Special Report: Udta Punjab now gets hooked on de-addiction drugs
Punjab, which is dealing with a massive drugs and alcohol addiction problem, has a new problem at hand. Addicts at de-addiction centres are getting hooked on de-addiction drugs. This comes after seizures increased the street cost of drugs. Key Points
India TodayArmy opens 25 new clinics to help officers & jawans posted in remote areas avail IVF treatment
The additional Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centres mean postings will no longer be limited & treatment will not be delayed. Earlier, such centres were available in just 7 cities. Key Points
ThePrintHCLTech and Pearson VUE collaborate to establish over 10 test centres across India
The first of these new test centres have been launched in Ambala and Kurukshetra (Haryana), Bathinda and Barnala (Punjab), Anand (Gujarat) and Jammu. Seven additional centres will be opened across India in 2023. Key Points
Business TodaySmart City initiative: ‘Neki Ki Deewar’ to help cut down waste generation in Sangam city
The Prayagraj municipal corporation has launched a project to set up "Reduce, Reuse and Recycle" centres across the city to encourage residents to donate items they no longer need. The centres will be located near temples, parks and other public places. The initiative aims to reduce waste and keep the city cleaner, and items that are not taken by needy people will be recycled. The first of 10 centres planned for the first phase of the initiative has opened near the Hanuman temple in Civil Lines. Key Points
Hindustan TimesGovt invites bids from CPSEs to set up 20 new MSME Technology Centres
Technology for MSMEs: Currently 18 technology centres exist in the country while another 15 are in various stages of development. To ramp up the network of such centres, the government is setting up another 20 new centres. Key Points
Financialexpress
CUET UG 2023: NTA opens exam help centres to facilitate students
The details of these centres are available on the official CUET UG website — cuet.samarth.ac.in. These help centres will create awareness among the aspirants and provide equal opportunities to candidates, especially those from rural and remote areas. Key Points
The Indian ExpressCovid centre scam: ED arrests Sujit Patkar, BMC health official Bisure
Patkar’s firm is accused of receiving around ₹31.84 crore from the BMC as part of the contract even though between 50 and 60 per cent of the medical staff at the centres for which it had billed the civic body were allegedly non-existent. Bisure had allegedly connived with the firm to approve its dubious bills related to manipulated attendance sheets of the employees at the Covid centres, and received a laptop, cash and funds in his driver’s account, the ED claimed | Mumbai news Key Points
Hindustan TimesSkills ministry to use Gati Shakti data to chart training
The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) has developed a gap-analyser tool that will help it do a one-on-one mapping of the skill training centres around key infrastructure projects and identify the indicative need for skilling, a senior government official told ET. Data from the Gati Shakti portal will help in doing the mapping. Key Points
Economic TimesUP Board: English, physics exams on March 4; officials on alert
UP Board officials prepared for cheating-free high school and intermediate exams at 8,272 centres with over 28.27 lakh students in the first shift and 15.87 lakh in the second shift. Strict actions planned for any negligence. Key Points
Hindustan TimesGovt to procure tomatoes from AP, Karnataka & Maharashtra amid price rise
The Indian Department of Consumer Affairs has instructed the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to procure tomatoes from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra for distribution in major consumption centres where prices have risen dramatically over the last month. The procured produce will be sold at discounted rates through retail outlets in the Delhi-NCR region. Key Points
Economic Times
Ingka centres to to open its first retail centre in India in 2025
The company is investing 400 million euros (around Rs 3,500 crore) in the Gurugram project. It is also planning a similar centre in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Key Points
Economic TimesGenerative AI at the centre of contact centres' transformation; will there be layoffs?
As the AI revolution sweeps the world, it continues to haunt workers across sectors including the ones at contact centres sparking widespread fear of layoffs and of bleak future. However, industry leaders say otherwise. Key Points
mintNot IT services, it’s these companies that are hiring most, giving biggest pay hikes
Global capability centres or GCCs started in India as back office operations. Today, they are at the cutting edge of technology, driving key initiatives of their parent companies. GCCs have been setting the standards in the quality of technology work being done out of India. This financial year, for the first time ever, they will also be hiring more than the IT services sector. Key Points
Times Of IndiaNTA faces shortage of centres in J&K, Jharkhand amid surge in CUET applications
According to NTA officials, nearly 1.5mn students have applied for the national common entrance test this year, as against around 990,000 students last year. | Latest News India Key Points
Hindustan TimesICICI Bank commits ₹1,200 cr to Tata Memorial centre, largest donation made under CSR by any Indian co
The donation is the largest made under corporate social responsibility (CSR) by any Indian firm towards cancer care. TMC will become the referral centres for southern and northern India, providing therapy to almost 25,000 new patients annually equipped with high-end radiology machines and specialised multidisciplinary teams. The bank will allocate almost 50% of its CSR funds to support this initiative in the next three years, likely to be completed by 2027. Key Points
Economic Times
Govt health clinics in Kerala to be renamed as 'Arogya Mandirs' with the tagline 'Arogyam Parmam Dhanam'
Over 5,000 sub-centres have already been upgraded to public health centres, and efforts are underway to convert 886 primary health centres into family health centres (FHCs) as part of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, with 700 already transitioned into FHCs. The circular, issued by L S Changsan, additional secretary and mission director, National Health Mission, mandates the renaming of all these health facilities as Ayushman Arogya Mandir. Key Points
Economic TimesMSME ministry invites bids from CPSEs to procure machines, equipment for its technology centres
Technology for MSMEs: “The major portion of goods to be procured include machinery, plant & equipment with due installation, commissioning, training, warranty, annual maintenance services etc.," as per RfP document. The last date for submission of bids is April 20, 2023. Key Points
FinancialexpressGovt to evaluate health & wellness centres under Ayushman Bharat
The government plans to evaluate the health and wellness centres established under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme to assess its effectiveness in providing comprehensive primary health care. The Development, Monitoring and Evaluation Office of NITI Aayog has invited bids for technical consultants to evaluate the program's performance, infrastructure, manpower, logistics, and teleconsultation. Key Points
Economic TimesRetail inflation for industrial workers eases marginally to 4.91 pc in December
Retail inflation for industrial workers eased to 4.91% in December from 4.98% in November 2023, according to a labour ministry statement. Food inflation stood at 8.18% in December 2023, compared to 7.95% in November 2023 and 4.10% in December 2022. The All-India Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) for December 2023 decreased by 0.3 points to 138.8 points. The decrease in the index was mainly due to lower prices of certain food items. Key Points
Economic TimesRetail inflation for industrial workers rises marginally to 4.98% in Nov
Retail inflation for industrial workers in India increased to 4.98% in November, mainly due to higher prices of certain food items. Food inflation stood at 7.95%, compared to 6.27% in October 2023 and 4.30% in November 2022. Year-on-year inflation for the month stood at 4.98% in November. Key Points
Economic Times
Covid jumbo centres scam: IAS officer’s properties worth Rs 100 cr under ED lens
On Thursday, the ED carried out searches at four places, including two locations in the MMR region belonging to senior BMC officials and a suspect supplier. The agency is now trying to ascertain how many of these properties are linked to proceeds of crimes. Key Points
The Indian ExpressRetail inflation for industrial workers eases to 4.59pc in January
Retail inflation for industrial workers in India eased to 4.59 per cent in January, mainly due to lower prices of certain food items. The Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) for January 2024 increased by 0.1 point to 138.9 points from December 2023. The housing group contributed 0.48 percentage points to the total change. The index was largely checked by items like onion, potato, tomato, and ginger. Key Points
Economic TimesRetail inflation for industrial workers eases to 5.79 pc in March
Year-on-year inflation for the month stood at 5.79 per cent compared to 6.16 per cent for the previous month (February 2023) and 5.35 per cent during the corresponding month (March 2022) a year before, an official statement said. Key Points
Economic TimesRetail inflation for industrial workers declines to 5.79% in March: Govt
The food inflation stood at 5.02 per cent against 6.13 per cent in February and 6.27 per cent during the corresponding month a year ago. Key Points
mintGreen data centres is new buzzword for companies
To ensure the adoption of sustainable measures in data centres, it is essential to involve both state and central governments in the decision-making process, rather than relying solely on data centre operators, said Piyush Somani, chairman and managing director, ESDS Software Solution, a cloud services and data centre firm. Other areas of concern include the cost of transporting energy since not all geographies are conducive to setting up data centres and have access to continuous supply of energy from renewable sources. Key Points
Economic Times
SLCM launches food grain quality control centers in Delhi & MP
Warehousing company SLCM Group has launched Krishi Quality Janch Kendra, an AI/ML empowered solution for checking food grain quality. The company aims to establish 600 more Krishi Quality Janch Kendra centres across India. The centres provide a quality check report for grains in just minutes, reducing the time and cost for farmers and traders. Key Points
Economic TimesRetail inflation for industrial workers eases to 4.72 pc in September
In September, the retail inflation rate for industrial workers showed a notable decrease, with figures dropping to 4.72 percent as compared to the 6.91 percent recorded in August of this year. This decline can be attributed to the reduced prices of specific food items and cooking gas. Key Points
Economic TimesIn joint operation with FBI, Interpol, Delhi police arrests four for cheating US citizens via call centres
A few of the call centres were also in Delhi. Police said Mehta, a native of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, is the head of the syndicate and supervised the functioning of the Uganda-based call centres. Key Points
The Indian ExpressData centres up focus on going green, but challenges remain
Data centres in India are taking different measures to reduce their environmental impact, with a number of companies focusing on renewable energy, waste management and water conservation. For Bharti Airtels Nxtra Digital business, this has involved investing in developing energy-efficient solutions specifically tailored to its needs, which other operators could also use. Key Points
Economic TimesSmart policy and execution are big positives for India: Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup
According to Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup, Indian global capability centers (GCC) established by multinational corporations are now focused not only on cost reduction but also on creating crucial innovation hubs. In an interview with ET, Fraser highlighted India's unparalleled investment appeal, citing its well-crafted policy frameworks, adherence to execution timelines, and unmatched capacity for large-scale development. Key Points
Economic Times
Munna Bhai MBBS plays out at UPSSC recruitment exam centre; STF arrests 14 cheats
Fourteen people, including seven individuals linked to the solver gangs were nabbed in Special Task Force raids at UPPSC exam centres. Just like in the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Munna Bhai MBBS, one of the impersonators of a candidate was found using a Bluetooth-enabled hearing device. Key Points
India TodayUP Board results not on April 5, government issues notice against fake news
"The notice stating results will be declared on April 5 is fake. Legal action will be taken against people who were involved in this," read the government notice. Key Points
The Indian ExpressState govts are getting into UPSC coaching game—not for business but as a strategy
From Gujarat to West Bengal and Kerala to Uttar Pradesh, state-run UPSC coaching centres are now part of the Rs 3,000 crore industry in India. But they don’t market themselves overtly. Key Points
ThePrintByju’s to vacate several offices in cost-cutting drive, may give up HQ partially
Edtech firm Byju's is undergoing cost-cutting and restructuring efforts, downsizing smaller assets and consolidating its focus on the top four to five cities. The company has identified offices and tuition centers for closure across 17 cities, reducing the count to approximately 250. Byju's faces financial challenges, including disputes with landlords over rental payments and legal issues related to a $1.2 billion loan Key Points
Economic TimesHealth Ministry to consult states on fixing hospital treatment costs
The Supreme Court last week raised concerns over the wide variation in treatment costs between government and private healthcare centres. It directed the Centre to expeditiously fix treatment charges to be paid by patients, giving six weeks for the same. The SC criticised the Centre's failure to specify the range of rates within which private hospitals and clinics can charge patients. Key Points
Economic Times
Govt to ensure more HIV-infected people get meds from ART centres
As per May 2023 data, 1,08,155 people with HIV infection are getting medicine from ART centres in U.P. out of the 1.93 lakh people infected with the virus. Key Points
Hindustan TimesOver 3,300 candidates appear for UPSC prelims in Imphal in violence-hit Manipur
Over 3,300 candidates appeared for the UPSC preliminary exams in Manipur, despite ongoing violence between the Meitei and Kukis communities which has taken over 70 lives. 700 candidates unable to sit the exams in the state because of the unrest opted to take their exams elsewhere. The Union Public Service Commission provided various alternative test centres across India to offset the difficulties caused by the conflict. Key Points
Economic Times