-depth expertise in Agribusiness help them source topnotch quality from the select farms.  “Our mangoes differ from those available at local vendors.

They are hand graded for standardization and naturally ripened at Government approved ripening chambers. Natural ripening is a long and intensive process that incurs substantial costs. So most vendors resort to ripening the mangoes artificially by using a banned toxic powder called Calcium Carbide, which are known to cause severe health damages. Our mangoes come with a carbide free guarantee,” he adds.

Alphonso mangoes available at this time of year are pre-season mangoes, which are mild in taste and aroma. They are more flavor some and less sweeter than their full season counterparts that are expected to hit the market by mid-April.

Greencart.in is a Mumbai based online portal specializing in fresh produce and gourmet food. It had recently secured US $ 1.5 million in its first round of funding. It currently offers more than 1500 products in over thirty categories. Its fresh range is one of the most extensive in the city and is currently unmatched by any online or brick and mortar store. The full range of products can be viewed at www.greencart.in.  The products are currently delivered across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai & Thane and will soon be available in other parts.

SIT AND DRAW ART COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS - Open To Participants From All Over India

Niki Hingad Art Foundation(NHAF) has announced the third annual launch of an art competition, the most widespread youth talent contest, inviting schools and students all over India to participate in an art-drawing contest titled ‘Sit and Draw Art Competition’.

The competition will be open to participants across the country for a period of three weeks, with the last day of submission of their artwork being February 2^nd, 2014. All participants in will have to email the artworks attested by their schools at nhafnationals@gmail.com and then courier the same to NHAF address. These will be displayed during the art competition to be held on 8^th of February at Sir J J School Of Arts, Mumbai.  The competition will be followed by a special enriching ART demonstration from the award-winning students of Sir J J School of Arts Institute. The participants will also include a group of children from Differently Abled Schools.

Talking about the initiative, Ms. Niki Hingad, Founder, NHAF says, “This is the 3rd year of our competition. It is a great way to encourage the freedom of art in young talents. We at NHAF believe that true artists paint their own selves. Hence, we promote art without any boundaries by letting these children explore their inner selves, encouraging their own language of art. Over the years we have not only introduced our young artists to various art techniques like pen and ink, charcoals and many more at National Sports Club Of India but also arranged nature camps to places like the Gateway of India and Girgaun Chawpatty for them to explore their imagination.”

All entries will be judged by a panel of judges from the Sir J. J. School art fraternity and will be rated on the basis of creativity and originality of the artwork. The jury will select a total of 12 winners in 4 categories from Mumbai and 6 winning entries from all other regions. NHAF will announce the winners at the art competition on 8^th February 2014.

Each student other than from Mumbai is free to submit their best artwork (only 1) on the given theme of    a) my dream , b) landscape , c) My pet  d) India in 2021 , before 2nd February 2014 on the given NHAF address titled NHAF Annual art event’ 14 and also email their school attested entries to nhafnationals@gmail.com.

This will be an open competition fully supporting the idea of freedom in the world of Art and will be categorized in four different age groups i.e. ‘Veni-A ' – Age 5 – 7 yrs, 'Veni-B' Age 7 – 10 yrs, ‘Vidi’ – Age 11 – 14 yrs and ‘Vici’ – Age 14 -16 yrs.

For further details please call on 9892908081, between 10am – 5pm, join us on facebook.com/nikihingad.artfoundation.

Our address: NHAF base, 1-1 Ratnakar bldg., Narayan Dhabolkar Marg off Nepean Sea road, Mumbai -400006.

About Niki Hingad Art Foundation (NHAF): NHAF Foundation, has been involved with various art activities over the last few years. The foundation plans to ignite an immense interest in the perception of art in the younger generation and hence will be actively involved in creating a difference in the world of art. With the help of eminent professors of the Sir J. J. School of Arts and its team, NHAF plans to work in various fields of Art round the year. These activities will be held in various schools and will include special courses in various fields and techniques of Sketching, Charcoal, Calligraphy, Pen and Ink, Clay modeling, Water colors, Acrylic colors, Cartoon caricature, Landscape, Portraits, Still life, Sculptures. It will also conduct workshops on famous Artists, mediums of art, various eras of art like Op art, Modern art.