Jan 29, 2022

Budget 2022 - Consolidated list of Expectations

Budget for the year will be on 1st Feb. I have been going through various articles on the net on what the expectations are from various people. Here is a consolidated list.

  • Policy to boost liquidity support to NBFCs 
    • Shachindra Nath, Executive Chirman UGRO
  • Relieve traders of the securities transaction tax (STT)
    • Puneet Maheshwari , Director Upstox
    • Parth Nyati, Founder Tradingo
  • Hike standard deductions from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,00 
    • Puneet Maheshwari , Director Upstox
  • Remove concept of Speculative Income
    • Puneet Maheshwari , Director Upstox 
  • Tax exemption upto Rs 1,00,000 lakh on short term capital games
    • Puneet Maheshwari , Director Upstox 
  • Tax exemption on dividends up to Rs 50,000 for senior Citizens
    • Puneet Maheshwari , Director Upstox 
  • Reduce TDS to 7.5% for all
    • Gunish Jain, CEO BlueKaktus
  • Reduce TDS to 2.5% for SMEs
    • Gunish Jain, CEO BlueKaktus
  • Revise GST on software services to 12%
    • Gunish Jain, CEO BlueKaktus
  • Reduce logistics cost from 14% of GDP to 8-10% of GDP
    • Kushal Nahata , CEO FarEye
  • Increase investments in AI, ML and Blockchain
    • Kushal Nahata , CEO FarEye
    • Puneet Gupta , MD NetApp
  • Tackle high inflation
    • Manish Aggarwal, Director Bikano & Bikanervala
  • Rationalize GST rates
    • Manish Aggarwal, Director Bikano & Bikanervala
  • Reduce GST slab for CNG fuel from 18% to 5%
    • Suyash Gupta, Director General Indian Auto LPG Coalition
  • Reduce GST for LPG conversion system from 18% to 5%
    • Suyash Gupta, Director General Indian Auto LPG Coalition
  • Build a countrywide cycling infrastructure - 
    • Pankaj Munjal, Chairman & MD Hero Motors
  • Subsidize R&D to promote Make In India. Only 0.6% of GDP is allocated to R&D
    • Ashok Rajpal, CEO Ambrane
    • Sandeep Narula, Chairman Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council
    • Mahendra Patel, Managing Director Lincoln Pharmaceuticals
  • Compliance should be simplified and unnecessary legislation should be phased away
    • Ashok Rajpal, CEO Ambrane
  • Lowering of GST rates on raw materials for Electric Vehicles
    • Uday Narang , Chairman Omega Seiki Mobility
  • Transparent and progressive regulations that clearly differentiate games of skill from those of chance
    • Sunil Yadav, CEO PlayerzPot
  • Clarification on data privacy and third parties to safeguard user privacy
    • Sunil Yadav, CEO PlayerzPot
  • Increased investment towards boosting tourism infrastructure - 
    • Pallavi Agarwal, Founder goSTOPS
  • Hike 80C exemption limit
    • CEO BankBazaar
  • Reduce GST of 18% on health insurance
    • CEO Bank Bazaar
  • More support on education
    • Sahil Sheth, CEO Lido Learning
  • Taxation slabs and GST to be streamlined
    • Adetee Agarwaal, CEO PinkAprons
  • Remove import duties on cotton - 
    • Apparel Export Promotion Council


Sources : 

Jan 25, 2022

Jan 19, 2022

Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard

 


What an absolute mammoth deal. Here is a list of the major game IPs Microsoft now owns (in alphabetical order)

  • Age of Empires
  • Call of Duty
  • Candy Crush
  • Devil May Cry
  • Diablo
  • Dishonored
  • Doom
  • Fable
  • Fallout
  • Forza
  • Gears of War
  • Halo
  • Hearthstone
  • Microsoft Flight Simulator
  • Minecraft
  • Morrowind
  • Oblivion
  • Overwatch
  • South Park the Stick of Truth
  • Skyrim
  • StarCraft
  • Wasteland
  • World of Warcraft
  • Warcraft

Let me know if I missed out any notables

Link : https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/18/22889258/microsoft-activision-blizzard-xbox-acquisition-call-of-duty-overwatch 


Jan 8, 2022

Snow leopard at Illinois zoo dies from COVID-19

 We have heard about cats and dogs getting infected by Covid. Now, it seems that even snow leopards have got it and died. Really sad news. 

So essentially if the bat theory is correct:

Bats -> Humans -> Snow Leopard

Here's a pic of the beautiful animal.

Product101 #6

Product designs captured on napkins outlast the designs captured in ppts.