Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Swiggy SteppinOut Announces ‘FKJ India Tour’ in February


~17th February in Bangalore & 18th February in Mumbai~

Mumbai and Bangalore|31 January 2023 – International fame, French musician and producer French Kiwi Juice also known as FKJ, has announced that he will be touring India in February. Titled, ‘FKJ India Tour’, is presented by Swiggy SteppinOut in association with Envision as part of SteppinOut Music Festival (SMF) Arena on 17th & 18th February in Bangalore and Mumbai respectively.


FKJ, whose real name is Vincent Fenton, is known for his unique blend of electronic, funk, and jazz music. He has released several albums and EPs and has collaborated with a number of other artists in the electronic and hip-hop genres. Bringing his unique blend of electronic, funk, and jazz to India, his live performances have been praised for their energy and spontaneity; resulting in a dedicated fan base in India as well as around the world.


International artist and producer FKJ (French Kiwi Juice), “The opportunity to tour in India is a huge honor for me. Me and my whole team put a lot into creating this new show and we are always improving it. I'm stoked that we are able to bring it to India this year.”


On the milestone upcoming event, Safdhar Adoor, Founder, Swiggy Steppinout says, “We are thrilled to be able to bring the incredible talent of FKJ to audiences in India. FKJ's unique music is sure to be a hit with music lovers in Mumbai and Bangalore, and we can't wait to see the energy and passion he brings to the stage. This tour is a true testament to our commitment to bringing the best in international music to India and we are honored to be a part of it.” 


Tickets can be purchased from: 

Mumbai | 18th February | Insider, BookMyShow & SkillBoxes 

Bangalore | 17th February | Insider, BookMyShow & SkillBoxes 


For more information about FKJ and his upcoming tour, visit his official website frenchkiwijuice.com/tour


About Swiggy SteppinOut

SteppinOut is one of the largest experiential event curators in the country. With more than 20 events hosted in a month, ranging from night markets, live music shows, concerts, comedy nights, and much more! In August 2020, SteppinOut was acquired by India’s largest dining-out platform - DineOut. The acquisition was a step forward in creating memorable experiences while expanding Dineout’s overall value proposition to consumers across India. This enabled in creating a first-of-its-kind experience for our users — with Dineout hosting thousands of restaurant partners, and SteppinOut hosting new and innovatively curated events. Rooted in diversity all while maintaining quality, all SteppinOut’s experiences are crafted with intimate attention, impressive detail, and an immense amount of love. As of 2022 SteppinOut partnered with delivery aggregator giant Swiggy to further expand their consumer base and curate dynamic experiences across the country for their consumer base. 


Web Werks - Iron Mountain JV launches its First Greenfield Data Center in Mumbai


Mumbai, January 31, 2023: The Web Werks – Iron Mountain Data Centers (IMDC) Joint Venture, today announced the inauguration of its first greenfield data center in Navi Mumbai, MUM-2.  Iron Mountain entered into a joint venture agreement with Web Werks in 2021.  


William L. Meaney, President and Chief Executive Officer of Iron Mountain, presided over the inauguration ceremony that was held in Rabale, Navi Mumbai, in the presence of Web Werks and Iron Mountain global leadership teams, partners, and dignitaries from government authorities. 

 

Situated in a 120,000 square feet campus, the data center was built within 18 months of being announced, despite challenges caused by global supply disruptions and covid-19. The MUM-2 is a Tier 3-designated data center that can support 10MVA of gross power.  It is adjacent to the Web Werks Mumbai-1 DC in Navi Mumbai allowing customers to take advantage of the existing rich interconnection ecosystem. The data center enables access to Tier-1 carriers, 200+ ISPs, three of India’s largest peering exchanges, along with cloud on-ramp with major hyperscale cloud providers. 


Nikhil Rathi, CEO of Web Werks said, "We are pleased to announce the second data center facility in Navi Mumbai. Our existing data center in Mumbai is almost fully leased, and we see increased demand for our services from various customer segments. This demand will further be bolstered by the growing digitization, the rollout of the 5G network in India, and rising cloud adoption. With this new data center and our team of industry veterans, we will be able to support demand and offer a connectivity-rich ecosystem.’’

“The opening of Iron Mountain and Web Werks’ first greenfield data center marks an important step in advancing our Joint Venture’s position as one of India’s leading data center providers,” said William L. Meaney, President and Chief Executive Officer, Iron Mountain. “The investment in this new facility reflects our commitment to investing in new highly connected, secure and compliant data centers in the APAC region that will serve our hyperscale, network, content and enterprise customers.”

The Web Werks - Iron Mountain Data Centers JV previously announced they have signed MoUs with the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu government to set up data centers in Bangalore and Hyderabad. The construction of the standalone data centers is nearing completion and the first data halls will be made available in the first half of 2023.  In 2022, Web Werks as part of the joint venture participated in the 3rd ground-breaking ceremony at the Global Investors Summit in Uttar Pradesh, and announced plans to invest in a new hyperscale data center in Noida. The Web Werks - Iron Mountain Data Centers JV will continue to expand in existing markets of Mumbai, Pune and Noida, and also invest in new markets such as Chennai. 

 

About Web Werks

Web Werks has put together an extensive range of colocation and hosting services, designed to deliver wholesale, retail and hyper-scale hosting facilities via strategically planned Tier 3 data center facilities in Mumbai, Delhi NCR and Pune, with a focus on strengthening the carrier, cloud and content-neutral interconnection ecosystem for businesses across India. Web Werks has undertaken work on data centers in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. 


Web Werks joint venture engagement with Iron Mountain Data Centers in April 2021 has opened up the ecosystem, access to over 21 data centers across three continents – US, Europe and the Asia Pacific regions, offering a globally interconnected ecosystem. Web Werks supports a broad base of well-known brands from Enterprise, BFSI, SMEs and OTTs who require the ability to efficiently and effectively scale their online businesses. For more information, visit https://www.webwerks.in/

 

About Iron Mountain 

Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) is a global leader in innovative storage, data center infrastructure, asset lifecycle management and information management services. Founded in 1951 and trusted by more than 225,000 customers worldwide, Iron Mountain helps customers CLIMB HIGHER™ to transform their businesses. Through a range of offerings including digital transformation, data centers, secure records storage, information management, asset lifecycle management, secure destruction, and art storage and logistics, Iron Mountain helps businesses bring light to their dark data, enabling customers to unlock value and intelligence from their stored digital and physical assets at speed and with security, while helping them meet their environmental goals.To learn more about Iron Mountain, please visit: www.IronMountain.com and follow @IronMountain on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

 


Monday, January 30, 2023

Rights Issue of Family Care Hospitals Limited to close on February, 07 2023


Strap 1: The company is looking to raise Rs. 48.92 crore by issuing equity shares at Rs. 12 per share.

Mumbai : The rights issue of Family Care Hospitals Limited, which operates a 100-bed tertiary care hospital at Mira Road, Thane and a nine Cone-Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) imaging centres around the Mumbai region under the brand name 'Scandent', is now open and will close on February 07, 2023.


The Rights Issue opened on January 23. Family Care Hospitals Limited is looking to raise Rs. 48.92 crore by issuing upto 4.07 crore fully paid-up equity shares of face value of Rs. 10 at an issue price of Rs. 12 per share (includes a premium of Rs. 2 per share). In the case of a full subscription, the number of its outstanding equity shares will go up from 3.21 crore to 7.28 crore, when fully subscribed. The company has fixed the rights entitlement ratio at 127 Equity Shares for every 100 fully paid-up equity shares held as on January 3, 2023.


The deemed date of allotment is February 15, while the shares will be credited to the shareholders demat accounts on February 17. 


The shares will be listed on February 21.


The promoters and members of the promoter group of Family Care Hospitals will subscribe to the full extent of their Rights Entitlement.


Family Care Hospitals Limited will utilise the net proceeds from the rights issue for business development, sales, branding, and marketing expenses, to meet working capital requirements and general corporate purposes.


Family Care Hospitals Limited is an emerging multi-speciality hospital in the locality and has well-diversified service offerings with customer-centric services. The 21,000 sq ft hospital employs 135 professionals and 60 consultants of diverse expertise. The hospital is equipped with emergency care, child and women care, cath lab and neurology support, critical care units, modular operation theatres, pharmacy, pathology, radiology and many more services. 


The strategic tie-ups with leading insurance companies for cashless services, government healthcare programs like MJPJAY, and select NGOs. 


Its nine imaging centres provide scanning solutions in 2D and 3D formats using Conical Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) for the Craniofacial area to dental and ENT doctors. Scandent is the largest independent Imaging chain for such services in Mumbai Region.


In addition to the hospital, pharmacy and pathology service business verticals, Family Care Hospitals provides a wide range of health and wellness packages tailored to customers’ needs, including house calls, phone and video consultations, e-pharmacy, e-pathology, home care (nursing support and doctor visits), and surgical care services.


It also organises health camps and various awareness events as a part of its commitment to giving back to society.

A 38 years old gentleman weighing 262 Kg sheds 41 Kg in 4 weeks



Mumbai: A team headed by Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, consultant bariatric and laparoscopic surgeon at Namaha Hospital in Kandivali west in Mumbai successfully conducted a bariatric weight loss surgery on a 38 years old man weighing 262 kgs. The patient also suffered from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, severe obstructive sleep apnoea OSA), cellulitis of abdomen and both legs, breathlessness, gout and varicose veins. The patient underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in December 2022 at Namaha Hospital in Kandivali West. He has already lost 41 kg in 4 weeks after the surgery and currently weighs 221 kgs.  

  

Mr. Kalpesh Limbachiya, a resident of Kandivali suffered from morbid obesity. He kept trying multiple diets and exercise regimes. Every time he would lose weight it would come roaring back within a short span of time. During Covid pandemic due to all the restrictions, he could not continue with the rigorous exercise regime and regained weight very fast. He started struggling to perform his routine activities. In December 2022, he reached his highest weight of 262 Kgs.  Along with weight gain he developed multiple other diseases as mentioned above. He could barely walk and was dependent on his family members for everything.  Due to his declining health, he had to leave his job as well.


The family then started looking for solutions and were referred to Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, a bariatric surgeon at Namaha Hospital in Kandivali West. Along with her team, she guided him about bariatric surgery which is currently the only proven method for effective weight loss in such patients and can help to improve the quality of life. 

  

Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker said, “When we first consulted Mr. Limbachiya, he could barely walk. He was extremely breathless and had cellulitis on his legs and lower abdomen. He had multiple co-morbidities and was extremely nervous. Due to excessive abdominal fat and fragile metabolic condition, he was at the tipping point. Bariatric surgery was the only option for him.”


To prepare him for surgery, he was kept on a high protein liquid diet for 4 weeks prior to the surgery under the supervision of bariatric dietician Ms. Mariam Lakdawala. “Patients with severe obesity need to be optimized nutritionally before they are taken up for surgery” said Ms. Lakdawala. 


Dr. Tejas Mehta, physician at Namaha hospital, treated Mr. Kalpesh Limbachiya for all the other co-morbidities like type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) etc. “Sleep apnoea is one of the most commonly associated medical condition with severe obesity and it is usually undiagnosed”, said Dr. Mehta. “These associated conditions need to be controlled before the surgery to aid recovery post-surgery.”


The patient underwent a bariatric surgery in the form of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on December 20, 2022. Dr Aparna Bhasker added, “The surgical procedure was technically very difficult due to excess fat in the abdomen and large size of the liver. The surgery lasted for 3 hours, after which the patient was kept in the ICU for a day so that he could be monitored closely. The anaesthesia team of Dr. Yogen Bhat and Dr. Kalpesh Shah successfully managed this case. “Carbon dioxide retention can be a major challenge in such cases during anaesthesia and it has to be managed properly", said Dr. Bhat.


After surgery, the patient was made to walk at the earliest to increase blood circulation in his legs so that any kind of clot formation could be prevented. After 24 hours he was started on a liquid diet orally. 


Dr. Munjal Kapadia, the owner of Namaha Hospital said, “This was a very challenging case and one of the heaviest patients in western suburbs. We had to be mindful about the weight bearing capacity of all beds and tables. Most hospital beds have a weight-bearing capacity from 130 kg to 200 kg. Special extensions had to be arranged for the operation theatre table so that he could fit on it. Namaha hospital is one of the major bariatric surgery centres in the western suburbs and I am happy that we could manage this challenging case successfully.”


The patient was discharged on the fourth day after surgery. He has lost 41 kgs in the last 1 month. He is already feeling much lighter, the cellulitis has resolved and he is able to walk for longer distance. He is hoping to lose more weight in the upcoming months.

  

Obesity can be a debilitating disease. “Though obesity is rising across the world, it is rare to see patients with such high weight. They constitute less than 5% of all patients with obesity. The objective of the surgery is to help to lose weight and improve quality of life so that he can get back to work and lead a normal life. The surgery will also help to improve type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnoea, breathlessness, gout, varicose veins, etc. 


Contrary to common belief, obesity is not just due to excessive diet and lack of exercise. 70% of obesity can be attributed to genetics. It is essentially a disease caused by neuro-hormonal dysregulation and the disease severity varies from person to person. Even in this case, patient had continuously made efforts to lose weight. Beyond a point it is unfair to expect them to indulge only in rigorous exercise and deny proper treatment. Bariatric surgery is the only effective weight loss option for such patients and works as a tool to help them to get to a target. A healthy lifestyle is important after surgery to maintain weight loss,” said Dr Aparna Bhasker. 

  

“I am thankful to Dr Aparna Bhasker and her team for saving my life. I have already lost significant amount of weight and will continue to follow a healthy lifestyle. My comorbidities are getting controlled and I feel much lighter now. I am happy that I can move freely again,” concluded the patient Mr. Kalpesh Limbachiya. 

 

SINGAPORE AIRLINES WELCOMES CUSTOMERS TO A WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL EXPERIENCE WITH NEW GLOBAL BRAND CAMPAIGN


Singapore Airlines (SIA) today launched its latest global brand campaign, which will run on television, print, digital, out-of-home, and social media platforms. Titled Welcome to World Class, the campaign reflects the Airline’s commitment to deliver an exceptional customer experience across the end-to-end travel journey. 


This is epitomised by SIA’s iconic cabin crew in the 90-second campaign video, which highlights their varied and personal experiences with people and cultures from around the world. The inimitable connection that they have with the Airline’s customers, along with their distinctive combination of empathy and confidence, enable SIA to deliver its world-class in-flight service on a daily basis. 


Mr Lee Lik Hsin, Executive Vice President Commercial, Singapore Airlines, said: “At Singapore Airlines, service excellence is deeply ingrained in our DNA and our customers are at the heart of everything we do. This campaign highlights our unwavering commitment to deliver a world-class travel experience, no matter the duration of the journey. Our award-winning cabin crew are central to this promise, with their rich and diverse experiences, as well as their dedication to customer service, having a positive impact on everyone around them.”


Directed by filmmaker Liz Murphy, the uplifting video was filmed in Singapore, Auckland in New Zealand, Barcelona in Spain, Mumbai in India, and Shanghai in China. The Airline conducted in-depth research to measure its global brand perception, and used the findings to create a campaign that aims to resonate with customers around the world. SIA’s Welcome to World Class campaign video and brand advertisements are available at https://bit.ly/3XU6kdJ. 


* * *


For further information, please contact: Singapore Airlines Public Affairs Department

Tel:

Tel:

E-mail:

Website: (65) 6541-5880 (office hours)

(65) 9753-2126 (after office hours)

Public_Affairs@singaporeair.com.sg 

singaporeair.com



Facebook.com/SingaporeAir 



Twitter.com/SingaporeAir                                                                           



linkedin.com/company/singapore-airlines                                                                                                                       


YouTube.com/SingaporeAir

 

Instagram.com/SingaporeAir

Pension Adalat

The Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai will be holding the 52nd Postal Pension Adalat for pensioners/family pensioners of Postal Department on 16th March 2023 at 11.00 Hrs, in the Office of Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai -400 001.

Grievances regarding pensionary benefits pertaining to those who retired/died while in service from Department of Posts, Pensioners of Postal Department, Maharashtra and Goa States, which have not been settled within 3 months, will only  be  entertained in the Postal Pension Adalat.  

  Cases involving purely legal points i.e. succession, Notional pension, TBOP/MACP Promotion, stepping up of pay and disciplinary cases involving policy matters and cases pending for review of DPC  will not be considered in Pension Adalat.  Pensioner should forward their grievance individually (not in bulk or on behalf of others) in triplicate in the proforma attached to Accounts Officer/ Secretary, Pension Adalat, O/o Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai GPO Bldg., 2nd Floor, Mumbai -400 001 on or before 15th February 2023.  The applications received after 15th February’2023 will not be considered in the Pension Adalat.


DEPARTMENT OF POSTS

APPLICATION FORM OF POSTAL PENSION ADALAT


SR.No. SUBJECT DETAILS TO BE FILLED IN BY THE INDIVIDUAL/PENSIONER

1. Name of the pensioner /Family pensioner with Designation at the time of retirement/death

2. Name of Post Office from where retired etc. and date of retirement

3 PPO No.

4 Name of the Post Office from where Pension is being drawn 

5 Postal address of the pensioner

with phone no.

6 Complaint in brief (Attach application containing details if required)

7 Date & signature of the Individual/Pensioner.

पेंशन अदालत

मुख्य पोस्टमास्तर जनरल, महाराष्ट्र सर्कल, मुंबई द्वारेटपाल विभागाच्या निवृत्तिवेतनधारकांसाठी / कुटुंबनिवृत्तवेतनधारकांसाठी 52वी पेंशन अदालत  दिनांक16-03-2023  रोजी 11.00 वाजता  मुख्य पोस्टमास्तर जनरल, महाराष्ट्र सर्कल, मुंबई -400 001 येथे आयोजित केली आहे. 


निवृत्तिवेतनधारकांच्या लाभाशी संबंधित तक्रारी, जे टपाल विभागातून निवृत्त झाले आहेत / ज्यांची सेवेत असताना मृत्यु झालेली आहे, टपाल विभाग, महाराष्ट्र आणि गोवा राज्यांचे निवृत्तिवेतनधारक ज्यांचे 3 महिन्यांच्या आत पूर्तता झालेली नाही अशा प्रकरणांचा डाक पेंशन अदालत मध्ये विचार केला जाईल. 


पेंशन अदालतमध्ये पूर्णपणे कायदेशीर मुद्द्यांसह प्रकरणे,ई. वारसा प्रमाणपत्र, कल्पित पेन्शन, टीबीओपी / एमएसीपी पदोन्नती, वेतनश्रेणी वाढविणे आणि धोरणात्मक बाबींसह शिस्तभंगाच्या आणि डी.पी.सी च्या  पुनरावलोकनासाठी प्रलंबित प्रकरणांचा विचार केला जाणार नाही. निवृत्तिवेतनधारक खाली दिलेल्या प्रपत्रामध्ये आपले अर्जाचे तिप्पट प्रति, लेखा अधिकारी / सचिव, पेंशन अदालत, मुख्य पोस्टमास्तर जनरल कार्यालय, महाराष्ट्र सर्कल, मुंबई जीपीओ भवन, दूसरा मजला, मुंबई – 400 001 ला 15-02-2023 रोजी किंवा यापूर्वी वैयक्तिक रुप ने (तक्रारींची मोठया प्रमणात /इतरंच्या वतीने नाही ) पाठवू शकता. 15-02-2023 च्या नंतर मिळालेल्या अर्जांवर पेंशन अदालतमध्ये विचार करण्यात येणार नाही.

भारतीय डाक विभाग 

डाक पेंशन अदालतच्या अर्जाचा फॉर्म 


क्र.

विषय वैयक्तिक / निवृत्तिवेतनधारक अन्वये भरण्यात येणारे तपशील

1. निवृत्ती / मृत्युच्यावेळी पदनामसह निवृत्तिधारकाचे / कुटुंब निवृत्तिधारकाचे नाव

2. कार्यालयाचे नाव जिथून निवृत्त झाले आहेत आणि निवृत्तीची तारीख

3 पीपीओ क्रमांक

4 पोस्टऑफिसचे नाव जिथे पेंशन घेतली जात आहे.

5 निवृत्तिवेतनधारकाचा पोस्टाचा पत्ता 

दूरध्वनी सोबत.

6 थोडक्यात तक्रार

(जर आवश्यकता असेल तर तपशीलासह अर्ज जोडा.)

7 व्यक्ती / निवृत्तिवेतनधारकांची सही आणि दिनांक


प्रेस विज्ञप्ति

पेंशन अदालत


मुख्य पोस्टमास्टर जनरल, महाराष्ट्र सर्किल, मुंबई द्वारा डाक विभाग के पेंशनभोगियों / परिवार पेंशनभोगियों के लिए 52वीं डाक पेंशन अदालत का आयोजन 16-03-2023 को 11.00 बजे मुख्य पोस्टमास्टर जनरल का कार्यालय, महाराष्ट्र सर्किल, मुंबई – 400 001 में किया जाएगा ।


इस पेंशन अदालत में डाक विभाग से सेवानिवृत्त/सेवाकाल में मृत हुए महाराष्ट्र और गोवा राज्य के लोगों की पेंशन हितलाभों संबंधी ऐसी शिकायतों को लिया जाएगा जिनका तीन माह के भीतर निपटारा नहीं हुआ है।


 पेंशन अदालत में विशुद्ध रूप से कानूनी बिंदुओं जैसे कि उत्तराधिकार, कल्पित पेंशन, टीबीओपी/एमएसीपी पदोन्नति, वेतन में वृद्धि एवं नीतिगत मसलों से जुड़े अनुशासनिक मामलों वाली शिकायतों तथा डी.पी.सी की समीक्षा के लिए लंबित मामलोंपर विचार नहीं किया जाएगा। पेंशनभोगी नीचे दिए गए प्रपत्र में अपनी शिकायतें तीन प्रतियोंमें लेखा अधिकारी/सचिव, पेंशन अदालत, मुख्य पोस्टमास्टर जनरल का कार्यालय, महाराष्ट्र सर्किल, दूसरी मंजिल, जीपीओ भवन, मुंबई – 400 001 को 15-02-2023 को या इससे पूर्व वैयक्तिक रुप से (थोक में  या  दूसरों की ओर से नहीं) भेज सकते हैं।  15-02-2023 के पश्चात प्राप्त आवेदनों पर पेंशन अदालत में विचार नहीं किया जाएगा।  


भारतीय डाक विभाग

डाक पेंशन अदालत का आवेदन प्रपत्र

क्रम सं. विषय व्यक्ति / पेंशनभोगी द्वारा भरा जाने वाला ब्यौरा

1. सेवानिवृत्ति / मृत्यु के समय पदनाम सहित पेंशनभोगी/ परिवार पेंशनभोगी का नाम

2. कार्यालय का नाम जहाँ से सेवानिवृत्त हुए हैं तथा सेवानिवृत्ति की तारीख

3 पीपीओ संख्या 

4 डाकघर का नाम जहाँ से पेंशन का आहरण किया जा रहा है ।

5 पेंशनभोगी का डाक पता दूरभाष सहित

6 संक्षिप्त में शिकायत 

(यदि आवश्यकता हो तो ब्योरे को शामिल करते हुए आवेदन संलग्न करें ।)

7 व्यक्ति / पेंशनभोगी के हस्ताक्षर एवं तारीख


Sunday, January 29, 2023

“ONGC Jeetega toh India Jeetega”: Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri rededicates ONGC’s iconic Sagar Samrat to the nation



New Delhi, 29 January 2023

“ONGC Jeetega toh India Jeetega (ONGC's victory is India's victory)”, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Shri Hardeep Singh Puri said while rededicating Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) iconic drilling rig Sagar Samrat, as a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) on 28 January 2023 at a ceremony held on Sagar Samrat. The Minister later visited ONGC Kendriya Vidyalaya Grounds, Panvel Phase 1 to meet the Energy Soldiers of ONGC and their families. 

 

Hon’ble Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Shri Hardeep Singh Puri with ONGC Chairman Arun Kumar Singh and ONGC Director (Technical and Field Services) Om Prakash Singh at Sagar Samrat




The Minister met the ONGC employees who manned the Sagar Samrat as a drilling rig and also the team which worked on converting it to a MOPU. The Minister felicitated the initial crew members of Sagar Samrat who worked in the seventies after Bombay High discovery. He motivated the Energy Soldiers of ONGC to continue their efforts for India’s energy security. The Minister highlighted how Sagar Samrat is a testimony of India’s vision of producing its own oil when it was globally labelled as “barren” in terms of hydrocarbon exploration. The Minister stated that in harnessing India’s most prominent and prolific oilfield, ONGC has consistently committed itself to the pursuit of knowledge, continual excellence and the willingness to evolve technologically. The crew of Sagar Samrat were inspired by the Minister, who extolled them by saying that, “You are the Energy Soldiers whose efforts add strength to the energy revolution happening in India now. You are the crew which is driving India’s energy transformation. Your efforts fuel our journey towards realizing our national energy goals. God bless you.” The Minister said that ONGC has to become more agile and employees have to reorient like Sagar Samrat.

 

Hon’ble Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Shri Hardeep Singh Puri at Sagar Samrat




The celebrations on the occasion included educational exhibition featuring models of ONGC’s rigs and platforms along with core samples. A dance performance celebrating ‘Colors of India’ also took place, along with several competitions. The Minister interacted with ONGC employees and families and inspired them that the future of growing India depends on their contribution. India is growing fastest in the world and its energy needs are vital.

Commissioned in 1973, Sagar Samrat was built at the Mitsubishi yard in Japan and set sail from Hiroshima on 3 April 1973. It drilled ONGC’s first Offshore well in 1974 in Mumbai Offshore region of Arabian Sea, then called the Bombay High. Sagar Samrat turned tides of India’s oil fortune by putting it on the global oil map. In 32 years, Sagar Samrat has drilled almost 125 wells and has been involved with 14 key offshore oil and gas discoveries in India. Initially a jack-up drilling rig, Sagar Samrat has now been converted into a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU). The British engineering and consulting conglomerate Wood Group’s Mustang unit based in Texas carried out the front-end engineering and design for the vessel’s conversion.

 

Hon’ble Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Shri Hardeep Singh Puri met and interacted with Energy Soldiers of ONGC



MOPU Sagar Samrat commenced production on 23 December 2022. The vessel is presently deployed at Western Offshore (WO)-16 field, located 140-145 kilometres west of Mumbai. Located adjacent to the ONGC’s existing WO-16 well head platform (WHP) in 76m of water depth, the vessel will be instrumental in producing from marginal fields in WO cluster thereby augmenting production from Western Offshore. The MOPU is designed to handle 20,000 barrels per day of crude oil and has a maximum export gas capacity of 2.36 million cubic meters per day. 

The Government of India intends to increase India's exploration acreage to 0.5 million sq. km. by 2025 and 1.0 million sq. km. by 2030. The Government has been successful in reducing the ‘No Go' area by 99%, thereby making available an additional approx. 1 million Sq.km. of India's EEZ for exploration. 

While ONGC has done a yeoman’s service to the nation over the years, the time has come for the organization to shift its orientation from Processes to Outcomes. As management gurus say, what cannot be measured cannot be improved. Hence, there is a need to introduce new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the organization which are geared towards time-bound deliverables and efficiency.

These KPIs need to focus on 3 important goals. ONGC possess a large sedimentary basin acreage, which will go up even further in the coming days. It is imperative that the organization make extra efforts to convert it’s ‘Yet to find’ acreage into Discovery fields, Discovery fields into Production assets and Production assets into Maximum Production assets. Teams across ONGC which are engaged in different processes of the three phases must re-orient themselves for accelerated achievements of these targets.



Issued by:

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd 


Saturday, January 28, 2023

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri re-dedicates ONGC’s iconic Sagar Samrat as a Mobile Offshore Production Unit to the nation

 

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
azadi ka amrit mahotsav
*PIB Press release *

The nation looks toward ONGC for making the most of the facilitative policy environment that the Government is providing and leading India’s E&P charge: Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister



“Government of India intends to increase India's exploration acreage to 0.5 million sq. km. by 2025 and 1.0 million sq. km. by 2030”



“25% of the global energy growth between 2020 and 2040 is going to come from India”

Posted On: 28 JAN 2023 6:11PM by PIB Mumbai


: Mumbai, January 28, 2023

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Minister for Housing and Urban Development Shri Hardeep Singh Puri rededicated Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) iconic drilling rig Sagar Samrat, as a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU) today (January 28, 2023) at a ceremony held on Sagar Samrat which is located 140-145 kilometres west of Mumbai. The Minister later visited ONGC Kendriya Vidyalaya Grounds, Panvel Phase 1 to meet the Energy Soldiers of ONGC and their families.

The Minister met the ONGC employees who manned the Sagar Samrat as a drilling rig and also the team which worked on converting it to a MOPU. He motivated the crew of Sagar Samrat, whom he called ‘Energy Soldiers of the Nation’ to continue their efforts for India’s energy security. The Minister highlighted how Sagar Samrat is a testimony of India’s vision of producing its own oil when it was globally labelled as “barren” in terms of hydrocarbon exploration. The Minister stated that in harnessing India’s most prominent and prolific oilfield, ONGC has consistently committed itself to the pursuit of knowledge, continual excellence and the willingness to evolve technologically. “The legacy of Sagar Samrat also honors the memories of the martyred officers who laid down their lives for ONGC and more importantly for India's energy security”, said the Union Minister. He felicitated the crew of Sagar Samrat and families of the chopper incident on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister said, re-coronation of Sagar Samrat is a testament to the courage and willingness to make a difference in the face of uncertainties and the tumultuous forces of nature through re-alignment and innovation. He said that ONGC is not only India’s premier National Oil Company but also one of India Inc’s marquee corporate entities. Stating this, he expressed confidence about ONGC re-inventing itself for India’s new hopes and expectations from its no. 1 NOC. He further said that, as India’s top NOC, the nation looks toward ONGC for making the most of the facilitative policy environment that the Government is providing and leading India’s E&P charge.

 

Stating this, the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister urged that there is a need to introduce new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the organization which are geared towards time-bound deliverables and efficiency. These KPIs need to focus on three important goals. ONGC possess a large sedimentary basin acreage, which will go up even further in the coming days. It is imperative that the organisation make extra efforts to convert it’s ‘Yet to find’ acreage into Discovery fields, Discovery fields into Production assets and Production assets into Maximum Production assets. Teams across ONGC which are engaged in different processes of the three phases must re-orient themselves for accelerated achievements of these targets, he said. The Union Minister further said that all efforts should be made to make the organization agile, expedient and efficient. He urged that it is also crucial for ONGC, which has made a strong profit this FY, to investment much greater resources into R&D and Exploration activities.

Government of India intends to increase India's exploration acreage to 0.5 million sq. km. by 2025 and 1.0 million sq. km. by 2030, stated the Union Minister. He also said that the Government has been successful in reducing the ‘No Go' area by 99%, thereby making available an additional approx. 1 million Sq.km. of India's EEZ for exploration. Several MNCs like Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Total Energies are showing keen interest to invest in the Indian E&P segment, and some are already in talks with ONGC for firming up mutually beneficial partnerships.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri said that India is the world’s fastest-growing large economy and the world’s 3rd largest consumer of energy, 3rd largest consumer of crude oil, 4th largest refiner, 6th largest importer of petroleum products, and 7th largest exporter of petroleum products as on date. India's energy demand is expected to grow at about 3% per annum by 2040, compared to the global rate of 1%. Further, 25% of the global energy growth between 2020 and 2040 is going to come from India due to our fast-growing economy and demographic dividend. However, India imports 85% of its petroleum requirements and spent approx. $120 Billion in FY 2021-22 on the import of petroleum products. Stating this, the Union Minister said, India’s Amrit Kaal cannot be realized without achieving energy Independence by 2047. 

Speaking about the multiple steps taken by Government of India to ensure that our future generations enjoy energy security, the Union Minister highlighted policy reforms like Production Sharing Contract (PSC) regime, Discovered Small Field Policy, the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy, the Setting up of a National Data Repository, etc. The government has also provided functional freedom to NOCs like ONGC and wider private sector participation by streamlining approval processes including an electronic single window mechanism, he further said.

The Union Minister also invited all stakeholders to the upcoming India Energy Week being held from 6th to 8th February 2023 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Center (BIEC), Bengaluru, where ONGC will be one of the main draws.

 

About Sagar Samrat MOPU:

Commissioned in 1973, Sagar Samrat was built at the Mitsubishi yard in Japan and set sail from Hiroshima on 3 April 1973. It drilled ONGC’s first Offshore well in 1974 in Mumbai Offshore region of Arabian Sea, then called the Bombay High. Sagar Samrat turned tides of India’s oil fortune by putting it on the global oil map. In 32 years, Sagar Samrat has drilled almost 125 wells and has been involved with 14 key offshore oil and gas discoveries in India. Initially a jack-up drilling rig, Sagar Samrat has now been converted into a Mobile Offshore Production Unit (MOPU). The British engineering and consulting conglomerate Wood Group’s Mustang unit based in Texas carried out the front-end engineering and design for the vessel’s conversion.

MOPU Sagar Samrat commenced production on 23 December 2022. The vessel is presently deployed at Western Offshore (WO)-16 field, located 140-145 kilometres west of Mumbai. Located adjacent to the ONGC’s existing WO-16 well head platform (WHP) in 76m of water depth, the vessel will be instrumental in producing from marginal fields in WO cluster thereby augmenting production from Western Offshore. The MOPU is designed to handle 20,000 barrels per day of crude oil and has a maximum export gas capacity of 2.36 million cubic meters per day.

The Chairman of ONGC Arun Kumar Singh and Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain were also present on the occasion.

***

SVS/M/Sriyanka/Parshuram  

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    Friday, January 27, 2023

    Birla Open Minds introduces a new subject ‘Soul Science’ emphasizing children’s holistic growth


    With Soul Science, Birla Open Minds intends to facilitate a world full of energetic, self-motivated, and mindful children. 


    Mumbai, 27 January 2023: Birla Open Minds Education Pvt. Ltd, a leading and trusted educational brand in India, has added a new school subject to the curriculum, Soul Science, for students of all age groups. In a first-of-a-kind in India, the introduction of the subject comes timely when there is a need for a shift from a piecemeal approach to a long-term comprehensive approach, leading to children’s holistic growth. Soul Science focuses on the study of consciousness and the human mind.


    Depression, anxiety, and disruptive behavioral disorders are on the rise among children in India. With Soul Science, Birla Open Minds emphasizes the well-being of the body, mind, and heart at the initial stage of life. The mission is to facilitate a world full of energetic, self-motivated, and mindful children, who can direct their life with self-confidence and be true leaders in every aspect of life.


    The study of Soul Science includes managing stress and conquering anxiety, developing leadership skills, time management, self-awareness, decision-making ability, building the right attitude to life and career, empathy (toward Family, Friends, and Society), and mindfulness, among others. The purpose is to help one explore and connect with their inner self by using the tools and understanding the process of right choices in life; thus enlightening one to a more cooperative, selfless, loving, and humble state of existence. 


    *Mr. Nirvaan Birla, Founder and Managing Director of Birla Open Minds says,* “Our mission is to facilitate a world full of energetic, self-motivated and mindful children who are able to direct their life with self- confidence and be true leaders in every aspect of life. This sparked the idea to introduce a subject that was beyond just teaching morals and values. We needed to enrich every child's life by strengthening their social emotional development, which would reflect not only in their positive approach towards life and career, but also in their academic performance. That`s what HOLISTIC learning is all about.”


    Birla Open Minds is devoted to assisting students in realizing their full potential and preparing them for the future by emphasizing innovation, creativity, and critical thinking. Touted to be one of the education leaders, it has more than 150 institutions across India and a history of nation-building and high-quality education.

    Thursday, January 26, 2023

    EEPC India proposes to put cash in the hands of MSMEs, the lower tax rates for LLPs


    Considering the tough times being faced by engineering exporters in the wake of the slowdown in key markets, the government may put cash in the hands of businesses especially MSMEs by way of tax exemption and lower rates in the upcoming Budget, said EEPC India Chairman Mr. Arun Kumar Garodia on expectations from Budget.


    He said that the support under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) in the wake of the Covid pandemic was essentially loans and hence a liability that has to be repaid.


    "In such a situation, more tax exemption or lower taxation can put more money into the hands of the MSMEs to service their liabilities and for technical upgradation," said Mr. Garodia.


    He noted that engineering exports had recorded a year-on-year decline for six straight months to December 2022 amid a global economic activity slowdown.


    "Engineering exports slumped nearly 12% year-on-year to US$ 9.08 billion in December 2022 as compared to US$ 10.30 billion in the same month a year ago. Given that the world economy is projected to slow down in 2023, global trade would be hit badly. Many global agencies have predicted a very bleak scenario. This could make the situation quite tough for engineering exporters," the EEPC India Chairman said.


    In order to support the engineering sector, Mr. Garodia suggested bringing down the corporate tax rate from the current 30% to 15% for LLP and Partnership firms that are registered as MSMEs with the Ministry of MSME.


    He also proposed direct tax exemption on investments done under the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) and Weighted tax deductions of up to 150% on costs incurred due to export promotion in other countries.


    For interest subvention, Mr. Garodia said that the scheme should consider the difference in Dollar interest via vis Rupee interest.


    "The current dollar rate of interest is 6% while for the MSMEs the Re-rate of interest is 11-12% so an interest subvention rate of 5% is necessary to offset the higher interest rates paid by MSME units," he said.                                     ----------------------------

    Wednesday, January 25, 2023

    Porsche India celebrates 2022 as its best sales year ever, 64 per cent up on 2021

     

    Announcement comes at the inaugural Porsche Festival of Dreams held in Mumbai

    Mumbai. Porsche India enjoyed its best ever sales performance in 2022 with a 64 per cent growth in sales over the previous year, with buyer interest strong across its SUV and sports cars ranges.


    In total, 779 retail sales were recorded for the year compared with 474 units during the previous year, which was at the time Porsche India’s best result since 2014. 


    Manolito Vujicic, Brand Director, Porsche India said the strong result shows the upward trajectory that started in in 2021 was maintained through 2022.


    “It has been a strong year for Porsche India with a 69 per cent growth in the sales of our SUV models, highlighted by our top-selling model, the Porsche Cayenne, ending the year with 399 retail units,” said Vujicic.


    “In 2022 we welcomed the appointment of three new Porsche Centre partners in Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata, introduced the Porsche Approved programme offer of 12 months cover on pre-approved cars, and hosted an exciting, month-long Porsche Experience track event. This event sawparticipation from more than 450 enthusiasts, who each had the opportunity to experience the entire Porsche range in a safe and dynamic environment led by our fully trained Porsche Driving Instructors.”


    Porsche in India also moved towards electrification with the launch of the all-new electric Taycan in December of 2021. Seventy-eight Taycan were delivered over its first 12 month period.


    “After a year like 2022, where we broke through many barriers and exceeded targets, we wanted to welcome 2023 with a special event and we are proud to host the first ever Festival of Dreams event celebrating 75 Years of Porsche,” said Vujicic.


    A total of 13 models will be on display at the Festival of Dreams across various zones, each zone depicting the personality of individual models along with dedicated sections showcasing Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur offerings, the Porsche ‘Soul Garage’ with customer-owned cars, a Porsche Approved zone, and a Porsche Lifestyle section. More than 3000 enthusiasts are expected to attend the event over the course of two days.


    “This event has been the perfect way to thank our customers, stakeholders and the valued friends who have supported Porsche India and helped make 2022 our best year ever, and is the perfect platform for us to premier the 718 Cayman GT4 RS in India as we enter into 2023,” said Vujicic.


    “This is a small way for us to express our gratitude for their faith in the brand and celebrate 75 years of Porsche with the Festival of Dreams.” 


    On the occasion of National Tourism Day, travel with your loved ones even if you’re on dialysis and understand how By Dr Suresh Sankar, Senior Vice President for Clinical Affairs, NephroPlus



    Undoubtedly travel has been widely regarded as a physically healthy and mental pursuit. Many research studies claim it improves the quality of life of people with medical conditions and disabilities. However, travel for a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patient should be weighed carefully, given its health impact. Although, there is no evidence to prove the added risks of increased severity and mechanisms of the disease in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. It still needs to cancel the possibility of them being at a high vulnerability of breakout on long tours and travel plans. 

    Be it a trip for holidays, vacations, family reunions, exploring, or business purposes, travelling long-distance or for long hours should be a fun-filled experience for dialysis patients. However, since dialysis is a continual procedure of treatment to be carried out within a restricted base with meticulous techniques conducted by skilled technicians, a minute break in the procedure intervals can be fatal owing to an increased risk of cardiac attack and breathing difficulty. 

    Moreover, the frequency of procedures for dialysis patients may vary depending on the severity of the kidney dysfunctions and the type of dialysis treatment taken; for example, patients with hemodialysis require a session thrice a week, and patients with peritoneal dialysis require a daily session. 

    Nowadays, innovations in healthcare have made dialysis available for people on travel. Although dialysis patients have long been reluctant to travel or set on an extended holiday away from home considering safety and quality concerns, with access to Holiday Dialysis, there is a benefit to seeking in-centre treatment, whether it is a family function or a business trip. Holiday Dialysis is carried out with more emphasis on the safety and comfort of dialysis patients. Like base dialysis, Holiday Dialysis ensures top-quality service with well-trained and highly qualified technicians. Considering the convenience and accessibility, exploring this with your regular dialysis unit is essential before considering other options. 

    Apart from Holiday Dialysis, patients must prepare a full-fledged plan to travel safely and comfortably. Hence, here are some helpful tips that an individual on dialysis can also consider:

    1. Consult your nephrologist: 

    It is most advisable to consult your nephrologist and seek a certificate that claims your fitness for travel. Since kidney and dialysis patients require more planning for a trip, your nephrologist and the dialysis unit can support you with essential guidelines and recommend help in emergency care. Therefore, even after you have received the letter of immunization check from your nephrologist, you should seek their advice before traveling. 

    2. Evaluate medical support available at the destination: 

    Emergencies are unpredictable, especially medical ones. Also, they have a tremendous potential to be fatal. Hence it is more sensible to choose destinations with accessible medical support within a reasonable reach. In addition, dialysis patients should be in tight contact with their regular dialysis units and units local to their travel destination. 


    3. Choose suitable accommodation:

     Dialysis patients follow strict diet protocols; therefore, choosing a compromise that will cater to their unique requirements is imperative. In addition, one with kidney stones should be aware of the temperature impact on their conditions to avoid overexposure that will lead to increased disease severity. 

    4. Health insurance: 

    It is recommended to have active health insurance with international coverage areas. In addition, Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and dialysis patients have a special entitlement to apply for flexible health insurance to cover emergency medical expenses. Patients can use such plans during a long trip's unprecedented need for medical attention and support. 


    Tuesday, January 24, 2023

    “I LOVE YOU, PEPSI®”, SAYS SUPERSTAR YASH AS HE BECOMES PEPSI®’S BRAND AMBASSADOR



    The actor will be the face of the brand’s upcoming quirky and irreverent campaigns

    The partnership is aimed at deepening Pepsi®’s connect across India

     

    Click here to view video on Yash’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnyXOd6gEHS/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

    New Delhi, January 24, 2023: Youth-centric beverage brand Pepsi®, today made a blockbuster announcement as it roped in megastar Yash as its brand ambassador.  Yash, the superstar, who shattered all geographical boundaries to become a force to reckon with, has had a hugely successful run at the box office. The disruptive partnership between Pepsi® and Yash will become a huge topic of conversation amongst the youth of India.

    Pepsi® has constantly reinvented and innovated itself to be a part of the cultural fabric of India. Yash, on the other hand, has been lauded for his fearless and bold persona in Kannada cinema and enjoys a massive fanbase across the nation. This blockbuster collaboration is all set to enthrall consumers this summer. 

    Commenting on the association, Saumya Rathor, Category Lead, Pepsi Cola, PepsiCo India, said, “We are thrilled to join hands with Rocking Star Yash, a name that truly defines the spirit of fearlessness and living life on your own terms – something that Pepsi consumers resonate strongly with. Yash brings a strong connect and influence over the youth that cuts across geographies. Yash will be instrumental in deepening consumer connect as we look to expand the brand’s footprint. We are excited for Pepsi’s journey in 2023 as we gear up to showcase the actor in an all-new avatar which is bound to leave fans pumped!”

    Sharing his excitement on coming on board as Pepsi®️’s ambassador, the Superstar Yash said, “I am exhilarated to engage with Pepsi and join them as the face of the brand. I believe in living life to the fullest, make most of each moment, and follow my passion unabashedly, which is synonymous with Pepsi’s philosophy. A collaboration as exciting as this is a great way to start the new year, and I can't wait for my fans to see me in an all-new avatar!”

    The collaboration was ushered in by Yash as he posted a video of him taking a swig from a chilled Pepsi® bottle confirming his love for the brand with his family of over 12 million followers as he says, 'I love you, Pepsi!’ Fans and consumers will soon witness Yash feature in Pepsi®’s new TVC campaigns in a new avatar that are set to take over traditional and digital platforms across the country. 

    Pepsi® is available in single serve and multi serve packs across all modern and traditional retail outlets in India, as well as on leading e-commerce platforms.   

    About PepsiCo 

    PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $79 billion in net revenue in 2021, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com

    Monday, January 23, 2023

    DPIFF HOLDS OFFICIAL PRESS CONFERENCE FOR 2023


    Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards Hosts a Press Conference Prior to the 2023 Event

    Mumbai, Maharashtra, (Date) – India’s most prestigious award ceremony, Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2023 is nearing and like every year, this year too the grand event is expected to be full of memorable moments. Prior to the main event in February, the 22nd of January has proven to be a grand success for DPIFF as the team held a star-studded Press Conference at Taj Lands End. Industry luminaries such as Jacqueline Fernandez, Aditya Roy Kapoor and Jayantilal Gada were among the estimable personalities who attended the event anchored by Sharman Joshi. 


    Jacqueline Fernandez was invited to unveil the special invitation for DPIFF 2023 curated by Izzhaar. The conference was attended by notable personalities from the Film and Television Industry, representatives from Indian state tourism, and the media as well. As the anchor, Sharman Joshi shed light on the purpose of the Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards, outlining the unshakeable principles as well as the enthusiasm with which the ceremony is held each year. The power of cinema to unite populations under a celebratory umbrella was thematically stressed at the conference, and the honourable Prime Minister’s letter in support of the organisation’s efforts was also unveiled. The various Tourism, Association, Powered by, Co-Powered by, Satellite, Streaming, Invitation, Beverage, and Support Partners were also introduced at the Press Conference.

    DPIFF is all set to host its annual award ceremony to celebrate the rich heritage of Indian cinema. The recent Press Conference gave attendees a glimpse into the grand splendour that is to come in the month of February. DPIFF 2023 will pay tribute to the stalwarts of the Entertainment and Film Industry in India and commemorate the legacy of Dadasaheb Phalke Ji. For the main gala event, DPIFF has endeavoured to embark on a journey through the annals of the silver screen, aiming to highlight the theme of Cinematic Tourism. The prestigious platform plans to honour the diversity of India with an evening of revelry that will feature cultural splendour from all corners of the nation, while saluting the spectacular talent of the land. Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2023 under the support of Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya will be held on the 20th of February, 2023 at Taj Land’s End in Mumbai.

    Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival is India’s only independent international film festival, and it is on a mission to toast the work of aspiring, young, independent, and professional filmmakers. DPIFF aims to felicitate those artists of the film fraternity who have put in their hard work and have shown true promise, along with the dedication to excel. The mission, as always, is to cultivate and promote the art and science of film through education and cross-cultural awareness. The team believes that the medium of cinema as well as TV series are artforms that hold the power to bridge cultures and illuminate the universality of the human experience.

    For more information on Dadasaheb Phalke International Film Festival Awards 2023, you may visit https://www.instagram.com/dpiff_official

    Slurrp Farm And Anushka Sharma Rally For Moms Across India


    ~ Launch digital community called ‘Yes Moms’ to empower moms and return the joy of feeding

    ~ Marking International Year of Millets, Anushka Sharma emphasizes the importance of the supergrains and their role in setting children up for a healthy, happy future

     

    National, January 23, 2023: Millet-based children’s food brand Slurrp Farm today unveiled “Yes Moms”, a digital-first community of mothers to enable mothers to connect with, learn from, and support one another. Yes Moms was launched at a high-decibel event in Mumbai by mother, Bollywood actor, and Slurrp Farm investor, Anushka Sharma. The event saw the presence of over 150 mothers from across the country.

    Mothers are constantly thinking of and worrying about their kids, especially when it comes to feeding them. But what makes this journey easier is dialogue and support from others who are going through the same experiences. The sisterhood of moms is one of the biggest pillars of strengths for them to lean on and it is this insight that has formed the core of Yes Moms.

    Yes Moms will create a safe space for moms to discover, debate, and engage with each other on topics related to food and nutrition as their children journey through babyhood into childhood and beyond. It will enable mothers to connect, share and celebrate the sisterhood of motherhood and learn from each other’s experiences. A panel of nutritionists and pediatricians will also help arm mothers with the right information.

    Yes Moms community aims to make a difference in the lives of mothers by being an enabler for her and in the lives of her children by creating a positive impact on their health through the use of nutrient-dense superfoods.

    The launch of Yes Moms also coincides with the UN-designated International Year of Millets - the community will provide a platform for mothers to learn more about supergrains like ragi, jowar, amaranth, bajra amongst others. Research has shown that nutricereals like millets go a long way in improving health and nutrition, especially if consumed in the early years of one’s life. At the core of Slurrp Farm’s brand proposition is to take millets to the center of kids’ plates, in a bid to set them up for healthy and happy futures.

    Anushka Sharma, a longtime advocate of healthy and natural eating shared her experience with mothers present at the event. She said, “I am a Mom and it is important for me to be conscious about my daughter’s food. I’ve discovered that the best way is to surround myself with the right allies. My allies are other mothers who are going through the same experiences, creating and trying out new ways to keep their children happy and healthy.  ‘Yes Moms’ is a milestone initiative by Slurrp Farm to enable mothers like myself to connect and share tried and tested tips and tricks. Moreover, it will also educate mothers on the benefits of the super grain millet, a grain I have personally grown up eating. I know the immense value it adds to our overall health and well-being. Especially if included in our diets from the early years. I can’t wait for mothers across India to discover more about these wonder grains through Yes Moms.”

    Shauravi Malik and Meghana Narayan, Co-founders of Wholsum Foods, the parent company of Slurrp Farm, said, “As mothers ourselves, we recognize, and greatly emphasize the importance of feeding kids right and also having a support system, in other moms who can relate to your experiences. We’re firm believers that only a mom can truly understand and add value to the journey of another. With Yes Moms, it is our endeavour to do just that - give moms like us a platform to learn, help, and support each other, connect on the basis of common experiences around feeding children. Feeding is one of the most intrinsic parts of a mother-child relationship and there’s a lot of pressure on getting it just right. We want to drive behaviour change to allow for a healthier, happier future for all children. At the same time, we want to bring back the joy to it by surrounding mothers with a powerful sisterhood. Yes Moms will educate mothers, minimize stress, empower them and just let mealtimes be happy, healthy and yummy.”

    About Slurrp Farm:

    Founded in 2016, Slurrp Farm is a brand made by two mothers that aims to provide healthy, yummy and natural snack and mealtime options for young children and their parents. All of Slurrp Farm’s products use the power of supergrains like ragi and jowar and are based on a Zero Junk Promise - the products have no maida, refined sugar, trans-fat, cholesterol or artificial colours or flavours.

    The brand currently retails in India through www.slurrpfarm.com as well as through leading e-commerce and quick commerce platforms such as Amazon, Big Basket, First Cry, and Swiggy Instamart amongst others. Products are also available across leading modern trade stores in India and the UAE as well as online in the US and UK.

     


    KURKURE UNVEILS SECOND TVC UNDER ITS ‘HALKE MEIN LO’ CAMPAIGN FOR NEW SUB-BRAND, KURKURE PLAYZ


    Kurkure Playz strengthens presence in the growing puffed and pellet segment

    With the success of the first film, Kurkure unveils the second TVC to introduce Kurkure Playz Pastax as a unique flavour under the new sub-brand

    ’Halke Mein Lo’ campaign encourages the youth to take it easy in the face of daily hiccups

     (Click here to watch the film)

    (Click here to view the collaboration with popular actress Niti Taylor)

    New Delhi, January 23rd, 2023: Kurkure, one of India’s most loved snack brands, started 2023 on a light-hearted note and launched a quirky TVC campaign, ‘Halke Mein Lo’, to celebrate its youthful new sub-brand, Kurkure Playz. Following the first TVC film that captured the ‘masaaledar’ banter between a young protagonist and ghost, Kurkure unveiled its second TVC under the campaign.

    The film opens with the family enjoying teatime in the front yard of their bungalow when there’s a sudden disturbance on the radio playing next to them. That’s when they look up to find a spaceship hovering over the lawn amid dark clouds with strong winds. Two larger-than life aliens appear with a plan to abduct the family, beckoning the protagonist to get on the ship right away. While spooked at first, a bite of Kurkure Playz Pastax transforms the youngster’s fear into a take-it-easy ‘Halke Mein Lo’ attitude, leading him to make witty wisecracks diffusing an intimidating situation into a laughing riot.

    Commenting on the TVC, Vikram Pandey (Spiky), National Creative Director – Leo Burnett said, “This is the second film for the new Kurkure Playz campaign, and it continues the light-hearted quirky tonality set by the first film with our ‘Halke Mein Lo’ proposition. In this film we find the protagonist family facing an alien invasion, but they manage to put off their abduction by stalling the aliens. We hope that the audiences will enjoy this film as much as the first one.”

    Speaking on the campaign, Neha Prasad, Associate Director and Brand Lead, Kurkure said, “Aimed at the Gen Z audience, our campaign encourages the Indian youth to take it easy in the face of daily hiccups through a proposition that is refreshing yet colloquial – ‘Halke Mein Lo’. Our first film received an overwhelmingly positive response for its unique storytelling format. This propelled us to bring forth the second TVC that we hope will once again keep everyone entertained in true Kurkure style!”

    Adding another playful twist to the campaign, Kurkure collaborated with popular actress and social media sensation, Niti Taylor, for a ‘halka’ prank. The actress shared an image of a supposed alien sighting on her Instagram story, leaving fans curious about her encounter! But upon disclosing her collaboration with Kurkure Playz Pastax, fans were relieved that it was just a harmless prank!

    Kurkure Playz comes in two product offerings – the widely popular and successful Kurkure Playz Puffcorn and the all-new Kurkure Playz Pastax. While Kurkure Playz Puffcorn has a distinct shape with a light texture and comes in cheese flavour, Kurkure Playz Pastax has a creamy, herb and onion flavour in a pasta-shaped bite. Kurkure Playz Puffcorn is available at INR 5, INR 10, INR 20, INR 50 and Kurkure Playz Pastax at INR 5, INR 10, and INR 20 at leading retail and e-commerce platforms across the country.

    AGENCY CREDITS:

    Creative Agency – Leo Burnett

    Dheeraj Sinha – CEO & Chief Strategy Officer–South Asia

    Raj Deepak Das – CEO & Chief Creative Officer–South Asia

    Samir Gangahar – President-North

    Vikram Pandey – National Creative Director

    Ashish S Sharma – Executive Creative Director

    Sagar Parab – Associate Executive Creative Director

    Ashish Gautam – Senior Creative Strategist

    Harshad Mestry – Senior Art Director

    Sanket Misal – Art Director

    Neha Kapoor – Vice President

    Uday Lalotra – Brand Services Director

    Shubham Aggarwal – Senior Brand Services Associate

    Noor Samra – Senior Vice President

    Ashish Mathew – Brand Strategy Director

    Production House – Early Man Films

    Director – Abhinav Pratiman

    Producer – Amarjeet Phukan

    ***

    About Kurkure: 

    Kurkure - a product that was developed in India, has established a strong connection with consumers across the country as a great-tasting snack. Kurkure is one of the eight brands in PepsiCo India’s portfolio, each of which brings in over INR 1000 crore in annual estimated retail sales. The expansion of the Kurkure trademark across different salty snacking formats is a reiteration of PepsiCo’s endeavor of building out strong master brands in its India portfolio. Kurkure is also manufactured and sold in countries like the UAE, Canada, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.


    About PepsiCo India

    PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become one of the largest MNC food and beverage businesses in India. PepsiCo India has been consistently investing in the country and has built an expansive beverage and snack food business supported by 63 plants across foods and beverages. PepsiCo India’s diverse portfolio includes iconic brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Kurkure, Doritos, Mountain Dew, Tropicana 100%, Gatorade, and Quaker. In less than two decades, the company has been able to organically grow eight brands, each of which generates Rs. 1000 crores or more in estimated annual retail sales and are household names, trusted across the country.

    PepsiCo’s growth in India has been guided by our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.


    GIM launches its first online program in Health Care Management with upGrad

     The 11-month online course comes with an extensive hands-on curriculum and a 3-day on-campus immersion facility

    Mumbai, 23 January 2023: Goa Institute of Management (GIM) launched the Professional Certificate Program in Health Care Management powered by Asia’s largest higher Edtech Company, upGrad.


    The 11-month course offers 300+ hours of learning experience and is designed by industry experts and academicians to integrate hands-on training within the curriculum seamlessly. A 3-day on-campus immersion tour has also been embedded to make the learning more immersive and engaging through lectures, alumni connect, networking sessions, etc. Other value adds include 40+ hours of live sessions, 8+ case studies and assignments, and a capstone project along with 360-degree career support, 1:1 mentorship and job assistance to help learners build a stronger career in healthcare management.


    As per an industry report, Health Care jobs continue to rank high among the careers with the most job security. Individuals with an extensive understanding of the medical field and strong communication skills may find healthcare management to be an ideal career choice.


    Commenting on the partnership, Prof. Ajit Parulekar, Director, Goa Institute of Management said, ‘’Goa Institute of Management has a long history of helping working professionals in achieving their career goals. With this shared vision, we are thrilled to collaborate with upGrad, one of the world's largest online higher education platforms, to provide widely recognized, high-quality certificate programmes to thousands of learners worldwide.”


    The GIM Health Care program powered by upGrad also provides ample career prospects that go beyond the fields of medicine, nursing, and therapy. 


    “Healthcare has seen a significant rise in the adoption of technology in the last few years and has also made the domain popular among non-medical professionals. Unlike yesteryears, the diaspora has expanded from conventional topics to also covering new-age elements like Healthcare Marketing, Benchmarking in Healthcare, Ethical & Legal Issues in Healthcare, Operations and Material management, etc. and offers much more than nursing jobs. Hence, our strategic partnership with GIM – that brings with it an education legacy will support us in our mission of building a skilled nation together and shall be equipped to take up the leadership roles of tomorrow,” concluded Phalgun Kompalli, Co-founder, upGrad.

    National SC – ST Hub Conclave held in Mumbai, to empower and promote entrepreneurs among SC, ST Communities

    Become entrepreneurs by taking benefit of National SC ST Hub and other government schemes: MSME Minister Narayan Rane exhorts members of SC and ST communities

    “MSME Ministry is working with the aim of complete eradication of unemployment and poverty from the country, everyone should cooperate in this mission”

    Posted On: 23 JAN 2023 3:34PM by PIB Mumbai

    Mumbai, 23 January 2023

     

    A National SC-ST Hub Conclave is being held in Mumbai today, 23rd January, 2023. The day-long national conclave is being organized by the Union Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, at World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Mumbai, to promote the culture of entrepreneurship among members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities and to spread awareness of the National SC-ST Hub (NSSH) and other schemes of the MSME Ministry. The event has been inaugurated by the Union MSME Minister Narayan Rane.

       

    Addressing the inaugural session, the MSME Minister said that the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched National SC ST Hub and various schemes under MSME Ministry to realize the dream of an Aatmnirbhar Bharat. These various schemes are being implemented for the purpose of employment generation, promotion of entrepreneurship, increasing GDP and boosting exports, he added.

    The Minister said that from being 10th largest economy in the world in 2014, India has now become the fifth largest economy in the world. The government wants to make India the third largest economy in the world by 2030 and for this the industry sector should cooperate, said the Minister.

    The Minister observed that Maharashtra is at the forefront in industrial progress and spoke about the need to further increase the contribution of MSME sector. “MSMEs account for 30 percent of India's GDP and 50 percent of exports. Everyone should contribute to increase this further.”

    The Minister emphasized that the role of entrepreneur is very important in economic empowerment, employment generation and overall development of the country. More and more people should hence enter the industry and become entrepreneurs, he said. “If someone has any doubts or difficulties regarding starting the business, our MSME Ministry will provide all possible assistance to resolve them. Everyone should contribute to the work being done through our ministry to create entrepreneurs, create employment and increase the country's GDP. Our Ministry is working with the aim of complete eradication of unemployment and poverty from the country and everyone should cooperate in that work.” The Minister urged people to become entrepreneurs by taking benefits of loan facilities and other concessions available under National SC ST Hub Scheme and other schemes of the MSME Ministry. The Minister said that it is not enough that we read Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar's thoughts; they should also be implemented at all levels, in order to really take them forward.

    MSME Secretary B. B. Swain said that the MSME sector has emerged as a very vibrant sector of the Indian economy. The state of Maharashtra offers a strong ecosystem; more than 20% of registered MSMEs are from the state, observed the Secretary. For sustainable development, the sector needs to continually upgrade to become more competitive. The Ministry is developing new frameworks and innovative policies for promoting the sector. “We bank heavily on stakeholder consultation, we will be working very seriously on the suggestions given at the Conclave today”, said the Secretary.

    The Secretary spoke of National SC ST Hub and that the Conclave such as today’s are being organized to take the benefits of various schemes for SC ST entrepreneurs to the last mile.

    The main goal of the conclave is to help achieve the sub-target of 4% annual procurement from MSEs owned by SC/ST entrepreneurs, as part of Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs). Thanks to various initiatives taken by the SC ST Hub over the years, the share of public procurement from SC/ST entrepreneurs has risen from Rs. 99.37 crores or 0.07% of public procurement in 2015-16 to Rs. 1,248.23 crores or 0.86% of public procurement in 2021-22.

    The conclave provides an interactive platform to both aspiring and existing SC-ST entrepreneurs to interact with diverse stakeholders comprising Central Public Sector Enterprises, Industry Associations, lending institutions and concerned central and State government departments. Through the exchange of ideas and deliberation on challenges and opportunities, the SC-ST MSMEs are also expected to be able to expand their horizons by incorporating new ideas by becoming better aware of the various interventions being taken by the Government.

    Many current and future SC-ST entrepreneurs from Mumbai and surrounding regions are participating in the event. The conclave aims to help them to better leverage the benefits offered under the SC ST Hub and other schemes and programmes of the Ministry of MSME.

    Joint Secretary in MSME Ministry and CMD, NSIC, Mercy Epao said that the Ministry’s goal is to assist MSME entrepreneurs and also contribute to the development of an ecosystem which enables MSME to become champions. She reiterated that the Ministry has reclassified the definition of Micro, Small and Medium enterprises. 45% of national manufacturing output comes from MSMEs, their GDP contribution being around 30%. The Joint Secretary gave a brief of various schemes of the Ministry spanning finance facilitation, skill development, technology enablement and other verticals, from which entrepreneurs can benefit.

    Additional Development Commissioner, MSME, Ishita Ganguli Tripathy said that MSMEs are spread pan India across sectors. More than 1.36 crore MSMEs are registered on UDYAM portal. The government has taken various policy initiatives in response to stakeholder feedback. The government changed definition of MSMEs; UDYAM portal has been launched for greater ease in registering MSMEs; coordinated and converging response between centre and states is being given. Procurement from women-owned and SC/ST-owned enterprises receive special encouragement. List of products reserved for SC and ST categories is being revised. Annual guarantee fee under Credit Guarantee Scheme has been almost halved. Citing these examples, the Additional Development Commissioner said that it is very rational to expect that the government will take many more steps to facilitate SC and ST entrepreneurs and to strengthen the MSME ecosystem further.

    CEO, KVIC, Vinit Kumar said that there are specific allocations for SC and ST communities in implementation of various schemes of KVIC. The Commission provides credit support and various other kinds of assistance through schemes such as Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme, for the benefit of SC and ST communities. The CEO exhorted all entrepreneurs to avail benefits provided under the schemes of the government.

    Chairperson, Indian Chamber of Commerce of Affirmative Action, Sunil Zode; National President, Dailt Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Ravi Kumar Narra; MD, Maharashtra Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Ltd., Government of Maharashtra; Commissioner, Social Welfare, Govt. of Maharashtra; and other officers of the MSME Ministry, Development Commissioner; CMD, NSIC; Coir Board and various other stakeholders involved in the services to the sector were also present for the inaugural session, apart from SC ST entrepreneurs.

    The MSME sector consists of more than 6 crore units and employs more than 11 crore people, thus being the sector next only to agriculture in providing the largest employment. The sector contributes significantly to economic growth with nearly 30% of contribution to GDP and more than 45% contribution to overall exports from India. The Government is consistently working to empower MSMEs for sustainable growth and to facilitate them to compete better in the global value chain.

       

    National SC – ST Hub

    Out of more than 1.35 lakh SMEs registered on the Udyam portal as of today, around 25 lakh are from Maharashtra alone. Out of this 25 lakh, the number of SC/ST entrepreneurs is very small. The National SC ST Hub has been launched to address this and promote entrepreneurship among SC/ST community, for which various steps have been taken.

    National SC ST Hub is being implemented by the Union Ministry of MSME to provide professional support to SC-ST entrepreneurs and thus promote inclusive growth. The Hub supports entrepreneurs of the SC and ST communities in capacity building, market linkages, finance facilitation and tender bid participation.

    Under the Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme, all the SC-ST MSEs of manufacturing as well as service sector are eligible for 25% subsidy, with ceiling of Rs. 25 lakh, for procurement of Plant & Machinery and equipment through institutional credit.

    To encourage SC/ST enterprises for availing marketing support for their development and growth, various marketing support schemes have been synergized to form Special Marketing Assistance Scheme (SMAS). Under the above scheme, marketing support is provided to the SC/ST enterprises for enhancement of competitiveness and marketability of their products through National SC-ST Hub by supporting them in participation in international and domestic fairs, exhibitions, by conducting Vendor Development Programmes, seminars and awareness campaigns.

    NSIC registers Micro & small Enterprises (MSEs) under Single Point Registration scheme (SPRS) for participation in Government Purchases. The units registered under Single Point Registration Scheme of NSIC are eligible to get the benefits under Public Procurement Policy for Micro & Small Enterprises (MSEs) Order 2012. These benefits include issue of tender free of cost, exemption from payment of Earnest Money Deposit, purchase preference to MSEs and others.

    Check out the website of the Hub here: https://www.scsthub.in/ to know more about the schemes, programs and how they serve SC/ST entrepreneurs.

     

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