Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Home Blog Page 1382

FICCI suggests govt to formulate national railway plan

New Delhi (NVI): To facilitate industry participation in the rail sector, industry body FICCI has suggested the government to formulate a national railway plan and reform procurement policy.

Apart from this, the industry chamber has also recommended phased manufacturing program, expansion of PPP (public-private partnership) model to new areas, and closer collaboration with industry for absorption of technology.

The FICCI report also said railways will offer new manufacturing opportunities worth Rs 28,000 crore per year.

The report also identifies specific opportunities for industry across various areas such as rolling-stock manufacturing, sub-assembly or component manufacturing, machinery and tool manufacturing, and project execution.

The report has also enlisted 10 recommendations for policy makers to further facilitate industry participation in these opportunities.

Russian Foreign Minister meets PM

New Delhi (NVI): The year 2020 should be the one to implement the decisions reached between India and Russia in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today.

He made the suggestion while receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov here and noted that several important decisions and outcomes were reached between the two countries last year.

The year 2020 is the 20th anniversary of the establishment of strategic partnership between India and the Russian Federation.

Lavrov, who is on a visit to India to participate in the Raisina Dialogue, briefed the Prime Minister on Russia’s position on key international and regional issues.

During the discussion, Modi referred to the wide-ranging conversation he had with President Vladimir Putin over telephone on January 13.

He also noted the progress in the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries in the previous year.

The Russian Foreign Minister conveyed to Modi that President Putin looks forward to the visit of the Prime Minister to Russia in May 2020 to participate in the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Victory Day, and in July 2020 for the BRICS and SCO Summits.

Earlier, while speaking at the Raisina Dialogue today, the Russian Foreign Minister hit out at the US over the concept of the Indo-Pacific, while saying that it was initiated to disrupt the existing structure and contain China.

He also said that an equitable democratic order should not be influenced by use of brutal force. Lavrov also backed India and Brazil to be permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Nirbhaya: Delhi says no hanging on Jan 22

New Delhi (NVI): In an interesting turn of events in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder, the Delhi High Court today refused to set aside the trial court’s order issuing death warrants to the convicts.

The Delhi government had informed the High Court that the four death row convicts cannot be hanged on January 22 as one of the convicts has filed a mercy plea, which is pending before President Ram Nath Kovind for consideration.

The court also has asked Mukesh’s counsel to approach trial court and apprise it about the pending mercy plea.

Nirbhaya, a 23-year-old girl, was brutally raped and murdered on the night of December 16, 2012, in a south Delhi area.

Government begins commercial coal auction process

New Delhi (NVI): The government has released a list of 74 coal mines which it plans to auction under commercial mining after it lifted restrictions on the mining regime and opened the gates for private entry.

A company or a joint venture company incorporated in India is eligible to participate in commercial coal auctions, the coal ministry said in a statement.

The Ministry of Coal is initiating the process for auction of coal mines for its sale. Expected to be held in multiple tranches, the first tranche is proposed to be launched in the current financial year.

Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi said this is a historic step towards Ease of Doing Business and democratization of coal and mining sectors. Moving ahead after the recent amendments in Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015.

While releasing a list of 74 mines which it plans to auction under commercial mining, the Ministry of Coal has urged the interested stakeholders to view the Discussion Paper and the mine specific details, submit their views and suggestions, indicate their preferences for the mines to be considered for auction under the first tranche, as per the instructions provided in the Discussion Paper.

 

Audi Q8 launched in India at Rs 1.33 crore

New Dehi (NVI): Audi India has launched its flagship crossover SUV, the Q8 with the price starting at Rs 1.33 crore.

The German luxury carmaker, Audi new Q8 is the new face of the Q family which currently includes Q3, Q5 and Q7.

The new Audi Q8 combines the elegance of a four-door luxury coupe with the practical versatility of a large SUV.

Some of the more prominent styling cues on the new Q8 include the massive front grille, distinctive LED headlights, its coupe-like roofline, frameless doors and flared wheel arches.

The rear features an angular tailgate and bumper design, but what dominates this area is the full-width tail-lights.

The Q8 is wider than the Q7 but lower and shorter than the latter. It gets a 605 litre-boot.

There are standard 21-inch alloys, with an option for 22-inch alloys.

The Q8 is powered by a BS6-compliant 3.0-litre TFSI engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system that puts out 340PS of power and 500Nm of torque.

This unit comes coupled with an 8-speed automatic gearbox and is offered with an AWD drivetrain.

The interiors of the Q8 conveys a luxurious charm and, together with the optionally-adjustable rear seat, also offers plenty of space in the rear.

The lounge character of the interior makes it an ideal companion for business or leisure.

J&K: Internet services partially restored

Srinagar (NVI): Internet services were partially restored in Jammu and Kashmir today.

This comes after the J&K administration on Tuesday issued orders to restore broadband services in all government offices and institutions offering essential services like hospitals and banks.

However, there will be a complete ban on social media, the government order said. A review will be conducted after a week and the Lieutenant-Governor will then take a call on the restoration of cellphone internet services, it said.

The order came days after the Supreme Court, on January 10, had asked the UT administration to review all curbs, including a ban on the internet after the abolition of Article 370 in August last year.

India, Finland inks MoU to enhance defence cooperation

New Delhi (NVI): India and Finland inked an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance bilateral defence cooperation between the two countries, an official said.

The MoU on co-operation in the field of production, procurement, research and development of defence related equipment and industrial cooperation, has been inked on the sidelines of Raisina Dialogue 2020.

It was signed by the Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Ministry of Defence of Finland Permanent Secretary Jukka Juusti.

Under the broad ambit of the MoU, cooperation between Finnish companies and Indian defence public sector undertakings could be explored.

A draft of this MoU was under discussion since the DefExpo 2018 and has now been formalised in the run up to DefExpo 2020 which to be held in Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh between February 5-9, 2020.

In 2019, Juusti had led a delegation to Aero India in Bengaluru and post his visit, the Permanent Secretary had evinced their interest to participate in the ‘Make in India’ vision and formalise an arrangement for Defence Industrial cooperation through an MoU.

On February 13, 2016, Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipila had bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India for the inauguration of the ‘Make in India’ week.

On April 17, 2018, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with Sipila during the first India-Nordic Summit in Stockholm, Sweden.

A delegation from Finland had also visited India between November 29 – December 02, 2018 to explore new business opportunities for Finnish companies.

NHA inks MoU with ITC e-Choupal to raise awareness on AB-PMJAY among farmers

New Delhi: With an objective of raising awareness on Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY amongst farmers, the National Health Authority has signed an MoU with ITC e-Choupal.

The MoU was signed with an aim of helping eligible farmers to have better understanding of the scheme and seek hospital treatment for serious illnesses through the scheme.

Through this collaboration, the two organisations will also conduct outreach and training activities.

Through this partnership, millions of farmers would be able to access the information via 6,000 e-choupals.

E-choupal which means “village meeting place” will constitutes a network of rural kiosks, providing number of information and communication related services for rural population.

Speaking about the collaboration, National Health Authority CEO Dr. Indu Bhushan said taht this partnership between National Health Authority and ITC e-Choupal, will empower millions of citizens in the rural India and Indian farmers with digital interventions.

“The collaboration focuses on providing secondary and tertiary treatment for a range of serious illnesses such as cancer, heart ailments, etc to farmers and their families in rural areas. It will also demonstrate how such innovative models can reach the remotest corners of the country, ” she added.

While, ITC corporate affairs senior vice president Anil K. Rajput said that the partnership with the National Health Authority will help to improve the health scenario in rural India.

“E-choupal will empower farmers in the hinterland by providing necessary information through an integrated network. Signing of MoU will help pave the way to quality curative care for farmers and all citizens outside urban centers,” he added.

As part of the MoU, ITC will conduct awareness camps through 400 Village Health Champions (VHCs) covering nearly 800+ villages across 10 Districts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on a pilot basis.

These VHCs will make women and adolescents aware of the programme through group meetings and door-to-door connect.

ITC will also promote AB PM-JAY thorugh 23 Choupal Saagars and 18 fuel stations.

NHA will provide training modules and kit to train VHCs and Choupal Sanchalaks who will in turn raise awareness about the scheme among farmers and their families.

There’s a need to encourage organ donation: President

New Delhi (NVI): President Ram Nath Kovind today stressed upon the need for organ donation in the country while asserting that there is a need to create awareness on the issue.

The President, while addressing the 10th Foundation Day of the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, ILBS here said, “There is a huge gap between the requirement and availability of organs needed for saving lives. The dearth of donors results mainly from the lack of awareness about organ donation.

President Kovind also urged ILBS to prepare a roadmap suggesting ways and means to encourage liver donation, to improve the related procedures and protocols, and to strengthen the infrastructure needed to support a higher number of liver transplants than is currently possible.

Speaking on the issue, he said that in the country, around two lakh liver transplants are required in a year, while only a few thousand are done every year.

The President said that the growing incidence of liver diseases is also linked to our unhealthy lifestyles.

He noted that, at present, nearly one out of four Indians have fatty liver and maybe ten per cent of them have liver diseases due to excessive body fat.

“This condition is known to be a precursor to development of diabetes and heart disease. And diabetics have greater incidence of liver disease than others,” he said.

“It is for institutes like ILBS to take up research that can clarify the linkages between our lifestyle and liver diseases. That would help in developing a preventive care system based in lifestyle changes,” he added.

FASTag a must from today

New Delhi (NVI): The last date to comply with the new FASTag rule is today, January 15, 2020. People not having a FASTag for their cars will be penalized and will have to pay double the fees at toll plazas across all national highways (NH) in the country.

The deadline has already been extended twice. The first deadline was December 15, which was extended to December 31 and then finally to January 15.

Since December 15, 2019, 75% of all lanes at toll plazas were converted into FASTag lanes, but now only one hybrid lane in either direction will accept cash payments.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has decided to relax the conditions regarding the declaration of FASTag fee lanes for 30 days from today at the identified 65 high cash transactions fee plazas of NHAI. The concerned fee plazas have been allowed to convert up to 25 per cent of all fee lanes to hybrid (cash plus FASTag) lanes during this time.

 

1...1,3811,3821,383...1,513Page 1,382 of 1,513

MUST READ