In these high-tech times, lovers no longer write letters, instant banking has replaced money orders, grandparents rely on courier companies whose boys zip on sleek mobikes to deliver parcels of love and almost nobody has a pen pal when social networking sites work just as well or even better, for that matter.Everyone knows for sure that in the new digital show, kids can’t receive the warmth and intimacy that has gone along with the figure of the traditional postman. The postal departments have revamped their images to get a sleek, new age look.A rural postman was not just a mail carrier; he was the social glue that bonded disparate communities.He was a highly resourceful support to the local community. The postman too has got a makeover. Auden’s tribute to the postman will continue to resonate for generations to come:“They continue their dreams,And shall wake soon and long for letters,And none will hear the postman’s knockWithout a quickening of the heart,For who can electric cargo bikes manufacturers bear to feel himself forgotten?”The writer is a member of the Niti Aayog’s National Committee on Financial Literacy and Inclusion for Womenend-ofTags: postman. No one could dare challenge his credentials about knowing so much of the realities of rural social life. It was not mandatory, but usually the giver gave and the postman did not have the heart to refuse.The traditional postman has been slowly consigned to grandma’s folklores and lullaby tales. Once in a while, he carried telegrams, which had good news as well as the bad ones.There is an inscription on the James Farley Post Office in New York City: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

In villages, they are data collectors and stock groceries and extend essential healthcare services. Communication is now via e-mail or SMS or mobile phones.When he brought good news, the recipient would reward him with whatever sweets there were in the house. But it is an image that just won’t get washed away by the driftwood of history. The spear was meant to protect them from robbers and wild animals and the bells just kept up their courage as they jogged along jungle trails. But now, they are making banking easy for even ordinary citizens by going round homes carrying a trendy mobile phone and a hand-held biometric scanner to open savings accounts, transfer money, pay utility bills, accept cash deposits, facilitate withdrawals and what have you. There would be ordinary letters, registered letters, money orders and parcels. During festivities, he would be an important guest and be treated to goodies that the family had prepared.When I write this diary, I feel extremely dismayed with the way the Indian village postman has receded into the far horizons of the rural landscape . In fact, people trust us more than the courier guys,” he would chuckle. Normally, the postman had a set pattern for his visits. “Those who have known us, continue to respect us.The lyrics reflect a reality that all elder Indians are familiar with — the ineffectual man in khaki, his pants clipped firmly at the bottom to keep the well starched dress from getting smudged by the greased cycle chain, pedalling his bicycle and putting letters and postcards into eager hands.”In his Malgudi Days, R. Come rain or sun, he would trudge on foot with his bag full of letters or cover difficult terrain on his bicycle. “There has been many a time when I have picked up letters dropped carelessly by the courierwallah and delivered them to the right address. Gone are the days when he used to deliver picture postcards, letters to lovers and money orders from newly-employed sons and goodies from doting grandparents. Till recently, the ubiquitous men in brown serving in the country’s 155,000 post offices located in every nook and cranny had been only delivering letters and parcels.India’s 3.India’s 350,000 well-trained postmen have turned bankers, offering doorstep financial services to even the last man standing in the remotest parts of the country. We could clarify from him several complex issues which even a lifetime’s reading of Mead, Metcalfe, Shrinivas, Ghurye, Madan, Mandelbaum, Dumont and Lewis and scores of their celebrated ilk of anthropologists could not enlighten us.

He was an informal rural sociologist and demographer for all visiting government officials. They now offer many new services — filling out traffic challans and submitting them and also carry electronic devices that capture and transmit the signatures of the addressees digitally in case of registered letters or speed posts.A village democracy is a microcosm of national democracy.I remember my school lessons where we were told of the time when the mail was delivered by runners who carried a spear with two little bells attached to the shaft near the head. He relieved us of a number of cumbersome tasks that were made simple by him on account of his knowledge of the local geography and the social arcana. Thanappa is not just the postman of Malgudi — he is one of the most loved characters who is a link for so many families.”W. People are gradually forgetting the art of letter writing — in another decade, there will not be any letters on display penned by the celebrities of today.In a village, the postman enjoyed a unique status unrivalled by his urban colleagues. I remember the times when his sight would flood my mind with the excitement of the possibility of getting the news I had been long awaiting. His social perimeter straggled the constellation of villages he covered in his official errands, which could be anywhere between four-five villages depending on the size of each village.In an Indian village, a postman was much more than just a letter deliverer.5 lakh postmen are now offering financial services in the country’s loneliest villages. And, when he delivered the money orders, he would get some monetary tips. For me, the postman was more than just a benign messenger who delivered a trove of daily mail . I always felt a strange kinship with him.

The postman remains a hero for those of my generation .The new boys are savvy, attired in modern executive apparel, zipping on mobikes in a professional business-like manner. But despite all these add-ons the new boys can’t be a substitute for the romantic postman. He would read aloud the letters to them and would also write out replies on their behalf. I remember how eagerly our landlady listened for his knock — how tremulously she asked for whom the letters were directed — and the painfully repressed sigh and darkened countenance with which she turned away when there was none for her.All that has changed.K. The new boys are savvy, attired in modern executive apparel, zipping on mobikes in a professional business-like manner. He had access to even the most intimate and private affairs of families.THE ASIAN AGE. Narayan immortalised the tiny post office in Malgudi, where Thanappa, the local postman, delivers letters on his bicycle, pedalling across the town. Gone too is the time he was a window to the world, a tenuous link with loved ones, and was almost a family member. The postman now visits houses to drop the official statements of the bank or the insurance company or the telephone or electricity bills or printed pamphlets for promotion of products.“Daak laayakhushi ka payaam kaheen dardanaak laayadaakiya daak laaya…”— From the film Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein (1977)The Rajesh Khanna-Hema Malini starrer film was a flop in the Box Office, but the song, penned by Gulzar and sung by Kishore Kumar remains a strong favourite for that generation. He was the heart of the local social planet who commiserated with people and shared their common concerns. In case the entire household was unlettered, he was the only channel of communication for it with their cousins. The image will keep revisiting us. In return the people also loved him and lavished benedictions and eulogies on him. The postman became my lens for gazing the rural horizon.H. The villagers themselves are quaint heroes and most bewildering windows with which to view their world.

The drop in GST on EVs to five per cent from 12 per cent plus the tax break might go some way towards incentivising what is an ideal transition from the internal combustion engine to other forms of driving mobility. The sum total of all the initiatives towards switching to electric mobility solutions amount to less than one per cent of vehicles on Indian roads now. While the absolute transition cut-off date of 2030 sounds ambitious even for such a highly evolved industry as the Indian automobile industry, the deadline sought for the less powered three- and two-wheelers appears far too sharp. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker China Wholesale electric mountain bike charging.The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. Electric vehicles (EVs) are clearly gaining traction, but not at a rate that could possibly meet the overambitious conversion target set by Niti Aayog, which said most recently that 2023 and 2025 should be the cut-off dates for three-wheelers and two-wheelers under 150 cc to go electric. India’s first ethanol-powered motorcycle was unveiled last week, so too an electric car by an international manufacturer based in India while a new electric scooter also hit the marketThe hurdles may appear overwhelming currently because we have hardly started towards true enabling of pollution-free transportation.

A total transition in India would take an enormous effort. Proper government-industry coordination and cooperation is essential if the transition is to have some effect on the urban heat island phenomenon that is running out of control in some cities, most notably in the National Capital Region where the problem of pollution is caused by far more than just automobiles. The proposed dates will be thrown open for discussion; even so, it is clear that automobiles are being targeted as major urban polluters. While the operating cost savings for the user of EVs will be a distinct selling point, the salutary effect on urban pollution would be the most desirable outcome provided, of course, that cities are able to do a lot more to tackle other major contributing factors like industrial pollution and thermal power generation. So too the premise that India’s world class two-wheelers, which also contain a $3 billion export component, are not the most major polluters. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker charging.The industry viewpoint of electric powered vehicles being brought in more by traders now rather than manufacturers would have to be factored in by the national planning body. end-of Tags: electric vehicles, gst. The sharper deadline for the industry could prove counterproductive as India grapples with the larger issue of total transition possibly by 2030. Published: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST Updated: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. A lot more is needed to make it all happen in a decade. Pilot initiatives look impressive enough in handling the minuscule numbers thus far.

The drop in GST on EVs to five per cent from 12 per cent plus the tax break might go some way towards incentivising what is an ideal transition from the internal combustion engine to other forms of driving mobility. The sum total of all the initiatives towards switching to electric mobility solutions amount to less than one per cent of vehicles on Indian roads now. While the absolute transition cut-off date of 2030 sounds ambitious even for such a highly evolved industry as the Indian automobile industry, the deadline sought for the less powered three- and two-wheelers appears far too sharp. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker China Wholesale electric mountain bike charging.The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. Electric vehicles (EVs) are clearly gaining traction, but not at a rate that could possibly meet the overambitious conversion target set by Niti Aayog, which said most recently that 2023 and 2025 should be the cut-off dates for three-wheelers and two-wheelers under 150 cc to go electric. India’s first ethanol-powered motorcycle was unveiled last week, so too an electric car by an international manufacturer based in India while a new electric scooter also hit the marketThe hurdles may appear overwhelming currently because we have hardly started towards true enabling of pollution-free transportation.

A total transition in India would take an enormous effort. Proper government-industry coordination and cooperation is essential if the transition is to have some effect on the urban heat island phenomenon that is running out of control in some cities, most notably in the National Capital Region where the problem of pollution is caused by far more than just automobiles. The proposed dates will be thrown open for discussion; even so, it is clear that automobiles are being targeted as major urban polluters. While the operating cost savings for the user of EVs will be a distinct selling point, the salutary effect on urban pollution would be the most desirable outcome provided, of course, that cities are able to do a lot more to tackle other major contributing factors like industrial pollution and thermal power generation. So too the premise that India’s world class two-wheelers, which also contain a $3 billion export component, are not the most major polluters. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker charging.The industry viewpoint of electric powered vehicles being brought in more by traders now rather than manufacturers would have to be factored in by the national planning body. end-of Tags: electric vehicles, gst. The sharper deadline for the industry could prove counterproductive as India grapples with the larger issue of total transition possibly by 2030. Published: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST Updated: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. A lot more is needed to make it all happen in a decade. Pilot initiatives look impressive enough in handling the minuscule numbers thus far.

The drop in GST on EVs to five per cent from 12 per cent plus the tax break might go some way towards incentivising what is an ideal transition from the internal combustion engine to other forms of driving mobility. The sum total of all the initiatives towards switching to electric mobility solutions amount to less than one per cent of vehicles on Indian roads now. While the absolute transition cut-off date of 2030 sounds ambitious even for such a highly evolved industry as the Indian automobile industry, the deadline sought for the less powered three- and two-wheelers appears far too sharp. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker China Wholesale electric mountain bike charging.The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. Electric vehicles (EVs) are clearly gaining traction, but not at a rate that could possibly meet the overambitious conversion target set by Niti Aayog, which said most recently that 2023 and 2025 should be the cut-off dates for three-wheelers and two-wheelers under 150 cc to go electric. India’s first ethanol-powered motorcycle was unveiled last week, so too an electric car by an international manufacturer based in India while a new electric scooter also hit the marketThe hurdles may appear overwhelming currently because we have hardly started towards true enabling of pollution-free transportation.

A total transition in India would take an enormous effort. Proper government-industry coordination and cooperation is essential if the transition is to have some effect on the urban heat island phenomenon that is running out of control in some cities, most notably in the National Capital Region where the problem of pollution is caused by far more than just automobiles. The proposed dates will be thrown open for discussion; even so, it is clear that automobiles are being targeted as major urban polluters. While the operating cost savings for the user of EVs will be a distinct selling point, the salutary effect on urban pollution would be the most desirable outcome provided, of course, that cities are able to do a lot more to tackle other major contributing factors like industrial pollution and thermal power generation. So too the premise that India’s world class two-wheelers, which also contain a $3 billion export component, are not the most major polluters. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker charging.The industry viewpoint of electric powered vehicles being brought in more by traders now rather than manufacturers would have to be factored in by the national planning body. end-of Tags: electric vehicles, gst. The sharper deadline for the industry could prove counterproductive as India grapples with the larger issue of total transition possibly by 2030. Published: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST Updated: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. A lot more is needed to make it all happen in a decade. Pilot initiatives look impressive enough in handling the minuscule numbers thus far.

The drop in GST on EVs to five per cent from 12 per cent plus the tax break might go some way towards incentivising what is an ideal transition from the internal combustion engine to other forms of driving mobility. The sum total of all the initiatives towards switching to electric mobility solutions amount to less than one per cent of vehicles on Indian roads now. While the absolute transition cut-off date of 2030 sounds ambitious even for such a highly evolved industry as the Indian automobile industry, the deadline sought for the less powered three- and two-wheelers appears far too sharp. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker China Wholesale electric mountain bike charging.The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. Electric vehicles (EVs) are clearly gaining traction, but not at a rate that could possibly meet the overambitious conversion target set by Niti Aayog, which said most recently that 2023 and 2025 should be the cut-off dates for three-wheelers and two-wheelers under 150 cc to go electric. India’s first ethanol-powered motorcycle was unveiled last week, so too an electric car by an international manufacturer based in India while a new electric scooter also hit the marketThe hurdles may appear overwhelming currently because we have hardly started towards true enabling of pollution-free transportation.

A total transition in India would take an enormous effort. Proper government-industry coordination and cooperation is essential if the transition is to have some effect on the urban heat island phenomenon that is running out of control in some cities, most notably in the National Capital Region where the problem of pollution is caused by far more than just automobiles. The proposed dates will be thrown open for discussion; even so, it is clear that automobiles are being targeted as major urban polluters. While the operating cost savings for the user of EVs will be a distinct selling point, the salutary effect on urban pollution would be the most desirable outcome provided, of course, that cities are able to do a lot more to tackle other major contributing factors like industrial pollution and thermal power generation. So too the premise that India’s world class two-wheelers, which also contain a $3 billion export component, are not the most major polluters. The country has a long way to go in setting up a nationwide recharging infrastructure, which will make electric mobility practical even as technology develops more compact batteries as well as quicker charging.The industry viewpoint of electric powered vehicles being brought in more by traders now rather than manufacturers would have to be factored in by the national planning body. end-of Tags: electric vehicles, gst. The sharper deadline for the industry could prove counterproductive as India grapples with the larger issue of total transition possibly by 2030. Published: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST Updated: Jul 14, 2019, 12:02 am IST The tax incentive proposals for EVs contained in the Budget were not that substantive as to see customers queue up. A lot more is needed to make it all happen in a decade. Pilot initiatives look impressive enough in handling the minuscule numbers thus far.

In another Tesla-inspired move, the three German carmakers are developing their own network of fast-chargers along major highways in a partnership with Ford. It has amassed more than 2,000 refundable deposits of 20,000 crowns ($2,400) in Europe’s biggest electric-car market, where Tesla sold 8,500 vehicles last year.BMW’s i3 mini and an earlier Audi e-Tron failed to shift large volumes, but the electric-car market has matured since.“Tesla has virtually zero competition - but this will change from 2019 onwards. Mercedes-Benz is set to unveil its much-anticipated electric SUV on September 4, marking the start of a German onslaught against Tesla’s dominance of the fast-growing market for premium battery cars.”Tesla used its powerful tech aura to persuade early adopters to pay a premium for an all-electric car from a relative unknown, with no quality track-record or physical dealerships for servicing and support.Like Tesla, Mercedes is announcing EQC orders in Norway even before its price.TECH BUZZThe EQC softens its higher-riding proportions with sporty curves and a distinctive full-width rear light, while the interior resembles that of the Mercedes C-Class - a reminder of economies of scale that electric-only Tesla cannot match.8 per cent in 2020 before increasing further to about 19 percent three years later.The new Mercedes, due to reach its first customers next year, will be priced close to the fuel-burning GLC to compete in the same bracket as Tesla’s $49,000 Model 3, helped by its hotter-selling SUV form. 17 sales launch jamboree in San Francisco, just 40 miles from Tesla’s Fremont assembly plant.The Germans’ combined market share will surpass Tesla’s to reach 11.The Mercedes EQC - whose launch program in Stockholm features yoga in a direct appeal to the Millennials who have flocked to Tesla - is the first production model under the carmaker’s electric EQ sub-brand.Audi on September 3 began production of its e-Tron SUV ahead of a Sept.But the German carmakers have a century of manufacturing behind them, with sterling brands, well developed global sales networks and an existing customer base in the millions. Events are planned in all four cities over five days.” end-of Tags: mercedes, tesla, electric cars.Well aware that their earlier battery-car offerings have failed to get anything like Tesla’s level of public attention, the German brands are doggedly courting Silicon Valley-style buzz for the coming product blitz. LMC sees China driving global sales growth above 50 per cent annually as the German offensive gets underway in 2019-20.The launch is the centerpiece of a three-day event that features DJ sets and yoga with a YouTube star - almost literally bending over backwards to telegraph 21st-century kudos.One big question is whether competitors can offer a viable alternative to Tesla’s proprietary fast-charging network, the 28-year-old software entrepreneur said.Daimler-owned Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen’s Audi and Porsche divisions are all gunning for the $52 billion Californian upstart, with early publicity efforts emulating its tech-industry halo. Musk, by tweeting then withdrawing plans to take Tesla private, has sharpened doubts about the company’s ability to keep expanding and updating its lineup.The market for upscale electric cars is Tesla’s to lose, with sales of its entry-level Model 3 sedan expected to reach about 50,000 cars this year and almost double that in 2019. “That’s a very good starting point.8 per cent, even as its absolute sales continue to rise. The Germans’ combined market share will surpass Tesla’s to reach 11.The e-Tron is due in showrooms early next year, followed in 2020 by two more electric Audis and the Porsche Taycan sports car from its Volkswagen Group stablemate.Executives including Mercedes Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche have taken to appearing in jeans and sneakers, responding to a broader tech-industry incursion into areas such as autonomous driving and connected services]
REUTERS Published: Sep 3, 2018, 8:42 pm IST Updated: Sep 3, 2018, 8:42 pm IST The Mercedes EQC is the first production model under the carmaker’s electric EQ sub-brand. It will be closely followed by similarly hyped debuts for BMW and Audi. It also plans to begin taking reservations backed by refundable $1,000 deposits.“While Tesla currently has a strong hold on the luxury electric market, I don’t think this will be the case after the arrival of the German premium offerings,” said Wajih Hossenally, an automotive powertrain analyst with IHS Markit.”Rival forecaster LMC Automotive agrees, predicting a steady decline in Tesla’s share of an exploding electric-car market over the next decade, from today’s 12.3 per cent to 2.If they can, Martin added, “I would definitely consider another brand.An affordable Model Y SUV is slated to join Tesla’s high-end Model X crossover and Model S car, but not before 2020-21.WOW FACTORNot to be outdone, BMW has hired a Lufthansa cargo jet to fly its electric Vision iNext - still just a concept car - from Munich to Beijing via New York and, of course, San Francisco.“Tesla is potentially facing a product shortfall starting in 2020,” Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois warned investors in a note last week.By then the Model S flagship will be eight years old.While some experts doubt the Germans can ever match the wow factor around Tesla and its founding boss Elon Musk, many also wonder whether they need to.Tyler Martin, a Tesla owner in Tucson, Arizona, mid drive electric bike manufacturers said he had yet to decide whether to buy a Model 3 next - after his current Model S suffered from “build quality” issues requiring several trips to the repair shop each year.“German manufacturers have highly desirable, fun-to-drive premium cars in their DNA,” said Nicolai Mueller, a McKinsey partner based in Cologne.8 per cent in 2020 before increasing further to about 19 percent three years later, according to its projections.When it came to the EQC launch, Mercedes picked the city of Stockholm for its startup scene and green credentials, then began firing off teasers on Instagram as well as Twitter