Category: All Current Affairs

National Book Trust appoints Lt. Col. Yuvraj Malik as director

Lt. Col. Yuvraj Malik has been appointed the Director of the National Book Trust (NBT). Malik, who has taken over from Sahitya Akademi awardee writer Rita Chowdhury, joined the NBT on deputation from the Indian Army on January 8.

The officer has served with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs, Raj Bhawan in Jammu & Kashmir, United Nation Missions in Africa and several operational areas in administrative and operational assignments including Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Punjab and Rajasthan. He has 15 years of administrative experience in various capacities in government organisations.

Samiya Naseem appointed as the judge of Chicago

US Attorney General William Barr appointed Indian origin Samiya Nasim as the judge of Chicago. Recently Samia took the oath of justice in the main ceremony in the main building of the Justice Department of Chicago.

Prior to this Samiya has served in many big positions. 37 years old Samiya was born in the US, while her father Khalid Naseem was born and brought up in Gorakhpur’s Gita Press area.

World Future Energy Summit commences in UAE

The World Future Energy Summit opens at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, UAE on Monday, with around 35,000 people expected to attend from 170 countries. The theme for World Future Energy Summit is “Rethinking Global Consumption, Production, and Investment”. The Summit will conclude on 17th January, 2020.

The four-day event, which is the largest of its kind, will include exhibition and forum programs addressing energy, solar, water, waste and smart cities. There will also be a focus on clean energy generation, water sustainability, and how digital innovation can help to improve the quality of life in an urban environment.

PayU to acquire PaySense for $185 mn, merge it with LazyPay

Fintech company PayU is set to acquire a controlling stake in PaySense and all its assets at a valuation of $185 million. It has also announced plans to merge its growing digital credit platforms LazyPay and PaySense to build a full-stack digital lending platform in India.

The company will also inject a total of up to $200 mn in the new enterprise in the form of equity capital, it said in a statement. Out of this, $65 mn will be immediately invested, while the balance corpus will be infused in the next 24 months to grow the loan book.

The merger comes part of PayU’s long term vision of orchestrating a fintech ecosystem in India by partnering with the right companies and offering multiple financial services. PayU’s unified digital credit platform will enable third parties such as banks, NBFCs and alternate lenders to co-lend and grow assets and will also enable borrowers to access credit when and where they need it in a digital and seamless way. 

LinguaSol Launched the Website Translator for SMEs

Pune-based LanguageTech company ‘LinguaSol’, one of the premier language solution providers across the globe, recently launched a cost-effective website translation solution Website Translator 1.0. for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to localise their websites and applications.

Website Translator 1.0 is a useful translation service for SMEs that intend to expand their business. LinguaSol projects it as a positive initiative towards helping SMEs with the localization part. The LinguaSol software is a unique solution that can localize the UI of any website or any enterprise software in any language without modifying the source code.

Hyderabad: UK-based Big Innovation Centre opens new office

Big Innovation Centre (BIC), headquartered in the United Kingdom, has opened its India office in Hyderabad. It provides research and consulting services for the corporate, public institutes to address economic challenges and innovation capabilities. The India office is headed by Abdul Rehman.

It will offer thought leadership and advisory services on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Virtual Reality and others for more sustainable way of living and inclusivity. Big Innovation Centre has already launched its innovation hubs in Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Goa: Smriti Irani launches 3 welfare schemes for women

Union minister for women and child development and Member of Parliament from Amethi, Smriti Irani has launched 3 welfare schemes for women in Goa. The schemes are Yashaswini Scheme for Women Entrepreneurship, Swasthya Sahayak Project and breast cancer screening initiative handheld device facilitating detection of cancer.

Under the Yashaswini scheme, women self-help groups (SHGs) will be given interest-free loans of up to Rs.5 lakh for business. Also, Adarsha Satari Mahila Mandal Guleli -Sattari, Phoenix Women’s Wing Self-Help Group, Umang Self-Help Group, Salcete, Valpoi -Sattari were also given loans under the scheme. It aims to support women entrepreneurs in the state.

Under the Swasthya Sahayak scheme, primary healthcare workers and Anganwadi workers will be given a diagnostic kit. The diagnostic kit was developed by the Public Health Foundation of India, in association with Procter and Gamble to manufacture and supply the kits using corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund. 

Under the breast cancer screening initiative, the Anganwadi and healthcare workers will screen women for breast cancer using handheld devices. The initiative aims to reach out to the women in rural parts of the state. It is expected that the delivery of health services will become more accessible and affordable. Using this device, 20,000 women will be screened for breast cancer.

Gujarat: India’s 1st Cyber Crime Prevention Unit launched by Amit Shah

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, launched the first Cyber Crime Prevention Unit of India “AASHVAST” in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. He also launched 2 other projects: VISWAS (Video Integration and State Wide Advanced Security) & NETRANG. AASHVAST project will act as a helpline for the cyber crime victims.

All projects are first of their kinds, VISWAS and NETRANG will help AASHVAST to prevent any cyber crime. With the help of these projects government will also try to maintain the law and order management. These projects will also help to prevent traffic issue’s and also control, Crime detection through video analytics.

Jasprit Bumrah and Poonam Yadav to get BCCI’s Polly Umrigar Award

Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah; and Poonam Yadav to receive the BCCI’s prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for the best international cricketer male and female.

Jasprit Bumrah will receive the award for his super performance in international cricket in the 2018-19 season. World’s No. 1 ODI bowler made his Test debut during India’s tour of South Africa in January 2018. Poonam Yadav will be awarded the best international cricketer (women).