Chhattisgarh: Villagers in Balrampur rejoice as demand for water resolved within a day on CM Sai's direction
District CEO Sanjay Dubey said, 'Sushasan Tihar is being run in the state as per the directions of the Chief Minister. As part of the same, the CM was inspecting a village and the main demand of the villagers was water. Then, the borewell facility was provided under the orders of the CM and the villagers are getting adequate water from it.'
A villager said that the Chief Minister had visited the place and asked the villagers about the problems they were facing.
A local said, 'Villagers said that there was a scarcity of water. After the installation of a borewell, we got relief from the water issue in the village. Earlier, there were too many problems, but now it is solved.'
On Saturday, two prominent industrial groups met with Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai at Chhattisgarh Bhavan in New Delhi .
Dr. Naresh Trehan, founder of Medanta Hospital and a renowned cardiologist, proposed the establishment of a state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital in Raipur. He informed that an investment of approximately Rs 500 crore is planned for this project.
The hospital will be equipped with advanced medical technology, expert doctors, research, and training facilities.
Meanwhile, Ravi Jaipuria, Chairman of Varun Beverages Limited, proposed setting up a carbonated soft drinks and fruit juice manufacturing plant in Raipur, involving an investment exceeding Rs 250 crore.
This project is expected to accelerate industrial growth in the state as well as generate employment opportunities.
Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai welcomed both proposals and assured that the Government of Chhattisgarh will provide every possible support for quality investments in sectors such as healthcare and industry.
He stated that the state government will consider these projects earnestly and extend all necessary assistance, which will benefit the public and open new avenues of employment for the youth. (ANI)
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Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
How to start a gym business and make it succeed: Here's a 6-step guide
Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Challenges on the floor Talent management How to start a gym business Fifteen years ago, when Saif Malik joined Anytime Fitness as general manager, he had no designated seat and zero access to the owner. 'I saw how things worked and, more importantly, how they didn't,' says Malik, who had grown up observing his older brother run a gym . Since then, he had dreamt of owning one himself. 'I knew the gaps that needed to be plugged: poor amenities, angry members walking out, staff with no voice,' he says. So, when he opened his own gym, Component Fitness, in 2021, he set out to fix these drawbacks. The gym was launched along with a friend with an investment of Rs.1 biggest expenses were for the equipment and rent, which comprised Rs 7 lakh annually and accounted for 60% of the total capital. Another 30% went into space design, and the remaining 10% on marketing and advertising. 'We didn't cut corners on quality,' he a year, Malik had expanded the gym from 3,000 to 7,000 sq ft to accommodate the surge in footfall. The reason for this rapid growth, he says, was his 'consumer -first approach'. He offered premium amenities at affordable prices and supported members through personal challenges, waiving fees for accident victims and pregnant women. Empathy guided his decisions. After the Pahalgam attack, he extended free memberships to all army tried various marketing channels—pamphlets, newspaper ads, billboards and online campaigns. At the outset, he spent Rs.20,000-25,000 a month on Instagram, which proved very effective. His priority was brand awareness over profits. 'I was okay about breaking even as long as people knew about us,' he gym now offers three-, six-, and 12-month plans priced at Rs.10,000, Rs.15,000, and Rs.24,000, respectively. The monthly revenue ranges from Rs.20-25 lakh, with profits of Rs.10-12 faced teething troubles. 'The biggest challenge for gym owners is underinvesting in amenities due to tight budgets,' he says. Most people also overlook the opportunity cost. 'If you could earn Rs.20, but settle for Rs.10 by selling at Rs.12, that's not profit; it's an unseen Rs.8 loss,' he explains. His industry experience helped him avoid such the right location was also a challenge. 'If your rent is too high or you open a premium gym in a low-income area, you're setting yourself up for failure,' he says. Success depends on research, knowing the local demographic, and pricing to match purchasing discovered that the largest operational expense wasn't marketing, but salaries. With a team of over 30, people management has been both fulfilling and demanding. 'Finding well-educated, professional trainers remains a challenge, and lack of formal education often reflects in their conduct,' he notes. To address this, Malik places a strong emphasis on training his staff in etiquette and professionalism, particularly to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for keep his team engaged and motivated, his company offers generous appraisals, subsidised meals, and regular team outings Malik has also implemented an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) to ensure the gym's equipment is of the ongoing challenges for him is the demanding nature of work. He cautions against viewing the gym business as a passive income stream. 'This isn't a side hustle. You have to give it your all,' he says. In the early days, Malik clocked up to 20 hours a day; even now, he puts in 14-15 hours ahead, he is focused on scaling the business through franchise partnerships. His model is straightforward: 50:50 investment, with the brand contributing half the capital. 'It ensures that the partner knows we have skin in the game,' he every gym in your target area. Check the facilities they offer, how much they charge, and what their weak points are. Your goal should be to offer better services at the same or slightly higher price. That's how you create assume what customers want; observe and ask. Is your target area price-sensitive or driven by quality? Avoid launching a premium facility in a low-income neighbourhood or a basic gym in an upscale area. Your offering must align with the local people through the door is the hardest part. Use Instagram, flyers, newspaper ads, and word of mouth to create brand awareness. Even if your initial revenue just covers your marketing spend, it's worth it. Conversion happens once people is where many gym owners go wrong. Invest in annual maintenance contracts and fix broken machines. Poorly maintained equipment leads to cancellations and bad reviews. Customers expect trainers represent your brand. Look beyond certifications, check how they talk, behave, and treat people. Most trainers need to be trained in professionalism. Make sure female clients feel safe at all on building good reputation, not just revenue. Give discounts and help out members going through personal challenges. Such details go a long way and profits will automatically Malik, owner of Component Fitness
Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Fine Organics is about to spend Rs 750 crore on expansion. Is it worth a buy?
In 2018, Fine Organics was trading at around Rs 1,000 per share. It was one of those compounders, profitable, low-debt, and steady, but largely ignored by the broader market. Then came the breakout. Between 2020 and mid-2022, the stock rallied more than 7 times, touching a high of nearly Rs 7,500. Investors who stayed in were rewarded handsomely. But the sharp run-up also brought volatility. Over the next 18 months, the stock corrected sharply, falling below Rs 4,000 by early 2024. Now, it is climbing again. As of July 2025, Fine Organics trades close to Rs 5,500, up nearly 40 per cent in just a few months. This recovery is coming at a time when the company is stepping into its most ambitious expansion yet. With annual profits of around Rs 400 crore and over Rs 1,000 crore in cash and internal reserves, Fine Organics is deploying Rs 750 crore to build a new export-oriented plant in a Special Economic Zone near JNPA, Maharashtra. It is also laying the groundwork for its first manufacturing unit in the United States. This is a company known for its conservative style, characterised by zero debt, high return ratios, and steady margins. However, it is now entering a high-capex, high-commitment phase that could shape the next decade. The question is whether Fine Organics can scale globally while maintaining the discipline that has made it what it is. At its core, Fine Organics manufactures specialty additives, high-impact ingredients used across various industries, including food, plastics, cosmetics, and others. These are not large-volume, commoditised chemicals. They are performance enhancers that improve texture, shelf life, dispersion, and stability in end products. Its portfolio spans over 400 products, but they all follow a common thread: They are functional, high-margin, and deeply embedded in customer formulations, which makes Fine Organics a sticky supplier once trials succeed. In FY25, about 55 per cent of revenue came from the polymer and plastic additives segment, followed by 30 per cent from food and feed, and the rest from cosmetics, coatings, and other specialty use cases. What keeps the business strong is not just product diversity, but how tightly it controls quality and processes. Fine Organics does not rely on third-party innovation. It develops formulations in-house, builds trust with customers through trials, and then becomes part of their long-term supply chain. Switching costs are high. Even though the company's products form a small part of its customers' overall cost, they play a critical role in performance. That makes pricing relatively resilient and helps sustain gross margins above 40 per cent, even during tough cycles. Fine Organics exports over 60 per cent of its products to more than 80 countries, and it does this with a single central R&D and production footprint based in India. Fine Organics has historically focused on scaling without stretching. That is why, even with just over Rs 2,000 crore in revenue, it delivered a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 20 per cent and profit after tax of over Rs 400 crore in FY25. The company maintains zero long-term debt, and most of its capital expansion so far has been self-funded. This gives it both financial flexibility and operational independence, a rare combination in the chemicals sector. Fine Organics closed FY25 with revenue of Rs 2,095 crore, up 7 per cent year-on-year. While top-line growth was moderate, the company managed to protect its profitability in a high-cost environment. This flat but stable performance was not due to weak demand. It was largely a result of capacity constraints. The company operated at 95 percent utilisation, leaving little headroom for volume-led growth. This is why the upcoming capex becomes critical, as growth from here depends on adding new manufacturing lines. One positive takeaway from FY25 is Fine Organics' discipline in working capital. Receivables remain under control, inventory turnover has improved, and cash reserves crossed Rs 1,000 crore. The company remains debt-free. Management has also guided that once the new SEZ facility is operational, likely in FY27, revenues could see a meaningful jump, with better operating leverage. Meanwhile, the company is also expanding R&D efforts and strengthening its global sales network, including the US setup. For most of the past decade, Fine Organics followed a low-risk, high-efficiency strategy. It avoided debt, expanded in phases, and focused on optimising capacity before chasing scale. But that approach is now shifting. After reaching full utilisation across existing facilities, the company is preparing for its next growth phase. The largest capital investment in Fine Organics' history is now underway, a new manufacturing unit inside the JNPA Special Economic Zone in Maharashtra. 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In the latest conference call, the management emphasised two things: The company expects the next 12-24 months to be flat in terms of revenue growth, as most capacity remains tied up. But it sees significant operating leverage and margin upside once new capacities go live post-FY27. Fine Organics is no longer a secret. After its 7x rally between 2018 and 2022, and a recent bounce from the lows, the stock now trades around Rs 5,200, commanding a trailing P/E of 40 times. That is not cheap by traditional standards, especially for a company that reported just 7 per cent revenue growth in FY25. But context matters. While the P/E multiple may look high today, it reflects investor confidence that the next leg of growth will be driven by new capacity, new markets, and better operating leverage. That said, investors must be mindful of a few risks: Still, for long-term investors, Fine Organics represents a rare mix that is steady margins, strong cash flows, global potential, and conservative capital allocation. The stock is not a value pick anymore. But it remains a business with high-quality fundamentals and a clear expansion roadmap. If the company sticks to its discipline and delivers on execution, the next five years could look very different from the last five from both scale and relevance perspective. Note: This article relies on data from annual and industry reports. We have used our assumptions for forecasting. Parth Parikh has over a decade of experience in finance and research and currently heads the growth and content vertical at Finsire. He holds an FRM Charter and an MBA in Finance from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies. Disclosure: The writer and his dependents do not hold the stocks discussed in this article. The website managers, its employee(s), and contributors/writers/authors of articles have or may have an outstanding buy or sell position or holding in the securities, options on securities or other related investments of issuers and/or companies discussed therein. The content of the articles and the interpretation of data are solely the personal views of the contributors/ writers/authors. Investors must make their own investment decisions based on their specific objectives, resources and only after consulting such independent advisors as may be necessary.
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First Post
26 minutes ago
- First Post
‘Easy as I settled India-Pak': Trump claims ended Thailand-Cambodia clash using trade pressure
Trump has once again claimed credit for helping end hostilities between India and Pakistan, this time while discussing rising tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Drawing a comparison, Trump said he used trade pressure to de-escalate both situations read more US President Donald Trump on Sunday once again reiterated his claim of helping broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan by using trade pressure—this time while drawing a parallel with the ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia. Speaking about Southeast Asia, Trump said the United States maintains strong trade ties with both Thailand and Cambodia. He claimed he personally called the prime ministers of both countries and warned them that no trade deal would move forward unless they de-escalated their conflict. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We do a lot of trade with Thailand and Cambodia. Yet I'm reading that they're killing each other,' Trump said. 'I say this should be an easy one for me because I settled India and Pakistan. I called the Prime Ministers of each (Thailand and Cambodia) and I said, 'We're not going to make a trade deal unless you settle the war.' By the time I got off the phone, I think they want to settle now.' #WATCH | US President Donald Trump says, "We do a lot of trade with Thailand and Cambodia. Yet I'm reading that they're killing each other... I say this should be an easy one for me because I settled India and Pakistan... I called the Prime Ministers of each (Thailand and… — ANI (@ANI) July 27, 2025 He went on to reference the India-Pakistan standoff, saying 'India and Pakistan were really getting ready to go at it. So getting those things settled—and if I can use trade to do that—then it's my honour.' Trump's constant claims of de-escalating the conflict Trump has made similar claims before, crediting himself for de-escalating the India-Pakistan conflict by instructing his administration to cancel all trade deals with both nations. He believes that pressure forced both sides to back down. 'We did some great work—India and Pakistan. That was close to being nuclear. We handled it. We did a lot,' Trump had told reporters earlier at the White House. 'I don't know if any president has done more.' Earlier, Trump also cited a similar approach in other global flashpoints. 'Serbia and Kosovo were going to go at it. I said, 'You go at it, there's no trade with the United States.' That's what happened with India and Pakistan. I told (Treasury Secretary) Scott (Bessent) and (Commerce Secretary) Howard (Lutnick), 'Cancel all deals with India and Pakistan. They're not trading with us while they're at war.'' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, India has consistently rejected Trump's assertions. According to Indian officials, the ceasefire agreement reached on May 10—after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes—was the result of direct military-to-military communication between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both nations. Officials also clarified that the dialogue was initiated at Pakistan's request. In a recent phone conversation with Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterated India's long-standing position that all matters with Pakistan are strictly bilateral and that New Delhi does not and will never accept third-party mediation.
