Veteran screenwriter Buck Henry, credited for penning Hollywood classics such as The Graduate and Heaven Can Wait, passes away at the age of 89. According to Deadline, Henry died after suffering a heart attack at Cedars-Sinai Health Center in Los Angeles. Born Henry Zuckerman in 1930 in New York City, the writer was the son of silent film star Ruth Taylor. He was known as Buck Hendry
Legendary balladeer and sarangi maestro from Punjab, Sharif Idu passes away at age 80. He was conferred with the country’s highest honour for performing arts — the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2006 in dhadi folk music category — by then President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
The Department of Biotechnology in the Union Ministry of Science and Technology has provided funds to Coimbatore-based Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to set up a biotechnology ‘KISAN hub’ under its farmers-centric mission Biotech-Krishi Innovation Science Application Network (Biotech-KISAN) programe to link India’s farmers with Indian and global best in science.
The hub has a low cost hydrponic demonstration unit, silage making facility, moisture meter, a nutritional forage cafeteria and a power back up facility to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the demonstration unit. The hub has been established at a cost of Rs. 11.14 lakhs at the Department of Forage Crops in the Centre for Plant Breeding and Genetics at the University. Six scientists from the partnering institutes were selected and trained on improved fodder varieties and its cultivation and preservation.
Eminent Agricultural Scientist Dr M S Swaminathan and well-known social worker Dr. Gutta Muniratnam, were respectively chosen as the first recipients of ‘Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu National Award for Excellence’ and ‘Muppavarapu National Award for Social Service’’.
Dr. Swaminathan was awarded for his distinguished contributions to the field of agriculture while Dr G Muniratnam, was awarded for his extraordinary contribution in improving quality of people’s lives through social service.
The National Award for Excellence was instituted by the Muppavarapu Foundation, while the one for Social Service was launched by the Swarna Bharat Trust, in Hyderabad. Each award carries a cash prize of Rupees Five Lakh and citation.
KfW, a German development bank, will assist the Andhra Pradesh government with a Rs 711 crore loan for expanding the climate-resilient Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) in the state over the next five years. The state government will spend another Rs 304 crore on the project under which 2.39 lakh farmers in 591 village panchayats will be encouraged to take up ZBNF.
The ZBNF project is being undertaken by the state government, dovetailing the Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) of the Centre, with the Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives extending technical support. It has already launched ZBNF is over 3,011 villages covering an extent of 1.28 lakh hectares.
Agriculture Minister Kanna Babu also launched a toll-free number, 1800 599 3366, for enquiries related to the insurance scheme launched by the YSRCP government. The helpline will be functional from 10 am to 10 pm. YSR Rythu Bharosa for financial assistance to farmers, interest-free loans, free insurance for farmers, free borewell and free power supply to farmlands are among the schemes announced for farmers.
India Ratings and Research stated India will have to raise its labour productivity growth to 6.3% to achieve 8% GDP growth while it has to be up by 7.3% in order to achieve economic growth of 9%. The labour productivity growth in the current financial year has been pegged at 5.2%. Labour productivity during 2004-05 to 2007-08 have stood at 8.5%.
It is 40.4% higher than the level attained in FY19. Given the growth slowdown, it looks unlikely in the near term but is not unachievable. India’s labour productivity growth, like other nations, came under pressure in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, especially during FY11-FY15 (5.0%). However, it recovered thereafter and grew at 5.8% during FY16-FY19.
HDFC Bank launched myApps application to boost digital payments in India. myApps is a unique customised suite of banking products to benefit urban local bodies, housing societies, local clubs and gymkhanas and religious institutions. In a first, HDFC bank is helping organisations to entirely digitise their ecosystem through myApps. At present HDFC Bank is offering four types of applications — mySociety, myClub, myPrayer and myCity.
myApps will allow institutions to customise their branding and content. One can publish their application on the Google PlayStore or Apple AppStore in the name of the institution, myApps will be free to all members of each institution. There will be no monthly subscription charges. Members can pay monthly bill or fee and make an online booking for different facilities via myApps.
myApps will enable the organisation to get easy access to reports on payments, facilities booked by members, requests and complaints registered by users. They can also use the app to broadcast notices and engage with members on various events. There are also no restrictions on the number of users.
State Bank of India (SBI), in a joint promotional campaign with Metro Cash & Carry India, has launched value-added services at its Bengaluru Centre. Similar promotional campaigns are planned at Metro Cash & Carry centres across the country. Under the arrangement, SBI will offer existing and new customers of Metro Cash & Carry, services such as opening SBI current accounts, issuing business debit cards, POS machines, digital products and other asset products.
Loans are also being offered to eligible Metro customers for renovation of their outlets. The campaign was launched simultaneously at three Metro Cash & Carry stores at Yeshwanthpur, Binneypet and Kanakapura and at SBI Mahalaxmi Layout, Chamrajpet and Doddakallasandra branches. SBI’s existing and new SME customers will also be offered pre-approved Metro Cash & Carry cards along with a welcome gift voucher.
State Bank of India (SBI), in the XIII Phase of sale, has been authorised to issue and encash Electoral Bonds through its 29 Authorized Branches w.e.f. 01.2020 to 22.01.2020. As per provisions of the Scheme, Electoral Bonds may be purchased by a person who is a citizen of India or incorporated or established in India. A person being an individual can buy Electoral Bonds, either singly or jointly with other individuals.
Only the Political Parties registered under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (43 of 1951) and which secured not less than one per cent of the votes polled in the last General Election to the House of the People or the Legislative Assembly of the State, shall be eligible to receive the Electoral Bonds.
The Electoral Bonds shall be encashed by an eligible Political Party only through a Bank account with the Authorized Bank. It may be noted that Electoral Bonds shall be valid for fifteen calendar days from the date of issue and no payment shall be made to any payee Political Party if the Electoral Bond is deposited after expiry of the validity period. The Electoral Bond deposited by an eligible Political Party in its account shall be credited on the same day.
Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department has launched a massive publicity campaign at the ongoing South Asian Trade and Travel Exchange Expo (SATTE) 2020, to showcase diverse tourism attractions of the twin regions. Aimed at building new business partnerships, SATTE is an important avenue for the promotion of tourism.
The three-day expo, sponsored by J&K Tourism Department and supported by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has been organized in New Delhi. The 27th Edition of SATTE has witnessed participation of over 1,000 delegates from over 50 countries and 28 Indian states.