Business
Electric PVs Volume Rebound Amid Festive Demand After Knee-Jerk Reaction To GST Cut On ICE Vehicles
New Delhi: Electric passenger vehicle volumes are back in action after the initial knee-jerk reaction to the reduction in GST on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to a report by YES Securities. The report noted that festive demand for electric passenger vehicles has remained healthy, with average retail growth of around 15-20 per cent year-on-year.
It stated “E PV volumes back in action post initial knee jerk reaction to reduced GST on ICE”. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are offering higher schemes on stocks aged over 90 days to boost sales.
Additionally, a loyalty discount of Rs 50,000 is being provided to existing brand customers to further support volumes. Inventory levels for EVs are said to be under control as dealers have refrained from picking up incremental volumes, keeping their focus largely on ICE vehicles amid changing market dynamics.
Another notable trend emerging from the market is the increase in the share of first-time car buyers, which has inched up by 4-5 per cent across regions, a positive sign for the overall passenger vehicle market.
Market interactions indicate that demand trends are shifting back to pre-GST 2.0 levels, with higher preference towards compact and mid-sized SUVs within the passenger vehicle segment.
While the demand for premium hatchbacks and SUVs continues to remain robust, small cars have seen an uptick in bookings by 30-40 per cent, primarily driven by rural demand and higher discounts.
However, within urban markets, small cars continue to face weak natural demand due to their limited aspirational appeal.
The weakness in this segment over the years has been attributed to changing customer preferences, where buyers increasingly seek fresh designs and premium features, and affordability is no longer a major constraint.
Analysts note that the recent increase in small car inquiries is largely a result of sharp price cuts and discounts following the GST reduction, coupled with a rise in 2-wheeler upgrades and vehicle exchanges. The ongoing marriage season is also expected to contribute to additional volumes in this category.
However, the sustainability of this recovery beyond January 2026 remains uncertain.
The current momentum in the small car segment is heavily dependent on the continuation of existing discounts and promotional offers, which are expected to be gradually withdrawn after the festive period.
Industry experts suggest that any sustained recovery in small car demand would hinge on further price cuts or new model launches in the coming months.
Business
LPG crisis: No respite for restaurants yet – The Times of India
MUMBAI/BENGALURU: The restaurant industry is struggling to run regular operations due to the meagre supplies of LPG cylinders . With the govt’s move to hike commercial LPG allocation to up to 70%, it will take some time before the measure actually translates into sustained supply, executives said. “Supply is still hugely limited and erratic. A feeling of uncertainty looms large,” said Anurag Katriar, founder at Indigo Hospitality. The key question is how quickly this revised allocation will translate into on-ground availability, said Pradeep Shetty, vice-president at Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI).A walk along Indiranagar’s 12th Main, known for its cluster of independent restaurants, reflects the strain. “It is all hand-to-mouth at this point,” said Nikhil Gupta, who runs brands including The Pizza Bakery and Paris Panini . The move doesn’t directly help the restaurant sector which is still getting 20%-30% of LPG supplies, said Sagar Daryani, co-founder & CEO at Wow! Momo Foods and president at National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI). State-wise, the supply situation varies with some such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan restricting allocation for restaurants, hurting the sector , Daryani said.
Business
Asda boss rejects profiteering claims as petrol price tops 150p
Motorists are facing higher fuel prices ahead of Easter break due to the conflict in the Middle East, the RAC says.
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Business
E-cheques coming soon? RBI unveils Payments Vision 2028, plans wider oversight of digital players – The Times of India
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday unveiled its ‘Payments Vision 2028’ document, outlining a roadmap that includes exploring electronic cheques, expanding regulatory oversight to digital platforms, and strengthening safeguards in the fast-growing payments ecosystem, PTI reported.The central bank said it will examine the introduction of e-cheques to combine the advantages of paper instruments with the speed and reliability of digital payments. “To leverage the unique benefits of paper-based instruments and the speed and reliability of electronic payments, and cater to new business use cases, the introduction of electronic cheques in India shall be explored,” the RBI said.Alongside, the RBI is considering widening the regulatory ambit to include entities such as e-commerce marketplaces and centralised platforms that play a growing role in facilitating digital transactions.“In addition, e-commerce marketplaces and centralized platforms have been assuming significant responsibilities that could have implications on the orderly functioning of the payments ecosystem. These aspects shall be examined in detail and, if required, the scope of direct regulations shall be extended to cover such entities,” the document said.The vision document also proposes allowing users to enable or disable transactions across digital payment modes, similar to controls available for card transactions.To address fraud risks, the RBI is exploring a “shared responsibility framework” under which both the issuing bank and the beneficiary bank would share liability in cases of unauthorised digital transactions.The central bank also plans to review cheque design and security features, introduce a Domestic Legal Entity Identifier (DLEI) framework for better transaction traceability, and bring in a Cyber Key Risk Indicators (KRI) framework for non-bank payment system operators.Other initiatives include exploring white-label solutions in the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS), developing interoperability in the Trade Receivables e-Discounting System (TReDS), and introducing a ‘Payments Switching Service’ to ease customer migration across platforms.The RBI said it will also review the cross-border payments ecosystem to improve efficiency and streamline authorisation processes, alongside publishing periodic reports on global and domestic payment trends.Additionally, the central bank aims to enhance access to payment data and reimagine the card payments ecosystem by promoting secure tokenisation, improved transparency in pricing, and greater choice for users and merchants.
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