Category: Business

Bengaluru, June 04: Goodera, a global leader in corporate volunteering and employee engagement, unveiled Goodera AI^X , its new AI-powered social impact offering, at the Bengaluru edition of its Corporate Volunteering Collective (CVC), bringing together leaders from the CSR, nonprofit, and corporate ecosystem to explore the future of AI-enabled volunteering and community impact.

The event brought together attendees from organizations across the CSR and corporate ecosystem of various organizations, highlighting the growing intersection of artificial intelligence, employee engagement, and social impact innovation. Through keynote sessions, panel discussions, and experiential volunteering activities, the event explored how AI is transforming the way organizations design, scale, and measure community impact initiatives

At the centre of the event was the launch of Goodera AI^X, a new offering designed to help enterprises, nonprofits, and employees build AI fluency while embedding AI across volunteering and CSR programs. Built around three pillars: Illuminate, Activate, and Integrate,  Goodera AI^X combines AI literacy workshops, AI-native volunteering experiences, strategic advisory, and AI-powered operational tools aimed at making volunteering more scalable, measurable, and accessible.

The launch comes at a time when organizations globally are increasingly looking to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into workplace learning and social impact initiatives, while nonprofits continue to face significant capability and access gaps in adopting emerging technologies.

As part of the unveiling, Goodera showcased how AI^X,  enables organizations to build AI readiness through hands-on workshops, volunteering strategy roadmaps, and community-led AI learning experiences. The platform also integrates AI into volunteering workflows, helping organizations streamline volunteer matching, engagement, coordination, and impact reporting.

During the event, Goodera also revealed insights from its recent AI literacy research conducted across the social impact ecosystem, surveying more than 1,000 nonprofits across 30+ countries. The findings pointed to a growing demand for AI adoption and digital capability building across nonprofits, while also highlighting critical gaps in awareness, access, and implementation support.

Speaking about the launch, Sriram Shankar, Co-Founder & COO, Goodera, said, “AI is fundamentally reshaping the future of work and community impact, yet much of the social impact ecosystem is still at the early stages of adoption. With Goodera AI^X,  we want to make AI more accessible, practical, and outcome-oriented for CSR teams, nonprofits, and employees. The opportunity is not just about introducing AI into volunteering, but about enabling organizations to scale impact, build future-ready capabilities, and strengthen communities through technology.” 

Leaders and practitioners attending the Bengaluru Corporate Volunteering Collective also shared perspectives on how AI and purpose-led engagement are reshaping the future of workplace volunteering.

Ragha M G, CSR Program Manager, NxtGen Cloud Technologies Pvt. Limited, said, “What stood out through the Collective was how AI can make volunteering more relevant, skill-driven, and outcome-oriented for both employees and communities. As organizations look to build more meaningful engagement models, platforms like Goodera AI^X can help bridge technology with real social impact while making volunteering more scalable and accessible.”

Shivangi Gupta, Head HR Capability and Workforce Transformation, Kongsberg Digital, said, “Employees today are increasingly looking for purpose-led experiences that feel authentic and aligned with their skills. Conversations at the Goodera Collective reinforced how AI-enabled volunteering can help organizations move beyond one-time engagement activities towards more long-term, meaningful participation that strengthens both culture and community impact.”

The Bengaluru edition of the Corporate Volunteering Collective also featured interactive volunteering experiences demonstrating how AI-enabled educational tools and community-focused technology interventions can create more engaging and inclusive learning environments.

With the launch of Goodera AI^X,  the company aims to strengthen its position at the intersection of AI, employee volunteering, and social impact innovation, helping organizations build more future-ready and technology-enabled volunteering ecosystems

Transaction volumes up 36% since February, developer sales surge 57% as investor confidence holds firm

 

Dubai, UAE, June 4 The evolution of Dubai South as the emirate’s largest single urban master development is highlighted by a new market analysis today revealing sustained residential real estate growth over the last three months.

For the third consecutive month in May, Dubai South ranked as the best-performing area in the emirate’s property sector, recording 1,357 sales transactions valued at AED 1.6 billion, a 15.9% rise in volume on April and marking its seventh straight month in the top five.

A market report from fäm Properties reveals that residential property sales transactions at Dubai South have surged by 36.4% since the onset of the regional conflict at the end of February.

This growth has been largely driven by developer off-plan sales, which climbed 24.8% last month to 1,233 transactions, following a 35.71% increase in April, adding up to a cumulative rise of 57.87% since the end of February.

“The level of market activity at Dubai South underlines the strength of its fundamentals as a fully integrated, connected urban and business hub propelling growth across the emirate’s broader economy,” said Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fäm Properties.

“Growing transaction volumes reflect genuine end-user and investor confidence in the government’s long-term development vision for this dynamic aviation and logistics ecosystem, underpinned by the expansion of Dubai World Central into the world’s largest airport.”

Data from DXBinteract shows that the Dubai real estate market recorded 10,281 sales transactions worth AED28.9 billion in May. The month brought 8,772 apartment sales worth AED14.6 billion, 1,037 villa sales worth AED7.2 billion, along with 133 plot sales valued at AED4.2 billion.

The commercial sector, including offices and shops, recorded 335 sales transactions valued at AED2.9 billion. The average property price per sq ft was up by 3% YoY to AED1,650.

Primary sales again dominated in May, accounting for 7,595 sales transactions totalling AED18.5 billion, compared with 2,686 resales valued at AED10.4 billion. The most expensive villa sold in May was a luxury property at Signature Villas on Palm Jumeriah which went for AED145 million.

The most expensive apartment went for AED113 million at Solaya 5 at Jumeirah First. Other luxury apartments sold for AED106 million at Solaya 6 at La Mer and 101 million at One Casa at Al Wasl on the Dubai Water Canal.

With properties worth more than AED5 million accounting for 8.56% of sales, 8.19% were between AED3-5 million, 12.41% between AED2-3 million, 31.02% between AED1-2 million and 39.82% were below AED1 million.

TOP FIVE PERFORMING AREAS IN MAY 2026

Transactions Sales value

Dubai South 1,357 AED1.6B

Wadi Al Safa 3 983 AED1.7B

Wadi Al Safa 5 631 AED833.9M

Al Barsha South Fourth 551 AED690.4M

Jebel Ali First 541 AED920.9M

BEST-SELLING PROJECTS IN MAY 2026

Primary market apartments

	Volume	Value AED	Median price AED
Binghatti Skyflame 1	442	311.1M	550K
Binghatti Skyflame 2	193	124.8M	565K
Azizi Venice 14 Building	109	82.5M	650K
Azizi Venice 14 Building	105	79.1M	650K
Bond	101	23.9M	201K

 

Primary market villas

Lunaya	62	524.6M	6.9M
Reportage Hills	47	95.1M	1.8M
Verdana 3	36	50.0M	1.3M
Palm Jebel Ali	22	815.7M	31.3M
Verdana 10	22	37.5M	1.7M

 

Mumbai, June 04:  CoverSure, a customer-first insurtech platform, in association with India Post, the postal service of the Government of India and operator of the world’s largest postal network, is promoting insurance preparedness and claims readiness across Indian households. Launched under the #ChitthiAayiHai initiative, the association revives one of India’s most familiar and trusted modes of communication, the ‘inland letter,’ to encourage families to document, share, and safeguard critical insurance information, helping them stay better prepared when an emergency or claim situation arises.

The initiative also marks the introduction of barcode-enabled inland letters by India Post, allowing senders to digitally track their letters while preserving the simplicity and familiarity of the traditional format. The barcode feature will be extended to all inlaaand letters going forward. 

As part of the initiative, CoverSure will, in the first phase, use 10,000 inland letters across 15 cities through India Post’s delivery network. Through the initiative, policyholders are encouraged to record and share essential insurance details with their families, including policy numbers, nominee information, coverage limits, TPA contacts, claim helplines, and nearby cashless network hospitals.

The idea is also being extended to insurance industry leaders and ecosystem stakeholders to nurture broader conversations around insurance literacy, beneficiary awareness, claims preparedness, and household-level insurance literacy.  

As per CoverSure, despite increasing insurance adoption, one of the biggest barriers to effective insurance utilisation remains the gap between policy ownership and beneficiary preparedness. Policyholders may diligently pay premiums for years, but spouses, children, or parents often do not know where policy documents are stored, what benefits are available, whom to contact, or how to initiate a claim. During a medical emergency or after the loss of a loved one, this information gap can delay or even prevent access to insurance benefits. 

The initiative comes at a time when improving beneficiary preparedness is gaining industry attention. According to IRDAI^# unclaimed insurance amounts outstanding with insurers stood at ₹8,973.89 crore as of February 28, 2026, highlighting the need for policy information and claim-related details to be documented and shared with family members. Similarly, in the recent survey conducted by CoverSure, it was found that 60% of dependents in the family were unaware they were even covered under any insurance policy.

#ChitthiAayiHai is a step to make insurance information more visible and usable at home. Each inland letter carries a message from CoverSure and guided space for policyholders to ensure they deliver confidence about protection within their families. The initiative turns the inland letter into a practical preparedness tool, helping move important insurance information out of scattered documents, emails, and apps into a format that can be easily found and understood by family members.

The initiative also uses the emotional familiarity of the inland letter to encourage action. For generations, inland letters carried personal news, family secrets, and memories that matter even today. Upon talking to 125+ families, CoverSure discovered that most had preserved their inland letters for over 30-50 years and still remain in pristine condition! CoverSure is now using that same trusted format to carry a different kind of message: one that asks families to speak openly about insurance, protection, and preparedness.

Speaking on the initiative, Saurabh Vijayvergia, Founder & CEO, CoverSure, said, “Insurance should not remain locked inside policy documents or digital folders. The people it is meant to protect should know what exists, where to find it, and how to use it. Through #ChitthiAayiHai, we want to encourage every policyholder to have that conversation with their family before an emergency, not during one. He further added that this is not a one-time activity, it’s a long-term association with India Post built on trust and the Indian citizens’ interest.”

He added, “The conversation around insurance often focuses on policy purchase and penetration. Equally important is ensuring that families know how to access the protection that has already been bought. A policy becomes truly valuable only when the right information reaches the right people at the right time. This initiative is our attempt to make that information easier to share, easier to find, and easier to act upon.” 

Commenting on the association, Shri Amitabh Singh, Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, India Post, said, “India Post has always served as a trusted bridge between people, families, and communities. Through this association with CoverSure, we are pleased to support an initiative that carries not just a letter, but an important message of financial awareness and preparedness. Hand-delivering 10,000 inland letters across cities is a meaningful reminder of the role physical communication can continue to play in driving public awareness & trust. We are proud to have executed this initiative at scale and to have this milestone formally registered in our records.”

CoverSure operates at the intersection of insurance literacy, technology, and decision support. Its AI-powered platform helps individuals build smart insurance portfolios, decode policy benefits & coverage gaps, low-cost insurance solutions across Health, Life, Motor & Travel. With #ChitthiAayiHai, the company is taking the same mission into an offline format that reaches families directly and extends the InsuranceForAll by 2047 mission of GoI.

At its core, #ChitthiAayiHai reinforces CoverSure’s belief that insurance delivers its full value only when the people it is intended to protect understand how to access it when it matters most. 

The Lufthansa Group welcomes the decision of the Federal Republic of Germany to abolish airport transit visa requirements for Indian nationals travelling to third countries via German airports, effective 3 June 2026. This policy change, announced by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in New Delhi, will make journeys via key German hubs more seamless for Indian passengers and further strengthen air connectivity between India, Germany and the rest of the world.

As the largest European airline group in India, the Lufthansa Group currently operates more than 70 weekly flights between India and Europe and has been present in the Indian market for over six decades. In its 100th anniversary year, the Group is further deepening its commitment to India through sustained investment and network expansion. This includes the deployment of Lufthansa’s award-winning Allegris cabins on additional Boeing 787-9 services from Delhi and Hyderabad, the launch of SWISS’s first-ever direct service between Bengaluru and Zurich in the 2026 Winter schedule, and the rollout of FOX (Future Onboard Experience) across all long-haul cabins. FOX is a premium upgrade across all cabins, focused on choice, comfort and individuality, delivering “Lufthansa Signature Moments” that aim to redefine long-haul travel. To meet growing demand, Lufthansa and SWISS are also adding capacity with extra SWISS A330 frequencies between Delhi and Zurich and enhanced Lufthansa Airbus A380 services between Mumbai and Munich.

India is the Lufthansa Group’s largest intercontinental market in the Asia-Pacific region and plays a pivotal role in the Group’s global network. The introduction of visa-free airport transit for Indian nationals travelling via Germany to onward destinations will simplify travel, improve connectivity and further reinforce Germany’s role as a leading gateway between India, Europe and the world.

June 04: Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, continues to strengthen its partner ecosystem through its long-standing collaboration with Allied Engineers, a leading manufacturer of Medium Voltage (MV), Low Voltage (LV), and Type-Tested Assembly (TTA) electrical panels.

The collaboration continues to focus on supporting the deployment of Schneider Electric’s intelligent and sustainable power distribution technologies across industrial, commercial, and infrastructure projects in India. By combining Schneider Electric’s advanced electrical solutions with Allied Engineers’ engineering and manufacturing capabilities, the partnership has enabled the delivery of efficient, compliant, and digitally enabled power distribution solutions across sectors.

The partnership between Schneider Electric and Allied Engineers has contributed towards enabling smarter and more efficient operations through digitally enabled and compliant power distribution solutions. Key outcomes achieved through this collaboration include:

• 60% improvement in operational efficiency

• 30% reduction in downtime with PrismaSeT i panels

• 30% optimization in panel space with EasyPact NW

Highlighting the importance of a strong partner ecosystems in driving efficient and sustainable infrastructure solutions, Amit Sharma, Vice President – Power Products and Digital Energy, Schneider Electric, said “At Schneider Electric, our partner ecosystem plays an important role in enabling the wider adoption of intelligent and sustainable electrical infrastructure solutions across industries. Our collaboration with Allied Engineers reflects a shared focus on delivering reliable, efficient, and digitally enabled power distribution technologies that support evolving customer requirements across industrial and infrastructure projects.”

Established in 2005 and headquartered in Lucknow, Allied Engineers offers end-to-end electrical solutions spanning design, engineering, installation, and commissioning. As an ISO 9001:2015 certified company utilizing CPRI-tested materials, Allied Engineers serves over 100 clients across India as a trusted channel partner of Schneider Electric. Through its strong presence across government, infrastructure, industrial, and commercial projects, the collaboration continues to support the wider deployment of Schneider Electric’s intelligent power distribution technologies across diverse operating environments, enabling efficient, reliable, compliant, and digitally enabled electrical infrastructure solutions.

Quote from the Partner: “Our partnership with Schneider Electric as a licensed PrismaSeT i Panel Builder goes beyond business, it is built on a shared belief in innovation and sustainability.”

The partnership has also been recognized through Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Impact Awards, celebrating Allied Engineers’ contributions towards sustainability, operational efficiency, reliability, and digital transformation.

New AP agents for supplier risk monitoring and statement reconciliation, enhanced capabilities in SmartResearch, and Workday ASOR certification strengthen Auditoria and Workday partnership

Santa Clara, CA – June 4, 2026 — Auditoria.AI, the leader in agentic artificial intelligence for the Office of the CFO, today announced a major expansion of its SmartResearch platform, strengthening its role as the governed intelligence layer behind autonomous finance operations. Announced at Workday DevCon 2026 in Las Vegas, the expansion extends beyond being a founding member in Workday’s Agent Partner Network to include official certified Workday integration of SmartResearch, expanded accounts payable solutions, and autonomous capabilities, including AP Vendor Watch, and a preview of AP Statement Reconciliation.

Together, the announcements reflect a broader shift taking place across enterprise finance. Organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and seeking ways to safely operationalize agents within systems that manage cash flow, supplier relationships, approvals, compliance, and financial reporting. For finance leaders, the challenge isn’t just whether AI can automate work, but whether autonomous agents can operate with the governance, transparency, and auditability enterprise finance requires.

That is the gap Auditoria is closing, as each capability announced today operates within Auditoria’s Governed Autonomy framework, the design philosophy that enables AI agents to execute autonomously within enterprise-defined boundaries, adapt as policies change, and produce a defensible audit trail for every action, without requiring human approval at every step.

“Finance teams do not need more disconnected AI tools. They need intelligence that can operate safely across real financial workflows,” said Rohit Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder of Auditoria.AI. “Everything we announced today builds toward that vision. SmartResearch is becoming the intelligence layer for the Office of the CFO, while Governed Autonomy ensures those agents can operate within the controls, policies, and audit expectations enterprise finance requires.”

SmartResearch reaches general availability
Auditoria announced the general availability of SmartResearch, its conversational AI financial analyst built specifically for the Office of the CFO. SmartResearch enables finance teams to interrogate financial operations using natural language, combining ERP data with external financial intelligence to deliver decision-ready answers and complex financial scenario simulations with full source lineage and reasoning transparency.

“Finance is moving from systems of record to systems of intelligence, and this category of technology is leading that shift,” according to R “Ray” Wang, Founder, Chairman, and Principal Analyst, Constellation Research. “Agentic AI purpose-built for the Office of the CFO, connecting disparate enterprise data, reconciling unstructured context, and delivering continuous cash intelligence that drives autonomous decision-making, demonstrates what’s possible. This is next-gen finance, and the innovators defining it have the DNA, the depth, and the conviction to shape the category.”

As part of the expansion announced today, Auditoria has extended SmartResearch deeper into accounts payable workflows. Finance leaders can now analyze supplier trends, spend patterns, payment risks, and operational exceptions through a conversational interface that brings together internal finance data with external market intelligence.

Certified Workday integration validates governed enterprise deployment
Auditoria also announced official certification in Workday’s Marketplace for SmartResearch which is registered to Workday’s Agent System of Record (ASOR), strengthening the company’s integration with Workday environments and reinforcing its focus on governed enterprise AI deployment.

Workday ASOR provides the governance framework through which AI agents connect into enterprise workflows with centralized identity propagation, lifecycle management, entitlement enforcement, and audit controls. Auditoria’s certification reinforces that its agents are designed to operate within the same governance and accountability standards enterprise finance teams already expect from their core systems.

“Workday’s Agent System of Record creates a necessary foundation for governed, responsible AI at scale. Auditoria’s certification is a testament to our shared commitment to developing agentic AI that operates with the same high standards of security and auditability that our customers expect from Workday’s core systems,” said Mohan Rajagopalan, senior director, AI platform product management, Workday. “This powerful alignment enables the Office of the CFO to confidently scale agentic AI, driving tangible, measurable change across the business.”

Expanding autonomous AP operations
Auditoria also announced the availability of AP Vendor Watch, a continuously operating agent designed to help accounts payable teams monitor supplier risk in real time. AP Vendor Watch automates ongoing tracking of supplier health signals, identifies emerging risks against configurable thresholds, and surfaces actionable alerts without manual intervention across ERP environments.

Finance teams can define the specific supplier risk parameters most relevant to their business while maintaining consistent monitoring across their vendor ecosystem.

Auditoria also previewed AP Statement Reconciliation, which will arrive later this quarter. The capability automates the process of matching supplier statements against internal financial records, helping finance teams identify discrepancies earlier, prevent overpayments, strengthen supplier relationships, and accelerate reconciliation cycles.

Like the broader Auditoria platform, both new AI agent products operate within the platform’s Governed Autonomy framework, ensuring that every autonomous action remains policy-aligned, traceable, and auditable.

Availability
SmartResearch enhancements and AP Vendor Watch are now available through Auditoria. AP Statement Reconciliation is currently in preview and is expected to become generally available later this quarter.

Washington, D.C. (June 3, 2026) — The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today released a new guide to help community banks navigate the artificial intelligence security landscape.

Developed by community bankers on ICBA’s AI Task Force to provide practical guidance to their industry colleagues, the Community Banker AI Security Readiness Guide offers an informational overview of the AI threat shift, what it means for local institutions, strengthening third-party due diligence, updating and testing incident response plans, and more.

“The nation’s community banks are leveraging AI to strengthen operations and resilience while they work to address key AI risks and implementation challenges that warrant further attention,” ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said today. “ICBA’s new Community Banker AI Security Readiness Guide was developed by community bankers for community bankers to help navigate our rapidly evolving security environment.”

Contributors include Andrew Pyles, president and CEO of Eclipse Bank in Louisville, Ky.; David Peterson, chief innovation officer of First National Bankers Bank in Baton Rouge, La.; Ferdinand Feola, senior vice president chief technology officer of The Dime Bank in Honesdale, Pa.; Milton Bartley, co-founder, president, and CEO of ImageQuest in Nashville, Tenn.; Danna Burchess, executive vice president and chief financial officer of First National Bank of Gillette, Wyo.; and Anjelica Dortch, vice president of operational risk at ICBA.

With community banks long serving as adopters of technology to improve operational efficiency and strengthen cybersecurity, ICBA strongly supports responsible AI adoption. In a recent ICBA letter to the Financial Stability Oversight Council and interindustry AI action plan, ICBA called on policymakers to ensure a risk-based, proportionate policy framework and coordinated action to address emerging AI-enabled cyber risk. This week’s executive order on promoting advanced AI innovation and security expressly recognizes community banks as a critical infrastructure component and adopts elements of the action plan in directing federal agencies to secure their systems and promote access to AI security tools.

ICBA looks forward to continuing to work with community bankers, administration officials, lawmakers, and other stakeholders to provide valuable resources to community bankers while ensuring their voice is being heard on these critical issues.

Abu Dhabi, UAE, 3 June: During Make it in the Emirates 2026, Metal Park, the world’s first integrated Asset-as-a-Service ecosystem dedicated exclusively to the metal industry, announced a strategic collaboration with SGS to strengthen inspection, testing, verification, and laboratory capabilities across the growing metal ecosystem in KEZAD.

The collaboration aims to enhance operational confidence, material verification, and quality assurance services for companies operating within Metal Park’s Production Hub and Storage Hub, supporting manufacturers, processors, traders, logistics providers, and downstream metal businesses.

As industrial supply chains continue to evolve, reliable inspection and laboratory infrastructure play an increasingly critical role in ensuring traceability, compliance, operational efficiency, and international market alignment.

Through this collaboration, both parties will explore the development and integration of inspection and laboratory-related services tailored to the operational requirements of the metals sector. The initiative is expected to support a broad range of activities including material testing, certification, verification, quality control, and operational inspections across various metal-related processes and supply chain movements.

Located in KEZAD and strategically connected to Khalifa Port, Etihad Rail, and regional logistics corridors, Metal Park continues to expand its ecosystem through partnerships that strengthen industrial resilience and simplify access to critical support services under one integrated platform.

Vahid Fouladkar, CEO of Metal Park, commented:

“As the metal industry moves towards greater operational transparency and resilience, inspection and laboratory capabilities become an essential part of the ecosystem rather than a standalone service. Our collaboration with SGS reflects our commitment to enabling manufacturers, processors, and supply chain stakeholders with trusted infrastructure and globally recognised expertise directly within the Park.”

Dmitry Nikitin, Head of Middle East and Managing Director UAE, SGS commented:

“As industrial ecosystems continue to evolve, trusted inspection, testing, and verification services become critical enablers of operational confidence and supply chain resilience. Through our collaboration with Metal Park, SGS is proud to contribute its global expertise and technical capabilities to support the growing metals ecosystem in the UAE. Together, we aim to help businesses operate with greater quality assurance, traceability, compliance, and efficiency across the value chain.” 

The announcement was made during Make it in the Emirates 2026, one of the UAE’s leading industrial platforms bringing together manufacturers, investors, industrial enablers, and technology providers to support the nation’s long-term industrial growth strategy.

Further details regarding the scope of services and operational rollout will be announced in upcoming updates.

New Delhi, : In a move aimed at strengthening the growth prospects of small businesses, engineering exports promotion body EEPC India has urged the government to introduce a separate credit rating framework for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), arguing that the current system often places them at a disadvantage.

The industry body has highlighted that MSMEs are frequently assessed against large corporate players in their respective sectors, making it difficult for smaller enterprises to secure investment-grade ratings despite their operational strengths and growth potential.

According to EEPC India, the absence of a dedicated rating mechanism limits MSMEs’ access to affordable credit, as lower ratings often result in higher collateral requirements and increased borrowing costs. This, in turn, affects their ability to expand operations, invest in innovation, and compete effectively in domestic and global markets.

The proposal calls for a separate evaluation framework that benchmarks MSMEs against businesses of similar size and scale rather than large industry leaders. Such a system, industry representatives believe, would provide a more accurate assessment of an enterprise’s financial health and business performance.

A dedicated rating model could significantly improve access to finance for thousands of small businesses, which form the backbone of India’s manufacturing, exports, and employment ecosystem. Easier access to credit would enable MSMEs to strengthen productivity, create jobs, and contribute more effectively to the country’s economic growth.

Industry stakeholders have also suggested that a specialised framework, developed in consultation with regulators and rating agencies, could help build greater confidence among lenders while ensuring fairer treatment for smaller enterprises.

As India seeks to strengthen its manufacturing and export capabilities, policymakers are increasingly focusing on measures that improve the ease of doing business for MSMEs and unlock their growth potential.

Mumbai, June 03: SOTC Travel, a  omnichannel Travel and Tourism Company, has strengthened its presence in East India with the launch of its latest outlet in B.T Road, Kolkata. This strategic expansion underscores the Company’s focus on deepening its regional footprint across high-potential metros, tier-1 & 2 markets.

B.T. Road, one of Kolkata’s prominent and rapidly developing residential-commercial corridors, offers access to a diverse customer base of families, professionals, entrepreneurs and young travellers seeking domestic and international holidays. The store’s strategic location strengthens SOTC Travel’s presence in a key metro market, enabling deeper customer engagement and personalized end-to-end holiday solutions.

With its integrated omnichannel model, SOTC continues to strengthen its position as India’s favorite travel partner. By seamlessly integrating its retail network with digital platforms, the Company enables customers to engage across multiple touchpoints. Serving multigenerational families, couples, GenS (seniors), millennials and GenZ, SOTC continues to deliver experiences aligned with evolving travel preferences while expanding its regional connect across Indian markets.

Spiritual tourism continues to witness strong demand through SOTC’s Darshans portfolio, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Do Dham, Char Dham Yatra and Vaishnodevi Yatra. Alongside faith-based travel, travellers are increasingly opting for immersive holidays such as luxury cruises, Antarctica expeditions, Northern Lights journeys and adventure getaways. The Company is also seeing encouraging response to its Exclusive Bengali Durga Puja Special departures under Biswa Sera Darshan, featuring curated international and domestic itineraries for Bengali travellers.

To further enhance traveller confidence, we have introduced TravSure  a pioneering initiative to redefine travel protection. It is designed to meet the realities of modern travel and ensure our customers feel secure wherever they go. In addition, we also offer value-added protections such as visa rejection cover, further safeguarding travellers against unforeseen financial risks.