Page 177 - India

IFC MD Diop meets FM Sitharaman, discusses lending opportunities in India

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday met International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop and discussed increasing lending opportunities in India. IFC is the private sector funding arm of the World Bank. She reiterated India's expectation of a rise in IFC's lending to India to USD 2-2.5 billion in the next 1-2 years and USD 3-3.5 billion in next 3-4 years, the finance ministry said in a series of tweets. "Mr @Diop_IFC shared the sentiment of IFC's expansion into India & stated that IFC would adopt a proactive approach to enhance #investment in India and extend financing to MSMEs to enable capacity building to supplement India's effort to become a manufacturing hub," another tweet said. He further emphasised the potential of looking into sub-national financing for sustainable growth, and mobilise financing for women entrepreneurs.

India needs to retain its identity, not imitate other countries: RSS chief

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said India needs to retain its essence and identity by embracing its scriptures and ancient history and should not try to imitate other countries, or else it would become a "laughing stock". The process of preserving identity and connecting with "our glorified past" cannot be undertaken overnight and will require a sustained campaign, he said at an event. "If we would take an about-turn suddenly, the vehicle will topple, so we will have to do this slowly and steadily. History is not merely about books, it is very much about geography and people," he said. Bhagwat said it was unfortunate that people in the country "accepted the narrative of powers that came from outside" and sought to "ridicule our history, ancestors, values and cultural practices." Speaking at the launch of a book -- Connecting with the Mahabharata -- Bhagwat cautioned against blindly aping other countries. "There is a need to read and feel proud of our scriptures and history and

IND vs AUS 1st T20I: Predicted playing 11, toss timing and latest team news

Australia vs India: Get the latest playing 11 predictions, toss updates, and team news from the first T20I of the three-match series between India and Australia at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali

IND vs AUS 1st T20I: Pitch Report, Weather Update of PCA Stadium, Mohali

India vs Australia 1st T20I pitch report: Over the years, the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali has favoured the fast bowlers and shot-making has also been very easy

IND vs AUS 1st T20I Preview: India's search for a set template to continue

India vs Australia 1st T20I preview: The Indian team would continue its search for a template as they will face Australia in the first match of the three-match series at Mohali

India can benefit from Israeli techniques in horticulture: Expert

Pushing ahead on the agenda to take Indo-Israel cooperation in the field of agriculture to the "next level", a third major delegation of 19 agricultural officers drawn from seven different states in India have concluded a two weeks training programme on horticulture management. The programme "Horticulture Management: The Israeli Value Chain" was organised by Mashav Agricultural Training Centre (MATC) in Shefayim and the course focussed on the possibility of replicating the "Israeli value chain". MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation working with the Foreign Ministry, looks at providing developing countries with the best of Israel's experience in development and planning and has served as an important arm of the ministry's diplomatic outreach programme. The delegation visited several Israeli nurseries to explore the potential to import the planting materials of Israeli varieties suitable for India in the field of horticulture. Field visits to various ...

India on path of becoming world superpower in next 25 yrs: Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday said India is moving strongly on the path of becoming more resilient, capable and stronger and will become the world superpower by 2047. She was addressing a gathering at a health check-up camp organised on the occasion of 'Seva Diwas' being celebrated as part of the celebrations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 72nd birthday. She said the country is moving strongly on the path of becoming more resilient, capable and stronger under the leadership of PM Modi. "The Prime Minister has laid the foundation for India's charge to the top and there is now no stopping India from moving on the path of becoming more resilient, capable and stronger, and ultimately becoming the world superpower in the next 25 years," said the union minister for women and child development, and minority affairs. The camp where Irani addressed the crowd was inaugurated by Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit. He said serving the poor and needy people by organising such a bi

India didn't give freebies during covid, helped with free ration: UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that India was the only country in the world during the coronavirus pandemic that did not go give freebies but helped 80 crore people with free ration. The chief minister said this addressing a gathering here at Indira Gandhi Prathisthaan after inaugurating an exhibition to mark the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "India was the only country, which did not distribute any 'revrhi' (freebies) but when the need arose, free ration was provided to 80 crore people. And, more than 200 crore free vaccine doses were also made available," he said. "India was the only country that did not waver during the coronavirus pandemic and but continued its journey forward with full patience and strength. The credit for this goes to the leadership of the PM," Adityanath said. The chief minister said it is a matter of pride that the country has emerged as the fifth largest economy in the world. India's ability is being recognised

No efforts made for decades to reintroduce cheetahs in India: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the previous governments, saying that no constructive efforts were made to reintroduce cheetahs in India after they became extinct from the country seven decades ago. He also said that the Project Cheetah, under which the felines were reintroduced, was his government's endeavour towards environment and wildlife conservation. Modi, who turned 72 on Saturday, was speaking after releasing two of the eight cheetahs flown in from Namibia into special enclosures in the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh. "It is unfortunate that we declared cheetahs extinct in 1952, but for decades no constructive efforts were made to reintroduce them in India. Now, with new strength and vigour, the country has embarked on the project of reviving the population of cheetahs during this 'amrit kaal'," he said. In his address after kicking off the cheetah introduction project conceived by the previous United Progressive Alliance

India deepens strategic autonomy-bonds with SCO, IPEF and Russia

India is the only common member country to be a part of the SCO and the US-driven Indo Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF).

PM Modi airs 3-point initiative to boost SCO countries' collective rise

PM Modi cited start-ups, traditional medicine, and food security as domains where India can pioneer a collective initiative for the region.

Back in India after 7 decades; plane carrying 8 cheetahs lands in Gwalior

Eight cheetahs from Namibia landed here on Saturday, as part of the programme to reintroduce the feline in India seven decades after it was declared extinct in the country. A modified Boeing aircraft, which took off from the African country Friday night, carried the cheetahs in special wooden crates during the around 10-hour journey. The plane landed at the Gwalior airbase shortly before 8 am, an official said. They will be flown to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is celebrating his birthday, will release three of the cheetahs in quarantine enclosures of the park at 10.45 am. The animals are being flown from Gwalior to Kuno in Sheopur district, 165 km away, in an Air Force helicopter, and the journey will take about 20-25 minutes, an official said. Officials battled heavy rain, inclement weather and some blocked roads to complete the preparations for Modi's programme to release the big cats in their new home in Kuno. Two days before M

Strengthening defence ties with Paris provide hope for submarine deal

For France, which is still reeling from Australia's cancellation of a $90-bn order for Shortfin Barracuda conventional submarines, India offers an irresistible strategic opportunity

Children should be well-fed for healthy, empowered nation, says Adityanath

For the nation's healthy and empowered future, children should be well-fed and free from malnutrition, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday. In his address while launching a National Nutrition Month programme at Lok Bhawan, Adityanath said if a teenager girl or child is well nourished, then society and the nation will move towards achieving the goal of becoming healthy and empowered. According to an official statement, the chief minister inaugurated 501 anganwadis and laid the foundation of 199 such centres. He also released a nutrition manual for the capacity building of anganwadi workers. He also launched a mobile app, "Sahyog", for collaborative supervision of anganwadis. The chief minister performed "annaprashan" of two children. He said 1.7 crore children strengthen their foundation through anganwadis in the state.

India is taking risk by picking only 4 specialist pacers in T20 WC: Johnson

India's squad composition for the T20 World Cup seems a "bit risky" as they are probably "a pacer short" for the bouncy pitches Down Under, feels former Australia speedster Mitchell Johnson. The skillful Mohammad Shami has been kept on standby which has surprised a few experts of the game as Indian selectors kept faith on the quartet led by Jasprit Bumrah with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh in its ranks. "If you got an all-rounder (fast bowling) and couple of spinners, four fast bowlers it is a bit of a risk. But India are probably looking at playing two pacers and an all rounder (Hardik Pandya) and two spinners," Johnson, who is in India to take part in Legends League Cricket, told PTI. "In Australia you surely need to play three fast bowlers, possibly four in certain conditions, for example Perth. I guess they have a plan going in but it is a bit of a risk if you only take four (pacers)," the former left-arm tearaway quick. In Indian set-up, only Bumrah is

Singapore's Deputy PM to arrive in India for 5-day official visit on Sep 17

Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong will arrive in India on Saturday on a five-day official visit to deepen the existing cooperation and identify opportunities for mutually beneficial collaboration in new and emerging areas, the Prime Minister's Office here said on Friday. This will be Wong's first official visit to the country in his capacity as the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. He will participate in the inaugural India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) in New Delhi on Saturday, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement. The ISMR is a new ministerial platform between the two countries, seeking to "deepen existing cooperation and identify opportunities for mutually-beneficial collaboration in new and emerging areas", it said. Wong, who is also the Finance Minister, will attend the ISMR with Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge

India supports cooperation and mutual trust among SCO members: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on the SCO to develop reliable and resilient supply chains to offset the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis and said better connectivity and granting "full rights" of transit facilities by member states is important to achieve the goal. In his address at the summit of the eight-member grouping in this historic Uzbek city, Modi said the Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.5 per cent this year and that India supports "greater cooperation and mutual trust" among the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states. With Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders of the bloc listening, Modi said the pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have caused many disruptions in global supply chains, leaving the world facing "unprecedented" energy and food crises. It is for the first time Modi and Xi came face-to-face at the summit in ...

FM Sitharaman lauds PM Modi's leadership, commitment to the country

Lauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said he has stressed on last-mile delivery and implementation of government schemes. There have been many governments before 2014, and they made many promises, but the prime minister has stressed on the delivery of promises to households, Sitharaman said at a function discussing the book 'Modi@20'. 'Modi@20' is a compilation of articles authored by eminent intellectuals and domain experts, and attempts a definitive and expansive exploration into the fundamental transformation of India and Gujarat over the last 20 years due to Modi's unique model of governance. Eminent personalities like Sudha Murthy, Dr Devi Shetty, Sadhguru, Nandan Nilekani and Amish Tripathi have written about their experience in this book. "Dr Shetty has said how the prime minister immediately ramped up the capacity to more than 2,000 virology centres during the difficult time of COVID-19 in his article," Sitharaman ...

Instagram rolls out parental supervision tools, 'family centre' in India

Image-sharing platform says the intention is to strike balance between autonomy and safety for young people

India, Russia to discuss energy security as oil, coal trade soars

The Kremlin has said Putin and Modi will meet on Friday and discuss trade, including food, as well as sales of Russian fertilizer