MAM
CNBC, Infosys Technologies host seminar on ‘Infrastructure and the City’
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 and Infosys Technologies undertook an initiative to reawaken the State and Central Government to meet the Infrastructure demands of Mumbai by organising the second in the series of discussions on ‘Infrastructure and the City.’
The ‘Infrastructure and the City’ discussions are a series of debates bringing together eminent citizens, representatives of concerned corporates and government representatives to discuss and arrive at a beneficial action plan for improving infrastructure in cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi.
‘Infrastructure and the City: Focus on Mumbai’ brought out issues related to Governance framework, Civic administration, Roads and Public Transport, Housing and Social Infrastructure. Elements like Ports, Water Supply, IT and Telecom Infrastructure, Planning and preservation of public spaces, amenities and coastal ecosystem, were also discussed with an aim to generate implementable recommendations and thus coerce the State and Central Government to take swift action on infrastructure development, critical to the development of Mumbai.
Participating in the discussions were eminent personalities like Tata Teleservices Ltd chairman Firdose Vandrevala, Government of Maharashtra secretary (special projects) General Administrative Department Sanjay Ubale, MMRDA joint commissioner T Chandrashekhar, National Slum Dwellers Federation and Ramon Magsaysay Award winner Jokin, Urban Infrastructure Expert architect Charles Correa, IDFC former MD Nasser Munjee (currently with the Infrastructure Advisory team, KPMG), Hindustan Construction Company CMD Ajit Gulabchand, CMD, Konkan Railways managing director MB Rajaram and Infosys’ Mohandas Pai.
The first ‘Infrastructure and the City’ discussion was also held in New Delhi, on 2 December with Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit inaugurating and participating in the forum. The ‘Infrastructure and the City’ forums will travel throughout the country to all major metropolitan cities, in an attempt to bring together citizens, representatives of concerned corporates and government representatives who genuinely make a difference to the cities infrastructure. The forums will be part of the ongoing effort at maintaining active dialogue between various stakeholders in a city. These dialogues will be structured around sub-themes specific to the city.
Speaking at the forum, a CNBC-TV18 spokesperson said, “We at CNBC TV18 believe that corporate India needs to exert pressure on local governments and the center to give greater attention to cities, which should translate into greater budgetary allocations, more accountability of public service providers, greater competition in basic services, investments in roads, public transport and other civic infrastructure and above all, revamping the governance structure to improve social and physical infrastructure in cities.”
This initiative will be followed up regularly on CNBC-TV18 by way of special programs from time to time that will bring to light, city specific problems and solutions for the benefit of the national audience.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
