#interactive board price in punjab | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

investedin · 3 years

Text

About And History Of HDFC Bank

Everyone must have heard about the HDFC bank in India. Many of us may have accounts in many of its branches. Some may have availed of loans, credits, and invested in mutual funds. The bank has overtaken most of the private sector banks to emerge victorious in the financial sector. Through this article, it will enlighten my readers about the services and history of HDFC bank. I will provide glimpses of the history of this bank. Then I will put forth the various financial services that it has to offer for its customers. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of what has made this bank a household name today. So, let’s get started.

Ever wondered what HDFC stands for? It is the short form for Housing Development Financial Corporation Limited (HDFC). Since its initiation, it has amassed huge assets and a market capitalization that has paved the way for its success. It is currently headed by Mr. Sashidhar Jagdishan.

Today HDFC bank is one of India’s most powerful banks. It is a private sector bank that provides various banking and investment banking services nationally and internationally. It was founded in the year 1994 under the guidance of Mr. Hasmukhbhai Parekh. Since then, the banking company has expanded its reach in various cities across India and overseas. On the international level, it has branches in Bahrain, Hong Kong, and offices in UAE and Kenya. To date, the company has branches across 2,848 cities in India with a vast network of 5,430 branches.

More Information About HDFC Bank

The HDFC bank was inaugurated in 1994. It started deploying banking services as a Scheduled Commercial bank in 1995. The Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited was the first company to set up a private bank in India. It provided services from the registered bank in Mumbai. The current CEO of the HDFC bank is Mr. Deepak Parekh. The main aim of the HDFC bank was to become a world-class Indian Bank. It has truly lived up to its mission and has become the most successful bank today. The awards and honors the bank had received in India and worldwide speak for themselves. It is known for its good customer services, revolutions in the financial business, and its sustainability. The bank has introduced various products in the market. Apart from these, it had also conducted several drives and launched initiatives for the betterment of society. Its main objective was to become the first choice of every investor in every domain of the bank services. Its second objective was to achieve substantial growth in bank assets. No wonder it had met all its business objectives, and it has continually been delivering quality services to the new customer. The bank continues to conquer the hearts and minds of every investor and its existing customers.

Mergers Of HDFC Bank

The HDFC bank had merged with the Centurion Bank of Punjab (CBoP) on 23rd May 2008. This merger was approved by the Reserved Bank of India. The merger was directly proportional to the shareholders of CBoP receiving a share of the HDFC bank. The shares would be provided to each of the 29 shares of CBoP. The merger provided great benefits to the HDFC bank. For instance, the bank network had significantly incremented by a good number. This meant that the HDFC bank could now deliver services to more masses. The added new workforce of the CBoP created a larger pool of skilled workmen. Thus, the merger was a huge gain for the HDFC bank.

Times Bank Limited was an Indian Bank in the private sector. On 26th February 2000, the Times bank had merged with the HDFC bank. It was the first time that two banks had merged in the 21st century. The combination of the two banks implied that the shareholders of the Times bank would have received one share of the HDFC bank. This would continue for every 5.75 shares of the Times bank.

History Of HDFC Bank

It’s been 26 years since the bank first opened at its registered office in Mumbai. As per the Reserve Bank of India RBI’s policy about the liberalization of the banking industry in India, the request by the HDFC bank to set up the first Indian bank in the private sector was approved. The HDFC bank, as it is popularly called, was one of the first banks in India. The main operations of the financial company as a Scheduled Commercial bank first commenced back in January 1995.

The bank has had a long history. Some of these factors were instrumental in making it the premium bank in India. So, here I have provided a descriptive guide about the history of this bank.

1994

The HDFC bank was founded on 30th August in the year 1994. It had established a partnership with the National Westminster Bank Pc. and its subsidiaries. The banks agreed-upon a 20% subscription of the banks’ issued capital and assistance from the technical domain to promote the banking business.

1995

The bank issued the subscribers of the Memorandum and the Articles of Association with 70 equity shares. During the same time, the bank promoters were allotted with 5 crore equity shares. Moreover, the HDFC Employment Welfare Trust was also allotted shares worth 5,09,20,000 on 22nd December 1994

Later on, 16th January 1995, the Jarrington Pte. Ltd was also allotted 90,79,930 number of equity shares. The NatWest Group received 400,00,000 number of shares based on private placement. The public also received equity shares on 9th May 1995 that were 500,00,000 in number.

By this time, the HDFC bank had opened its first branch on 16th January in Ramon House at Church gate in Mumbai. An efficient operating system was designed and created by the engineers of the bank for fortifying the computer network of the bank.

1996

The bank had established a good reputation in the financial businesses and the market. This paved the way for the banking consortia of over 50 countries. The consortia included leading multinational companies, public sector companies, and several flagship companies of the local business.

The transaction in the Indian financial market was handled in a new dealing room. The room was constructed this year to facilitate this process. The HDFC bank’s Certificates on Deposits were earned a rating of PP1+. The rating was the highest for any short-term financial tools at that time.

1997

At Powai in Mumbai, the bank had established a modern hub to store the bank’s central computers and servers. The servers had information about all the new products and services and the branches that the bank had established.

The proposition for telebanking was launched by HDFC in Mumbai. The term telebanking was first introduced at the Chandiveli branch of the HDFC network.

By now, the bank had established 28 bank branches in India. These branches had initiated an account that required the investors to deposit a minimum balance for opening the account. This feature was first introduced by the HDFC bank in India. To date, this practice has been cultivated across several financial institutions in India.

They had also launched a loan product. This product facilitated the payment of fees as announced by the Bangalore Mahanagar Palike.

1998

The HDFC bank signed an MOU with the Ahmedabad Stock Exchange (ASE) so that it could play the role of a clearance bank.

The strengthening of bonds with the branch in Calcutta was proposed in 1998. They planned to make an addition of two more branches by the first quarter of the upcoming financial year 1999.

They had inked a memorandum with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) around the same year. This agreement stated that the bank would give an additional charge over the broker’s deposit. It was only if they provide a loan against share facility to the NSE brokers.

2000

With the beginning of the 21st century, the bank had also begun establishing new connections in the world. Starting with Singapore Telecom’s e-commerce arm Sesami.com Pvt Ltd. The HDFC bank had signed an agreement with this company to boost its reach.

The HDFC bank had launched a new facility call the ‘Freedom- The e-Age Savings Account.’ this account was specifically designed for cellular phone users.

Trichy and Coimbatore, the southernmost regions of India, had received wireless application protocol-based mobile banking. This was newly introduced at that time. The HDFC bank was instrumental in launching this facility in association with Aircel.

2001

Aurangabad had received the first HDFC bank with the commencement of the new year 2001.

The HDFC Standard Life Insurance had established a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Bank. The Indian bank was based in the southern capital of Chennai.

The bank had first launched its International Maestro Debit Card in association with Master Card.

The Board of Directors dealt with the resignation of two of its directors. These were Mr. S. S. Thakur and Mr. Amit Judge. They had resigned from their office on 30th March.

2002

The HDFC bank had introduced a new online account. The online account service was called ‘One View.’ The bank launched the services to all its customers.

The HDFC bank had launched various new products in the year 2002. These products were inclined towards the wealth management program designed to increase the number of the customer base. The Financial Planner was a non-interactive product that was available for the customers. This product was available at the base price of Rs.10,000. The mass affluent segment could avail of the fee-based advisory program. This program was earlier available only to the high net worth customers. The wealth management program was a highly beneficial initiative by the bank for the betterment of its customers. This program took into account various factors like the financial goal and the risk profile, including equity, customers age, MFs, and RBI Relief Bonds.

2003

The resident foreign currency account was launched by the HDFC bank.

The co-branded credit card with e-Seva was unveiled by the HDFC bank.

Mr. Arvind Pande was appointed as the Additional Director on the 15th of January 2003. His appointment was approved by the Board of Directors. It was highlighted under Section 260 of the Companies Act, 1956.

2004

This year the Board had appointed Mr. Ranjan Kapur and Mr. Bobby Parikh as the Additional Directors.

2005

The HDFC bank had introduced the concept of loyalty rewards. These rewards were specifically meant only for the credit and the debit cardholders. This program was called the InstaWonderz.

The HDFC bank was aiming for the upliftment of the small and medium scaled enterprises (SMEs) in India. For this, it had launched a credit card with MasterCard International.

2006

The HDFC bank had established two more branches in Andhra Pradesh.

Osim intended to team up with the HDFC bank for consumer loans.

The HDFC bank had inaugurated a facility for the benefit of online shopping.

2007

The HDFC bank had teamed with the TATA Pipes to offer credit facilities to the Indian farmers.

Mr. Pandit Palande was appointed as the new Additional Director by the HDFC bank. He was appointed by the Board of HDFC bank on 24th April 2007.

The HDFC had also appointed Mr. Paresh Sukthankar and Mr. Harish Engineer as the Executive Directors. This was declared at the conference held on 12th October 2007. These gentlemen had been the senior employees of the since its initiation in 1994.

2008

The HDFC bank had tied-up with the Postal Department to extend its network in the rural areas.

The bank had won the ‘Nasscom IT User’ award.

The HDFC bank had inaugurated its first bank overseas. This bank was opened in Bahrain.

The HDFC bank had merged with the Centurion Bank of Punjab. The merger had taken place at a share swap ratio of 1:29.

2009

The HDFC bank had won the AsiaMoney award yet again. It had bagged the title of ‘ Best Domestic Bank’.

The electronic payment collection facility was offered to the Guruvayoor Devaswom by the HDFC bank.

2010

The housing finance major of the HDFC bank had introduced a variable interest rate on the recurring deposits. These interest rates were offered to attract long-term deposits. It was brought to the notice of the Board that the applicants withdraw their funds when the interest rates peak. To avoid such circumstances, these rates were introduced.

2011

The bank was aiming for 3G services to boost their mobile banking.

By this year, the HDFC bank had already opened 1,725 branches.

2013

At the Skotch Financial Inclusion Awards, the HDFC bank was named as the Organization of the Year.

The HDFC bank was instrumental in launching the Times Card.

The ‘Jet Privilege-HDFC Bank World Debit Card was launched. This was a joint initiative by the HDFC bank and Jet Airways.

2014

The Bank had set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD. They held the record for organizing the largest blood donation drive on a single day across the globe.

2016

A digital bank was launched by the HDFC bank. This for intended only for the customers of small and medium enterprises.

The HDFC attains the top rank in the Institutional Investor Magazine.

2017

The HDFC bank had launched a student card this year.

An initiative called the ‘SmartUp Zone’ was launched to uplift the startups.

You can read about the services provided by the HDFC bank in our other article.

source http://invested.in/about-and-history-of-hdfc-bank/

0 notes

matchmeindia · 4 years

Text

How This Delhi-based Startup Become an Exclusive Boutique Matrimonial Service

Fancy online dating may sound good but it is not everyone’s cup of tea to keep contacting random people on the internet. Mostly information and pictures shared aren’t necessarily correct which make the online dating space very doubtful. For people who have less time and are more selective, personalized matchmaking works better. Matchme, a personalized matchmaking service, based in New Delhi, is one such service which filters and curates matches for all its clients and makes sure they only meet suitable people. Started by two girls, Mishi and Tania, being in their 30s, they connect to everyone in the age group from 20s to their 40s.

Understanding their personalities, MatchMe aims to make selective introductions. Most of the matches done by them have been only in the first few introductions. That is the advantage of personalized matchmaking . You do not keep meeting endless number of people to look out for the right one to settle down with. Personalized matchmakers make you meet people only if they feel they could connect with. This approach works well for the ones who have less time but enough money to shell out the fee for this search-based process. Personalized matchmaking maybe a traditional business which most parents resorted to when there were no online portals, MatchMe has redefined the approach. In addition to meeting the anxious parents, they interact with all girls and boys who are looking out, asking them personal questions which the parents may not be able to answer.

This way the whole approach becomes comfortable, transparent and more effective. Another advantage of using a personalized matchmaking service could be confidentiality. It is not uncommon to come across your neighbour or someone you went to school with while browsing through matrimonial websites. To make sure that your personal information and your intent to get married is not on display for the world to see, and to narrow down your search, personalized matchmakers like MatchMe, personally put you in touch with those with whom you are most likely to hit it off with.

If one is well established, reached a certain age, online dating may just seem a very superficial approach as credibility of the profiles available on matrimonial websites is one of the biggest concerns for anyone who finds them interesting and wants to send them a message. To address this concern, personalized matchmakers make sure they meet the people before they set up a meeting, going the extra mile to ensure that no woman claiming to be tall and slim turns out to be the other way. Personalized matchmakers work like friends with their clients, also helping them overcome the biggest challenge of the awkwardness and friction people feel about coming to meet someone they don’t know.

Perhaps with the influx of new websites to cater to the matrimonial needs of the urban Indian, the menace of the internet that is creeping in our lives along with the advantages, we’ll see a shift in the way matchmaking is done for the well educated and well established lot, as they want to turn away from the online sites to more meaningful personal introductions that saves not only their time but also maintains their privacy.

Mishi Sood & Tania Sondhi – Founders of MatchMe About the founders Mishi Sood (Co founder) A boarding school educated from Sacred Heart Dalhousie and graduate from Lady Shri Ram College Delhi with a Masters degree in Finance from Amity Business School, is a co-founder of this company. She worked in a Business Consultancy firm for two years before joining her family business of real estate. She belongs to an affluent and well connected family of Punjab and Delhi and eventually moved onto something she enjoys the most. MatchMe was created out of sheer passion and inclination towards knowing and meeting people from various backgrounds. After playing cupid for few of her friends and then subsequently being approached by people to find them a life partner, she realized this need had to be addressed in a more organized way. Henceforth, MatchMe – an exclusive and extremely personalized service to help you find a partner for lifetime.

Tania Sondhi, (Co founder)

A Delhi University Amity Business School MBA graduate in Marketing, Tania is the co-founder of MatchMe. She has several years of high level experience in the recruiting and HR industry. She has conducted executive searches for several top companies in India and the Middle East. Understanding the nuances of people’s needs and actualizing them is her core strength. After honing her skills in successfully recruiting the right talent for companies both in India as well as internationally, she has decided to use her impeccable strengths to bringing the right people together for relationships for life. Tania belongs to a renowned family from Jalandhar and is married into a well-established family in Delhi. Her great family lineage and education give her a uniquely blended perspective of traditional and modern values. Married for 13 years to the love of her life, Tania wholeheartedly believes in the adage “a great marriage is not when the perfect couple comes together, it is when the imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences”. We are publishing an interview with her:

Q.: Tell us about the Product / Solution. How did you get your first customer? Explain how you went about the Product-Market Fit Process.

Ans: MatchMe is deeply connected to compatibility, understanding, love and respect. Our Founders, Tania and Mishi bring with them a fresh approach to traditional matchmaking. MatchMe was created out of sheer passion and inclination towards knowing and meeting people from various backgrounds. Mishi, after playing cupid for few of her friends and then subsequently being approached by people to find them a life partner, realized this need had to be addressed in a more organized way. Tania, through her personal experiences, realizes how meaningful and joyful life can be if you spend it with the ‘right’ person. Hence the significance of connecting with the ‘one’ and the commitment of MatchMe towards making this happen.The modern reality is that we are constantly bombarded with information and choices. MatchMe seeks to curate that information and those choices to help you narrow your search for your life partner. We use our in-depth, personalized approach to understanding your priorities and then use that information to match you with the right one. With an open mind, they are committed to fill the gap that exists in this area.

Q.: What is your USP?

Ans: Matchme has been derived on sheer passion & interest to connect like-minded people for marriage. Our USP is that we two are personally involved in meeting and interacting with all our clients, understanding their backgrounds, personalities & interests & henceforth curate matches. We believe in putting the right kind of effort & making our clients meet only when it is worth their time and interest. Today’s youth shy away from this process because they feel their profiles will be all over the place. For this reason, we partner with them like friends to make introductions. We maintain a discreet approach maintaining client privacy and make the process extremely comfortable for our clients. Our real success lies in the fact that most of the matches we’ve done so far have been first introductions. Q.: What were your assumptions when you entered the market, learning that you have? Who in your mind is your ideal customer? Do you have at least one of them signed up?

Ans: We believed a lot of people out there were looking out for introductions for marriage but were not comfortable with the services available in the market in this space. The bureaus and agencies’ ways of working were not what they were looking for. They were mainly relying on introductions through family and friends which over time keep shrinking. When we started we met so many like minded people who came forward to sign up with us for their search as we try to fill this gap. Working as friends and trusted partners to understand them them introduce them to like minded people . Our clientele is well educated, liberal minded and progressive thinking people who value compatibility in a marriage the most . These are the set of people we tried to target and that’s actually how it unfolded for us. We have a network of well educated, well established Indians all across the globe now !

Q.: What has been your biggest failure as an entrepreneur and what did you learn from it??

Ans: Not having a concrete marketing strategy in place right at the start definitely was a drawback, we relied on personal references and wanted to work only through word of mouth. There have been few more mistakes initially but we kept improvising on our work and learning has been a continuous process.

Q.: How are you pricing the Product? What is the logic behind it? What is the model you are following – Free / Freemium / Premium etc. ? Explain your thought process. Ans: Our pricing is premium. We handle our clients personally, have not built a team as we feel our USP is that we both personally curate matches for our clients. Secondly we target well educated and well established people , a premium fee helps us build a network of like minded and similar background people.

Q.: Please tell us about the investors (if any) Ans: We don’t have any investor

Q.: Is there any interesting success story of your startup? If yes, please write about it. ? Ans: We connect to many singles working overseas looking out to settle down. They may have limited Indians they can connect to where they live. Many have apprehensions about how a long distance relationship could work out for them. When we connected this guy from Delhi, constantly on the move for work , to a girl from Singapore , we were wondering if it could work out . But it was just one phone conversation that led to another and two months later we heard they were getting married!!! So I guess we just have to believe and give it a try!

Q.: Since inception, give us a sense of the value of business done by your venture? Ans: Over 500 clients all around the world. Over 800 introductions.

Q.: What is the big picture of your startup? Is this Product/service leading to something bigger? If so, how?

Ans: We are developing an APP ‘ MatchMe Professional’ a matchmaking portal for professionals looking for professionally qualified partners. After working in this space for 4 years, talking to singles everyday we are understanding the existing gaps and are working on building a good blend of dating sites and existing matrimonial sites with ‘MatchMe Professional’ network!

Q.: Who do You Perceive as Your Competition? How do you differentiate yourself with them?

Ans: What differentiates MatchMe is the approach the founders bring in in the search process. The USP of our service is Mishi and Tania being personally involved with their clients. Hence taking anyone as our competition will be hard to specify as each person is unique and in our work our job is building relationships. We only take on clients who we can connect with in the first place.

Q.: What would be your goal to accomplish in the next six months? Any other information you would like to share? Ans: To rapidly expand our network and reach out to as many singles across the globe . We are specifically targeting opening our office in Bangalore, Singapore and Dubai in the next few months months.

Q.: What message do you want to convey to fellow entrepreneurs? Ans: We converted our passion into the profession. We just want to say that one must believe in their idea, work passionately towards it, be patient and it will definitely bring you the desired results. —————————- Thanks Tania. All the best!

#MatchMe #Boutique Matrimonial Service #Exclusive Boutique Matrimonial Service

0 notes

wearecodersposts-blog · 5 years

Text

Best Business Development Platform: Mobile App Development

Today I’d wish to bring up mobile apps development together with business, and why you ought to think about mobile app development for your own company. Get hire a reputed Mobile App Development Company.

If you’re thinking that that mobile apps square measure alone for giant name brands like Walmart and Bank of America, you’re wrong. A lot of and a lot of little and midsize businesses square measure following the mobile trend, understanding that a good mobile strategy involves over simply a mobile-friendly website.

In fact, currently, you’ll notice that a lot of little businesses you move inside your daily life have their own dedicated mobile app — be it the corner restaurant or the wonder spa downtown. These corporations square measure prior to the sport once it involves taking their selling to the following level.

In case you’re still undecided why anyone would need own mobile app development, here square measure the highest seven advantages of happening this path sooner instead of later.

Wanna know more about Mobile Apps Feature, Click here

1. Get Visibility for all time in front of Customers

Statistics show that most people spend over 2 hours every day! on his or her mobile device. Whereas most likely solely a few of applications form up the bulk of this total usage, it doesn’t change the actual fact that every user has got to unlock, scroll, and scan their device for the apps they’re trying to find. Being “in the way” may be a plus to your company, as our mind unconsciously will record each image and it comes across — whether or not it happens unperceived.

2. Offer Value to Your Customers

Talking concerning on-hand data, however, concerning digitalizing that loyalty program, you’ve got in place? Rather than projected to the previous point-collection card, create it the potential for your customers to gather their rewards via your mobile app. The result? A lot of downloads and a lot of comeback customers.

3. Build Brand and Recognition

Mobile app development for your business will greatly contribute to your complete awareness. I’d prefer to break this subject down into 2 aspects, the mix of which is able to develop mobile app a real winner:

Brand. A mobile app is sort of a blank signboard sign. You’ll do what you would like with it; you’ll create it trendy, hip, functional, shocking, or informative. However what you actually wish associate degreed do is develop a mobile app that has options your customers can love, whereas at the identical time is well branded and fantastically designed.

Recognition. The additional typically you’ll get customers involved your mobile app, the earlier they’re going to be inclined to shop for your product and/or service. In advertising this is often known as the “effective frequency”: as a rule of thumb, hearing and/or seeing your whole around twenty times is what’s going to get you actually detected.

4. Creating a Direct Marketing Channel

Mobile apps serve several functions: they’ll give general data, prices, booking forms, search options, user accounts, messengers, news feeds, and for a lot of.

One of the most important benefits of getting a mobile app after mobile app development is that each one the knowledge you’d prefer to give to your customers – together with special sales and promotions – is correct at their fingertips. Through push notifications, you’re group action nearer to direct interaction, and might simply remind customers regarding your product and services whenever it is sensible.

5. Customer’s Engagement

No matter whether or not you’re selling flowers or spa services, your customers would like how to get you. Having a messaging feature among your mobile app will very build a distinction within the manner you communicate along with your customers.

6. Emerge From the Competition

Nowadays mobile app developments at the small business level are still rare, and this is often wherever you’ll take a giant leap before your competitors. Be the primary in your neighborhood to supply a mobile app to your customers. They’ll be amazed by your forward-thinking approach!

7. Develop Customer Loyalty

Last, however not least, the foremost big reason why you must consider mobile app development is client loyalty. With all the noise out there — edge banners, billboards, flashing signs, newspaper ads, flyers, coupons, websites, website banners, Facebook ads, and email selling — we have a tendency to slowly lose our impact on customers due to the huge quantity of advertising encompassing us all. It’s time to travel back to creating a real and sincere reference to your customers and creating them a loyal lover of your product and/or service. I’m not expression a mobile app goes to avoid wasting your business, however, it is often how of staying nearer to your customers, and being simply a “fingertip” away in the slightest degree times.

Convinced yet? I’m, for sure! Currently that you simply have gotten a style of the many advantages of your own business mobile app development, wherever are you visiting start? You’ve got 2 options:

You rent a mobile app development company or bring your own in-house mobile app development team on board (depending on what quantity stress you’d wish to place on your mobile strategy).

You use one in every of the amazing mobile app developers or builders like Como, BuildFire, or AppsBuilder to your mobile app development while not having to stress concerning secret writing and technicalities. Either approach you go, a mobile app development goes to be a customary element of any business within The selection you create these days goes set the inspiration for the longer term of your business. It’s on you to choose whether or not you’d wish to be one in every of the primary. As for how much I know about the technology every business needs a mobile app development company to develop their mobile app to easily be in touch with customers in modern smartphones and technology world.

WHY CHOOSE, WE ARE CODERS

Welcome to “We Are Coders” a Mobile App Development Company in Chandigarh, Punjab, India. Our Mobile App Developers in the Asian country have expertise in mobile app development for iPhone & Android. We have a tendency to tend to are dedicated to supplying mobile app development services at its best and proud to possess an infinite base of offshore shopper along with a variety of the very best domestic brands.

Hire our Mobile App Development company of most value effective developers that have been developed top rate Mobile Apps. You’ll be able to hire us as full time, halftime and at a charge to realize property growth for your organization. We tend to Develop Application that inspires our consumer and client furthermore. With our custom-made mobile app development and inventive style, we tend to developed mobile apps that create a distinction.

Feel free to ask or hire us as a Mobile App Development company for your business or brand. You can call us at +91-8699307111 or Email us at [email protected] or you can go on Contact-Us and you have to fill the contact form, our sales and support team would found you after getting your message.

Content is taken from Get Latest Business Technology Blogs: We Are Coders

0 notes

vsplusonline · 4 years

Text

Covid-19: How ministers and bureaucrats are keeping the wheels of governance turning in these testing times

New Post has been published on https://apzweb.com/covid-19-how-ministers-and-bureaucrats-are-keeping-the-wheels-of-governance-turning-in-these-testing-times/

Covid-19: How ministers and bureaucrats are keeping the wheels of governance turning in these testing times

Shastri Bhawan in Delhi is a hive of activity on any working day. Ministers, bureaucrats, officials and citizens visit the building complex that houses at least 11 ministries.

Around two weeks ago, a delegation of 20 people from Punjab wanted to meet Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan at his office in Shastri Bhawan to discuss some payment issues. But, as a precautionary move, his ministry allowed only four from the delegation into the complex. Paswan wanted to minimise, if possible even avoid, face-to-face interactions. The coronavirus pandemic had reached India and the government wanted to minimise the spread. A week later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a nationwide lockdown for 21 days.

Paswan’s ministry – which has been instrumental in capping the prices of masks, hand sanitisers and its raw material and also placing them under essential commodities – had started discouraging unnecessary visits to the ministry since 25 days. The measures were taken to check the huge surge in prices of these items in the country. “Any work that could be done over video conference or over the phone should be done that way,” the minister tells ET Magazine.

The eight-time MP, who is often called “the greatest weather vane” of Indian politics, has also distributed 500 masks to his office staff. Even before the government stopped trains and flights, he had decided to cut down on “unnecessary travel in these times”.

Several government departments had taken similar decisions by the first week of March. After all, government staff has to continue working to ensure relief measures are implemented smoothly. At the same time, the government also wanted to contain the spread of the virus. “We have told everyone that safety comes first,” Union Labour and Employment Minister Santosh Gangwar told ET Magazine on Monday. “We are running on skeletal staff. Many of our staff members are working from home.”

Three weeks ago, when this reporter had visited the ministry, efforts to install hand sanitisers were in full swing. Within days, all the ministries had installed dispensers with alcohol-based sanitisers at the entrance. A note near the dispenser said: “Please use 3-4 drops to sanitise hands”.

In the Parliament complex, thermal scanners that check body temperature have been installed at every metal detector point. Hand sanitisers were placed at several places in the building. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned on Monday in the wake of the pandemic. “But when the Houses were functioning, we told our staff to always carry some object, like a file, in their hands so that they can overcome the natural tendency to shake hands,” says a senior official of Rajya Sabha, adding that it was just a precautionary measure.

Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting even demonstrated social distancing. Photos of the meeting showed ministers sitting at least a meter apart. Sources said everyone is greeting others with a namskar, instead of a handshake.

Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal, who attended the meeting, says safety is of utmost importance now. “Apart from promoting the use of hand sanitisers, we asked our staff to take utmost care once they reach home also.”

Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is part of a group of ministers reviewing the actions to fight Covid-19, was going to his office at Transport Bhawan till Thursday. “We are working on minimising physical interaction. My family members keep calling from Gujarat asking me not to go to office. But some meetings were unavoidable,” he says. His office has declared flexible timings and only asks those living closer to the office to come to Transport Bhawan, that too only when it is unavoidable. The rest work from home.

All the ministers this reporter spoke to said they were meeting only one or two persons at a time and that too when it cannot be avoided.

Minorities Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi says till a few weeks ago, they used to have hundreds of people visiting his office and residence to get paperwork done for travel or medical treatment. “But we started discouraging people from coming in the last few weeks. Instead, we started collecting their requests first at the gate and then over the phone,” Naqvi says. The idea was to ensure people did not congregate at a point.

After the lockdown, most ministries have implemented work from home. The health ministry, for one, is working almost 24/7. Yet only about 10% staff is still working from their office in Nirman Bhawan. Health Minister Harsha Vardhan is conducting most meetings through video conferences and calling officials over phone to get updates, to avoid face-to-face meetings. “We have streamlined our work in such a way that face-to-face interaction is minimal,” Vardhan says.

The finance ministry — another ministry crucial to keep the country and economy functioning ¡V has also implemented similar measures. Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Pramod Chandra Mody says: “We have restricted our movement to office. It is entirely needbased. I go only when some work can¡¦t be done otherwise. I have also restricted oneto-one meetings to a bare minimum. Thanks to technology, most of the meetings and follow-ups are happening over video-conferencing and telephonically. I get the doorknobs cleaned from time to time to avoid the spread via surfaces.”

In Uttar Pradesh, the health minister has quarantined himself in his home for 14 days after he attended a party in Lucknow where singer Kanika Kapoor, who tested positive for Covid-19, was also present. Health Minister Jai Pratap Singh said on Wednesday he was awaiting the results of the second test after the first one tested negative. “I am in self-isolation at home and will resume fulltime work after my second test results. If any file is very important, it reaches my home so that I can clear it. But I take all possible precautions,” he added. Till it is all clear, it is work from home for ministers and bureaucrats.

if(geolocation && geolocation != 5 && (typeof skip == 'undefined' || typeof skip.fbevents == 'undefined')) !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '338698809636220'); fbq('track', 'PageView');

Source link

#Politics

0 notes