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Excited to open the fashion gala, Aneeth Arora, founder & designer of pero, shared her excitement in a note shared by the team representing Lakme Fashion Week, "I am so happy and honoured to celebrate pero's 15th anniversary by opening Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with Fashion Design Council of India. This collection, in particular, is very close to my heart as it is a celebration of our collective childhood nostalgia reinterpreted in our own quirky style. Think cottage core but with a twist."

Sunil Sethi, Chairman FDCI said, "Aneeth Arora, renowned worldwide for her captivating fashion narratives, seamlessly blends the intricacies of traditional Indian textiles with western design sensibilities. We are thrilled to welcome her for the opening show, which is poised to spark trendsetting fashion conversations and will set a vibrant tone for the October 2024 season in New Delhi."

Jaspreet Chandok, Group Vice President, Reliance Brands Pvt. Ltd, also shared what fashion lovers can expect from this year's Lakme Fashion Week.

"Each season, the grand opening show sets the tone for the five days of fashion that follow. This year, we are thrilled to kick off the extravaganza with pero by Aneeth Arora. With it being pero's 15th anniversary showcase, it promises to be a magical start to the season, celebrating Indian craftsmanship through a fresh and imaginative lens, bringing an unconventional perspective to the runway. We are excited to have Aneeth open Lakme Fashion Week in partnership with FDCI, setting the tone for what will be an unforgettable edition of creativity, innovation, and fashion in Delhi," Jaspreet shared.

Rohit Bal will close Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI 2024's grand finale.

Recently, the official Instagram handle of Lakme Fashion Week shared a video featuring a montage of previous glorious moments of Rohit Bal along with his collection on the ramp.

"Witness the elegance of House Of Lakme Grand Finale Rohit Bal on Sunday, October 13th at 9 pm," the caption alongside the post read.

This time Lakme Fashion Week will be held at The Grand Hotel, New Delhi. (ANI)

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According to the government’s VAHAN data, EV registrations saw a significant 23 per cent increase (year-on-year). In the first half of the current fiscal, EV volumes increased 20 per cent compared with the same period last year.

Electric two-wheeler sales were 0.90 lakh units, a rise from 0.64 lakh units in the same month last year. The electric three-wheeler segment saw 0.63 lakh unit sales, compared with 0.58 lakh units in September 2023, as per the data.

Ola Electric saw a dip in sales to 24,665 units in September from 27,587 units in August. Bajaj Auto showed growth with registrations rising to 19,103 units in September (16,789 units). TVS Motor registered 18,084 units, up from 17,649 units in August.

EV firm Ather Energy saw a boost in sales, with volumes climbing to 12,676 units in September (from 10,980 units in August). Hero MotoCorp saw a decline in sales to 4,304 units (from 4,755 units).

In the electric three-wheeler segment, Mahindra Last Mile Mobility maintained its leadership with 6,087 units, followed by Bajaj Auto with 5,004 units.

For the first half of the current fiscal (FY25), total EV registrations across all segments rose to 8.93 lakh units compared with 7.45 lakh units in the same period last year.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday launched the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) scheme that has a financial outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a period of two years. The PM-Drive scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on September 11 to promote electric mobility in the country.

The PM E-DRIVE scheme will play a pivotal role in accelerating EV adoption and building critical charging infrastructure nationwide, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future. (IANS) 

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A definitive surge has been reported in household consumption in tier 2, 3 and 4 cities and even beyond, evidenced by the sales growth of two-wheelers, ACs, refrigerators, smartphones and FMCGs in small towns and cities.

According to FM Sitharaman, “Rural India is no longer a passive observer of India’s growth, it is an active driver of it”.

The Finance Minister said that under the PMJDY, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, over 53 crore bank accounts have been opened, bringing millions of rural Indians into the formal financial system for the first time.

With more than 80 per cent of Indian adults now holding formal financial accounts, up from a mere 50 per cent in 2011, PM Modi has spearheaded the most transformative financial inclusion drive in modern Indian history, she noted.

Reports mention that 62 per cent of two-wheeler purchases in rural India are now driven by credit, crossing urban figures at 58 per cent. There has been a noticeable growth in electronics and smartphone sales too. According to the industry, various consumer financing options have made this stupendous growth possible.

According to the government, these bank accounts have garnered a deposit balance of Rs 2.3 lakh crore and resulted in the issuance of over 36 crore free-of-cost RuPay cards, which also provide for a Rs 2 lakh accident insurance cover.

The total number of PMJDY accounts has risen from 14.7 crore with deposits of Rs 15,670 crore in March 2015 to 53 crore with a total balance of Rs 2.31 lakh crore. The rise in both account numbers and deposits underscores the scheme's role in driving financial inclusion and economic empowerment.

According to FM Sitharaman, India’s rural population was abandoned by a system that "paid lip service to financial inclusion", and even blocked expansion of such credit access to the poor.

"It took the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring the rural poor into the financial system and unlock their potential. The opposition blocked progress while PM Modi empowered rural India with pro-poor reforms and welfare policies,” she mentioned.

The RBI said recently that household consumption is poised to grow faster in the second quarter of the current fiscal (FY25) as headline inflation eases, “with a revival of rural demand already taking hold”. (IANS) 

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