Due to the novel coronavirus, the travel and tourism sector was one of the worst-hit in 2020. As many domestic and international routes still remain under restrictions, airlines are facing massive losses every day.

“Travel Industry was one of the first industries to be hit and I think one of the last industries to maybe make a comeback,” said Ritu Mehrotra, country manager – India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives at Booking.com. 

With the stop of air travel in March, Indian private jet operators feared the worst, believing the pandemic would decimate their businesses. Amid these trying times, the aviation sector was expecting serious relief measures from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget.

Founder of Czar Air, Nuzhat Kazi says, “The pandemic has badly hit the private aviation sector too! Very few people are flying amidst the pandemic, that too whenever really needed. The on-ground cost of maintenance is extremely high. With nearly no bookings, there is no inflow. Overall, it has been very stressful.”

Nuzhat Kazi founded Czar Air; a chartered aircraft service provider that offers a variety of luxurious services like corporate flying, bulk charter services, air ambulances, helicopter joy rides, and much more. Czar Air is one of India’s finest chartered plane service provider, based outside of Bombay. They cater to customized air travel services across the globe.

In conversation with Nuzhat, sheexpresses, “I had high expectations from the Union Budget but I was extremely disappointed. Just like the other sectors, aviation was badly affected but was completely ignored in the budget. With the COVID vaccine coming into place and the travel and tourism industry slowly opening up, not enough incentives have been provided to the Aviation Industry.”

“Our Finance Minister needs to compensate more on Travel and Tourism. New people might not be venturing into this field but for those who have worked so hard and faced many challenges, the Government should provide subsidiaries in the form of incentives. Moreover, since the spare parts of the aviation come from France, the Government could provide us with subsidiaries on the custom duties. Another way out could be if we were provided with a tax rebate.” suggests Nuzhat.

Nuzhat says, “When I founded my brainchild, Czar Air, the Goods and Service Tax (GST) was 12.36% and now has been increased to 18% which is ridiculous. I could have used that money to enhance my business instead.”

“A great solution would be if the Government could reduce the parking fee for the aviation sector in general. Since most of our charters are parked in Mumbai, I know how ridiculously stressful it is to keep up with the fees we are charged!” adds Nuzhat.

Nuzhat suggests “The Government could promote the practice of safe travel and provide an impetus to the aviation sector. Only a small percent of those in the sector have been able to withstand and face the difficulties. Hence, they must be aided by the Government, especially for the numerous employees whose livelihood greatly depend on it.”

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For years, makeup artists existed purely behind the scenes of the beauty industry. Makeup is an integral part of fashion and with the steep growth in the consumption of beauty products, the specialized skills of the makeup artist to communicate style and image are only increasing. Creativity is your best makeup skill and can give you the confidence you need. A profound name, Nav Brar is a professional makeup artist who has combined elegance, a sense of timelessness and sophistication in her skills. Her passion and love for makeup has really got her far, even though she has completed her LLM Degree from the University of Bristol, UK. Her style of work and aesthetic embraces the transformative power of makeup, not just in the way people look, but the way people feel.

She believes the skin, being the most visible component of the face, requires maximum attention and hardly any over-emphasis.The ultimate goal of her signature look is to look good, enhancing the features of the person and look great with minimal effort.

She doesn’t believe in covering a face up, but rather enhancing its beauty. The focus is to accentuate – without covering anything up! Her mantra is simply respecting the woman’s beauty.

Each makeup and hair course in her academy are personally managed by her and has successfully managed to strike the right balance between skincare and makeup. Makeup artist Nav Brar’s artistry has been recognized both nationally and internationally. Her hard work and talent have gained an immense amount of respect in the beauty industry and her inspiration and teachings drive many of her students to develop their profiles and increase business. She has bagged quite a few accolades from the industry and has also been featured as a makeup & beauty expert on the cover of reputable magazines.

Makeup ignites a psychological transformation of both the wearer and the observer. She inspires people to embrace the beauty within. Nav Brar ’s artistry is not bound by traditional materials, styles, and conventions, but calls upon a wide range of techniques to create innovative effects. She is known for customizing looks and finding the right makeup for the right person.

There’s definitely no looking back for an artist like Nav Brar!

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New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2021-22 in Parliament today. This budget marks the start of a new decade and also the first digital budget of the country in the backdrop of the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis. She laid the vision for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ and said it to be an expression of 130 crore Indians. She stressed that this Budget will further strengthen the Sankalp of ‘Nation First’, ‘Doubling Farmer’s Income’, ‘Strong Infrastructure’, ‘Healthy India’, ‘Good Governance’, ‘Opportunities for youth, Education for All’, ‘Women Empowerment’, and ‘Inclusive Development’ among others. 

The Budget proposals for FY 2021-22 rest on six pillars which will strengthen the country’s economy and growth. The six pillars were: 

1. Health and Wellbeing
2. Physical & Financial Capital, and Infrastructure
3. Inclusive Development for Aspirational India
4. Reinvigorating Human Capital
5. Innovation and R&D
6. Minimum Government and Maximum Governance

Highlights

As the country started the distribution of Coronavirus Vaccines, a budget of Rs. 35000 crores has been allocated to the vaccination expenditure and 27.1 lakh crores for COVID-19 support. Also, a total of Rs. 2,23,846 crore is allocated to the overall health sector.

The center has also planned to launch a mission Poshan 2.0 which will focus on providing improved nutritional outcomes.

This year, the budget focussed on global warming and pollution as they allocate Rs 2217 crore to tackle air pollution in all the metropolitan cities and the ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ will be implemented with a total financial allocation of  Rs 1,41,678 crore over a period of 5 years for FY 2021-2026.

Talking about technological development, two new technologies i.e., ‘MetroLite’ and ‘MetroNeo’ will be deployed to avail metro rail systems at a much lesser cost with the same experience. The budget also mentioned the construction of another metro stretch of  1016 km.

It was observed that the center focussed on infrastructure and asset monetization for this financial year which reflects the importance of the involvement of the private sector in the long run.

With the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, a gas pipeline project has been announced for development.

Alcoholic beverages will be levied with 100% agri-infra cess. However, in wake of the reduced Basic Customs Duty from 150% to 50%, the prices of alcoholic beverages will remain the same.

A new ‘agri-infra cess was imposed today on petrol (?2.5 per litre) and diesel (?4). But Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, assured that the burden on the taxpayers would be offset by a cut in excise duties.

Though, the budget provided no relaxation for middle-class families as the Income Tax slabs remained unchanged in the Union Budget 2021. However, senior citizens aged 75+ will be exempted from filing income tax returns.

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Guruvardhan a young aspiring Entrepreneur, started Dream Homes by leaving his well-established career.
The reason behind this was he always wanted to contribute to society in all the possible ways.

The journey was not an easy one, hurdles, obstacles, and challenges were moving ahead parallelly with life. And then the Pandemic, which was worst for all of us.
Guruvardhan and Dream Homes Team didn’t miss a single chance in pandemic to help people around.
He had remarkably well in rural as well as urban areas by distributing masks, sanitizers, groceries, and other necessary basic items to needy people and to spread awareness about Covid-19 and how to be safe from it.

Guru’s dedication and zeal for social service and helping society in making a big difference.
He was recognized and awarded for the same.
And his good social media recognization has always motivated Guru & dream homes to do better.

The idea and vision are to build a chain of networks for home decor services, from small work to big.
One time solution for all the home decor solution.
Let it be plumbing to interiors or commercial space. They have got your back.

They are trying to define Luxury in the affordable segment.

Now Luxury is for everyone

Recently Wikidekh has added him as a famous and popular personality

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Rank holder among top contenders in the fitness industry, coping up with the dynamics like a pro!

The Australia-based fitness franchise, Plus Fitness, has been ruling the fitness industry since 1996. The award-winning gym franchise has successfully brought a revolution in the world of health and fitness with its whopping 300 franchises worldwide. With the aim of creating a fitter and healthier world, it offers top-notch services to all fitness enthusiasts across the world. Their endeavour towards promoting a fit and healthy lifestyle has led them towards opening a new gym every 21 days. This is a brand name that resonates strongly among all the fitness freaks because of its top-notch service at feasible charges. At the same time, it does not compromise with the quality profitability of the franchisees. Plus Fitness has been officially declared as one of the leading contenders in the fitness sector. Over the last 25 years, their gyms have been offering high-grade facilities, as well as, high-end commercial gym and fitness equipment. Plus Fitness gyms have top-notch facilities like infrared saunas and elaborate and efficient classes that have made the brand a leading name among all its rivals.

Siraj Lalani, Master Franchisee for Plus Fitness 24/7 India and his inspirational team introduced India to this global fitness brand. According to him – “there are six million active fitness enthusiasts in India spending around $400 annually on fitness services; thus, skyrocketing the Indian fitness industry to a whopping $2.6 billion market size.” He strongly believes that the increasing awareness regarding fitness and health, personalized fitness programs, gym culture, as well as, enhancement in the level of personal disposable income have led to a boost in the fitness sector in India. Consumers are getting increasingly aware of their look, appearance, body shape and fitness. Siraj Lalani believes that this is a phase apt for tapping into the fitness culture prevalent in India and exposing all the fitness enthusiasts out there to the features and facilities that Plus Fitness has to offer.

The Business Development Head of Plus Fitness, Faiz Sopariwala, said that owing to the top ranking of Plus Fitness, it has been decided that an investment worth INR 75 crores will be made in the upcoming five years, alone in India. The investment will lead to further proliferation of the brand, and fitness enthusiasts can finally venture into the world of fitness entrepreneurship with the Plus Fitness franchise.

How Does Plus Fitness Overshadow Other Competitors?

Plus Fitness has the following parameters that make it a unique, high-end, and dedicated platform for fitness enthusiasts all around:

• It offers an expansive floor area of about 3000 to 6000 sq. ft.
• The investment requirement will be worth Rs 1 Cr. to Rs 1.75 Cr.
• The return on investment will be around 33%, making it a profitable platform for the franchisees.
• The breakeven period will be approximately 2.5 years.

The best part about Plus Fitness membership is that it offers global membership. This means that one can get access to more than 300 Plus Fitness gyms around the world. Even the members feel motivated because of attractive discounts and schemes. For instance, it offers 100% cashback to members who work out for more than 250 days a year. Also, Plus Fitness offers a competitive price band of about Rs 14k to 25k every year (depending on location). This keeps the membership sales and revenue consistent for the franchisees.

If you, too, wish to reap the benefits of this top rank holder fitness franchise, feel free to visit HERE. You can even connect with on 91+ 75750 67777.

Plus Fitness India – Bringing Revolution in the Indian Fitness Sector

The award-winning Australian franchise has changed the fitness scenario in India. They are “Working towards a Healthier India,” thereby aiming to make India a better place in terms of health and fitness. The dream that the brand seeks to turn into reality is to offer top-notch service round-the-clock, without impacting the revenue of the franchisees. 

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• Signs MOU to train and employ AURO School of Hospitality students on ‘first preference’ basis in placements at its hotels
• First such collaboration of an International chain like Marriott with any university in Gujarat
• Marriott will ‘Own a Class’; will help in designing curriculum and holding guest lectures, faculty development and placements

Surat, January 29, 2021: 

Marriott International, India’s leading hospitality chain and AURO University, Surat, today signed an MOU for enhancing the learning platform and creating training, internship, and employment opportunities on a ‘first preference’ basis for the students of the School of Hospitality Management of AURO University.

This is the first MOU for a globally reputed hotel chain with a University from Gujarat. The event was blessed by Mr. H P Rama, Founder President and Chancellor of AURO University, Mr. Craig Smith, Group President (International Division), Marriott International, Mr. D J Rama, President and CEO, AURO Hotels, USA, and Vice-Chancellor of AURO University Prof (Dr) Rajan Welukar. The MOU was signed by Marriott International’s Senior Vice President Operations (APEC) Mr. Neeraj Govil and on behalf of AURO University by its Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr) Rajan Welukar.

This is a symbolic day, as both organizations shall come together based upon mutual common core values. This collaborative partnership desires to intentionally and strategically instill these values, as well as enhance and support success for future contributing members of the hospitality industry through the internship, guest talks, career planning workshops, in order to provide them with better placement opportunities.

“We are pleased to partner with AURO University to provide an exceptional opportunity for students to start and grow their careers in the dynamic hospitality industry. Marriott International prides itself on its depth and diversity of talent, believes in the importance of training and value of upskilling, and is honored to help the next generation of hospitality leaders hone their skills and achieve their full potential,” added Craig C. Smith, Group President and Managing Director, Marriott International, Inc., who oversees global operations and development for the company’s International Division with responsibility for more than 2,300 hotels spanning 130 countries and territories around the world. “This collaborative initiative is a step forward in strategically building the industry’s talent pool by empowering deserving young people with the range of skills and experience needed to realize bright careers and take hospitality to new heights.”

“We are pleased to partner and support this pioneering initiative with AURO University. Our combined forces are a step forward in our commitment to building the next generation of hospitality professionals and equipping them to operate in a dynamic & challenging business environment. It is an honor to partner with such an esteemed institute to effectively create the next generation talent pool for Marriott Hotels,” Said Neeraj Govil, Senior Vice President of Operations, APEC, Marriott International.

On the occasion, Mr. H P Rama mentioned, “This agreement with Marriott (India) and AURO University represents the culmination of true partnership between two organizations with the purpose of providing a learning platform for a real-life experience through education and internship. Our students will be ready BEFORE THEY GRADUATE FOR A REWARDING CAREER in the hospitality industry.”

Mr. DJ Rama expressed, “Our relationship with Marriott organization started in 1996 and we both share the same family values. Today is a symbolic day for us to instill these values to our next generation business leaders through AURO University.”

During the signing ceremony, Prof. (Dr) Rajan Welukar presented information about various programs and initiatives offered by the School of Hospitality Management and said “With the world going through difficult times, it is imperative to expand the pool of local talent and we are confident that by working with Marriott as our industry partners, we will be able to achieve the goals of our academic delivery”.

About AURO University

AURO University, Surat, is one of the fastest-growing Universities in Gujarat, established under the Gujarat State Private Universities Act 2009 and approved u/s 2(f) and 22 of the UGC Act, and Regulations 2003. AURO University is inspired by the vision and teachings of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh and The Divine Mother. It is a progressive center for integral learning and leadership, where the mind, body, and spirit are aligned and prepared to embark on a journey of lifelong enrichment for both, the individual and the community. There are eight schools running at AURO University with 1250+ students on-board offering 30+ Ph.D., PG, and UG programs in various disciplines like Business, Hospitality Management, Law, Information Technology, Design, Journalism & Mass Communication, Liberal Arts, and Human Sciences and Sciences. For more information, please visit our website at www.aurouniversity.edu.in

About Marriott International

Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, and encompasses a portfolio of more than 7,500 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 132 countries and territories. Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts all around the world. The company offers Marriott Bonvoy™, its highly-awarded travel program. For more information, please visit our website at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news, visit www.marriottnewscenter.com. In addition, connect with us on Facebook and @MarriottIntl on Twitter and Instagram.

About Auro Hotels

A successor to JHM Hotels based in Greenville, SC – Auro Hotels has developed, owned, and operated hotels for 44 years. The company currently owns 36 hotels and operates hotels with over 6500 guestrooms, located in the United States and India, operating under such well-known brands as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, etc. Auro Hotels were the first franchise operators of Marriott Hotels in India. For more information, visit the website at www.aurohotels.com

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Sukki Menon, who you might know as Sukki Singapora is the charming lively girl from  Netflix’s “Singapore Social”.

The Indian-Singaporean Brit Sukki Menon started in burlesque and is now heading towards the television. She learnt the value of versatility and confidence in her burlesque days and after her mesmerising debut on Netflix, it’s no wonder that Menon is the talk of the town.

Of course, hard work has been the key to Menon’s success, but there is another factor to her success that is usually overlooked. That factor is being in the right place at the right time.

You can work hard and dig endlessly, but you won’t strike gold in every ground. You need to be where the gold is, and work hard there. Menon understood that she had to showcase her hard work at the places where it would be appreciated and understood.

In her early days, when Menon started with burlesque, she would stack up gigs back to back abroad in order to pay for the flights there and get her name out. Over time things got bigger and bigger for her, and that’s when Netflix noticed and Menon made the transition from burlesque on a stage to burlesque on television.

The minute she started doing television everything fell into place.

The debut on Singapore Social made her a widely recognised face, and Menon doesn’t plan on looking back.

Menon is determined to keep pushing the envelope. An entertainer by heart, as long as Menon can keep entertaining people, and inspiring others to follow their hearts, then there’s no stopping her.

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“Government is fully committed to the welfare of the farmers”, says N. Sitharaman while presenting the Agricultural aspects of Budget 2021. Rs.1,30,485 crore have been allocated to The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, which is by far the highest funding given to them till date. Innovative ideas of ‘zero budget farming’ will be promoted across the country by the government. The Budget focuses on schemes to decrease financial stress and increase income opportunities in an effort to double farmers income by the year 2022. 

With the steady increase in procurement, farmers have seen a gradual increase in the payments. The amount paid to wheat-growing farmers have increased to Rs 75, 060 crores in the last year as compared to 62, 802 crores in the year 2019-20. For paddy growing farmers, the amount increased to Rs. 172,752 crore In 2019-2020, this was Rs.1,41,930 crore.  In the case of pulses, the amount paid in 2013-2014 was 236 crore. Now, in 2020-2021, it is at Rs.10,530 crore, a more than 40 times increase from 2013-14. The receipts to cotton farmers have seen a stupendous increase from Rs. 90 crore in 2013-14 to Rs. 25,974 crore (as on 27th January 2021). 

Agricultural credit target enhanced to Rs. 16.5 lakh crore for the year 2022 where the primary focus will be on animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund is also going to be increased to Rs. 40,000 crore from Rs. 30,000 crore. The Micro Irrigation Fund, with a corpus of Rs.5,000 crore has been created under NABARD will be doubled.

Recently, The Prime Minister had launched a SWAMITVA Scheme. Under this, a record of rights is being given to property owners in villages. Up till now, about 1.80 lakh property-owners in 1,241 villages all over the country have been provided with the cards and now there are plans to cover all other states/Union Territories under it.

To maintain the transparency of the agricultural market, around 1.68 crore farmers registered and Rs. 1.14 lakh crore of trade value has been carried out through e-NAMs. 1,000 more mandis are in the pipeline to be integrated with e-NAM to bring competitiveness among them. 

In a signed declaration to help esteem expansion in farming and associated items and their fares, the extent of ‘Operation Green Scheme’ that is as of now accounted to tomatoes, onions, and potatoes, will be extended to incorporate 22 perishable items.

This year’s Union Budget has taken into consideration all the points for the welfare of the farmer’s community. The proper execution will undoubtedly lead to its flourishment.

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Yangon: Myanmar military has taken off the country after detaining de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi along with the country’s President Win Myint and other senior politicians today in the early hours.

The coups came in weeks after the tension rose between the military and the civilian government over allegations of fraud in elections held in November.

Myanmar which is also known as Burma was ruled by the military until democratic reforms began in 2011. Today, Military TV announced a state of emergency in the country for one year and confirmed the transfer of power.

Last week, the military signaled that it could seize power to settle its claims of irregularities in the polls, which the National League for Democracy (NLD) party won. 

The military handed over the power to commander-in-chief Min Aung Hlaing because of “election fraud” on Monday. Soldiers were seen on the streets of the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and the main city, Yangon.

It is reported that mobile internet data connections and network services have been disrupted in major cities, while the state broadcaster MRTV says it is having technical issues and is off-air.

Communications with the capital are down and it is difficult to assess the on-ground situations. In Yangon, phone lines and the internet appear to be limited, with many providers cutting their services. All international broadcasters are blocked while local stations are off-air.

Some reports suggest that people in Yangon are rushing to get money from ATMs amid expectations of a cash crunch in the coming days. While a few ATMs already appear to not be working and it’s unclear whether banks will open.

Since 1962, this is the first time that the military carried out a coup d’etat against a civilian government. Countries such as the United States and Australia condemned the act and called for the release of detained NLD leaders and the restoration of democracy.

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The unusual story of a YouTube star, Arun Smoki, will blow your mind!

Gone are the days when people were stuck to the television. The growth of social media has opened up a lot of opportunities for people across the globe to show off their talents and creative minds. Among such users are a few individuals who have availed this opportunity to make their viewers aware of social events and other related matters, and have inspired people with their dedication.

Today we will look at a Malayali who is rocking on the YouTube platform with his own style and mannerisms. Like most people who are enthusiasts, he too has his own passion — vehicles. If you want to know A to Z about vehicles, be it a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, or if you are crazy about bikes and reviews about bikes, this Malayali’s channel is your go-to.

Meet Mr. Arun, better known as Arun Smoki, one of South India’s top YouTubers who speaks about motorcycles and cars in depth.

HIS JOURNEY

Embarking on his YouTube journey three years ago,  Arun has cooked up a storm by riding South India’s topmost automobile channel. Arun’s love and craze for bikes from his childhood days led him to join YouTube in 2017. Raised in Thrissur, Kerala, he started reviewing bikes and cars through YouTube, his channel soaring to more than 960k subscribers. Besides YouTube, he is quite popular on other social platforms as well. As of today, he has over 300k + Likes on his Facebook page and 630k+ followers on Instagram.

THE YOUTUBE FAME

Arun’s videos feature everything from new and modified bike and car reviews to innovations of youngsters from remote places. A demo Lamborghini car made by a young boy in Kerala came to the limelight through his video. Watching his videos gives you a good insight into biking, especially if you are one who loves your motorbike.

APART FROM FAME AND MONEY

After he came across a series of bike accidents, he felt the need to spread awareness on responsible driving among the youth. It was a time when there was a vacant space in YouTube for a channel exclusively for bikes. He tapped into the potential and struck success. He had no intention of making a living out of it when he began his channel. But as he succeeded in getting 50k subscribers in just two months, he realized the impulse within himself to achieve his dream. From living out of a rented house, he has now fulfilled his dream of living in his own house. 

FOCUS

Arun’s videos mostly revolve around bike reviews, handy tips for vehicles, unboxing products, related social issues, and of course, his trips. Apart from this channel, he has another channel that is solely devoted to his traveling and personal experience.  Arun has journeyed all over India by motorbike, covering 16, 000kms across 20 states in 2019.

He is the sole admin of the famous Facebook group, ‘Bike Prandhanmar’ which has an overwhelmingly large number of members.

TIPS FOR UPCOMING VLOGGERS

• Follow your passion; don’t worry about the income.
• Understand your viewers and their sentiments.
• Take constructive criticism from your viewers.
• Have a lot of patience.
• Be a socially responsible person.

If you are a bike lover or go crazy over bikes and cars, we are sure this is definitely your cup of tea that you need to taste!

Follow Arun Smoki on social media!

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