Government's app challenge gets 7000 entries; screening process starts

The App Innovation Challenge launched by the Government has seen close to 7000 entrepreneurs and start-ups across the country apply for the contest which is aimed at promoting domestic applications over foreign ones.

The challenged was launched by Prime Minister on July 4 and the last day of sending entries was July 26.

According to the statement released by the authorities, “It has received a total of 6940 entries across the 8 categories under the AatmaNirbhar Bharat App Innovation Challenge. These include 3939 from individuals and about 3001 from organizations and companies. Amongst those received from individuals, around 1757 applications are ready to use and the remaining 2182 are under development. Around 271 of the Apps have more than 100,000 downloads with 89 of the Apps having million plus downloads.”

It further added that, "The Aatma Nirbhar Bharat App ecosystem has the potential to unlock value for the Indian tech Start-ups and help them get a pie of the multi trillion-dollar App Economy".

For the Apps submitted by the organisations, around 1,742 Apps have been already deployed and rest are under development. The maximum apps are under the social networking category followed by business, health and wellness and e-learning.

"The applicants are from all over the country including remote and small towns. This shows the talent that exists in our country and this App Innovation Challenge is the right opportunity for Indian Tech Developers, Entrepreneurs and companies to build for India at a scale, that is unparalleled anywhere in the World."

The major challenge faced by the Screening Committees is to identify the Apps that are robust, scalable, secure with an easy to use interface and give users an experience that will make them come back to the App. "Screening Committees have already begun scrutinising the Apps on various parameters."

Union Minister for HRD Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' launches India Report- Digital Education June 2020

Union Minister for HRD Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ today virtually launched India Report on Digital Education, 2020. Shri Pokhriyal said that the report elaborates on the innovative methods adopted by Ministry of HRD, Education Departments of States and Union Territories for ensuring accessible and inclusive education to children at home and reducing learning gaps. He also urged to all to read this report to get a better understanding of the various initiatives taken to facilitate remote learning and education for all by taking schools to the students.

Glad to launch India Report on #DigitalEducation, 2020 today. The report elaborates on the innovative methods adopted by Education Departments of States and Union Territories for ensuring accessible and inclusive #education to children at home and reducing learning gaps. pic.twitter.com/EuCz2TAXtu

— Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank (@DrRPNishank) July 28, 2020

School Education is envisaged as a comprehensive and convergent programme committed to universalize digital education across the wide spectrum of schools from pre-nursery to higher secondary classes. The quality digital education has acquired a new urgency in the present context of globalization. Ministry of Human Resource Development has initiated many projects to assist teachers, scholars and students in their pursuit of learning like DIKSHA platform, Swayam Prabha TV Channel, Online MOOC courses, On Air – Shiksha Vani,   DAISY by NIOS for differently-abled, e-PathShala, National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER) to develop e-content and energized books, telecast through TV channels, E-learning portals, webinars, chat groups, distribution of books and other digital initiatives along with State/ UT Governments.

The report has messages from the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, union Minister for HRD, Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank”, Minister of State for HRD, Shri Sanjay Dhotre, and Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, MHRD, Smt Anita Karwal,. The report has been prepared by Digital Education Division of MHRD in consultation with Education Departments of States and UTs.

Besides, the central Initiatives State/ UT Governments have also managed the critical task of providing digital education at the doorstep of the students. Some of the major medium to connect to the students were using social media tools like WhatsApp Group for all the classes, Online classes through YouTube channel, Google meet, Skype etc., E-learning portal, TV (Doordarshan & regional channels), Radio (AIR), use of Diksha was most prominent choice of all the stakeholders.

Some of the major digital initiatives by State Governments are SMILE (Social Media Interface for Learning Engagement) in Rajasthan, Project Home Classes in Jammu, Padhai Tunhar duvaar (Education at your doorstep) in Chhattisgarh, Unnayan Initiatives in Bihar through portal and mobile application, Mission Buniyaad in NCT of Delhi, Kerala’s own educational TV channel (Hi-Tech school programme), E-scholar portal as well as free online courses for teachers in Meghalaya. Telangana has online certificate programs for teachers on ‘Management of mental well-being during COVID’.

Some states have launched innovative mobile apps and portals as means to facilitate remote learning. Madhya Pradesh has launched Top Parent App, a free mobile app that empowers parents of young children (3-8 years) with knowledge and strategies around child development to help them meaningfully engage with their children. KHEL (Knowledge Hub for Electronic Learning), a Game Based Application has also been started, that covers class 1-3. Uttarakhand is making use of Sampark Baithak App through which primary school students can access animated videos, audios, worksheet, puzzles, etc. Assam has launched the Biswa Vidya Assam Mobile Application for class 6 to 10. Bihar has launched Vidyavahini App with e-books for class 1 to 12. Under Unnayan Bihar Initiative, Bihar has also launched Mera Mobile Mera Vidyalaya for students, and Unnayan Bihar Teacher App. Chandigarh has launched Phoenix Mobile application to assess the learning outcome for the students of class 1 to 8. Maharashtra has launched the Learning Outcomes Smart Q Mobile App to facilitate learning for students in the state. Punjab has launched iScuela Learn Mobile Application for class 1 to 10. Sikkim Edutech App connects all the schools of Sikkim under the State Education Department, Parents also have login access along with students, teachers and administrative units. Tripura has an application titled ‘EmpowerU Shiksha Darpan’ in order to facilitate student’s appraisal. Uttar Pradesh launches ‘Top Parent’ app targeting children from 3-8years age. The application currently houses three high-quality EdTech apps for children – Chimple, Maths Masti and Google Bolo.

States are also pioneering Whatsapp as a medium for education and to encourage teachers, parents, and students to stay connected. Odisha Shiksha Sanjog - a Whatsapp based digital learning programme has been launched in Odisha that shares e-content with class groups in a streamlined way. Education through Whatsapp is also being dispensed in Punjab, Puducherry. Rajasthan is using Whatsapp innovatively for Hawamahal – Joyful Saturday program where students will listen to stories and play the games with the instructions being shared to them via whatsapp. Mission Prerna ki e-Pathshala is a Teacher to student whatsapp group in Uttar Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh has launched three whatsapp campaigns namely, ‘Karona, Thodi Masti, Thodi Padhai for joyful learning & 'Har Ghar Pathshala’ where the State disseminates e-content, students go through the content and solve the worksheets thereby provided with teacher’s feedback. For students with special needs, the campaign has been named as “Hum Kisi se Kam Nahi- Mera Ghar Meri Pathshala''. The content is being shared through WhatsApp groups where special educators are assigned.

Many states have had to be creative with low tech forms of teaching and instruction delivery with low or nil requirements of the internet. For instance- In Arunachal Pradesh, primary class students are receiving interesting Radio talks in their mother tongue through All India Radio, Itanagar. The districts of Jharkhand have localized actual teachers addressing children through regional Doordarshan and available radio slots. Similar is Puducherry’s initiative telecasting the classes through virtual control rooms on local TV channels. Manipur has started comic books for students of class 3-5 to help them learn concepts in a fun way. Ladakh is collaborating with NGOs like EMBIBE Bangalore and 17000 feet in providing online education to students even in low connectivity zones. The missing element during the current crisis being ‘community engagement’, the idea of localized and personalized resources has come into picture. Popular features like quiz competitions are held by the state of Haryana.

To grapple with the challenges of providing remote learning, NIOS & Swayam Prabha contents are disseminated focusing on children who are not connected to the internet and have limited access to radio and TV. The initiatives from states to make available the content through innovative mediums are ensuring inclusion. For instance - Andhra Pradesh has started Toll Free Call Centre and Toll-Free Video call centre for students for understanding critical topics and clearing their doubts. Due to poor mobile connectivity and unavailability of internet services, Chhattisgarh has started Motor iskool. The state has also started a toll-free number as VFS (Virtual Field Support). Jharkhand has started the Roving teacher where many teachers keep moving to teach children. Gujarat started a Reading Campaign for Oral Reading Fluency- Vanchan Abhiyan and Parivar no maalo-salamat ane humfaalo (family’s nest-safe and warm) socio psychological support programme for children. West Bengal has also started an exclusive and dedicated toll-free helpline number to enable students to call and clarify doubts.

To ensure inclusive learning in remote areas where internet connectivity and electricity is poor and sporadic, States and UTs have also distributed textbooks at children’s doorsteps. Some of the states that have taken this initiative to reach students are Odisha, Madhya Pradesh (under Dakshata Unnayan Programme), Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, etc. Lakshadweep has distributed tablets equipped with e-contents to students. Nagaland has distributed study material through DVD/Pen drive to students at nominal cost. Jammu & Kashmir has distributed free tabs to students, along with laptops & Braille tactile readers for visually impaired learners.

Digital education initiatives are also enabling enhanced support for students preparing for competitive exams. Goa has partnered with Embibe, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered online platform for learning, practicing, and testing, for students preparing for entrance exams in the State. Karnataka has launched Pariksha Vani, an exam preparation program through Doordarshan, and an SSLC Exam Readiness Program. Online Practice tests with detailed analysis are available for Government and Government Aided Students of Tamil Nadu preparing for NEET exam.

Addressing diverse needs by states, personality development along with command over language is focused by NCT of Delhi for higher classes, amid lockdown mental well-being of children is also taken care of through happiness classes channelized through SMS/IVR for primary grade children. Similarly, other states are also focusing on mental well-being of students like Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are actively focusing on inclusive education for students with Special needs. In such a way, state’s education departments together are determined and committed to curb the learning crisis remotely.

The report can be accessed here:

 https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/India_Report_Digital_Education_0.pdf

IRCTC of Indian Railways and SBI Card launch Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform

In yet another initiative towards pursuance of the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister of ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’, ‘Digital India’ and ‘Make In India’ and towards fulfillment of the mission of Hon’ble Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal in achieving greater self-reliance for ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ and engaging with the world from a position of strength, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and State Bank of India (SBI) Card together launched their new Co-branded Contactless Credit Card on RuPay Platform. The new credit card was dedicated to the service of the nation today by Shri Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry.  

Speaking on the occasion, Hon’ble Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal said “We are strongly committed in making Railways ‘Aatma Nirbhar’ in all the fields with ‘Make In India’ initiatives as envisaged by Hon’ble Prime Minister. The IRCTC SBI co-branded card working on RuPay Platform is one of the many “Make in India” activities undertaken by the Railways”

With the aim to offer a safe transaction environment to the customers, the new RuPay credit card is equipped with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology whereby the users can expedite their transactions at the POS machines by just tapping the card on the machines without requiring to swipe the card.

Designed to reward frequent railway travellers, the new co-branded credit card offers the rail passengers maximum savings proposition on their travel together with exclusive benefits on retail, dining, and entertainment as well as transaction fee waivers.

The Cardholders will receive up to 10 per cent value back on 1st AC, 2nd AC, 3rd AC, Executive Chair Car & AC Chair Car bookings made at IRCTC website. The card also offers online transaction fee waiver (1 per cent of transaction amount), 1 per cent fuel surcharge waiver and 4 premium lounge free access at Railway stations in a year (one per quarter). The users of the card will receive 350 Bonus Reward Points upon activation of the card with a minimum spent. The users can redeem the accumulated reward points against purchase of train tickets on IRCTC’s ticketing website. In addition to savings on rail travel, the IRCTC SBI card offers several benefits for online shopping portals. Customers can avail discounts while shopping at e-commerce sites.

With RuPay’s increasing market share and gaining popularity among Indian customers, the RuPay powered IRCTC SBI Cobranded Credit Card is yet another step to provide RuPay users a delightful shopping experience.

The new co-branded credit card together substantiates the commitment of IRCTC, SBI Card and RuPay for promoting the Digital India initiatives and aims to ensure a safe, convenient, and improved travel experience for the rail passengers.

On mission mode, Railways pulls Freight traffic ahead of last year's level inspite of COVID-19 related challenges; On 27 July 2020 the freight loading was 3.13 MT which is higher than last year for the same date

On mission mode, Indian Railways achieved a significant milestone of pulling freight traffic ahead of last year's level in spite of COVID-19 related challenges. On 27 July 2020, the freight loading was 3.13 MT which is higher than last year for the same date. 

It may be noted that Hon’ble Prime Minister had emphasized upon achievement of long term and far reaching goals during the lockdown. Accordingly, Railways has completed nearly 200 infrastructure works in this period. Now Railways has achieved a milestone in freight transportation also.

The average speed of Freight Trains on 27 July 2020 was 46.16 kmph which is more than double as compare to last year for the same date (22.52 kmph). In the month of July, the average speed of freight trains is 45.03 kmph which is around double as compare to last year for the same month (23.22 kmph). West Central Railway with the average speed of 54.23 kmph, Northeast Frontier Railway with the speed of 51 kmph, East Central Railway 50.24 kmph, East Cost Railway 41.78 kmph, South East Central Railway 42.83 kmph, South Eastern Railway 43.24 kmph and Western Railway with the speed of 44.4 kmph are the leading Railway Zones in the average speed of freight train in Indian Railways.

On 27 July 2020, the total freight loading was 3.13 million tonnes which is higher than last year for the same date. On 27 July 2020 total 1039 no. of rakes loaded with freight in Indian Railways which includes 76 rakes of foodgrain, 67 rakes of fertilizer, 49 rakes of steel, 113 rakes of cement, 113 rakes of iron ore and 363 rakes of coal. 

It may be noted that these improvements in freight movements will be institutionalized and incorporated in the upcoming zero based timetable. These steps will lead to significantly higher freight traffic and earnings for Railways and cost competitive logistics for the entire country.

It is worth mentioning that a number of concessions/ discounts are also being given in Indian Railways to make Railways Freight movement very attractive. 

COVID-19 has been used by Railways an opportunity to improve all round efficiencies and performances.

Amara Raja, Blaze form JV to develop, manufacture IoT devices

Amara Raja Group entered in partnership with Blaze Automation to set up a joint venture (JV) to develop and manufacture IoT devices for global markets.

A JV entity Amara Raja Blaze Technologies Pvt Ltd (ARBT) will be set by the company.

The firm will leverage combined strengths and cumulative experience of the two companies to innovate, develop and manufacture IoT devices, Amara Raja said in a statement.

It is expected that the delivery of Made in India products to its customers by the company will start as early as September 2020, it added.

"We will lend our expertise and capabilities in the manufacturing space and leverage Blaze's design credentials to provide turnkey solutions that are both made and designed in India," Amara Raja Group’s Vice Chairman Mr Jayadev Galla said.

Currently, Amara Raja has portfolio in various verticals, including lead-acid batteries (AMARON brand), power conversion products, sheet metal products, plastic molding, precision components, and electronic manufacturing, among others.

Blaze Automation is an Internet of Things (IOT) company with offices in the US, India, and Australia. It specialises in end-to-end design, prototyping, sourcing, turnkey manufacturing, box building and testing of IoT devices.

Shri Sadananda Gowda launches Schemes and announces guidelines paving way for setting up of Bulk Drugs Parks & Medical Devices Parks in the country

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri DV Sadananda Gowda launched here today four schemes of Department of Pharmaceuticals for promotion of domestic manufacturing of bulk drugs and medical devices parks in the country. On this occasion MoS(i/c) for Shipping and MoS for Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO Niti Ayog, Dr P D Waghela, Secretary, Dept of Pharmaceuticals were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Gowda said that this is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and his clarion call for making India Atma Nirbhar in pharma sector. For this the Government of India has approved four schemes, two each for Bulk Drugs and Medical Devices parks. He exhorted the industry and the States to come forward and participate in these schemes. 

He said , India is often referred to as ‘the pharmacy of the world’ and this has been proved true especially in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when India continued to export critical lifesaving medicines to needy countries even during the countrywide lockdown. However, despite these achievements, it is a matter of concern that our country is critically dependent on imports for basic raw materials, viz. Bulk Drugs (Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)) that are used to produce some of the essential medicines. Similarly, in medical devices sector, our country is dependent on imports for 86 per cent of its requirements of medical devices. 

Shri Mandavia said that this is a very important initiative towards further developing Indian pharmaceutical capacities. Giving details of the Guidelines  Shri  Mandaviya  said that the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes for promoting domestic manufacturing of KSMs, DIs and APIs and medical devices will go a long way including to boost domestic manufacturing of 53 bulk drugs, on which India is critically dependent on imports. 

The list of 41 products contained in the scheme guidelines will enable domestic production of 53 bulk drugs. Financial incentives will be given to a maximum of 136 manufacturers selected under the scheme as a fixed percentage of their domestic sales of these 41 products manufactured locally with required level of domestic value addition. 

The incentives would be subject to annual ceilings communicated in the approval letter. The incentives would be given for a period of 6 years. In case of fermentation-based products, the rate of incentive is 20 per cent for first four years, 15 per cent for the fifth year and 5 per cent for the sixth year.

 In case of chemically synthesised products, rate of incentive is 10 per cent for all six years. The selected manufacturers shall have to complete committed investment above a threshold investment mandated for each product and achieve a prescribed minimum installed capacity before they are eligible to receive incentives. Threshold investment is Rs 400 crore (US$ 56.75 million) for four fermentation-based products and Rs 50 crore (US$ 7.09 million) for ten fermentation-based products. Similarly, threshold investment is Rs 50 crore (US$ 7.09 million) for four chemically synthesised products, and Rs 20 crore (US$ 2.84 million) for 23 chemically synthesised products. Minimum installed capacity to be achieved for each of the 41 products is prescribed in the guidelines. The incentives for fermentation-based products would be available from FY 2023-24 i.e. after a two-year gestation period during which the selected applicant has to complete the committed investment and install the committed capacity. 

For chemically synthesised products the incentives would be available from FY 2022-23 i.e. after a gestation period of one year during which the selected applicant has to make the committed investment and install the committed capacity. Any company, partnership firm, proprietorship firm or LLP registered in India and possessing a minimum net worth (including group companies) of 30 per cent of proposed investment is eligible to apply for incentives under the scheme. An applicant can apply for any number of products. 

The applicants will be selected based on a transparent composite evaluation criterion which include the annual production capacity committed by the applicant and the sale price of the product quoted by the applicant. Applicants quoting low sale price and higher production capacity will get higher marks in the evaluation.

The guidelines are available on the website of the Department of Pharmaceuticals. The salient features of the four schemes are:

The scheme is open for applications for a period of 120 days from the date of issuance of guidelines and the approval will be given to the selected applicants within 90 days from the closure of application window. Applications will be received only through an online portal. The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs 6,940 crore (US$ 984.54 million).
Scheme for promotion of Bulk Drug Parks: The scheme envisages creation of 3 bulk drug parks in the country. The grant-in-aid will be 90 per cent of the project cost in case of North-East and hilly States and 70 per cent in case of other States. Maximum grant-in-aid for one bulk drug park is limited to Rs 1000 crore (US$ 141.86 million).

States will be selected through a challenge method. The States interested in setting up the parks will have to ensure assured 24*7 supply of electricity and water to the bulk drug units located in the park and offer competitive land lease rates to bulk drug units in the park. The location of proposed park from environmental angle and logistics angle would be taken into account while selecting the States. 

The ease of doing business ranking of the state, incentive policies of the State applicable to bulk drug industry, availability of technical manpower in the state, availability of pharmaceutical/chemical clusters in the state will also be factored in while selecting the States. The interested States will be scored and ranked on an evaluation criterion, given in the guidelines, which captures above parameters. The States getting top 3 ranks will be selected. The States have to submit their proposal within 60 days of the date of issuance of the guidelines. Selection will be done, and in-principle approval will be given to three selected States within 30 days of last date of submission of proposals.

Thereafter, the 3 selected States will have to submit a Detailed Project Report (DPR) within 180 days of the in-principle approval based on which final approval will be given. The grant-in–aid will be released in four instalments. First three instalments will be 30 per cent each and the last will be 10 per cent of the grant-in-aid. The selected States will have to complete the parkas per the approved DPR within two years of date of release of first instalment of grant-in-aid. It is envisaged to have a single window system in these parks for all regulatory approvals under one roof. The creation of a centre of excellence is also envisaged to enable an ecosystem for Research and Development. The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs 3,000 crore (US$ 425.59 million).

Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for promoting domestic manufacturing of Medical Devices: The scheme intends to boost domestic manufacturing of medical devices in four target segments by giving financial incentives on sales to a maximum number of 28 selected applicants for a period of 5 years. Financial incentive will be given at a rate of 5 per cent of the sales of domestically manufactured medical devices. The incentives would be subject to annual ceilings communicated in the approval letter the incentives would be available from FY 2021-22. Four target segments are:-

Cancer care / Radiotherapy medical devices
Radiology & Imaging medical devices (both ionizing & non-ionizing   radiation products) and Nuclear Imaging devices Anesthetics and Cardio-Respiratory medical devices including catheters of Cardio-Respiratory Category and Renal Care medical devices
AII Implants including implantable electronic devices.

Any company registered in India and possessing a minimum net worth (including group companies) of Rs 18 crore (US$ 2.55 million) (30 per cent of threshold investment of first year) is eligible to apply for incentives under the scheme. The applicant can apply for multiple products within one target segment as well as multiple target segments. The selected applicants shall have to complete a threshold investment prescribed for each year and achieve a minimum prescribed sale for that year for them to be eligible to receive incentives. The application window is 120 days from the date of issuance of guidelines and the approval thereafter to the selected applicants will be accorded within 60 days from the date of closure of application window. The applications will be received only through an online portal. The total financial outlay of the scheme is Rs 3,420 crore (US$ 485.18 million).

CEO NITI Ayog, Shri Amitabh Kant said India Produces huge number of Generic medicines as well as more than 500 API, still it has to import large quantity of API. He said prime minister wants to reduce dependency on imports. Secretary pharmaceuticals Shri P D Vaghela gave a detailed presentation of the guidelines.

It is expected that these schemes will make India not only self-reliant but also capable of catering to the global demand for the selected bulk drugs and medical devices. This is a golden opportunity for the investors since incentivisation to industry and world-class infrastructure support simultaneously will help in bringing down the cost of production significantly. These schemes along with the liberal FDI policy in these sectors and an effective corporate tax rate of about 17 per cent (including surcharge and cess) will give a competitive edge to India in the selected products vis-à-vis other economies. 

Indian Railways hands over 10 Broad Gauge Locomotives to Bangladesh

In a handing over ceremony held today, 10 Broad Gauge (BG) locomotives were virtually flagged off to Bangladesh by the External Affairs Minister, Dr S. Jaishankar and the Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal. The event was also attended by the Minister of State for Railways, Shri Suresh C. Angadi. From the Bangladesh end, Minister of Railway, Md. Nurul Islam Sujan and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abul Kalam Abdul Momen received the locomotives on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh.

The handing over of these locomotives, under grant assistance from the Government of India, fulfills an important commitment made during the visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina to India, in October 2019. In keeping with the requirements of Bangladesh Railway, the locomotives have been suitably modified by the Indian side. These locomotives will help handle the increasing volume of passenger and freight train operations in Bangladesh.

Speaking on the occasion, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said, “I am delighted to join this ceremony of handing over 10 locomotives to Bangladesh. I am glad to know that Parcel and container trains have been started between both the countries. This will open up new opportunities for our businesses. I am happy to note that movement of trade by rail have been ensured. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the supply of essentials particularly in the holy month of Ramadan were ensured.” He further highlighted the depth of time-tested India-Bangladesh ties, based on mutual trust and respect. He expressed his happiness that the COVID pandemic had not slowed down the pace of bilateral cooperation and conveyed that he looked forward to more such milestones in the ongoing historic Mujib Barsho.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Railways and Commerce & Industry Shri Piyush Goyal said, “It gives me immense pleasure to hand over 10 broad gauge locomotives for the use of Bangladesh Railways. These locomotives will be useful in handling the on-going freight train operations between India and Bangladesh. To ensure the usability of these locos in Bangladesh, they have been modified. We have been huge strides forward in our respective efforts at achieving development and growth. India & Bangladesh have come a long way in the last few years. Our bilateral relationship today is at its very best. Our neighbourhood policy follows PM Shri Narendra Modi ji's vision of Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas. The leadership of both, India & Bangladesh, are committed to reviving the pre-1965 railway connection between the two countries. Out of the 7-rail links that existed then, 4 are functional now. To further strengthen rail connectivity in the region, one new rail link, between Agartala in India and Akhaura in Bangladesh is being constructed & finance under Grant Assistance of India. During COVID-19, both Railways have shown exemplary foresight in managing the crisis and maintained the supply chain by stepping up transportation of essential commodities. Parcel train and container train services have been introduced via Benapole in Bangladesh. Both these services have already started in the month of July. These have enabled us to move a wide range of products from both sides. Railways have ensured that the two countries can continue our bilateral trade without any disruption & health risk. Both Railways are ensuring a better future for the people.” During his address, on behalf of the Indian Railways, Shri Piyush Goyal also committed complete, unstinted and unlimited support to Bangladesh in its development of Bangladesh rail network. He underscored the significance of railway cooperation in enhancing bilateral trade and connectivity and in further boosting the economic partnership between the two countries.

In the recent times, India and Bangladesh have stepped up their rail cooperation in mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as trade via land border faced disruptions. Rail as a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution, has helped in transporting essential commodities across the border. Both sides saw the highest ever exchange of freight trains in the month of June. A total of 103 freight trains were utilized for carrying essential commodities and raw materials.

Recently, parcel and container train services have also commenced between India and Bangladesh. This is expected to significantly enhance the scope of bilateral trade.

PM launches High Throughput COVID testing facilities at Kolkata, Mumbai and Noida

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched three high throughput COVID-19 testing facilities via video conferencing today. These facilities are located at the National Institutes of Indian Council of Medical Research, at Kolkata, Mumbai, and Noida.

Prime Minister said that these hi-tech state-of-the-art testing facilities will boost the testing capacity by almost 10,000 daily tests.  More number of tests will assist early detection and treatment, thereby helping fight the spread of the virus. He added that these labs will not be limited to testing for COVID, but in future, will also be able to test for Hepatitis B and C, HIV, Dengue, and several other diseases.

Timely decisions

Prime Minister underlined that due to timely decisions taken by the government, India is better placed vis-a-vis other countries in terms of deaths due to COVID. The recovery rate is also higher than other countries and is improving on a daily basis. The total number of people who have recovered from the virus is about to reach 10 lakh.

Corona specific health infrastructure

Prime Minister said that it was imperative for the country to develop corona specific health infrastructure at a fast pace. He noted that the Centre had announced a package of Rs 15,000 crore at the beginning of this battle. The country now has more than 11,000 COVID facilities and more than 11 lakh isolation beds.

While the country had only one COVID testing centre in January, there are almost 1300 such labs now. He said that at present, more than 5 lakh tests are being conducted in the country daily, and efforts are underway to increase this capacity to 10 lakh in the coming weeks.
He noted that the country has become the second largest PPE kit manufacturer. The country has progressed from not having even a single PPE kit manufacturer as recently as six months ago, to having more than 1200 manufacturers now, who are producing more than 5 lakh such kits daily. He also highlighted that from being dependent on imports, now more than 3 lakh N-95 masks are being produced in the country daily, annual production capacity of ventilators has become 3 lakh and there has also been a significant increase in the production of medical oxygen cylinders. This has not only helped save lives but has also converted India from an importer to an exporter.

Talking about efforts to contain the spread in rural areas, Prime Minister mentioned the need to develop new health infrastructure as well as boost the already existing health infrastructure facilities in the villages.

Ramping up human resource

Prime Minister said that apart from developing the physical infrastructure, the country has also managed to swiftly ramp up human resources including paramedics, ASHA workers, Anganwadis etc, who have played a significant part in controlling the spread of the pandemic. He also spoke about the need to work on continuously attaching new and retired health professionals with the health system to prevent fatigue from setting in our corona warriors.

Being safe during festivities

He forewarned people to be cautious during the celebrations of the festivals to come, to keep the virus contained. He underlined that the benefits of PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna should reach the poor timely. He added that till the time a vaccine is not developed, do gaz doori, wearing masks and hand sanitization are the tools at the disposal of the people to keep them safe.

Union Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan said that labs to test for COVID are now available across the country. He also spoke about the Union Home Minister working along with Delhi Chief Minister to control the spread of the virus in the national capital.

 Chief Ministers speak

The Chief Ministers thanked the Prime Minister for the launch of the testing facilities. Maharashtra Chief Minister Shri Uddhav Thackeray praised the leadership of the Prime Minister in the tough circumstances. He spoke about the ‘chase the virus’ initiative in Mumbai and discussed establishing permanent infection hospitals.

West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee appreciated the cooperative attitude of the Prime Minister towards the States, spoke about efforts to track cases, use of tele-medicine and also about the need to ramp up facilities in some of the existing labs in the State.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath expressed his gratitude towards the Prime Minister for his untiring efforts in this fight against the virus. He said that these labs launched today will dramatically reduce testing time. He mentioned about ramping up testing ability in the State and the plan to increase the number of daily antigen tests.

Background

These three high-throughput testing facilities have been set up strategically at ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, Noida; ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai; and ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata, and will be able to test over 10,000 samples in a day. These labs will also reduce turn-around-time and exposure of lab personnel to infectious clinical materials. The labs are enabled to test diseases other than COVID as well, and post the pandemic, will be able to test for Hepatitis B and C, HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia, Neisseria, Dengue, etc.

Increase in AI by Indian firms can result in 2.5 per cent increase in India's GDP: Report

India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the immediate term can witness an increase of 2.5 per cent with a substantial rise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) by Indian firms, a study has found.

Investments in software, databases, and computer machinery as a proxy for AI was considered in the study and AI intensity was measured as the ratio of AI to total sales of the firm.

The study was conducted by IT industry body Nasscom along with think-tank ICRIER and Internet giant Google and is called Implications of AI on the Indian Economy. It said that to produce a positive growth shock, AI intensities should be sharply increased.

Earlier, Government has allocated an investment of Rs 7,000 crore (US$ 993.05 million) in the Union Budget towards an Artificial Intelligence. It is expected to increase the AI intensity by approximately 1.3 times, translating into spill over benefits of 3.2 per cent increase in India’s GDP.

Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said Artificial Intelligence has become a strategic lever for economic growth across nations and will continue to be one of the most crucial technologies of the future. "By integrating new technologies like AI and ML into various sectors, we can radically leapfrog and catch up with advanced economies.”

Policy measures were also suggested under the report to support AI’s wider adoption in India which includes identifying a nodal agency for the development and diffusion of AI, building collaborative frameworks for engagement between governments, industry and academia; building an all-encompassing data strategy for India and addressing India’s skill gap in AI among others.

Mr Rajat Kathuria, Director and CE, ICRIER said, “The government has an active role to play in creating institutions and providing public goods that enable India’s AI ecosystem, while also encouraging private actors to innovate and thrive.” “The vast impacts of AI and the current circumstances combine to merit mission mode action of AI programs across sectors, by government at all levels. This will help overcome the inherent market failure evident in early phases of any technology”, he added.

Mukesh Ambani's RIL overtakes Exxon to become world's no 2 energy company

Reliance Industries Ltd., controlled by Asia’s richest man Mr Mukesh Ambani, toppled ExxonMobil Corp. to become the world’s largest energy company after Saudi Aramco, as investors piled into the conglomerate lured by the Indian firm’s digital and retail forays.

On July 24, 2020, Reliance, which manages the biggest refinery complex, gained 4.3 per cent in Mumbai adding US$ 8 billion to take its market value to US$ 189 billion, while Exxon Mobil erased about US$ 1 billion. Reliance has witnessed a 43 per cent rise in its shares this year while Exxon’s shares have dropped 39 per cent as the refineries are struggling across the globe with a plunge in fuel demand. The world’s biggest energy company is Aramco with a market capitalization of US$ 1.76 trillion.

The contribution of energy business in the total revenue in the year ended March 31 was about 80 per cent, Chairman Mr Mukesh Ambani’s plan to expand the company’s digital and retail arms and has so far attracted US$ 20 billion into the Jio Platforms Ltd. unit. This has helped in adding US$ 22.3 billion to Ambani’s wealth this year, driving him to the fifth spot in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The deals involve investments from Google to Facebook Inc. into digital platform in recent months. The 63-year-old tycoon has identified technology and retail as future growth areas in a pivot away from the energy businesses he inherited from his father who died in 2002.

The large scale global oil demand has seen a decline to some 30 million barrels a day, or a third of regular usage, in April and has caused trouble in energy markets, from which they’ve only recently started to recover. The big oil companies have suffered because of worst-in-a-generation oil prices combined with OPEC production cuts, leading to collapse of refining margins and millions of barrels of unsold crude.