Carlyle to acquire about 25 per cent stake in Airtel's data centre business for about Rs 1,780 crore

Bharti Airtel and Comfort Investments II, an affiliated entity of CAP V Mauritius Limited, an investment fund managed and advised by affiliated entities of The Carlyle Group announced an agreement under which Comfort Investments II will invest US$ 235 million in Nxtra Data Limited, a subsidiary of Airtel.

The valuation of Nxtra has increased to US$ 1.2 billion after this deal. On completion of the transaction, Carlyle will hold a stake of around 25 per cent in the business and Airtel will hold the remaining stake of approximately 75 per cent. Regulatory approval is required by the company for the transaction, including approval from the Competition Commission of India.

Nxtra is headquartered in New Delhi and offers data centre services to Indian and global enterprises, hyperscalers, start-ups, SMEs, and governments. It has nation-wide portfolio of 10 data centres and more than 120 edge data centres provides customers with co-location services, cloud infrastructure, managed hosting, data backup, disaster recovery, and remote infrastructure management.

An increase in demand for secure data centres is seen in India, as businesses undertake digital transformation and consumer demand for digital services continues to increase. The expansion of hyperscalers across the region following the Government’s directive on data localization is driving a lot of this demand, with other market drivers including the growth in user data and increase in cloud penetration.

Nxtra is building multiple large data centres across the country to capture the significant growth opportunities in India. In 2019, company commissioned a state-of-the-art data centre in Pune and is expanding more across Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The funds from this transaction will be utilised by the company to continue scaling up its infrastructure and offerings across the country.

Mr Gopal Vittal, MD & CEO (India and South Asia), Bharti Airtel, said, “At Airtel, we have built a robust data centre portfolio that is future ready and scalable. For us, the security and data privacy requirements of our customers are our top priorities, which we have established as a key differentiator for our data centre offerings. Rapid digitization has opened a massive growth opportunity for data centres in India and we plan to accelerate our investments to become a major player in this segment. We are delighted to have Carlyle as a strategic partner in this exciting journey, particularly given their experience in this industry, and look forward to working with them."

Mr Neeraj Bharadwaj, Managing Director of the Carlyle Asia Partners advisory team, said, “India is set to become one of the largest markets in the world for digital services. Airtel, with its proven track record of solid execution and customer focus, is well positioned to leverage the potential growth of data centres in India. We look forward to collaborating with Airtel to unlock the full potential of Nxtra."

Mr Greg Zeluck, Co-Head, Carlyle Asia Partners advisory team, added, “Airtel is a high-quality partner in India with whom Carlyle executives have built a strong and constructive relationship with over many years. We are delighted to be collaborating on this together, and believe Airtel’s nation-wide network and strong governance coupled with Carlyle’s data centre experience and operational capabilities creates a compelling partnership that will help Nxtra to capture growing demand as data usage continues to surge."

 

Union HRD Minister virtually launches World's first-ever Online B.Sc. Degree in Programming and Data Science

The Union Minister of HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank' today virtually launched World’s first ever online B.Sc. degree in Programming and Data Science in the presence of Minister of State for HRD, Shri Sanjay Dhotre. The programme has been prepared and offered by the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), which is ranked No.1 in India Rankings 2020 by NIRF. This programme is open to anyone who has passed Class XII, with English and Maths at the Class X level, and enrolled in any on-campus UG course. Dr Pawan Kumar Goenka, Chairman, IIT, Madras, Board of Governors, Director and the faculty of the IIT, Madras, Chairman, AICTE, Prof Anil Sahasrabudhe, Additional Secretary, MHRD, Shri Rakesh Ranjan and other Senior officials of the Ministry were also present during the launch.

Data Science is one of the fastest growing sectors that is predicted to create 11.5 million jobs by 2026. Online education is a trend being rapidly embraced for high quality education on a large scale. Faculty from IIT Madras are addressing the need of this sector using online education processes and present an inclusive and affordable education model that will extend IIT’s reach by orders of magnitude.

While addressing the participants Shri Pokhriyal congratulated the team of IIT Madras for the launch of the world's first-ever online B.Sc. degree program in Data Science and Programming. The Minister informed that the current batch of students who are completing their Class XII in 2020 are eligible to apply. Graduates and working professionals can also take up this programme. Shri Pokhriyal added that this unique offering removes all barriers of age, discipline or geographic location and provides access to a world-class curriculum in data science which is in huge demand for skilled professionals.

 The Minister said that IIT Madras has a rich history of continuous innovation and success and its emergence as rank 1 in the NIRF rankings consistently underscores the team’s talent, mission, and vision. Analysis reveals that every year 7 to 7.5 lakh Indian students go abroad in search of better education and our talent as well as our revenue goes outside the country. Institutions such as IIT Madras have the vision and mission to help the nation move forward on its path to self-reliance by bringing such quality education and unique courses right here in India. Even during this challenging time, when the nation is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone is forced to be at home, the IITs have come together to innovate for the sake of the nation.

Shri Pokhriyal said that the students who are currently enrolled in a different on-campus program anywhere in India can pursue this degree program without needing to switch careers or courses. Even employers who want to upskill their employees can consider this option without loss of productive time on the job. He further said that the program brightens up job prospects for students in a lucrative field, provides opportunity for working professionals to switch careers and also provides learners an opportunity to get a degree from a recognized institution such as IIT Madras.

Congratulating the IIT Madras team on the launch of the program, Shri Dhotre said that in today's world education is a continuous process. Students and professionals must continue to upgrade their knowledge to stay competitive and work within the constraints of time and location. This has become even more challenging due to the prevailing COVID situation. He added that the science and programming is a field of most significant growth for the industry and with this online degree opportunity in this important area, IIT Madras will be able to reach many more students. He Minister was confident that this course will reach a diversity of learners as it provides multiple entry and exit points and serves as a priceless contribution to the nation.

The programme will be delivered on a state-of-the-art online portal and will attract learners from even remote parts of India where outreach of digital literacy is minimal and will help them stay ahead in their career journeys. To ensure that the online learning platform is closest to a classroom learning experience, the program will have videos from the faculty, weekly assignments, and in-person invigilated exams just like any other regular course. The program will hone students’ skills in managing data, visualizing patterns to gain managerial insights, model uncertainties and build models that assist in producing forecasts to make effective business decisions.

This unique online offering will be offered in three different stages - Foundational Programme, Diploma Programme and Degree Programme. At each stage, students will have the freedom to exit from the program and receive a Certificate, Diploma, or a Degree, respectively, from IIT Madras. Based on the eligibility, interested candidates will have to fill a form and pay a nominal fee of Rs 3,000 (US$ 42.55) for the qualifier exam. Learners will get access to the four weeks of course content of four subjects (Mathematics, English, Statistics and Computational Thinking). These students will go through the course lectures online, submit online assignments and write an in-person qualifier exam at the end of four weeks. In contrast to the typical admission processes of IITs which are constrained due to the limited number of in-campus seats, in this programme all students who clear (with an overall score of 50 per cent) the qualifier exam will be eligible to register for the foundational program.

For more details about the programme, please log on to www.onlinedegree.iitm.ac.in.

PM addresses nation and announces extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana; As the fight against coronavirus shifts to Unlock 2, PM asks everyone to follow regulations with same seriousness as during Lockdown

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the nation and announced the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till the end of November.

Helping hand to the poor

Prime Minister emphasized that provision of food to those in need during lockdown has been the foremost priority of the country. As soon as lockdown was announced, the government brought about PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, under which a package of Rs 1.75 lakh crore (US$ 24.83 billion) for the poor was announced.

He noted that in the last three months, Rs 31,000 crore (US$ 4.40 billion) has been transferred in the Jan Dhan accounts of almost 20 crore poor families, Rs 18,000 crore (US$ 2.55 billion) has been transferred to the bank accounts of more than 9 crore farmers and Rs 50,000 crore (US$ 7.09 billion) is being spent on PM Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan, which has been started to provide employment opportunities.

Extension of PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till November

Prime Minister observed that the enormity of the decision to provide free ration for three months to more than 80 crore people ie providing 5 kg free rice/wheat to each member of the family, along with providing 1 kg pulses to each family, per month, has made the entire world take notice. The number of people who were provided free ration is several times the population of many large countries, he said.

Prime Minister noted that with the commencement of the rainy season, most of the work takes place in the agriculture sector. Also, several festivals take place one after the other, including Guru Purnima, Raksha bandhan, Shri Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Onam, Dussehra, Deepawali, Chhath Puja, among others. He announced that keeping in mind that requirements as well as expenditure increase during this time, the government has decided to extend PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana till Deepawali and Chhath Puja, i.e. the scheme will continue to remain applicable from July till the end of November. During this five-month period, more than 80 crore people will be provided 5 kg free wheat/rice per month. Along with providing 5 kg free rice/wheat to each member of a family, 1 kg free whole chana will also be provided to each family per month.

The government will spend more than Rs 90,000 crore (US$ 12.77 billion) towards the extension of the scheme, the Prime Minister said, adding that if the amount spent towards it in the previous three months is added together, a total of almost Rs 1.5 lakh crore (US$ 21.28 billion) would be spent towards the scheme. He credited and thanked the hard-working farmers and honest taxpayers for making it possible for the government to procure and distribute free food grains.

Prime Minister underlined that the country is moving towards the institution of ‘one nation, one ration card’, which will be of immense benefit to the poor who travel to other states in search of work.

Staying safe during Unlock 2

Prime Minister noted that the shift of the fight against coronavirus to Unlock 2 coincides with the weather which results in several ailments. He asked everyone to take care of their health. He observed that due to timely decisions like lockdown, it has been possible to save the lives of lakhs of people and the death rate in the country is amongst the lowest in the world. However, irresponsible and negligent behaviour has been on the rise during Unlock 1, he said, adding that earlier people were more careful about usage of mask, washing hands for more than 20 seconds several times during the day and maintaining ‘do gazdoori’. He emphasized that when more being more careful is necessary, rise of negligence is a cause of concern.

Prime Minister said that regulations need to be followed with the same seriousness as during Lockdown, especially in the Containment Zones. He exhorted people to spread awareness amongst those not following such rules and regulations, giving example of the Prime Minister of a country being fined Rs 13,000 (US$ 184.42) for not wearing mask in a public place. He said that local administration in India will need to act with same alacrity, since no one, including the Prime Minister, is above the rule of law.

Looking ahead

Prime Minister said that in the coming times, government will continue to take further steps to empower the poor and the needy. Economic activities will also be enhanced, with due precautions in place. He reiterated the pledge to work towards Atmanirbhar Bharat and to be vocal for local, while also asking people to be careful, use mask/face cover and continue following the mantra of maintaining ‘do gaz doori’.

Loans worth more than Rs 1 lakh crore sanctioned under ECLGS; More than 30 lakh units of MSMEs & other businesses received help under the Scheme

Under the 100 per cent Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) backed by a Government guarantee, Banks from Public and Private Sectors have sanctioned loans worth over Rs 1 lakh crore (US$ 14.19 billion) as of June 26, 2020, of which more than Rs 45,000 crore (US$ 6.38 billion) has already been disbursed.  This would help more than 30 lakh units of MSMEs and other businesses restart their businesses post the lockdown.

PSBs have sanctioned loans of Rs 57,525.47 crore (US$ 8.16 billion) whereas Private Sector Banks have sanctioned loans of Rs 44,335.52 crore (US$ 6.29 billion) under ECLGS. The top lenders under the Scheme are SBI, Bank of Baroda, PNB, Canara Bank and HDFC.

COAI, 5G-ACIA sign MoU to shape 5G for India's manufacturing industry

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with global forum, 5G Alliance for Connected Industries and Automation, or 5G-ACIA, to give shape to India’s 5G mobile communications in different industries, especially in the manufacturing and process sectors.

The technology is yet to be launched in India. Although, the spectrum auction to roll out 5G services in the country is scheduled for this year. The government is yet to decide on the date of it.

The MoU is a not-for-profit type and will be valid for three years till 2022. It will facilitate cooperation between the country’s apex telecom association and the global platform on issues related to 5G and its adoption for industry automation across sectors.

According to a statement released by the COAI, “Under the partnership, both bodies will identify topics of common interest and work to strengthen their relationship and foster closer cooperation on common agenda by joint participation in events, meetings, promotional activities and many other joint initiatives".

According to the 5G-ACIA’s LinkedIn page, it is the central global forum for shaping 5G in the industrial domain. On the platform, various industries from all over the world jointly create a new information and communications technology (ICT) and operation technology (OT) ecosystem and set framework for a highly attractive emerging market.

“We are excited to partner with the 5G-ACIA, as we endeavour to continuously build our understanding and expertise towards the advancement of modern communication in the country. We truly believe that this partnership will be mutually beneficial and build on insights and learnings to shape Industrial 5G mobile communications and technology effectively" said Mr Rajan S Mathews, director general, COAI.

It is expected that 5G technology will act as a driving force and have a significant impact on design, operation and maintenance of factories and their production across the world. In India, the contribution of manufacturing is about 15 per cent of the overall GDP and supporting the sector with 5G will be crucial, said Mr Andreas Müller, chairman of 5G-ACIA.

“The world is looking towards India how it shapes its Industry 4.0 revolution and high-performance wireless communication services as provided by 5G certainly represent a critical enabler in this respect. We are very happy to partner with COAI towards the growth of such technologies and excited to share knowledge and collaborate on various topics of mutual interest with one common goal: Making Industrial 5G become a major success," Mr Muller said.

On the call of Prime Minister, Culture Ministry to celebrate "Sankalp Parva" to plant trees from 28th June to 12 July 2020

Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has called for planting at least five trees either in Office campus or wherever it is possible, to ensure clean and healthy environment of the country. Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent charge) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel today called for successful organizing of “Sankalp Parva” and plant trees as desired by our Prime Minister.

 Shri Patel informed that the Ministry of Culture has decided to celebrate Sankalp Parva from 28th June to 12 July 2020, wherein Ministry expects all its Subordinate Offices, Academies, Attached Institutions, Affiliated Institutions to plant trees in its campus or at the surroundings wherever it is possible. He added that the Ministry of Culture recommends to plants five trees which have been identified by our Prime Minister and which represent the herbal heritage of our country. These trees are (i) “Bargad” (ii) “Awla” (iii) “Pepal” (iv) “Ashok” (v) “Bel”. He further said that if sapling of these trees is not available then people may do plantation of any other sapling of their choice. 

Shri Patel also said that the organizations must ensure that each employee should plant at least one tree of his/her choice and over and above these five trees which should be planted as per the call of the Prime Minister. The Institutions must also ensure that the employee takes care of plant planted by them during the year so that it survives and flourishes.

Shri Patel has urged all to participate in the Sankalp Parv and share the photo of plantation with #संकल्पपर्व #SankalpParv with Ministry of Culture. He said that monsoon season has started, which is right time for plantation. We have seen the importance of clean and healthy environment during this Pandemic and we are proud of our Herbal Wealth which has enough strength to enable us to sail through safely in the period of Pandemic. I urge everybody to participate in this Sankalp Parv and plant and take care of at least one plant, so we can create healthy environment and a flourishing “Bharat”.

 

Shri Arjun Munda launches Tribes India products on Gem and new website of TRIFED through video conference

The unprecedented situation in our country due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has affected all segments of our society. The livelihoods of the poor and marginalised communities have been seriously impacted and the tribal are some of the worst affected in these trying times. To ease the burden of the tribal artisans during such troubled times, TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal affairs has initiated several immediate initiatives to re-energise the lagging economic activity for sustaining the livelihood development of tribal. Addressing a video Conference to launch the Trifed Digital Platforms, through Video Conference, Shri Arjun Munda, Union Minister for Tribal Affairs said that the Team of “Trifed Warriors” will take Tribal Commerce based on forest produces, handlooms & handicrafts to a new high for transforming tribal lives and livelihoods. He stated that with more and more people going online to meet their various needs – be it for business operations, shopping and communication, an important strategic push has been to adopt an all-encompassing digitisation drive to map and link its village based tribal producers to the national and international markets setting up state of art e-platforms benchmarked to international standards.

This was the key focus area of the webinar ‘TRIFED Goes Digital’ and “Be Vocal for Local’ #GoTribal” which was organised by TRIFED today and was attended by over 200 participants. The main highlight was the launch of the TRIBES India products on the Government e-Marketplace  (GeM) (with a diverse range on display) and TRIFED’s new website (https://trifed.tribal.gov.in) by Shri Arjun Munda, the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs. Shri Ramesh Chand Meena, Chairman, TRIFED, Smt. Pratibha Brahma, Board Member, TRIFED, Shri Rajeev Kandpal, JS& CFO, GeM and Smt Nanu Bhasin, ADG, PIB also attended the launch. The TRIFED team was represented by all the heads of departments and senior officials.

Expressing his hearty appreciation at the occasion, Shri Arjun Munda, the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs first inaugurated the TRIBES India store on Government e-Marketplace which can now help in facilitating purchases by Government and then the revamped website (https://trifed.tribal.gov.in/), which has all relevant details about the schemes and initiatives underway to the benefit of tribal communities.

In his address, Shri Munda spoke about the unprecedented situation that our world is facing and how the migrant labour has suffered a lot. He expressed his pleasure at the efforts being put by “the TRIFED Warriors” and the Ministry officials to revive the flagging economic condition of the tribal artisans and tribal gatherers. He emphasised that empowering the tribal communities and utilising their skills, which has so far been disconnected from the mainstream, should be of prime focus and we should capitalise on opportunities that have been thrown open during the unprecedented situation.

Shri Munda opined that TRIFED plays a major role in connecting the tribals to the mainstream and congratulated the team for their two major initiatives being launched today. Using nuggets from philosophy and management principles and real-life examples, he shared his views on the road ahead for the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and “the TRIFED Warriors” as they set about in their task to include the tribal communities in the mainstream. He urged them to focus on extracting and utilising the wealth of information and knowledge that the tribal communities have, especially with regard to the jungle, and how that can be used to not just benefit their community but also be of greater help to the country and people in these troubled times.

Post this detailed presentation on TRIFED’s activities, Shri Ramesh Chand Meena, Chairman, TRIFED congratulated the entire TRIFED team for its sustained efforts and was positive that the Rs 2 lakh crore (US$ 28.37 billion) tribal economy will definitely get doubled or trebled. Also, he was certain that these efforts would result in the products and produces of tribal gatherers and artisans would get maximum coverage – both in the country and abroad.

Earlier, in his welcome address, Shri Pravir Krishna, Managing Director, TRIFED thanked the Union Minister for his presence at the formal launch of the two digital initiatives through a webinar – a first definitely. Acknowledging the Union Minister’s unstinted support for the cause of tribal welfare, Shri Krishna spoke about TRIFED’s ambitious digitisation drive and how this is aimed at creating a level playing field for more than 50 lakh tribals (artisans, gatherers, dwellers) who will be connected with the mainstream using state-of-the art technology. Mr Krishna also thanked the GeM team for their cooperation in making the Tribes India store going live on GeM a reality.

Shri Rajeev Kandpal, JS& CFO, GeM in his address, spoke about how the TRIFED and GeM teams have worked hard under the overall guidance and leadership and this has resulted in the Tribes India store on GeM. Government Departments Ministries and PSUs can now access TRIBES India products via Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and shop as per GFR regulations. He pointed out that social inclusion was a major focus in GeM and that niche supplier segments such as start-ups, rural entrepreneurs, tribal entrepreneurs, women, tribals have been encouraged. Taking the example of the newly inaugurated Rural Development store, which has generated positive response.

Post this speech, a detailed presentation was made about the all-encompassing digital transformation strategy embarked upon by TRIFED and also the various measures put forth by the team to help ease the situation of the tribal community. The presentation began with a focus on the digital initiatives which are underway, especially two of which are being launched today. It also covered, at length, the measures taken by TRIFED and the Ministry of Tribal affairs to help ease the burden of tribals in the country. Touching upon both the MSP for MFP Scheme which has now emerged as a panacea for tribals with a total procurement of Rs 2,000 crore (US$ 283.73 million) (through government and private trade) and the successful implementation of the Van Dhan Yojana (Start-ups scheme), an initiative of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which has resulted in the establishment of 1205 Tribal Enterprises and providing employment opportunities to 3.6 lakh tribal gatherers and 18,075 Self-help groups in 22 States, the presentation covered the impact of these and other initiatives. Outcomes from different champion states such as Maharashtra, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Nagaland, Manipur were highlighted as examples. The presentation also threw light on the other measures during this crisis.

TRIFED has issued Advisories relating to MFPs to be kept in mind during COVID-19, providing suggestive practices for maintaining personal hygiene, adopting cashless practices, among others. It is working on setting up of 15,000 ‘Van Dhan Social Distancing Awareness cum Livelihood Centres’ from the recently sanctioned Van Dhan SHGs among the 1205 Van Dhan Kendras. TRIFED has also collaborated with UNICEF for developing a digital communication strategy for promoting the Abhiyaan. Additionally, TRIFED has partnered with the Art of Living Foundation’s #iStandWithHumanity Initiative with a Stand with Tribal Families component in providing much needed food and ration for survival of the tribal community.

The digital strategy takes into account the entire supply-demand tribal chain, each and every stage, and includes a state-of-art website ((https://trifed.tribal.gov.in), which offers all information related to the organisaton and its various tribal welfare schemes; setting up of an e-Market Place for Tribal Artisans to trade and directly market their products; digitisation of all information related to the forest dwellers engaged in its VanDhan Yojana, village haats and warehouses to which they are linked.

Keeping every aspect of tribal lives and commerce in mind, TRIFED has also commenced the digitisation of the procurement of MFPs through government and private trade and the related payments to tribals. Leveraging the e-commerce boom, TRIBES India products are available at www.tribesindia.com with all regions working together to ensure that varieties and offerings of all kinds are readily accessible at other platforms such Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Paytm, and Shopclues. These products range from creative masterpieces and artefacts such as Dokra metal craft pieces, beautiful pottery, different types of paintings to colourful, comfortable apparel, distinctive jewellery and organic and natural foods and beverages.

In addition, the Tribes India e-Marketplace, coming on the heels of the Retail Inventory Management System which has automated the sourcing and sale of stocks, is an ambitious initiative to on-board almost 5 lakh Tribal Artisans on the e- market platform to provide them access to national and international markets. This is likely to be commissioned by end July 2020.

TRIFED’s VanDhan Integrated Information Network facilitates the pooling of all information pertaining to forest dwellers engaged in Minimum Support Price Operations and its VanDhan Yojana linking them up to Village haats and Warehouses. This helps in monitoring the country wide programme and taking decisions to facilitate smooth implementation. This scheme has been implemented in 22 States touching the lives of almost 3,61,500 Tribals. The tribal clusters identified and mapped across the country are eligible beneficiaries under Atmanirbhar Abhiyan. The aim is to work in convergence with various Ministries and agencies and help bring the benefits to these vulnerable and distressed communities. TRIFED is equipped to advocate and support the tribal cause under Atmanirbhar Abhiyan.

Shri Anil Ramteke, ED, TRIFED concluded this inspiring and informative session with his Vote of Thanks. He thanked the Union Minister, Shri Arjun Munda for his inspiring and wise address and looked forward to his continued leadership and guidance.