Liberty General Insurance, one of India’s prominent non-life insurers, has joined hands with Maruti Suzuki Insurance Broking to enhance insurance awareness across rural and urban regions. The collaboration is part of the ‘Bima Prachaar Aur Prasaar’ initiative, focusing on raising insurance awareness in Punjab’s Gram Panchayats and increasing penetration in Delhi.
This effort aligns with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India’s (IRDAI) goal of achieving ‘Insurance for All by 2047.’ Liberty General Insurance, as the lead non-life insurer in Delhi, has been at the forefront of similar awareness campaigns in the capital, while also extending its rural outreach in Punjab.
State Bank of India (SBI) raised ₹5,000 crore through Basel III compliant Additional Tier 1 (AT-1) bond issuance on at a coupon rate of 7.98 percent. This is the bank’s first AT-1 bond issuance in the current financial year. The tenor of these bonds is perpetual with a call option after 10 years, and each anniversary date thereafter, India’s largest bank said.
The bonds are rated AA+ with a stable outlook from CRISIL Ratings and CARE Ratings.
The issue attracted bids from investors in excess of 3.5 times the base issue size of ₹2,000 crore, the bank said, adding that the total number of bids received from qualified institutional bidders was 108.
The participants were from provident funds, pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, NBFCs, banks, etc.
Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Chairman, said the wider participation and heterogeneity of bids demonstrated the trust investors place in the country’s largest bank.
Urmila Chaudhary of Nepal won the Global Anti-Racism Championship Award 2024 which was presented by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. This award honours six civil society leaders for their exceptional courage, leadership, and commitment to advancing racial equity, justice, and human rights.
Urmila Chaudhary is an abolitionist and labour activist who was rescued from child servitude at age 17. She co-founded the Freed Kamlari Development Forum and established 42 cooperatives to empower former bonded labourers. She is currently studying law to further her fight against injustice.
Urmila Chaudhary is honoured for her dedication to advancing the rights of marginalized castes and ethnic communities in Nepal and for combating systemic racism and intersectional abuses.
In June 2013, the government officially abolished the Kamlari system and agreed to a 10-point plan involving compensation, rehabilitation and justice for victims of abuse.
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is proud to announce that Australia has been nominated as the “Country of Focus” at the 55th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), to be held in Goa from 20th November to 28th November 2024.
This special recognition aims to celebrate the dynamic contributions of Australian cinema to the global film industry, highlighting its rich storytelling traditions, vibrant film culture and innovative cinematic techniques. India & Australia are already parties to an Audio Visual Co-production Treaty.
Founded in 1952, the International Film Festival of India is one of Asia's most significant film festivals, serving as a platform for filmmakers worldwide to present their works. Held annually in Goa, IFFI attracts directors, producers, actors, and film enthusiasts to celebrate the finest in world cinema.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved Two Railway projects of the Ministry of Railways with total estimated cost of Rs.6,798 crore (approx.).
Two approved projects are – (a) the doubling of Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga & Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur Section covering 256 kms and,
(b) construction of new line between Errupalem and Namburu via Amaravati covering 57 kms.
The doubling of Narkatiaganj-Raxaul-Sitamarhi-Darbhanga & Sitamarhi-Muzaffarpur Section will strengthen the connectivity to Nepal, North-east India and Border areas and facilitate movement of passenger trains along with goods train resulting in the socio-economic growth of the region.
The new rail line project Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu traverses through NTR Vijayawada and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh and Khammam district of Telangana.
The Two projects covering 8 Districts in 3 States i.e., Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Bihar will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 313 Kms.
New Line project will provide connectivity to approx. 168 villages and about 12 Lakh population with 9 new stations. Multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to Two Aspirational Districts (Sitamarhi and Muzaffarpur) serving approx. 388 villages and about 9 lakh population.
The Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, an autonomous institution of Department of Science and Technology (DST) signed a crucial R&D collaboration and product development agreement with Bharat Biotech International (BBIL) to bring innovative health products developed from probiotics isolated from traditional fermented foods,
of Northeast India to market.
These probiotics have shown great potential in addressing metabolic diseases, improving gut health, and promoting healthy ageing, based on research conducted by IASST.
As the world marks UN Disarmament Week, global efforts to promote arms control are under the spotlight as the Church strives to reduce the spread of weapons that fuel conflict and instigate violence.
The week, observed annually from October 24-30, encourages nations to focus on disarmament and arms reduction initiatives,
a goal that remains critical as conflicts continue to rage across the globe.
In a world threatened by weapons of mass destruction, conventional arms and emerging cyberwarfare, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres presented a new agenda for disarmament to save humanity, save lives and secure our common future.
Global Media and Information Literacy Week is an annual event observed from 24th to 31st October to raise awareness and celebrate the progress achieved towards Media and Information Literacy for all.
During Global Media and Information Literacy Week, stakeholders around the world organize events and UNESCO co-hosts with a Member State the global conference gathering,
the Media and Information Literacy community.
The New Digital Frontiers of Information: "Media and Information Literacy for Public Interest Information"
This year’s theme highlights the importance of equipping people with critical thinking skills in today’s digital ecosystem.
United Nations Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
UN Day, celebrated every year, offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 79 years.
The 31st edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) is scheduled from 23 to 29 Oct 2024, in the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam. Republic of Singapore Navy Ship RSS Tenacious with an embarked helicopter, arrived at Visakhapatnam on 23 October 24 to participate in SIMBEX2024.
SIMBEX, which began as 'Exercise Lion King' in 1994, has since evolved into one of the most significant bilateral maritime collaborations between the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
The exercise will be conducted in two phases - the Harbour Phase from 23 to 25 October at Visakhapatnam and the Sea Phase from 28 to 29 October in the Bay of Bengal.
This year's edition aims to further strengthen the strategic partnership between India and Singapore by enhancing interoperability, improving maritime domain awareness, and fostering cooperation to address common maritime challenges.
The opening ceremony to mark the beginning of SIMBEX24 will be conducted on 24 Oct 24, onboard INS Shivalik and will be attended by participating units of the Eastern Fleet and the Singapore Navy.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved setting up of Rs.1000 crore Venture Capital Fund dedicated to space sector, under aegis of IN-SPACe.
The deployment period of the proposed Rs.1,000 crore VC fund is planned to be up to five years from the actual date of start of the fund operations.
The average deployment amount could be Rs.150-250 crore per year, depending on the investment opportunities and fund requirements.
The Government of India, as part of its 2020 space sector reforms, established IN-SPACe to promote and oversee private sector participation in space activities.
IN-SPACe has proposed a Rs.1000 crore Venture Capital Fund to support the growth of India's space, economy, currently valued at S8.4 billion, with a target to reach $44 billion by 2033. The fund aims to address the critical need for risk capital, as traditional lenders are hesitant to fund startups in this high-tech sector.
The Governing Board of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has appointed Dr Himanshu Pathak as the Director General-designate of the globally acclaimed institute. The announcement was made by Governing Board Chair Professor Prabhu Pingali during an all-staff event on October 18, at ICRISAT headquarters in Hyderabad, India.
Dr. Pathak, who currently serves as Secretary at the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Government of India and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), brings a wealth of experience in advancing global agricultural research and development.
India and Pakistan announced that they have agreed to extend their agreement on the Kartarpur Corridor, which allows visa-free travel by Indian nationals to the gurdwara built at the Pakistani site where Guru Nanak spent the last years of his life.
The Indian side has again urged Pakistan not to levy any fee or charges on Indian nationals using the corridor,
following continued requests by pilgrims for the removal of the $20 service charge levied by Pakistan on every pilgrim, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.
The agreement, signed on October 24, 2019, to facilitate the visit of Indian nationals to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur at Narowal in Pakistan’s Punjab province, was valid for five years.
The Government of Sikkim and Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Gangtok, Sikkim, to work towards increasing adoption of GeM amongst the Government of Sikkim buyer departments for public procurement of goods and services.
The signing of the MoU between the Government of Sikkim and GeM is a significant milestone for GeM’s association with various State Governments as a facilitator for public procurement of goods and services in an efficient, transparent, and inclusive manner. With the signing of this MoU, GeM has achieved its coverage of all the States and UTs of India.
GeM is the one-stop online platform for procurement of goods and services for all Central Government, Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs), State Government and all affiliated departments, including buyers from Cooperatives. GeM has brought about a paradigm change in public procurement using technology and endeavours to make the public procurement process efficiently.
On the 200th anniversary of Kittur Vijayotsava a commemorative Postage stamp was released at the historic Kittur Rani Channamma Stage, Kittur Fort Premises on 23rd October,2024. This grand event commemorated Rani Channamma’s glorious victory on 23rd October,1824 against the British rule.
The commemorative stamp designed by Shri Brahm Prakash features a striking portrait of Rani Channamma, on her horse drawing a sword, fighting against the British, embodying her strength and bravery. Surrounding her image are forts symbolizing the rich heritage of Kittur and the historic battle of Kittur.
