In a ceremony to mark the International Meet of leading medical celebrities, professionals and Medicos from all over the country and abroad, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh was conferred the prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” in recognition of his exemplary dedication to the advancement of diabetology, diabetes care and diabetes research.
The various awards received by him in the past include the "Gold Medal for Oration" from Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) Puducherry and the coveted “Jamna Devi Gian Devi Award" for journalism. The citation described Dr Jitendra Singh as an author of eight books and three Monograms on various aspects of Diabetes.
Diabetes awareness books written by Dr Jitendra Singh, one of the books titled "Diabetes Made Easy" was included in the Best-seller section of the World Book Fair held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Dr. Jitendra Singh’s pioneering work on “Stress Diabetes in Kashmiri Migrants” was hailed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The citation read out by Dr. V. Mohan, Chairman of Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Speciality Centre and Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, Chennai, described Dr. Jitendra Singh as a teacher Professor, researcher, and practitioner of Diabetology, who rose from the grassroots to earn a name for himself as well as the State and country to which belongs.
The citation also mentions the unique distinction conferred on Dr Jitendra Singh as the Lifetime Pattern of RSSDI (Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India), the largest academic association of Diabetologists.
The first meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia High-Level Task Force on Investments, co-chaired by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister H.E. Dr. P.K. Mishra and the Saudi Energy Minister His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was held,in virtual mode.The two sides reviewed the discussions held between the technical teams of the Task force
Principal Secretary to the PM reiterated the firm intention of the Government of India to provide active support to Saudi investments of the order of US$ 100 billion that were committed during the visit of the Crown Prince and PM of Saudi Arabia.
The two sides had a detailed review of the measures aimed at promoting two-way investments in a mutually beneficial manner.
Constructive discussions were held on various opportunities for bilateral investments in diverse areas in public and private sector, including refining and petrochemical plants, new and renewable energy, power, telecom, innovation, among others.
The "Economic Case for Investment in the Well-being of Adolescents in India" report, launched, builds on the global findings from "Adolescents in a Changing World – The Case for Urgent Investment". The report underscores the substantial economic benefits of investing in adolescent well-being.
Report by - Partnership for Maternal Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH). It highlights seven key programmes in areas such as adolescent health, education, child marriage prevention, and road safety, which are expected to yield impressive returns on investment. For every dollar invested, returns are estimated to range from $4.6 to $71.4.
An investment of $33 billion per annum across various sectors by the government, private sector, civil society, communities, and families is projected to yield returns of $476 billion per annum, enhancing the gross domestic product (GDP) by an average of approximately 10.1%.
This underscores the crucial role that successive cohorts of adolescents will play in shaping India’s economic and social future. While the report presents empirical data to estimate the benefit-cost ratio (BCR) for seven major intervention programmes, it also emphasises the need for additional interventions to further enhance adolescent well-being.
A High-Level Committee, under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah has approved several disaster mitigation and capacity building projects for various states. The meeting of HLC comprising of Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, and Vice Chairman NITI Aayog as members held in New Delhi.
The High-Level Committee considered a total of nine proposals for funding from National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to combat Urban Flooding in six cities, to mitigate Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in 4 Hill states and to strengthen Fire Services in 3 states.
The committee also considered a proposal to implement Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme in all 28 states.The High-Level Committee in meeting approved six project proposals in the states of Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra at a total cost of Rs.2514.36 crore for Urban Flood Management in six metro cities namely Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune.
HLC also approved three project proposals under the scheme for “Expansion and Modernization of Fire Services in the states” for the Assam, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu of a total outlay of Rs. 810.64 crore. Central Government has allocated a total amount of Rs. 5000 crore under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for this scheme,
And had already approved the proposals of 11 states at a total outlay of Rs. 1691.43 crore. In addition, the High-Level Committee also approved a project proposal for GLOF risk mitigation for the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh at a total outlay of Rs. 150 crore.
The GLOF Risk Mitigation Project will provide the necessary impetus to these four states in taking necessary mitigation measures to address GLOF risks. HLC also approved a proposal of the Yuva Aapda Mitra Scheme (YAMS) at an outlay of Rs.470.50 crore from NDRF, which will be implemented in 315 most disaster-prone districts of the country,
For training of 1300 trained Aapda Mitra Volunteers as Master Trainers and 2.37 lakh volunteers exclusively from NCC, NSS, NYKS, and BS&G (Bharat Scouts &Guides) in disaster preparedness and response. During the current financial year, the Central Government has released Rs 6348 crores to 14 states under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF),
And Rs 672 crores to 06 states under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF). In addition, an amount of Rs. 4265 crore has been released to 10 states under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Accordingly, President Droupadi Murmu is pleased to rename two of the important halls of Rashtrapati Bhavan – namely, ‘Durbar Hall’ and ‘Ashok Hall’ – as ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ and ‘Ashok Mandap’ respectively. 'Durbar Hall' is the venue of important ceremonies and celebrations such as the presentation of National Awards.
The term 'Durbar' refers to courts and assemblies of Indian rulers and the British. It lost relevance after India became a Republic, that is, ‘Ganatantra’. The concept of ‘Ganatantra’ is deeply rooted in Indian society since ancient times, making ‘Ganatantra Mandap’ an apt name for the venue.
Ashok Hall’ was originally a ballroom. The word ‘Ashok’ connotes someone who is “free from all sufferings” or is “bereft of any sorrow”. Also, ‘Ashoka’ refers to Emperor Ashok, a symbol of unity and peaceful co-existence. Rashtrapati Bhavan, the office and the residence of the President of India, is a symbol of the nation, and an invaluable heritage of the people.
Bengaluru-based Insurtech startup Covrzy has been granted a direct broking (general) license by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). This enables Covrzy to operate as a direct insurance broker in India, offering a full spectrum of business insurance solutions.
In May last year, the startup had raised $400K in its pre-seed round led by Antler, with participation from Shastra VC (formerly Veda VC). Co-founded by Ankit Kamra and Veera Thota, Covrzy provides an easy, customer-friendly insurance buying journey, particularly for startups, SMEs, and MSMEs in India.
Through its digital-first approach, Covrzy empowers SMEs with insurance and claims support, democratizing insurance distribution in India. Till date, Covrzy claims to have boarded over 500 clients pan-India, including both MSMEs and startups, with Redcliffe Labs, Orange Labs, Karboncard, and Schbang being some of their prominent clients.
The inaugural ceremony of ‘One DAE One Subscription’ (ODOS) took place at Tata Memorial Hospital, in Mumbai today. ODOS is a unique idea enabling the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) & all its units/subunits (about 60) together under one umbrella for read and publish access to national and international research papers as well as scientific journals.
With this initiative it is now possible to share the resources digitally and evolve collectively. DAE has signed consortium agreements with M/s. Wiley India Private Limited and with M/s. Springer Nature Group in furtherance of the same.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (GBPUAT) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate the development of the first of its kind ‘Standardized Agriculture Demonstration Farm’ (SADF) in India.
This MoU marks the first collaboration between BIS and an agricultural university in the country to develop SADFs. The MoU was signed in the presence of Dr. M. S. Chauhan, Vice-Chancellor, GBPUAT, and senior officials from the University, including Dr. Deepa Vinay, Registrar; Dr. Ajeet Kumar Nain, Director of Research; and Deans of various colleges of GBPUAT.
This partnership with GBPUAT is a significant step towards promoting standardised agricultural practices and ensuring the implementation of cutting-edge technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Ministry of Defence and National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate capital market access to the MSMEs. The MoU was signed by the Additional Secretary, Department of Defence Production (DDP) and Managing Director, NSE in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane.
The MoU intends to facilitate MSMEs in the defence sector to raise productive capital for their growth plan efficiently and transparently through the NSE platform ‘NSE Emerge’. The platform offers new and viable options for raising equity capital from a diversified set of investors.
The MoU will be in force for five years, during which, DDP and NSE would conduct an extensive awareness drive through seminars, MSME camps, knowledge sessions, road shows & workshops to guide corporates engaged with the Ministry of Defence for fund raising on NSE Emerge platform.
In a significant move towards sustainable energy and to boost solar energy adoption in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant launched the 'Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan,’ an initiative aligned with the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. This new scheme is designed to enhance solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households in Goa to generate their electricity.
CM Sawant stated that PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aims to increase the share of solar rooftop capacity and empower residential households to generate their electricity. He additionally informed that the scheme has an outlay of Rs 75,021 crore and is to be implemented till FY 2026-27.
Further, he announced that the government of Goa, under the Goem Vinamulya Vij Yevjan, with an initial investment of 35 crore, in addition to the Central Financial Assistance, the Goa Energy Development Agency will bear the balance cost of the rooftop installation up to 5 kW for consumers consuming 400 or fewer units for the last year.
The Reserve Bank of India released the Report on Currency and Finance (RCF) for the year 2023-24. The theme of the Report is “India’s Digital Revolution”. The Report reflects the views of the contributors and not of the Reserve Bank. Highlights- Digital technologies are unlocking opportunities in financial inclusion, fiscal transfers, and cross-border trade and remittances.
India is at the forefront of the digital revolution, leveraging on its digital public infrastructure, a vibrant financial technology (FinTech) ecosystem, and a conducive policy environment to emerge as the fastest-growing digital economy in the world.
Taking stock of India’s digital journey so far, the report explores emerging opportunities and challenges, supported by surveys of key stakeholders and data analytics.
The Report finds empirical support for a positive role of the regulatory framework in increasing the confidence of consumers in digital financial products, boosting operating,
And technical efficiencies of financial institutions and engendering more liquid and integrated financial markets.
Digital technologies also present challenges related to cybersecurity, data privacy, vendor and third-party risks, customer protection, upskilling and reskilling of human resources, complex financial products and business models.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on the following two Payment System Operators (PSOs) for non-compliance with certain provisions of the Master Direction – Know Your Customer (KYC) Direction, 2016 dated February 25, 2016 (as updated from time to time).
1. Manappuram Finance Limited on July 16, 2024 of Rs. 41.50 Lakh.
2. Ola Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. on July 16, 2024, of Rs.33.40 lakh.
Compounding Orders were also issued to two PSOs i.e. Ola Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. and Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited, for contravention of certain provisions contained in the Master Directions on Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs) dated August 27, 2021 (as updated from time to time),
And Card Not Present transactions – Relaxation in Additional Factor of Authentication for payments up to ₹2000/- for card network provided authentication solutions dated December 06, 2016, respectively.
1. Ola Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. on July 05, 2024 of Rs. 54.15 Lakh
2. Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited on July 16, 2024 of Rs.240.75 Lakh.
The above actions have been taken in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of Section 30 and Section 31 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 and are based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and are not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the entity with its customers.
President Droupadi Murmu has appointed new Governors in nine states and a new Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry. 1. Former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde has been appointed Governor of Rajasthan. 2. Former Tripura Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma has been appointed Governor of Telangana.
3. The President has appointed former Rajya Sabha MP Om Prakash Mathur as Governor of Sikkim. 4. Former Union Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar has been appointed as Governor of Jharkhand. 5. former Lok Sabha MP from Assam Ramen Deka has been made Governor of Chhattisgarh. 6. Former Karnataka Minister CH Vijayashankar has been appointed as Governor of Meghalaya.
7. CP Radhakrishnan who is presently Governor of Jharkhand has been made Governor of Maharashtra. 8. Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria has appointed as Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. 9. Sikkim Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya has been appointed as Governor of Assam and has also been given additional charge as Governor of Manipur.
Former IAS officer K Kailashnathan has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that Nita M. Ambani, leading Indian philanthropist and Founder of the Reliance Foundation has been re-elected unanimously as the IOC from India at the 142nd IOC session in Paris that is currently underway, winning unanimously with 100% of the vote.
Nita Ambani was first appointed to join the prestigious body in 2016, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Since then, as India’s first woman to join the IOC, Nita Ambani has already made great strives for the association, whilst also championing India’s sporting ambitions and Olympic vision.
This includes recently hosting the first IOC session in Mumbai for over 40 years, in October 2023, which was hailed as showcasing the new, ambitious India to the world. As part of a long-term partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Reliance Foundation is opening the first-ever India House at the Paris Olympics 2024 this summer.
India's sports icons Sania Mirza and MC Mary Kom as well as famous TV host Rannvijay Singha have pledged their support to the country's biggest sports activation program at grassroots - 'Play Sports' as brand ambassadors.
India's sports icons Sania Mirza and MC Mary Kom as well as famous TV host Rannvijay Singha have pledged their support to the country's biggest sports activation program at grassroots - 'Play Sports' as brand ambassadors.
Play Sports' objective is to create a sustainable sports ecosystem in India by working with schools, developing sports, managing sports infrastructure, running academies, and scouting talent from the grassroots. They are also involved in the upgradation of existing sports infrastructure at schools and where there is none develop playgrounds for various sports.
