The Prajjwala Challenge was launched by Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development, Shri. Shailesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi 29th Dec 2022.

The Mission is looking for ideas and solutions around Innovative Technology Solution, Inclusive Growth, Value Chain Interventions, Enhanced Women Entrepreneurship, Cost effective Solutions, Sustainability, place-based employment, localised models etc. 

 

 

* Focus on Women and Marginalized section of community

 

* Localised Models

 

* Sustainability

 

* Cost Effective solutions

 

* Multi sectoral ideas and solutions etc

Aim : To invite ideas, solutions and actions that can transform rural economy, the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has launched the Prajjwala Challenge.

It is one of the platforms where ideas are invited from individuals, Social Enterprises, Start up, Private Sector, Civil Society, Community Based Organization, Academic Institution, Start-ups, Incubation centres, Investors etc having potential to transform the rural economy.

 

Applications are open from 29th December, 2022 to 31st January, 2023. Shortlisted ideas will be acknowledged by the Mission and will be provided mentorship support from an expert panel and incubation support to scale up. The top 5 ideas will be rewarded with Rs. 2 Lakh each.

 

DAY-NRLM is one of the flagship poverty alleviation programs of the Ministry of Rural Development, which aims at creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor, enabling them to increase household income through sustainable livelihoods enhancements and improved access to financial services. 

Applicants can visit the website www.prajjwalachallenge.com and apply..

Source : PIB

Ajay Kumar Srivastava has been elevated as Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank with effect from January 1, 2023 from his current posting as executive director.

 

* He started his banking career as a probationary officer in 1991 with Allahabad Bank where he worked in various capacities in different parts of the country.

* Ajay Kumar Srivastava is an astute and hardcore banker with Vast field-level experience and has the distinction of having successfully led the largest and most critical areas of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Delhi while working at a senior level in Allahabad Bank.

 

* After the successful completion of about 27 years in Allahabad Bank he was elevated as Executive Director of IOB in October 2017.

* At Indian Overseas Bank as Executive Director, he had a very challenging journey. Bank was incurring losses since 2014, was in PCA since 2015 and Financial parameters were in bad shape besides many other challenges.

 

* He made strategies for each of the key areas and successfully implemented them at the ground level with the support of the Board. He served the Bank as Executive Director for more than five years and handled all the departments and portfolios during the period.

* The highlight of his stint as Executive Director has been playing a very key role in bringing the Bank out of loss in March 2020 and out of PCA in September 2021. Moreover, he was the only Executive Director in the Bank for about 14 months during 2020-2021.

 

* He was appointed as Director on the Board of India Infrastructure Finance Company by the government for two years. He also served as Director on the Board of Regional Rural Bank in his previous Bank..

Source : Business Standard

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been sworn in as the 39th president of Brazil following the 2022 Brazilian general election.

77-year-old Lula narrowly defeated Jair Bolsonaro in October to win an unprecedented third presidential term after a hiatus that saw him spend a year and a half behind bars on corruption convictions that were later overturned.

 

In his previous years as Workers Party (PT) president from 2003 to 2010, the former union leader lifted millions of Brazilians from poverty during a commodity boom that boosted the economy..

Source : AIR

Indian-American Rajeev Badyal is among 30 members selected by US Vice President Kamala Harris to serve on the National Space Council's Users Advisory Group (UAG).

 

Badyal presently leads Amazon's Project Kuiper -- an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world.

 

As a selected member of the UAG, Badyal will serve to enable the Biden-Harris Administration's effort to maintain a robust and responsible US space enterprise and preserve space for current and future generations, according to a White House statement.

 

The UAG will provide the National Space Council advice and recommendations on matters related to space policy and strategy, including but not limited to, government policies, laws, regulations, treaties, international instruments, programmes, and practices across the civil, commercial, international, and national security space sectors..

Source : Gadgetsnow

As a part of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ – to celebrate 75 years of Independence, REC Limited, a Maharatna Company under the Ministry of Power, Govt. of India organized ‘Bijli Utsav’ in Anandapur Gaon of Baksa district and adjoining villages in Assam.

Numerous dignitaries such as Shri Katiram Boro, Speaker – Bodoland Territorial Council, Dr. Ashraful Amin – Addl. Deputy Commissioner - Baksa, Shri Khagendranath Sarania, Principal - Anandapur Primary School, Shri Nagen Chandra Das, Retd. Principal - Nehru Anchalik High School, Shri Manasjyoti Pathak, AGM (RE) Baksa – Assam Power Distribution Co. Ltd. (APDCL) and officials from REC Regional Office in Guwahati had graced the occasion.

 

The event witnessed speaker sessions by dignitaries and esteemed guests highlighting the consumer rights of electricity, benefits of electricity and the challenges faced during electrification in remote areas and how the quality of life improves with access to power. Beneficiaries from the villages were also invited on stage to share their experience and views on how electricity has transformed their lives.

 

To engage with the villagers and children, various competitions and cultural programs were also held. Nukkad Natak was also performed to impart knowledge on subjects such as consumer rights of electricity, energy conservation and the benefits of electricity. The event concluded with distribution of LED bulbs and geometry boxes as prizes to the winners of the competitions..

Source : REC India

According to the data, released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India's unemployment rate in December 2022 has been increased to a 16-month high at 8.30% from 8% in November 2022.

The urban unemployment rate has been increased to 10.09% in December from 8.96%.

While, the rural unemployment rate has been slipped to 7.44% from 7.55%.

In December, the unemployment rate rose to 37.4% in Haryana, followed by Rajasthan (28.5) and Delhi (20.8%)..

Source : Mint

China's ambassador to the United States, Qin Gang has been appointed as the country's new foreign minister on 30th December 2022.

 

Chinese state media Global Times reported that the decision was made by the 13th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee 30th December 2022.

56-year Qin is replacing Wang Yi, who is now a Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and State Councilor..

Source : AIR

In Nepal, the newly constructed Pokhara Regional International Airport will be operational from 1st January 2023.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to inaugurate the airport. Pom Narayan Shrestha, President of Pokhara Tourism Council said that Pokhara is a major tourism destination in the country and the tourism industry will definitely benefit from the operation of the new airport.

This airport is going to be a milestone for the promotion of tourism not only in Pokhara.

This is constructed by a Chinese construction company..

Source : AIR

Former Pope Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95, the Vatican announced in a statement. Pope Benedict XVI passed away at 9:34 am on Saturday, 31 December 2022. 

 

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said that former Pope Benedict died in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. In 2013, former Pope Benedict became the first pope to resign in 600 years.

 

"With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away 31st Dec 2022 at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. 

 

The Vatican said Benedict’s remains would be on public display in St. Peter’s Basilica starting Monday for the faithful to pay their final respects.

 

A day ago, on 30 December, the Vatican had announced that Pope Benedict’s condition was stable and he had even participated in the private mass in his room. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s health had declined a few days ago. In a medical bulletin, the Vatican announced that Benedict had been able to rest well for a second night.

 

“He also participated in the celebration of Holy Mass in his room yesterday afternoon," Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement. "At present his condition is stationary."..

Source  : Mint

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated “Incubation Centre” at National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), Delhi to provide multi-prong support to StartUps.

 

Chairman and Managing Director NRDC,Commodore(Retd) "Amit Rastogi" and his entire team welcomed DrJitendra Singh and pointed out that he was the first ever Minister for Science and Technology who was visiting the NRDC headquarters at Delhi, since its inception in 1953.

 

Dr Jitendra Singh was glad to note that after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of 'StartUp India, Stand-up India' from the ramparts of the Red fort on 15th August, 2015, NRDC had reoriented itself to become the only National level PSU, which is providing its services for taking the lab scale technologies developed by Public Funded Research Institutes (PFRI) to Industry.

 

Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the Corporation is providing support to start-ups through its various activities like IP Filing support to StartUps, Incubation Support for nurturing Start-Ups through its incubators at NRDC HQ, CSIR-NAL and CSIR-IMMT, Technology Development fund, Seed Funding to early stage start-up, Association with DPIIT for recognising start-ups and finally Association with IOCL for mentoring & monitoring of start-ups..

Source : PIB