Daily Pulse India: Rules for Uber and Ola, A New Audience Measurement Tool, No Big Deals This Year

The Indian government has finally decided where cab aggregators like Uber and Ola lie. This had been a source of long drawn conflict as the companies themselves have insisted that they are not taxi companies and hence do not require a transport department license to operate. The central government has now created a category called “on-demand information technology-based transportation aggregators.” While the companies themselves may not own vehicles, the onus of background checks of drivers signing up with them is on the aggregators. Other guidelines include allowing drivers to work on multiple networks and limited hours of driving for safety reasons. There’s a catch here though. The state governments have the option of accepting or rejecting these rules as the final authority rests with them. So, Uber and Ola’s lobbying days are not behind them yet.

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Audience measurement has just gone online. Two of the biggest audience measurement companies have joined hands to launch TeleWeb, which measures content consumption across mobile, web and television. Media buyers and advertisers use audience measures to plan their campaigns and the accuracy of this data is critical. Look at what’s at stake here. Annual television spends for India Inc. is about 170 billion rupees, of which digital media accounts for 11 percent. What’s more, the new product will also measure the reach and impact of advertising campaigns. As entertainment moves across platform, it’s good to see research following suit.

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Infosys announced muted results but a pessimistic forecast, but TCS numbers have been more disappointing. Sequential revenue growth for Infosys was about 6 percent, good by any standards, while TCS reported a 3 percent growth. But the country’s biggest IT company says its order book in the September quarter was its best ever, so the results should show up in coming months. But for the moment, Infy has taken the lead.

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The government is not giving up its fight to make Aadhaar the default identity card for all Indians. After the Supreme Court last month refused to make it mandatory for Indians to hold an Aadhaar card for state sponsored benefits – on privacy concerns – the government is all set to appeal the order, which will be heard today. This is critically important for all of us here, so watch this space for updates.

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Tax refunds may become more prompt as the government gears up for the introduction of GST. Gone are the times when the refunds would slow down as poor collections put strain on government finances. The government is fast tracking all refunds to start off GST on a clean slate. Good news indeed!

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The CBI has arrested six officials in the Bank of Baroda money laundering case, which includes two officials from BoB and one from HDFC Bank and three agents. Read the modus operandi of the fraud here.

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If you are wondering why the discounts at the online sales this year aren’t as fantastic as last year, that’s a deliberate move by the marketplaces. Last year’s discounts had led to discontent all around – customers who missed the chance as well as brands who thought their value was depleted by the discounts. All the three bigwigs are playing it safe this time around.

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The government has notified rules for spectrum trading among telecom companies, which allows for sharing as well as trading. It’s a welcome move that helps those with deep pockets increase their reach and the smaller cash strapped ones get a dignified exit.

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Cover Image: Artists put finishing touches to a Durga Puja pandal in Allahabad in northern India, marking the start of the Navratri festival, India’s biggest in some parts of the country.

Other Interesting Reads From India:

* The way forward for the e-commerce industry by Apurv Agarwal
* Why the recent setbacks for Indian bio-pharma are actually a blessing in disguise, by Dinesh Kundu
* Reverse Ageing: India’s Cultural Benjamin Button Moment, by Sumant Bhattacharya 

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