New Delhi, July 29: Indian travellers can now use the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) to make online bookings for At the Top, Burj Khalifa, with the iconic attraction becoming the first in the UAE to accept the payment system for e-commerce transactions, NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) said on Wednesday.

The international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) said the launch of the facility is in partnership with NEOPAY and Emaar Entertainment.

The move enables Indian visitors to book tickets and experiences at the world’s tallest building through the attraction’s official website using UPI-enabled payment apps before travelling to the UAE.

The latest integration builds on NIPL’s existing partnership with NEOPAY.

Since the introduction of QR code-based UPI merchant payments in the UAE in 2022, Indian travellers have been able to use UPI for payments at merchants across NEOPAY’s network. With the new rollout, UPI acceptance has now been extended to online bookings.

“Indian travellers are increasingly seeking payment experiences that are simple, familiar and seamless when they travel abroad. By enabling UPI acceptance for online bookings at At the Top, Burj Khalifa, we are making it easier for them to use a payment method they know and trust while planning their visit, even before they arrive in the UAE,” said Ritesh Shukla, Managing Director and CEO of NPCI International.

According to the company, the initiative addresses the growing demand for convenient and trusted cross-border digital payments while strengthening the digital payments bridge between India and the UAE.

Vibhor Mundhada, CEO of NEOPAY, said the integration marked a significant milestone in digital commerce between the two countries and made NEOPAY the first company in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to enable UPI acceptance for e-commerce transactions.

An Emaar Entertainment spokesperson said the introduction of UPI for online bookings would make the customer journey simpler and more convenient for Indian visitors, who constitute one of the attraction’s largest international visitor segments.

Mumbai, July 29: The Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) on Wednesday, citing the Central government’s data presented in the Lok Sabha, said that in the last three years more than 1.25 lakh industries and factories in the country have shut down. Hundreds of thousands of young people have lost their jobs.

The Thackeray camp, in an editorial in the party’s mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, claimed that this has completely exposed and stripped bare the government’s claims of bringing in thousands of crores in foreign investment and generating lakhs of jobs by establishing thousands of new industries.

“A sob story of industries — closing the old and starting the new — has been unfolding in the country for the last 12 years. Under a regime that fills the minds of youth with religious fanaticism instead of placing jobs in their hands, what else could possibly happen?” it asked.

The editorial said that, as per government data, a total of 1,21,805 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) units closed operations between 2024 and 2026. The MSME sector is widely regarded as the backbone of the Indian economy, serving as the second-largest employer after agriculture and contributing significantly to national exports. Despite its critical role, the rate of unit closures has seen a continuous upward trajectory over the past decade.

The shutdown of MSME units has hit several industrial states severely. Maharashtra recorded the highest number of closures, with 28,764 units shutting down. Tamil Nadu stood second with 14,176 unit closures. Gujarat reported 11,150 closed units. Rajasthan saw 9,881 MSME units permanently cease operations. These figures contradict the official claims regarding massive foreign investment inflows and large-scale job creation through new industrial ventures, noted the editorial.

According to the editorial, over the past 10 years, the government made available over Rs 35 lakh crore in loans to support startups and operations in the micro, small, and medium enterprise sector. However, business owners have struggled against mounting market challenges, rising operational costs, and persistent procedural bottlenecks. “Key factors contributing to early-stage business failure include inadequate or delayed access to bank credit at reasonable interest rates, prolonged payment delays from large corporations for supplied goods and bureaucratic delays in releasing payments owed by government departments,” remarked the Thackeray camp.

While state leaders and central ministers frequently engage in global outreach, including events like the World Economic Forum in Davos, to attract new industrial setups, critics point out a lack of concrete measures to revive ailing existing units, argued the editorial.

Citing the Maharashtra case, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena said that while the state registered over 75 lakh new enterprises over the last three years, it simultaneously lost more than 28,000 existing MSME units. “The absence of targeted rehabilitation programmes for sick industrial units continues to lead to rising Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) for banks and sudden job losses for young workers across the country,” it commented.

The editorial claimed that no measures are being taken at the government level to support them, rebuild them, or revive these sick industries. Due to this “fend for yourself” policy, not only are small industries sinking, but bank loans are defaulting, and the livelihoods of thousands of young people working there are suddenly snatched away.

Pune, July 29: Pune Police have exposed an alleged illegal network that was endangering the lives of young people in the name of fitness and bodybuilding. Acting on specific information, police arrested five individuals and seized 50 vials of Mephentermine Sulphate Injection IP (MEPHIVAN), allegedly being used for bodybuilding and intoxication purposes.

According to police, the operation was conducted at around 11:20 p.m. on July 24 on a public road near Anand Darbar on Katraj-Dattanagar Road. During the investigation, it was found that the accused were allegedly selling the injections illegally without possessing a valid drug licence or the required medical and pharmaceutical qualifications.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Atharva Indrajit Shinde (24), Avinash Shiva Balungi (22), Pradeep Jitendra Humbre (26), Piyush Ganesh Bharam (26), and Laxman Parmeshwar Mane (36).

Police officials stated that Mephentermine Sulphate Injection is a prescription medicine that should only be administered under the advice and supervision of a qualified medical practitioner. The use of such injections without proper medical consultation can result in serious health complications. Investigators alleged that the accused were preparing to sell the injections illegally to individuals seeking enhanced physical performance, muscle growth, or intoxication.

A case has been registered against the accused under the relevant provisions of the law. Authorities are now investigating the source of the injections, the possibility of a larger supply chain operating behind the racket, and the identities of the intended buyers.

Police officials said strict action would continue against individuals involved in the illegal sale and distribution of restricted or controlled drugs, particularly those exploiting the growing fitness and bodybuilding culture among the youth.

In bodybuilding, injections typically refer to the use of performance-enhancing substances, like anabolic steroids, human growth hormone (HGH), peptides, or site-enhancement oils to speed up muscle growth or change body shape. These methods carry severe medical risks and are often illegal or banned in competitive sports.

Some athletes, bodybuilders and others misuse these drugs in an attempt to enhance performance and/or improve their physical appearance.

Misuse of anabolic steroids can cause a variety of side effects ranging from mild to harmful or even life-threatening. Most side effects are reversible if you stop taking the drugs, but others may be permanent.

Nonprescription doses are often 10 to 100 times higher than the doses healthcare providers prescribe to treat medical conditions. This is why the side effects are usually more severe than the side effects of prescribed anabolic steroid use.

Potential complications include high blood pressure, blood clots, heart-related ailments such as heart attacks, stroke, and liver damage. Non-prescription doses are often significantly higher than medically recommended levels, increasing the likelihood of serious and life-threatening health consequences.