AAPI: December 2020

DELHI, 20th DECEMBER 2020

Index of this Newsletter

INDIA

INDIA & THE WORLD

21.1. India's AI supercomputer Param Siddhi 63rd among top 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems in the world
21.2. Artificial intelligence alone can add US$ 500 billion to economy: Google India
22.1. Over 800,000 Indian nationals in green card backlog in US
22.2. Hired over 7,000 employees in UK in last five years: TCS
23.1. India well-positioned to provide globally-skilled workforce: MEA official
23.2. India and Bahrain set for health trade boom amid growing demand
24.1. HCL Technologies to hire over 3,000 people in 3 years in Vietnam
25.1. IATA urges Centre to support Indian airlines to tide over COVID crisis
25.2. Boeing's 737 Max is a saga of capitalism gone awry

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DELHI, 20th DECEMBER 2020

NEWSLETTER, 20-XII-2020

INDIA

– GENERAL POLICY, INFRASTRUCTURES, COUNTRY FINANCES, ETC.

1.1. Good business is about ethical standards, inclusivity: Mahindra Group study

PTI, Nov. 19, 2020

The study - based on the telephonic interviews with 2,089 respondents in business and professional sectors from 10 metro cities - was conducted to assess impressions and ideas of good business from the perspective of investors, consumers and employees, the company said in a release.

Every corporate milestone at Mahindra Group is accompanied by a more human one; whether it be the creation of a truly inclusive workplace or a reduced environmental impact; whether it's a deeper engagement with the communities, or providing the freedom to experiment (and, even fail) to all our employees, Mahindra said.MUMBAI: A good business in the present times implies having ethical standards, caring for the community and inclusivity, according to a study by Mahindra Group as part of its 75th-anniversary celebrations.

The study provides interesting insights about people's ideas of what makes a good business, particularly during these shifting paradigms amid the pandemic. It reveals people's changing definition of what a good business actually means, it said.

The study also underlines that what constitutes a good business is a deeply personal view, based on individual values and life experiences, it added.

"The wider role, purpose and meaning of what constitutes 'good business' has never been more relevant than today. A company's social and community impact is being discussed as loudly and frequently as its balance sheets, and by more people than ever before.

"I absolutely believe that these broader, more inclusive expectations - whether from customers, shareholders, employers or other members of society - can be perfectly compatible," commented Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on the findings of the study.

"The principle role of business leaders today is to find that mutually beneficial common ground -- for me, that is the essence of Good Business," he said.

"So, the occasion of our 75th anniversary represents an opportune moment to participate in what I believe is the most important conversation of the decade," he added.

The findings show that the term 'good business' today is associated with having ethical standards, caring for the community, and inclusivity, ahead of traditional business metrics such as financial performance, market leadership, profitability or growth.

As much as 62 per cent respondents were of the view that 'good business' constitutes more than a financial return, and more than 45 per cent of young participants aged between18 and 25 gave priority to ethical standards, caring for the community and inclusivity, rather than just profits, the release said.

Transactional and performance metrics like profitability, growth and market leadership tend to increase (48 per cent of respondents) among older respondents aged over 46, it said.

From an investment perspective, financial returns remain essential, but it may no longer be enough for many investors, as per the study.

About 70 per cent respondents said they would never invest in a business they did not consider a genuinely good business.

Also, 20 per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that they consider the 'lack of leadership and vision' as the top barrier preventing a business from becoming truly 'good', the release said.

The profile of the typical Indian consumer is undergoing a transition. From their perspective, price and product are balanced by planet and perception when they make their buying decisions, it said, adding the findings reveal that as consumers are increasingly demonstrating that their idea of a 'good business' means that the product and price alone may no longer be sufficient to secure the sale.

Out of the 10 metro cities covered under the study, six were Tier 1 cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad -- while four were Tier 2 cities -- Coimbatore, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow.

Respondents were a representative sample of people from these cities aged between 18-65 years, representing a wide range of business and professional sectors, said the release.

1.2. Companies that are more inclusive of employees with disabilities experience faster growth, Accenture survey finds

ETHRWprld, Dec. 04, 2020

A key report finding is that in India, employees with disabilities are 52 per cent more likely to feel ‘excluded’ compared to their colleagues. In addition, when it comes to disability, workplaces in India suffer from a lack of transparency and trust with 71 per cent of employees and 80 per cent of executives with a disability not being fully transparent about it.

According to Accenture, companies interested in providing a more inclusive workplace environment also need to provide digital accessibility and other workplace accommodations.Bengaluru: Company leaders who embrace a culture of equality, employing and supporting persons with disabilities are growing sales (3x) and profits (4x) faster than their peers, according to a new report from Accenture.

The report, ‘Enabling Change’, a part of Accenture’s ‘Getting to Equal 2020’ research, is based on a global survey of almost 6,000 employees with disabilities from companies across 28 countries, including nearly 300 employees with disabilities from India. The report is also based on a survey of over 1700 senior leaders or executives, globally, 675 of whom have disabilities.

The report also identified a perception gap about whether organisations meet the needs of employees with disabilities. While 72 per cent of leaders in India believe their technological set-up and cultures are supportive, only 59 per cent of employees with disabilities agree, with only 31 per cent feeling that the organisation is fully committed to supporting them.

“Supportive environments and a culture of equality that make everyone feel valued, are imperative to sustain a culture of innovation and growth,” said Sailaja Bhagavatula, Inclusion & Diversity Sponsor, Accenture in India and Managing Director & Lead – Intelligent Platform Services, Accenture Advanced Technology Centres in India (ATCI). “Now more than ever, companies need to build stronger mandates, committing to bold leadership and sustained execution of their inclusion agendas.”

A Covid-19 Impact survey conducted by Accenture earlier in the year, which included almost 2,000 persons with disabilities in seven countries, found that the proportion of employees with disabilities confident in their job or income security fell from 73 per cent to 40 per cent in the six months prior to August 2020.

Accenture’s “Enabling Change” report recommends eight factors that will help companies build cultures where people with disabilities can flourish: role models, flexible work, employee resource groups, fair pay, parental leave, freedom to innovate, mental health policies and training.

According to Accenture, companies interested in providing a more inclusive workplace environment also need to provide digital accessibility and other workplace accommodations.

The findings in this report are based from two online surveys fielded in 28 countries (India, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China (Greater), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, UAE, UK and USA) during October and November 2019.

The employee survey was completed by more than 30,282 employees from across companies, globally of whom 5,870 had a disability. This includes 1021 employees from India, of whom 293 had a disability. The executive survey was completed by more than 1,748 senior leaders (C-suite and direct report in companies with over 50 employees), 675 of whom have disabilities. This survey includes 64 leaders from India.

2.1. PLI - Production-linked incentive scheme signals "dramatic shift" in attitude towards industry: Anand Mahindra

PTI, Nov. 17, 2020

"I took some time to explore the contours of this initiative. I don't use the term 'game-changer' too often but it's apt in this case. For me, what's much more important than the mechanics of the scheme is the dramatic shift it signals in the attitude towards industry," Mahindra said in a tweet.

Mumbai: Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra has said that the government's announcement of a production-linked incentive scheme for 10 more sectors, including auto, signals a "dramatic shift" in the attitude towards industry. On November 11, the Cabinet approved production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for 10 more sectors, including automobiles and auto parts, pharmaceuticals, textiles and food products, with an outlay of about Rs 1,45,980 crore over a period of five years.

Under another PLI scheme, an outlay of Rs 51,311 crore has already been approved.

In another tweet, he said, he started his career during the "License Raj" where scale and growth were "frowned upon."

"Finally, this policy signals recognition that a) scale is imperative in order to nurture globally competitive businesses b) large enterprises foster a large ecosystem of small/micro enterprises," Mahindra said in the tweet.

In another tweet, he said, "It makes eminent sense to initially catalyse the growth of selected sectors with world-beating potential. I believe the chosen industries will rise to the challenge if the policy is applied consistently & transparently."

The Auto and auto component industry bodies -- Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) -- have already said that the initiative will help the industry not only become globally competitive but self-reliant also.

SIAM expects the scheme will increase competitiveness and take the growth of the sector to the next level while ACMA said that the PLI scheme will also encourage the industry in becoming a net exporter and reducing its dependence on imports.

2.2. Bihar cabinet gives its nod to free Covid-19 vaccination, 20 lakh jobs

PTI, Dec. 16, 2020

According to a statement issued by the government after the cabinet meeting, these measures are expected to create "20 lakh new jobs in government and private sectors".

Bihar chief minister Nitish KumarPATNA: Inoculation of the entire population of Bihar for Covid-19 will be done free of cost upon the availability of the vaccine, the state cabinet resolved on Tuesday.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of the cabinet chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar since the allocation of portfolios last month.

The cabinet gave its go ahead for implementation of "Saat Nishchay Part-2", the second part of seven resolves of the chief minister, elucidating his blueprint for governance taking off from the work completed in the previous tenure.

Free corona vaccine is one of the many components of the seventh resolve "sabke liye atirikt swasthy suvidha" (better health amenities for all).

Notably, free corona vaccine in the state was also promised by the BJP in its manifesto for the recent assembly elections which was released here by union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BJP is a partner in the ruling NDA in the state.

Other points covered under the seven resolves 2 include upgradation of educational institutions and economic empowerment of the youth through a slew of measures including establishment of a separate department for skill development and setting up of "mega skill centres" and "tool rooms" across all 38 districts.

According to a statement issued by the government after the cabinet meeting, these measures are expected to create "20 lakh new jobs in government and private sectors".

Social and economic empowerment of women, rural development with focus on better waste management, increased use of solar energy and upgraded fisheries and animal husbandry besides urban rejuvenation are also covered under the seven resolves.

Urban rejuvenation has also been given due importance with establishment of "storm water drainage" proposed in all cities in towns so as to prevent massive water logging crises like the one experienced by the state capital a year ago.

3.1. Five sectors that are contributing to the growth of the Indian economy by providing jobs

ETHRWorld, Nov. 19, 2020, Navneet Singh

The total number of employees grew to 1.02 million cumulatively for the four Indian IT majors (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech) as on December 31, 2019

India has one of the youngest workforces in the world. The nation is ramping up its infrastructure to maintain its growth. From the technology industry to traditional services, several partnerships, startups and developments are setting the road for a plethora of opportunities across sectors.

So, let’s have a look at the top sectors that are exuding a silver lining for job seekers:

1. Information Technology

The IT sector has emerged as the pillar of modern India. The sector that contributed less than 5% to the country’s GDP until 10 years ago, today contributes twice as much. It has generated approximately 4 million jobs and facilitated nearly 10 million indirect employments. The total number of employees grew to 1.02 million cumulatively for the four Indian IT majors (TCS, Infosys, Wipro, HCL Tech) as on December 31, 2019.

Despite Covid-induced disruptions, this sector is cracking deals with international majors and creating new jobs. Infosys cracked a multi-year deal worth $1.5 billion from the investment management company, Vanguard. Tata Consultancy Services struck a deal worth Rs 10,650 crore ($1.5 billion) from pharma company, Walgreens Boots Alliance. HCL Technologies bagged a five-year contract worth $600 million with telecom equipment maker Ericsson.

The sector is one of the most resilient ones when it comes to business continuity whose services are expected to return sooner or later. Even when the entire economy and other industries are grappling to sustain normalcy, the IT sector has the power and the Midas touch to uplift other sectors on the go.

2. eCommerce

Can we now imagine our lives without Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra and other online shopping behemoths? The fact is, the ease of shopping, returns/refunds, and flexibility of payments is impacting the rate at which the eCommerce sector is flourishing. The Indian eCommerce industry is generating thousands of jobs as its smartphone-savvy customers are increasingly opting to shop online amid the pandemic, birthing the need for the tech- and ground-based jobs as we speak.

According to RedSeer, the daily average eCommerce shipments are projected to grow 1.8 times more than last year and will reach 22 million during this festive season. eCommerce and logistics firms in India are anticipated to create approximately 3,00,000 jobs during the period, with permanent workers constituting about one-fifth of the total number. The roles will mostly involve supply chain jobs such as delivery staff, warehouse staff, and customer service. These blue-collar jobs are needed to re-energize the Indian labour market which got most affected by Coronavirus.

eCommerce majors Flipkart and Amazon have sold goods worth nearly $4.1 billion in the first week of festival season compared to $2.7 billion in 2019. Offline retailers are also boosting their online presence partnering with leading E-tailers or establishing their digital platforms during this time, which is increasing the jobs in rural and urban markets.

3. Agriculture

The agriculture sector employs approximately 60% of the Indian population, contributing nearly 18% to the nation’s GDP. Gross Value Added (GVA) by agriculture, forestry and fishing forecasts Rs 19.48 lakh crore in FY20 (PE). India is also among the 15 leading exporters of agricultural products in the world with exports standing at $28.93 billion in FY20 (till January 2020).

Besides, the Indian government has recently passed three major farm bills which aim to solve a lot of challenges like storage and giving freedom to the farmers in selling their produce etc. The sector is expected to see better momentum due to various government initiatives and increased investments in agriculture infrastructure.

4. Healthcare

Comprising hospitals, medical devices, clinical trials, outsourcing, telemedicine, medical tourism, health insurance and medical equipment, and other domains, healthcare has become one of India’s largest sectors both in terms of revenue and employment.

Moreover, there are tons of initiatives taken by the Govt to promote healthcare in India. In the Union Budget 2020-21, Rs 35,600 crore had been allocated for nutrition-related programmes. The Government announced Rs 69,000 crore for the health sector that is inclusive of Rs 6,400 crore ($915.72 million) for the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) in the same budget.

The Govt of India aims to increase its healthcare spending to 3% of the GDP by 2022. According to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), employment in healthcare is anticipated to grow by around 19% from 2014 to 2024, which is significantly more than the normal growth rate. The sector will generate employment for 2.3 million people in the coming years. As per some records, the Indian medical tourism industry is thriving and growing at 18% CAGR. The evergreen sector holds immense potential when it comes to opportunities.

5. Telecom

Telecom is the backbone of communications and an enabler for seamless business functions across government and private sectors. In fact, remote working, video collaborations, and telecommunications technology have emerged as front runners for business operations during the recent lockdown. While manufacturing and other sectors have taken a backseat, the telecom sector is providing a diverse range of job opportunities.

Currently, India is the world’s second-largest telecommunications market with a subscriber base of 1.16 billion. Its total telephone subscriber base and teledensity reached 1,177.97 million and 87.37%, respectively, in FY20. The number of internet subscribers in the country increased at a CAGR of 45.74% during FY06–FY19 to reach 636.73 million in FY19. Further, a rise in mobile phone penetration and a decline in data costs are expected to add 500 million new internet users in India, generating more business and employment opportunities in the next five years.

The author, Navneet Singh, is Founder of AVSAR HR Services.

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed are solely of the author and ETHRWorld does not necessarily subscribe to it. ETHRWorld will not be responsible for any damage caused to any person or organisation directly or indirectly.

3.2. How Gig economy will revolutionize job market post-pandemic

ET HR World Contributor, Nov. 14,2020, Umang Mathur,

Living through the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen it all. From technology transformation to workplace transformation, the human-kind is ready to embrace change more than ever.

Distance, location and travel are never going to stop you from accessing the skillset or the opportunity you want to grab on. The pandemic has only accelerated the transformation of a conventional, labour-intensive industry to a work style that is driven by profound social and technological alternatives. As working patterns are expected to undergo fundamental changes, traditional arrangements are a thing of the past. Post-pandemic, people working from home and companies adapting cloud services are trends that have become inevitable.

On the brighter side, we have increased the number of short jobs and gig workers engaging in freelancing and short commitments. From small to medium, and large companies are welcoming the trend as the connecting platforms have made things easier than ever by providing the old times ‘word of mouth’ recommendations - plus samples and proofs for more credibility.

Gig workers in the pre-pandemic era were mostly doing it as a side business for extra income while some used it as a mechanism to provide opportunities when in between employment. However, the pandemic has made it clear that they are not a homogeneous group as most gig workers have started to depend on gig work for income. India is among the top 3 in-demand countries for online work behind the US and UK globally. The gig economy is expected to grow further in the post-pandemic era.

Many sectors that did not embrace the digital world have now been compelled to digitalize to survive due to the pandemic. Governments too are now more open to embracing this modern technology to solve problems.

Gig workers enjoy greater independence and flexibility than the traditional salaried person while it allows companies to assume much of the power of employers with none of the responsibility. Thus, it’s a win-win situation for both groups. The pandemic could well prove to be a pivotal point in the usage of gig workers for knowledge work, and many companies will benefit from the direct or indirect cost savings that the gig economy will offer.

Job stability is not what it once was. With more than 120 millions of jobs lost in the pandemic until April in India alone) the gig economy has seen a huge influx of new users with more expected to join due to the raging pandemic. A side gig can help provide retrenched workers with income in the interim and bridge the gap to new employment opportunities.

Jobs might be owned by the company, but an individual owns his career and the pandemic might have resulted in a tremendous loss of jobs but that should never be the reason for a person’s career to be on a standstill. The gig economy allows a gig worker to constantly update himself and keep abreast of the latest developments in the field while gaining added skills with income to boot. A successful gig job could generate more money than a corporate job if utilized correctly.

Gig workers also have the freedom to not offer their services for a task if they do not believe in the underlying cause of the job. An added advantage is that the gig worker is free from the control and direction of the employing company with regards to the performance of work.

Though the US is currently a leader in the global gig economy, India, a developing country represents a great potential to lead the global gig economy due to the increasing number of freelancers and lower-priced labour. With millions of graduates touted to join the work sector soon, the gig economy is set to skyrocket in the upcoming months.

In the recent Code on Social Security, 2019, introduced in the Lok Sabha, the Indian government has sought to introduce specific schemes for gig workers to provide benefits such as life and disability cover. This action by the government has given credence to the booming gig economy in India especially with various uncertainties and insecurities about the pandemic situation.

The gig economy will continue to flourish as companies seek a low-risk employee option and workers seek economic opportunities with minimal interaction and participation. This is the first recession where apps are widely available and used. A rise in literacy and education level with technology being taught at grassroots levels has empowered this economy to achieve devastating heights which would be a revolution in the traditional work atmosphere.

If we have learned anything from history, we must acknowledge there is always a rise in on-demand employment in the wake of a recession. The gig economy is here to stay!

The author, Umang Mathur, is Founder of ShortJobs.

4.1. Professional development does not have to be expensive; it has to be purposeful

ETHRWorld Contributor, Nov. 16, 2020

As we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic’s spread, learning and professional development has been at the forefront. Despite a slight slump in the economic activities, retaining the top talent and creating a strong talent pipeline for rapid business disruptions has been a priority of almost all companies.

To be successful in a rapidly changing scenario, the focus is now on new skills and continuous learning. The landscape of learning and professional development is evolving drastically in the post-Covid world of work. Therefore, in order to be future-ready, it is important that learning should not only be effective but also dynamic and meet individuals where they are.

Impetus on professional development

Individuals as well as organisations have understood the importance of continuous learning and they are investing in it as well. This is, of course, latching on to existing trends: digital transformation, AI and automation, they are disrupting the corporate world. Priorities of not only individuals but also organisations have changed amid pandemic. They are now focused on professional development which has opened a plethora of new-age learning opportunities.

The only key to staying competitive in the fast-changing world is upskilling. Of course, the Covid-19 outbreak further accelerated these trends. Companies and employees are rapidly transitioning to a new way of working and doing business and all of this has happened practically overnight.

Professional development means structured learning which results in changes in corporate practices and improvement in the output. Continuous learning is the most important aspect of the effective professional development of employees as well as organisations.

With the best professional practices, the individuals not only remain competitive in their profession but also excel in it. It also ensures that their knowledge and skills remain updated in context to the current scenario while also allowing the individuals to be aware of the changing trends of the industry.

Updating the skills and knowledge help the peers in matching the pace of the fast-changing world which means the more knowledge the individuals gain, the more confidence they gain in their professional life. Therefore, the gateway to new possibilities, strategies, knowledge and skill areas opens up with effective and purposeful professional development.

Understanding professional development

While talking about professional development, it is important to understand what exactly it stands for. In a country like ours, most of us fail to understand the meaning of professional development. Most of the individuals go for traditional studies in order to gain professional eminence. This way they not only waste a lot of money but also follow the wrong path.

For example, a lot of young aspiring professionals in our country follow the mob mentality of pursuing regular and traditional courses such as engineering or medical courses without even thinking of developing a definite skill set.

Acquiring a set of tools, resources and training to improve the quality of work stands for purposeful professional development. These resources not only help in enhancing the knowledge but also provide an opportunity to allow mentorship along with the ability to learn new techniques. With this, the individuals get to enhance specialized skills, including technical, quantitative and analytical skills.

Professional development also includes reviewing case studies, consultation and coaching, mentoring and technical assistance. However, if professional studies are made affordable it can benefit the mass.

Affordability and awareness are important too

While traditional courses take away a huge chunk of income of the parents of the aspiring young professional, it most of the time doesn’t solve the purpose for them too. The fees of the top engineering and medical colleges as well as colleges that offer professional courses are quite high due to which a lot of students fail to follow their dreams, thus, fail to grow. Though there are a lot of options to support education but it is not feasible for most of them.

Therefore, the need of the hour is to make professional courses affordable so that it can be accessible for the masses. The authorities and the educational institutions can also mull over alternative courses which are not only affordable but provide training in a definite skill-set.

A lot of students join such traditional and expensive courses due to the lack of awareness. Usually, guardians and parents are only informed about the age-old traditional courses while they ignore the new-age professional courses which can offer much better career growth.

Hence, the need of the hour is not only to make the professional courses affordable so as to make the Indian people ‘Aatmanirbhar’, but also spread awareness about the new-age courses which can offer promising careers for young talents of the country. For this, the authorities, as well as the educational institutions, need to come up and engage more and more fresh talents.

The author, Sunit Gajbhiye, is Co-Founder of Financepeer.

4.2. Amid global disruption, employee skill development is key for organisations looking to stay competitive: Study

ET Bureau, Nov. 18, 2020, Brinda Sarkar

An IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV) study, titled “Accelerating the Journey to HR 3.0,” reveals that CHROs overwhelmingly agree that HR must be radically redefined, and that the guiding principles of personalisation, skills at the core, data-driven decision-making, transparency and agility are all central to the journey to HR 3.0.

The survey also finds that 35% of Indian companies believe that leaders empower teams to innovate by creating a strong sense of purpose, and 29% of organisations in India are using AI to identify behavioural skills like growth mind-set and creativity for building diverse adaptable teams. Bengaluru: Seven out of 10 human resources (HR) executives report the global HR function is ripe for disruption, finds a new study.

HR 3.0, which only 10% of companies have achieved globally, turns HR into an agile consulting organisation; one that not only delivers efficient services, but also practices design thinking to push innovative solutions, cognitive tools, and transparency into the organisation. Right now amid global disruption, employee skill development is key for organisations looking to stay competitive.

Skills have emerged as the new currency across businesses. 41% of companies in India make skills growth a key part of their performance management approach and close to 30% of Indian organisations have skills and capabilities in AI within the HR function.

Organisations are embedding AI and digital technology throughout the entire employee lifecycle. According to IBM, 25% of organisations in India are leveraging AI and analytics to make better decisions about their talent – such as skilling programmes and compensation decisions.

“Human resources has evolved greatly over the past decades to meet the needs of a changing business environment. To bring forth the new era of HR and drive transformation inside organisations - HR itself must be radically redefined. The world’s best companies are taking bold steps to accelerate their HR transformation with speed and purpose. We believe that HR 3.0 is the next evolutionary step, representing a major paradigm shift for CHROs and their teams,” said Chaitanya Sreenivas, HR head, IBM, India and South Asia.

The study, conducted in partnership with global independent analyst Josh Bersin of the Josh Bersin Academy, includes insights from more than 1,500 global HR executives surveyed in 20 countries and 15 industries. Based on those insights, the study provides a roadmap for the journey to the next era of HR, with practical examples of how HR leaders at surveyed “high-performing companies” - meaning those that outpace all others in profitability, revenue growth and innovation - can reinvent their function to build a more sustainable workforce.

Further, 28% of organisations in India said data-driven decision-making powered by AI is critical to the future of HR, and 25% of companies are actively investing to upskill HR in new skills and capabilities. Also, 60% of HR executives in India agree leveraging data from new sources like financial data, social media data, etc. assist in making better decisions about talent.

5.1. Government of India & NDB Sign Agreement for US$ 500 Million to Provide Fast, Reliable, Safe and Comfortable Public Transport System in The National Capital Region

Press Information Bureau, Nov. 20, 2020

The Government of India, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited and the New Development Bank(NDB) today signed a loan agreement for lending US$ 500 million for the ‘Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System Project ‘to provide fast, reliable, safe and comfortable public transport system in the National Capital Region (NCR).

The NCR is among the world’s largest urban agglomerations and a major economic centre of India. Due to lack of efficient public transport options, the number of private vehicles in NCR has increased. The daily passenger traffic along the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut corridor in NCR is estimated at 0.69 million, of which 63% utilize private vehicles for commuting. Due to traffic congestion, it can take about 3 to 4 hours to travel between Delhi and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh by road during peak hours. Rapid growth in vehicular traffic has made NCR one of the most polluted regions in the world. By 2030, NCR is projected to become the most populous urban agglomeration in the world, which will increase pressure on basic infrastructure such as housing, water supply, electricity, and transport.

Fast transit system will support in achieving the goal of sustainable urban development in NCR region including National Capital Territory of Delhi. It will activate processes which will enable sustainable economic and social development with environmental protection, for future generations. The environment friendly and very low emission RRTS will carry many times more people at high speed (average speed 100 kmph) while occupying just 3 m space on land thus reducing congestion on the roads. Overall, it will significantly reduce the total emissions from the transport sector in NCR.

The agreement was signed by Mr. Baldeo Purushartha, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the Government of India; Mr. Janardan Prasad on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Mr. Vinay Kumar Singh, Managing Director on behalf of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation Limited and Mr. Xian Zhu, Vice President, Chief Operations Officer on behalf of the NDB.

Mr. Baldeo Purushartha, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs said, “Seamless high-speed connectivity will result in balanced economic development across the Region leading to economic benefits to all strata of society and many nodes of development rather than all economic activity happening at one place”.

Mr. Xian Zhu, Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, NDB said that “NDB funding will be provided to finance rolling stock for modern design, energy efficient operations and interoperability across corridors. NDB funds will also be utilized for procuring signalling, telecommunication and train control system with advanced features such as automatic train operation, automatic train protection, automatic train supervision and integration with platform screen doors. The Project can serve as a demonstration for developing high capacity rapid urban transit corridors in other urban areas of India.”

The total project cost is estimated at US$ 3,749 million, which will be financed by the NDB (US$ 500 million), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (US$ 500 million), Asian Development Bank (US$ 1,049 million), Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (US$ 3 million), and Government and Other sources (US$ 1,707 million). The US$ 500 million loan from the NDB has a tenor of 25 years withan8-year grace period.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

5.2. Rays Experts commissions 700MW solar energy projects in India

IBEF, Nov. 18, 2020

On Tuesday, solar solution provider and park developer Rays Experts announced that it has commissioned solar projects across the country with about 700 MW capacity.

These ventures include a 440 MW in-park solar farm, a 210 MW out-park solar plant, 49 MW commercial/industrial rooftop installations, and 4 MW units across 8,400 homes.

Such initiatives include ground-mounted solar panels for 230 customers, including, among others, Delhi Metro, NDMC, airports, IITs and NITs, defence establishments, factories, and major hotel chains.

Mr. Rahul Gupta, MD & CEO of Rays Experts, said, "Our business has shown significant growth amid the COVID environment and we are highly positive about our future and the future of solar in India...we now look forward to crossing the Rs. 1,000 crore (US$ 134.48 million) annual revenue benchmark within the next four years."

By finishing three additional solar parks over the next financial year, Rays Experts aims to move broader into commercial space and achieve a YoY (year on year) growth of 20%.

Since India is expected to have more than 10 GW of additional solar plants in the next two years, by powering 330 million homes across the country, Rays Experts has its emphasis on institutional projects and being a leader in residential rooftop installations.

In solar parks across three states, the company also plans to invest Rs. 30 crore (US$ 4.03 million). At present, Rays Experts are working to collect Rs. 100 crore (US$ 13.45 million) for both institutional ventures and residential solar programmes.

Projects totaling 210 MW have already been aligned and a 1,000 MW target is expected to be achieved by the end of this financial year.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

- AGRICULTURE, FISHING & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

6.1. Khadi Registers Record Sale: Single-Day Sale at Flagship CP Outlet Crossed Rs. 1 crore for 4 times in 40 Days

Press Information Bureau, Nov. 17, 2020

Overcoming the economic distress and the fear surrounding Corona pandemic, this festive season has yielded great dividends to the Khadi artisans with a record sale of Khadi products. In just 40 days since October 2 this year, Khadi’s single-day sales figure has crossed Rs. 1 crore (US$ 134.34 thousand) mark for 4 times at the flagship Khadi India outlet at Connaught Place in New Delhi.

On November 13, the total sale at this outlet stood at Rs. 1.11 crore (US$ 149.11 thousand), the highest single-day sale figure recorded this year. Ever since the business activities resumed after the lockdown, Khadi sales figure touched Rs. 1.02 crore (US$ 137.02 thousand) mark on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) this year followed by Rs. 1.05 crore (US$ 141.05 thousand) sales on October 24 and Rs. 1.06 crore (US$ 142.40 thousand) on November 7.

Earlier in 2018, the single-day sale had also crossed the Rs. 1 crore (US$ 134.34 thousand) mark on 4 occasions with the highest single-day sale for the year touching Rs. 1.25 crore (US$ 167.92 thousand) on October 13. Khadi’s highest ever single-day sale was recorded at Rs. 1.27 crore (US$ 170.61 thousand) on October 2, 2019. Notably, before 2016 Khadi’s single day sale had never crossed the Rs. 1 crore (US$ 134.34 thousand) mark. On October 22, 2016, the single day sale at Khadi India outlet in CP had reached Rs. 116.13 crore (US$ 15.60 million).

KVIC Chairman Mr. Vinai Kumar Saxena attributed the massive sale figures to the frequent appeals of the Prime Minister to promote “Swadeshi”, particularly Khadi. “It is heartening to see many Khadi lovers coming out to support artisans who form the backbone of the Khadi and Village Industries sectors. Despite the pandemic, Khadi artisans kept the production activities going in full vigor and the fellow countrymen have reciprocated with the same zeal,” Mr. Saxena said, adding despite the economic slowdown, KVIC has managed to maintain the pace of Khadi’s growth.

The tremendous sale of Khadi products this year assumes greater significance. While almost all activities were suspended during the Covid-19 lockdown, KVIC continued with its diverse activities across the country that includes the manufacturing of face masks and personal hygiene products like hand wash and hand sanitizers apart from a vast range of fabric and village industries products. The lockdown had a severe bearing on the livelihood of Khadi artisans but the Prime Minister’s appeal for “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” and “Vocal for Local” infused a new life into the local manufacturing particularly the Khadi and Village Industries sectors.

6.2. Private investment to rejuvenate ailing tourist spots in Jharkhand, create 1 lakh jobs

TNN, 07 Dec. 2020, ASRP Mukesh

Dodde said despite having immense natural beauty and resources, the reason the state is lagging behind in the tourism sector is lack of investment to create capital assets for tourists.RANCHI: The state tourism department’s New Tourism Policy, 2020, is aimed at wooing private investment to rejuvenate the ailing tourist spots of Jharkhand and generate one lakh jobs to to combat job losses due to the Covid-induced lockdown. Earlier this week, chief minister Hemant Soren, who will complete a year in office this month, has given his in-principal agreement to the draft policy, which will now be tabled in cabinet for a formal rollout.

Talking to TOI on Saturday, state tourism director A Dodde said the policy is expected to be rolled out next year. “We are sending it to cabinet and, if all goes well, it is expected to be ratified this month. We will soon notify it for a formal launch early next year,” he said. Sources in the department added that the CM is expected to unveil the new tourism policy on the occasion of the first anniversary of the mahagatbandhan government on December 29.

Jharkhand first got its tourism policy in 2015 during the erstwhile BJP government under the leadership of Raghubar Das. Citing the need for a new policy, Dodde said the earlier plan failed to evince any private investment in tourism sector.

Dodde said despite having immense natural beauty and resources, the reason the state is lagging behind in the tourism sector is lack of investment to create capital assets for tourists. “The facilities that exist have been created by the government using its own funds. However, in the long run, a government can’t go on spending alone. We have now decided to open this sector to private players so that they can set up facilities, create infrastructure while we act as facilitators,” he said, adding that the spike in investments will also lead to creation of jobs.

“Tourism and hospitality industry is one sector where lots of jobs can be created. Under this policy, we are hoping to generate anywhere between 75,000 to 1,00,00 jobs,” he said, adding that the policy has been prepared after studying the best practices from top destination states like Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat among others to conceptualise a policy to suit state’s needs.

Creation of Tourist Security Force (TSF) has also been provisioned in the new policy. Another official said, “Tourists will only get attracted when their safety and security is ensured. Hence, TSF will act as facilitators for tourists for taking care of their all kinds of needs, including security.”

The department has divided tourist circuits into different sectors — religious, ecological, cultural, rural, craft, adventure, weekend getaway, film, water sports, recreation, wellness and mines — for segment-specific intervention.

There is also a plan to geo-tag all the tourist places, document their significance, and host them at a single window platform so that all needs of tourists can be availed at a tap of a button. “We are also planning to devise a dedicated one-stop portal/app and other kinds of digital interface to suit all kinds of needs of tourists. Also, there is a plan to prepare a system for documentation of every visitor,” said the official.

7.1. Schindler India launches L&D initiative to enhance capability of its sales managers

ETHRWorld, Nov. 18, 2020

The ACHIEVE (Accelerate Competitiveness Highlighting Individual Excellence via Virtual Enforcement) programme is designed to be conducted virtually and comprises gamified mobile learning, Virtual Instructor Led Training (VILT) sessions and online assignments.

The ACHIEVE programme is driven by the Sales Academy at Schindler University. Schindler India, a multinational escalators, moving walkways and elevators manufacturing company based in Switzerland, has launched a focused learning and development programme to enhance the capability of its sales managers spread across 14 regions in India.

For this programme, Schindler India has partnered with InspireOne, a leading leadership and organisational development firm.

Spanning across four months, the ACHIEVE programme will enable sales personnel at Schindler India with digital learning tools to aid their virtual learning journey on vital sales topics like Account Strategy Creation, Ringfencing Accounts, Relationship Building, Value Based Selling, High Impact Presentations and Stakeholder Management.

The programme is driven by the Sales Academy at Schindler University, which is Schindler’s own ecosystem created for the holistic learning and development of all its employees and build competitive advantage through people development.

Kshitij Bhusari, Deputy General Manager – Schindler University, Schindler India, said, “At Schindler, we are inspired by the vision of being the best service provider in the industry, and we believe our values lie at the core of the way we do business. In the spirit of this belief, the ACHIEVE journey has been designed to equip our people with the knowledge, skills and tools required to succeed in today’s challenging market.”

Craig Gould, Regional Head and Principal Consultant, InspireOne, said, “The ACHIEVE programme is one of our most unique virtual learning journeys of the year, comprising of a variety of methodologies. The mandate of the programme is to help people reach the peak of their performance.”

7.2. Despite Covid-19 pandemic, some companies are taking measures to help employees with disabilities

ET Bureau, Dec. 04, 2020, Anjali Venugopalan

Accenture group introduced a tech platform called 'Disability Adjustment Request' earlier this year, which handles accommodation requirements of employees, including assistive technologies and ergonomic adjustments, said the company's human resource lead in India Lakshmi C.New Delhi: Even as the Covid-19 pandemic puts pressure on costs for companies, a few corporate employers are pushing initiatives to make persons with disabilities (PwD) feel more included. Some are also planning to hire more PwD employees in the coming year.

Flex, a NASDAQ-traded multinational electronics manufacturing services company, also said it will hire 20% more person with disabilities, according to the company's director for human resources (HR) in India, Sandra Andrew. This will be focused on the company's manufacturing sites in Chennai and Sri City. The company already has more than 100 PwDs employed across the country.

During the various lockdowns in place since the pandemic started in March in the country, managers at Flex held calls with PwD employees and their families, in sign-language for those who were hearing impaired. The company also has sign-language training for non-PwD employees, especially managers, so that they can communicate with hearing-impaired employees. The company is also setting up employee resource groups for PwDs.

Employment of PwDs had been hit during the recession induced by Covid-19.

However, hiring intent has picked up, and this is resulting in more PwDs being hired as well, said diversity hiring firm Vividhataa's founder and managing director Ratnaprabha Sable. During a virtual diversity job fair conducted by the company this year in August, around 1800 candidates participated, which included women, LGBTQ candidates and PwD, among others. Sable said that a handful of PwD employees were picked up by companies during the fair. Companies like Crisil, Aristocrat Technologies and Future Generali participated in the job fair.

The company also conducts one-on-one calls and group discussions to understand PwD employees' accessibility requirements.

Flipkart said it has partnered with training organisations to come up with content specifically for upskilling of PwD employees. It is also doubling down on its sign-language training program for employees.

NatWest Group India (formerly known as RBS India) along with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) Business and Disability Network earlier this week launched a networking platform for PwD employees and their caregivers called SAMBHAV.

This platform will bring together parents and caretakers of persons with disabilities, experts, and volunteers working in the disability field. On the platform, the stakeholders can interact and share experiences, learning and resources.

J.P. Morgan runs a global initiative called Access Ability, which conducts sessions on sign-language, autism awareness and assistive technologies. The India chapter has more than 3000 members, said Gaurav Ahluwalia, managing director and head of human resources, J.P.Morgan, India. “Access Ability complements the firm's global diversity efforts by maximizing the contributions of employees affected by long-term illness, disabilities and care-giving responsibilities.”

This year, the company conducted a virtual quiz on disability awareness for International Day of Persons of Disabilities, which was on December 3.

8.1. Over 50,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres operational across country

IBEF, Nov. 23, 2020

More than 50,000 Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs), which target to provide communities closer to their homes with primary health facilities, are now operational across the nation and have seen more than 28.10 crore footfalls, the Ministry of Health said on Friday.

1.5 lakh AB-HWCs are to be set up by December 2022, the ministry said.

With more than 50,000 centres being developed, one-third of the goal has been accomplished. This has contributed to increased access, to quality primary healthcare services, it said in a statement.

"This was made possible by the joint efforts of the Center and the States/UTs in planning, monitoring at all levels, process standardisation, adaptation flexibility provided by the States/UTs, and building on the health systems developed so far," said Minister of Health Mr. Harsh Vardhan.

In these challenging times, he thanked frontline health staff, medical officers, community health officers and ASHAs for their devotion to the cause of delivering quality primary health care services and helping millions of people with the essential services.

"They are the foundation of the delivery system of healthcare. Their contribution during the time of COVID was phenomenal,' said Mr. Vardhan.

In initiatives such as risk communication, contact tracking, community screening and early detection of incidents, and the seamless provision of non-COVID critical health services to ensure the safety of vulnerable groups, such as new-borns, the elderly and those with chronic conditions, the Health and Wellness Centres have extended supported.

There are now 50,025 operating AB-HWCs in 678 districts, including 27,890 sub-health centres, 18,536 primary health centres and 3,599 urban primary centres.

Together over 28.10 crore footfalls have been experienced by these AB-HWCs, of which over 53% are women seeking treatment at these centres.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

8.2. Indo-German initiative launched to develop 40,000 skilled workforce by 2024

ETHRWorld, Dec. 04, 2020

‘IGnITE’ aims at developing highly qualified technicians based on the German Dual Vocational Educational Training (DVET) model with a focus to make them industry and future ready. ‘IGnITE’ aims to help develop around 40,000 skilled workforce by 2024.

The initiative is expected to help support industry’s urgent need for a workforce trained in the latest technologies.Mumbai: Siemens, together with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany (BMZ) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH with the support of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India (MSDE), has launched a technical education initiative, called ‘IGnITE’.

IGnITE (Indo-German Initiative for Technical Education) aims at developing highly qualified technicians based on the German Dual Vocational Educational Training (DVET) model with a focus to make them industry and future ready. ‘IGnITE’ aims to help develop around 40,000 skilled workforce by 2024, according to a statement.

Sunil Mathur, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Siemens Limited, said, “The availability of trained and industry relevant technical talent is an imperative ingredient for India’s growth story. This is where ‘IGnITE’ aims to bring in a systemic change in India's skilling environment.”

“We are confident that this programme will support industry’s urgent need for a workforce trained in the latest technologies relevant to support India’s vision of being a global manufacturing leader,” added Mathur.

Kathinka Kurz, Head of Programme, develoPPP.de, said, “At develoPPP.de, we foster the involvement of the private sector in areas where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. We see the IGnITE initiative as a great example of such a win-win situation. The close cooperation between the public vocational education system and the private sector is essential for improving the qualification and employability of young people in India.”

“Combining our resources and expertise with a global corporation like Siemens and with a multitude of Indian MSMEs as the backbone of the local economy and the support of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, I am confident that our joint initiative will have a sustainable and noticeable impact on the Indian vocational education system,” added Kurz.

IGnITE is implemented as a development partnership of the develoPPP.de programme, which the GIZ implements on behalf of the BMZ. The focus areas under the initiative would be upskilling of instructors of Government Industrial Training Institutes, improving pedagogy, in-plant training for hands-on learning, continuous industry interface to enhanced employability. IGnITE would also look to develop curriculum for ‘Green Skills’ in innovative, sustainable sectors and technologies such as renewable energy, e-mobility and energy-efficiency.

The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has set up the develoPPP.de programme to foster private sector participation to the point where business opportunities and development policy initiatives overlap. To this end, BMZ offers support to companies that want to do business or have already started operating in developing and emerging countries. GIZ acts as one of the two official partners implementing the programme on behalf of BMZ.

The Indo-German Programme for Vocational Education and Training (IGVET) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) supports the Indo-German cooperation to establish a cooperative vocational education and training system in India where the private sector takes the lead in the design and implementation of VET programmes.

IGVET with the support of Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, focuses on introducing the Dual VET system, facilitating public-private partnerships and piloting different VET models across regional and sectoral clusters to identify models that can be scaled and replicated.

Siemens in India has various ongoing initiatives in the area of skill development, focusing on creating industry ready workforce targeting trainees of Government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and students of Government Engineering Colleges. The initiatives include Siemens Technical Academy and Dual VET at Government ITIs, Siemens Scholarship programme and Centres of Excellence.

Siemens Limited, the flagship listed company of Siemens AG in India, focuses on intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems and on automation and digitalization in the process, discrete and hybrid manufacturing industries. It is also a supplier and service provider of intelligent mobility solutions for rail, road and inter-modal transport for passenger and freight services. As of September 30, 2020, Siemens had revenue from continuing operations of Rs 9,581 crore and 9,258 employees.

The GIZ is a federal enterprise operating worldwide. It supports the German government in the fields of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education. GIZ helps people and societies to shape their own future and improve their living conditions In India. GIZ has been working for over 60 years, jointly with partners for sustainable economic, ecological, and social development.

9.1. At 20, this B Tech student is helping others land jobs

TNN, Dec. 08, 2020, Nirupa Vatyam

“Right now, my startup is helping photographers and videographers land well-paid jobs. In the near future, I intend to work with mechanics, electricians, masons, among others, and help them in getting full-time jobs,” the student of Lovely Professional University told TOI adding that his startup has not charged a single rupee from these 70 people.

A resident of Karimnagar, the young entrepreneur said he has lauMadhya Pradesh chief minister and BJP central board member Shivraj Singh Chouhan nched another startup---Enviropromise — which currently has 10 employees and 10 interns, and is in talks with Thub and venture capitalists for funding. Hyderabad: At an age when young graduates are usually busy finding their footing in a highly competitive world, 20-year-old Sai Abhinay Chepuri, is not just a successful entrepreneur but is even helping others land jobs. Through his startup — Make It Memorable (MIM) — the final year B Tech student has so far assisted about 70 people, who are talented but not adequately educated, find employment by connecting them with big corporate firms.

While a majority of those he works with, Chepuri said, have immense talent, they do not know how to showcase their work or build a portfolio. They also lack communication and soft skills. “So, my professors provide basic training to these people at free of cost. Going forward, I plan to charge a nominal fee so that I can help more people,” said Chepuri, who launched this startup in his first year of B Tech.

“Through this startup, we are going to work in four different areas. Firstly, we will be directly working with farmers and teach them efficient ways to produce crops and provide them a platform to sell fresh and organic food items. We will also manufacture and sell recycled products,” said Chepuri adding, “I intend to produce bio-diesel/bio-petrol from waste and manufacture electric and solar vehicles too.”

Though family members and friends, he admits, never expected him to start a venture so early in life, the engineering student says he’s always aspired to be where he is today.

“Starting my own company was my life’s biggest goal. I am glad I have achieved it early in life as doing so gives me an edge and opportunity to take more risks,” Chepuri said.

9.2. PwC India announces collaboration with UNICEF and YuWaah to upskill 300 million youth in India

ET Bureau, Dec. 08,2020, Brinda Sarkar

This announcement is part of the consulting firm’s global collaboration with UNICEF in support of Generation Unlimited - a multi-sector partnership aimed at helping 1.8 billion young people transition from school to work by 2030.

The programme will work with a range of stakeholders, both public and private, on a youth engagement platform aimed at creating a wider impact and equitable opportunities for young people through enhanced employability and earnings potential. PwC India has announced the rollout of a strategic collaboration with UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited in India) to help bridge the digital gap. Under the initiative, 300 million young people in India will be upskilled over the next 10 years.

The collaboration in India brings together PwC, UNICEF and YuWaah’s strengths and is a significant milestone for PwC’s global programme ‘New world. New skills’, which is driven by the need for everyone to upskill so they can thrive in the digital world.

As per UNICEF data highlighted in a recent publication co-authored with PwC, “Stepping forward: Connecting today’s youth to the digital future”, of the 1.2 billion young people in the world today, around 463 million were unable to access remote learning when schools closed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, one in six young people have stopped working since the beginning of the outbreak. Young people, especially young women and girls, who do not have reliable access to the internet, technology or devices, and those who lack digital skills and acumen have been hit particularly hard.

“Our collaboration with PwC was informed by the need to listen to young people and ensure they have access to credible information on their choices to fulfill their aspirations. We believe the need is to co-create these solutions with young people. They not only understand the challenges but also have the creativity and resilience to bring innovative solutions to the fore. The potential of what young people can do, and what we can achieve with them is at the centre of this collaboration,” said Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque, UNICEF representative in India.

“Digital enablement of the young people is not something that can be solved with an individual approach; it needs a whole-of-society approach – with government, enterprises and citizens coming together with collective wisdom around a shared vision,” Neel Ratan, regional managing partner, PwC India, told ET.

PwC India will be providing support for this programme across three pillars: economic opportunities and employability, 21st century skilling and learning, and youth engagement. The initiative is also expected to increase its coverage across a wider population so that the most vulnerable and disadvantaged sections can avail of these opportunities.

“Responding to aspirations of young people through partnerships with various stakeholders like government, private sector, civil society, academia is the core of our mandate. The platform we are working to create with PwC will enable young people to access solutions and information that is critical to them,” Dhuwarakha Sriram, chief of adolescent programming and Generation Unlimited (YuWaah) in India, told ET.

Mechanisms are being created to coordinate with and take feedback from the youth to ensure the efficacy of the programme, Sriram added.

According to the ministry of statistics and program implementation, Government of India estimates, youth constitute around 34% of the total population of India, translating to around 450 million youth.

10.1. Strengthening education system would be our top priority in post-covid world: Nandurbar DC Rajendra Bharud

ET Gov., Dec. 08, 2020, T. Radhakrishna

Facilities such as video conferencing, public-address System and computerization of the local administration have helped the district in attending review meetings with the state administration.

Nandurbar, one of the tribal districts of Maharashtra, gives credit to its local people and e-governance applications implemented under National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) and Digital India, for effectively managing the COVID-19 pandemic in its jurisdiction.

Facilities such as video conferencing, public-address System (PA-System) and computerization of the local administration have helped the district in attending review meetings with the state administration. The official website and its COVID-19 Health Dashboard of District Collector helped in providing daily updates on the health crisis.

“Strengthening the education system would be our priority after COVID-19 crisis. We are strengthening our PDS system using MREGS for rural development and trying to promote local products like by-products of Mahu, Amchur and chilly,” said Rajendra Bharud, Collector of Nandurbar district, Maharashtra, in an interview while sharing his experiences of managing COVID-19 pandemic with technology.

Edited Excerpts:

How do you evaluate ongoing COVID-19 situation in your district?

Although this situation is very challenging initially for us as a tribal district (Nandurbar in Maharashtra State) where there is lack of awareness about health issues in the society. The people living in remote and rural areas sincerely followed the instructions given by the administration. This has been a new challenge for us. We are managing the situation effectively with the support of technology. We found the first corona positive case on April 17, 2020 and the number of corona patients kept increasing. The situation is under control. The district has conducted a total of 35,915 swab tests so far. There are 6,574 active cases in the district. At least 154 people died of COVID-19 so far.

What are your priorities at this moment? How did you deal with the health emergency?

The district administration has been working on four key aspects with the support of technology, They are COVID-19 management, employment generation, strengthening supply-chain and boosting economical activities.

As part of the COVID-19 management, we paid attention to breaking the contact chain by increasing the rate of testing and focusing on quarantining and isolation. We clubbed rural development and employment through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MREGS). Over 60,000 labour got new jobs. More than 97 % of ration had been distributed during April, May and June. We have been promoting business activities to bring the economy of the district to normal even if we don’t have many industrial areas.

Enough arrangements were made for managing those active patients or even more if the virus strikes again. Adequate number of beds has been kept ready to provide health services to the patients. Antigen and true net testing was started as cases were reporting and we were more emphasising on contact tracing and breaking the contact chain. The lockdown was implemented successfully as the general public cooperated in very sincere manner. Revenue, police, health, ZP, RTO, corporations are all working hand in hand to deal with the crisis.

What was your district’s strategy to unlock the business doings?

The district administration formed ‘Anti-COVID Force’ to collaborate with young volunteers. Social Media is being used positively and passionately for spreading awareness about the protocol to contain corona infection and for giving updates. In such communications, we got some good suggestions as well. We have also made videos for giving messages to the people and we have also used tribal language for making the conversation effective.

We have encouraged economic activities in the rural part as soon as the government began to unlock the state. We have never imposed strict restrictions on small vendors. The life here is totally dependent on farming and related things. Hence the businesses which are related with agriculture activities are being promoted as our planned strategy. The district is coming back to normal.

Which are your ongoing initiatives benefiting the district and its people?

Tree plantation will definitely play important role in this tribal hilly area for maintaining ecological balance as well as for boosting economy of the region. We are now working on Green Satpuda Mission. Last year, only 40% of the target we set for crop was achieved.

In this crisis, we are taking special efforts on mission mode to achieve at least 80 percent of the target. We distributed ration cards by building special camps for it. Strengthening the educational system would be our priority after this crisis.

How are you taking care of the safety of government employees while on duty?

Standard Operating Protocols (SOP), issued by the Central government and State government, are being followed by every administrative office. All Governments are conducted by using technological facilities like video conferencing. Concerned Officers have been asked to use the public protocols in the offices and to use mail or messaging services for addressing people’s grievances. Public Address System (PA System) is doing extremely well and proved helpful for maintaining peace in the society.

As they say, every crisis or challenge brings an opportunity. We are strengthening our PDS system, using MREGS for rural development and trying to promote local products like by-products of Mahu, Amchur and chilly.

I hope that the Processing Units will be the key of progress in the years to come. I am positively looking forward to get such type of industries established in this region. If the locals take the initiative, there will be nothing happier than that.

10.2. Andhra Pradesh govt to digitize land records through state-wide resurvey using hybrid technology

ET Government, 02, 2020

The resurvey of lands, named Jagananna Sashwata Bhoohakku and Bhooraksha to be launched on Jan 1 2021 will use all the latest technology such as drones, aerial photography, mobile work stations, Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) networks and Rovers to determine the measurements of land parcels ending all the disputes over the ownerships and boundaries.

Preparations for the state-wide land resurvey in Andhra Pradesh have picked up momentum. The Chief Commissioner of Land Administration (CCLA) Neerabh Kumar Prasad on Tuesday held a meeting with the Krishna district Collector A. Md Imtiaz and other officials of the revenue department to review the resurvey conducted at Takkellapadu village in Jaggayyapet mandal on a pilot basis.

Advanced technologies like drones, Continuous Operating Reference Station (CORS) networks and Rovers will be used for the resurvey project at a cost of Rs 987 crore. The revenue department will allot a unique identification number to every land parcel. Both digital boundary markers (latitude and longitude) and physical boundary markers (JaganannaBhooRaksha stones) will be erected to mark the boundaries.

The programme will commence on January 1, 2021 and is envisaged to complete by August 2023.

During the review meeting, Imtiaz updated the CCLA on the steps being taken to launch the resurvey programme. The pilot was conducted after releasing 5(1) and 6(1) notifications in the village and field map and village maps have been digitized. The total number of survey numbers have increased from 150 to 640 after the resurvey as the land parcels have been divided as per the ownership rights.

The officials briefed Prasad over the non-agreement of certain land parcels with the existing records. The CCLA instructed the officials to keep the survey in pending wherever the difference between the old records and new survey is more than 10 percent. They will be finalized after releasing a notification in form-13.

The owners of the land parcels which do not match the resurvey measurements can go to a civil court or get the matter resolved at mobile courts being launched exclusively for this purpose, Neerab said.

CCLA joint secretary Cherukuri Sridhar, Survey and Land Records commissioner Siddharth Jain, CMRO project director M. Vijaya Sunitha, sub-collector Dhyanachandra, DPO Saibabu, RJD, Survey department, Venkateshwara Rao and other officials participated in the review meeting.

- INDUSTRY & MANIFACTURE

11.1. Amazon India launches ''STEP'' to accelerate growth of 7 lakh sellers

IBEF, Nov. 17, 2020

On Monday, Amazon India launched " STEP ", a performance-based profit programme to help promote development for the seven lakh sellers on its website.

Amazon is implementing its revamped fee structure, which was previously deferred to after Diwali, with the launch of STEP. STEP simplifies the experience of sellers by delivering personalised and actionable feedback that help sellers enhance key metrics of customer experience and their growth in turn, a statement said.

Sellers would unlock benefits across multiple tiers, such as 'Basic',' Standard',' Advanced',' Premium' and more by improving efficiency.

The statement added that these advantages include fee waivers, shorter disbursement times, priority seller assistance and world-class free account management.

All sellers on Amazon.in will earn " Standard " benefits until March 31, 2021, beginning on December 1, 2020, and will be eligible for 'Basic', 'Advanced', 'Premium' and others based on their success from January 1 to March 31, 2021, effective April 1, 2021.

Each quarter, all sellers will get an option to enhance their level and corresponding benefits based on their results.

STEP enables sellers of all sizes and tenures to drive their growth on Amazon.in by concentrating on key customer-relevant metrics on their performance. STEP offers objective and clear criteria and advantages designed to help sellers predictably boost their performance on these metrics," said Mr. Manish Tiwary, Vice President of Amazon India."

He added that each aspect of the programme has been carefully designed by the company to ensure that its sellers can have a better customer experience and in turn develop and be successful on Amazon.in.

As part of the STEP benefits, the updated fees on Amazon - effective December 1, 2020 - are related to STEP levels and include waiver of weight handling fees and lightning deal fees, the statement said.

Furthermore, the closing fees for goods in the low-price range (Rs 250-500) and zero disposal fees for items delivered from Amazon fulfilment centres will be reduced, it added.

"This year, Amazon.in has taken many steps to help its more than seven lakh seller group tackle challenges and get their businesses back on track," the company said.

These include free health insurance COVID-19 (offered by Acko in agreement with Amazon), disbursement on demand payment, performance metrics relaxation, fee waivers on inventory storage fees and 50% waiver on 'Sale on'.

It added that Amazon's fees for small sellers and its marketplace rate updates were postponed to December 2020.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

11.2. Amazon opens 'made in India' toy store amid Centre's self-reliance mission

IBEF, Nov. 19, 2020

On Wednesday, Amazon India launched a toy store in line with the government's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" vision, where sellers from 15 Indian states will showcase thousands of exclusive toys in categories such as traditional, handmade, and educational.

The launch of the "made in India" toy store could help local manufacturers reach the Indian market with the constant stream of Chinese toys.

Amazon.in said the store would allow thousands of manufacturers and vendors to sell toys driven by Indian culture, folk tales and toys that promote creative thinking, that are locally crafted and manufactured.

"I applaud the efforts of Amazon India to feature local toys by launching a dedicated 'Made in India' toy store where the vibrant Channapatna toys of the state will also be featured," said Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Mr. C. N. Ashwath Narayana in a statement.

To speed up their market, such efforts will provide a boost to domestic brands as well as local artisans.

Toys including Chowka Bara, Pitthu/Lagori, Lattu (wooden spinning tops) and more will be showcased in the traditional Indian toys segment.

The handmade toys section will feature handmade toys and karigar dolls from different states such as Channapatna, Thanjavur and Varanasi, to name a few.

Innovative and educational toys such as a DIY (do-it-yourself) Microscope, 4D Educational AR (augmented reality) game, science experiment kits and more will be showcased in the third category.

Homegrown Indian brands such as Smartivity, Shumee, Skillmatics, Shifu, Einstein package, etc. conceptualise and develop these goods.

Some of them also export toys produced in India through Amazon's Global Sale framework, such as Skillmatics and Shifu.

"India is home to traditional arts, crafts and toys produced by SMBs, artisans and craftsmen. With the launch of this new store, this cohort of sellers will benefit from accelerated growth due to the rise in demand for their goods," said Mr. Manish Tiwary, Amazon India Vice President.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

12.1. India has potential to scale up laptop, tablet manufacturing to US$ 100 billion by 2025: ICEA

IBEF, Nov. 19, 2020

India has the ability to increase its combined production capacity for laptops and tablets to US$ 100 billion by 2025 through structural reforms, ICEA, the mobile device industry body, said on Wednesday.

Scaling up the production of laptops and tablets would take India's share of the global market from 1% to 26% at present.

Moreover, it will create 5 lakh new employment and contribute to a combined inflow of US$ 75 billion in foreign exchange and more than US$ 1 billion in investment by 2025.

Mr. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), said the country's electronic market has crossed US$ 65 billion with significant contributions from mobile phones.

“We are still dependent on imports for laptops and tablets, and 87% of it is imported from China. In India, the laptop market is not a very big market. Tablets are actually a small market. These are the largest IT products after cell phones.”

"By developing laptops and tablets for the world in India and gaining a major share of the global market, we will have a manufacturing value of US$ 100 billion by 2025," said Mr. Mohindroo.

The National Policy on Electronics 2019 (NPE) envisages a turnover of US$ 400 billion in electronic manufacturing by 2025, of which US$ 190 billion is projected to come from the cell phone market.

According to ICEA, whose members include, among others, Apple, Xiaomi, Motorola, Nokia, Foxconn, Flextronics, Lava, Vivo, the domestic market will account for approximately US$ 170 billion by 2025, and there is a need to focus at the remaining US$ 230 billion in export markets to reach the 2019 NPE target.

The government has set a target of US$ 110 billion for the production of electronics from cell phone manufacturing for export.

The laptop and tablet market in India is very limited, according to ICEA, and most of the manufacturing can be done for export to markets in the US, Europe, and others.

Mr. Mohindroo said the production-related incentives scheme of the government has provided a boost to the electronics industry, and further addressing cost disability will boost the country's laptop and tablet production.

"Tablet production provides an enormous potential for Indian businesses currently making cell phones," he said.

India's manufacturers suffer from various challenges, such as high-power prices, taxes, and ease of doing business, rendering India almost 10-20% less competitive than Vietnam and China, respectively, the report said.

India must resolve these problems in the long term. In the meantime, by offering incentives that are WTO-compliant, easy to enforce and help India take off from the export trajectory, the government can aim to mitigate these challenges.

"PLI scheme for the mobile phone manufacturing sector will help to significantly improve the competitiveness of India," the report added.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

12.2. Pegatron board okays initial $150 million investment in India: Report

ET Bureau, 23 Nov. 2020

The Taipei-headquartered iPhone assembler, which registered its India subsidiary in July this year, said that due to the pandemic, it has been harder for Pegatron staff to visit India, resulting in delays.

As for Pegatron, it must individually produce handsets worth Rs 4000 crore in its first year which begins in March 2021 under the PLI scheme. The board of Pegatron, Apple’s second largest contract manufacturer, has approved an initial investment of $150 million (Rs 1100 crore) for building manufacturing facilities in India, its top executive has said. Pegatron’s factory in India is expected to start production in the second half of next year or in early 2022 and the company plans to make more investments in India over the next two years, CEO Liao Syh-jang had said in an investor conference last week.

The details were reported in the Taiwanese local media. Pegatron and Apple didn’t respond to ET’s emailed queries. The Taipei-headquartered iPhone assembler, which registered its India subsidiary in July this year, said that due to the pandemic, it has been harder for Pegatron staff to visit India, resulting in delays. Pegatron, along with other two Apple suppliers Foxconn and Wistron, has been cleared to avail sops under the central government’s production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme which kick started on August 1, 2020. Under the scheme, Apple has committed to locally produce devices worth around $50 billion over five years, a bulk of which will be for exports.

Of the three, only Pegatron doesn’t have operations in India so far, and will start availing of the incentives under the PLI scheme only from April 1, 2021. In fact, the company started business operations in India this September with the appointment of statutory auditors and remittance of Rs 1 crore towards initial subscription of equity shares. Apple though has placed Pegatron on probation for violating its supplier code of conduct involving student workers at Pegatron factories in China. The CEO has said that the company will not let something like this happen again. Government officials in India though say that the development may not derail the Taiwanese vendor’s plans in India, ET had reported.

Apple, on its part, is heavily investing in local assembly of iPhones in India as it diversifies outside of China amid heightened US-China tensions. Electronics and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said at an event last week that Apple has shifted nine of its operating units from China to India during the Covid period. According to data from Counterpoint Research, Apple’s domestic production until September 2020 was 1.2 million units and is inching closer to last year’s total production of 1.4 million units, despite a 45-day shutdown of factories due to the pandemic. Around 42% of it assembled in India is sold locally, and the rest is exported.

Apple has also been having among its strongest years in recent times, despite the pandemic. According to CyberMedia Research, Apple recorded the highest ever quarterly shipments - close to 700,000 units - in the July-September period and is positioned for aggressive growth in Q4 as well with a strong line up of iPhone 12 series, 11 series and iPhone SE. The Cupertino-based giant has also ramped up its exports this year (via Foxconn and Wistron) - which grew from 50% to 58% - as the two manufacturers ramped up capacity in order to meet the 60% PLI target for exports, data showed.

As for Pegatron, it must individually produce handsets worth Rs 4000 crore in its first year which begins in March 2021 under the PLI scheme. “Targets are easily achievable if they are able to start production next year but if it is stretched till 2022, they will have to convey this to the government and reach a middle ground, I think,” a senior executive in a mobile manufacturing firm said.

13.1. iPhone maker Wistron to invest ₹900 crore more in its Karnataka facility

ET Bureau, Nov, 28, 2020, Akshanta M.

This is over and above the Rs 1,947 crore investments the company had announced last year. The revised plan is expected to add 8,000 jobs, in addition to the 10,000 employment target it had previously set, according to a senior government official.

The promise of stepping up the investment outlay and additional jobs has brought cheer to the government at a time when Covid-19 has impacted the state financially.BENGALURU: Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron, which makes iPhones for Apple in India, has proposed to increase its investments by Rs 900 crore at its facility in Narasapura, about 70 km from Bengaluru.

The Taiwanese giant has decided to make a substantial increase in investments as it is expanding its range of manufacturing beyond smartphones to Internet of Things (IoT) products and biotech devices.

13.2. Ola to setup e-scooter factory in Tamil Nadu, will employ about 10k people

ET Bureau, Dec. 14, 2020

The company in a release said that the planned two-wheeler factory in Tamil Nadu would draw an investment of Rs 2,400 crore, and employ as many as 10,000 people and would have an initial production capacity of 2 million vehicles annually.

Ola will take on firms such as Bajaj Auto, Hero Motocorp-backed Ather Energy and TVS with its locally-produced electric two-wheelers. The company has plans to sell these vehicles directly to buyers as well as use them in shared mobility.Homegrown ride-hailing giant Ola is looking to set up a manufacturing hub for electric two-wheelers in Tamil Nadu, for which it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government on Monday.

The company in a release said that the planned two-wheeler factory in Tamil Nadu would draw an investment of Rs 2,400 crore, and employ as many as 10,000 people with an initial production capacity of 2 million vehicles annually.

"We are excited to announce our plans to set up the world’s largest scooter factory. This is a significant milestone for Ola and a proud moment for our country as we rapidly progress towards realising our vision of moving the world to sustainable mobility solutions," said Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO at Ola.

The company, without specifying when the plant would become operational, said it would manufacture a range of electric scooters with removable batteries. The model is likely to be the AppScooter developed by Amsterdam-based Etergo BV which Ola acquired in May this year.

Reports have suggested that Ola’s electric two-wheeler will be priced comparable to gas-powered scooters currently on sale in India. ET wasn’t able to ascertain the planned pricing of the ride-hailing firm’s scooter.

Going by specifications published on Etergo's website, the AppScooter will have a modular design which will allow customers to fit between 1-5 battery modules. Each battery module will have a 1.15-kilowatt-hour rating, and will be good for a range of 80 kilometers at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.

For comparison, the Ather 450X has a non-removable battery pack rated at 2.61 kWh, which it says gives the scooter a real-world range of 85 kilometers. While the theoretical range of Ola’s AppScooter is claimed to be 240 kilometers with all five battery modules, this is at a simulation of just 20 km/h, which is far removed from real-world riding speeds.

Still, the 5.75 kw/h maximum battery capacity for Ola’s electric two-wheeler could give it better range and performance than its competitors, however, the added packs are likely to drive up the cost as well.

Late last month, Ola appointed General Motor veteran Jose Pinheiro to head its global manufacturing and operations for its electric mobility business. Ola Electric, which is valued at over $1 billion, counts marquee investors such as SoftBank, Tiger Global and Matrix Partners among its backers.

The electric mobility unit, which was spun off from its ride-hailing parent, has raised over $300 million since its inception and also counts Ratan Tata, Hero Motocorp’s chairman Pawan Munjal’s family trust, apart from Korean auto majors Kia and Hyundai as its investors.

14.1. ASEEM logs 50,000 new blue collar job postings in October

ET Bureau, Nov. 28, 2020, Rica Bhattacharyya

The ASEEM platform was launched by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in July and has seen massive demand for skilled labour within four months of its launch amid a recovery in economic activity, rise in mobility and a pickup in retail, construction and agricultural activity.

Some of the prominent sectors that saw new job postings in October include retail (12,600), auto (8,000), apparel (4,000), logistics (5,000), leather (3,500) and telecom (3,200), among others.Mumbai: Nearly 50,000 new blue collar jobs were posted in October on the ASEEM (Aatamanirbhar Skilled Employee Employer Mapping) platform, a directory of skilled workforce developed by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

There are currently around 550,000 verified job vacancies for skilled blue-collar workers on the platform, developed and managed by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) in collaboration with a Bengaluru-based company, Betterplace.

14.2. GoodWorker ties up with Sonu Sood, Schoolnet for tech platform for blue-collar workers

PTI, Nov. 26, 2020

The technology platform aims to reach 10 crore blue-collar workers across the country by providing access to good jobs and career progression through upskilling services, followed by financial, healthcare and social security services.

GoodWorker, founded by Singapore-headquartered global investment company Temasek, will make an investment of Rs 250 crore in this joint venture, Agrawal added.Mumbai: Temasek-backed job matching platform ‍GoodWorker, Bollywood actor Sonu Sood and vocational skill provider Schoolnet have formed a joint venture with an initial investment of Rs 250 crore to assist blue-collar workers with employment and skilling.

"We were already building and had plans of certain amount of investment in India. When we came across Sood's Pravasi Rojgar and Schoolnet, and saw how they have reached 400 districts, we decided to combine forces with them bringing in out cutting edge technology to effectively expand their operations by finding the right talent," GoodWorker Board Member Pradyumna Agrawal told .

GoodWorker, founded by Singapore-headquartered global investment company Temasek, will make an investment of Rs 250 crore in this joint venture, Agrawal added.

Pravasi Rojgar was launched by Sood along with Schoolnet in July 2020 as an employment portal for job-seekers, especially migrants, after millions lost jobs in the pandemic and went back to their native places.

This initiative has already onboarded over 10 lakh job seekers and thousands of employers within just four months of its launch.

Sood said that Pravasi Rojgar's has now expanded beyond just job matching in partnership with GoodWorker, to building on the combined strengths in migrant outreach, education, skilling and technology.

Sood had helped hundreds of migrant workers, who were stranded without jobs or place to stay, reach their homes during the lockdown, a step taken by the government to curb the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

"This partnership will help in realising my dream of providing a better life and securing livelihood for millions of youths. With this we aim to give the migratory workers an opportunity to upskill and improve their job prospects," Sood added.

The joint venture will formally launch its product offerings early next year.

Talking about the revenue model of the venture, Agrawal said the JV will begin by charging placement fees for employers while it will be free for job seekers.

However, going forward there is likely to be charges for additional products, including skilling, as when they will be launched over time, he added.

Schoolnet India (formerly IL&FS Education and Technology Services) is an EdTech and skilling company, which focuses on leveraging the demographic dividend through initiatives related to education, employability and employment.

15.1. In a first, Bata gets an India CEO to ‘shoe the world’

TNN, Dec. 01, 2020

Kataria takes charge as global CEO with immediate effect as Nasard, who is stepping down after almost five years in the role, is reportedly set to join Kantar.

Sandeep Kataria, 49, who is currently Bata India’s CEO, has been elevated as global CEO of the company, as the current incumbent, Alexis Nasard, moves on MUMBAI: For the first time in Bata’s 126-year history, an Indian will lead the firm to ‘shoe the world’.

Sandeep Kataria, 49, who is currently Bata India’s CEO, has been elevated as global CEO of the company, as the current incumbent, Alexis Nasard, moves on.

Kataria is in distinguished company. Other Indians at the helm of global organisations include Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Sundar Pichai of Alphabet, Ajay Banga of Mastercard, Arvind Krishna of IBM, Laxman Narasimhan of Reckitt Benckiser, Ivan Menezes of Diageo and Vasant Narasimhan of Novartis.

Kataria takes charge as global CEO with immediate effect as Nasard, who is stepping down after almost five years in the role, is reportedly set to join Kantar. An engineer from IIT-Delhi and a gold medallist of the 1993 PGDBM batch at XLRI, Kataria has 24 years of work experience at Unilever, Yum Brands and Vodafone in India and Europe. Kataria joined Bata India as CEO in 2017.

India is the top market for the Switzerland-headquartered footwear major. Under Kataria’s leadership, Bata India doubled its profits driven by a double-digit topline growth, and ran campaigns like ‘Surprisingly Bata’, to revamp the brand’s image and project it as contemporary, targeted at younger consumers. Bata India posted a net profit of Rs 327 crore on revenues of Rs 3,053 crore in 2019-20.

Bata India chairman Ashwani Windlass, said: “Over the past few years, the India team has delivered exceptional growth in footwear volumes, revenues and profits, and has strengthened Bata’s customer measures in a highly competitive footwear market. The Bata Group and Bata India both stand to benefit greatly from Sandeep’s extensive experience.”

In a statement, Kataria, said: “I am honoured to accept this new appointment and excited by the journey ahead of us. Bata is a brand with an enviable reputation for high quality, affordable footwear. I have been privileged to be part of Bata’s success in India and I look forward to building further on our proud, 120-year history as shoemakers to the world. While 2020 has presented unique challenges, the appeal of our brands and the passion of our people provide every reason for confidence regarding our prospects in the years ahead.”

Founded in 1894 by Tomas Bata, a Czech entrepreneur, often touted to be the Henry Ford of the footwear industry, Bata is one of the world’s leading shoemakers, designing stylish footwear at fairly affordable prices. A family-owned business, Bata sells more than 180 million pairs of shoes annually in 5,800 stores and produces locally in 22 Bata-owned manufacturing facilities across five continents. Bata operates in more than 70 countries and has 35,000 employees.

For Indian consumers, the brand occupies a unique place with a Bata store in every corner of the country. Probably the only footwear brand that offers products for the entire family, Bata is the largest footwear retailer, selling about 50 million pairs every year and serves 120,000-plus customers every day. Its brands like Hush Puppies, Power, Marie Claire and Scholl are household names.

Bata India is the largest footwear retailer in India, offering footwear, accessories and bags across brands such as Bata, Hush Puppies, Naturalizer, Power, Marie Claire, Weinbrenner, North Star, Scholl, Bata Comfit and Bubblegummers, to name a few. It retails in more than 1,550 Bata-owned and franchisee stores on bata.in, on e-commerce marketplaces and in thousands of multi-brand footwear dealer stores pan-India. To make its products accessible to millions of Indians, Bata has evolved its channels and recently launched new channels such as Bata Chat Shop, Bata Home Delivery and Bata Store-on-wheels for neighbourhood communities.

According to an Axis report dated July this year, India is the second largest global producer of footwear after China, accounting for 10% of the annual global production of 22 billion pairs. The Indian footwear market is estimated at Rs 600 billion as of FY2020 and expected to reach around Rs 720 billion by FY23.

India’s consumption of footwear is the third largest after China and the US at 2.2 billion pairs, recording a healthy growth over the last decade. At present, 90% of footwear produced in the country is consumed by the domestic market with little share owing to export. Despite being the second-largest footwear consumer globally, India’s per capita footwear consumption remains one of the lowest among peers.

In recent months, rising to the challenge posed by Covid-19, Bata India converted its Batanagar factory in India to make face masks. It distributed more than 12,000 face masks.

Watch Related Video: In a first, Bata names Indian as global CEO

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16.1. IIT Kharagpur, AWS jointly creating AI learning, development portal

TNN, Nov. 27, 2020, Avik Das

IIT Kharagpur’s Centre for AI has tied up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a National Artificial Intelligence Resource Portal (NAIRP).

"What an AI system can achieve can only be limited by imagination," says Sudeshna Sarkar of IIT Kharagpur.BENGALURU: Sudeshna Sarkar of IIT Kharagpur says that while artificial intelligence has been around for the last seven decades, it has taken off only in the last two thanks to machine learning. That has been possible due to the enormous amounts of digital data being captured both in structured and unstructured form.

“What an AI system can achieve can only be limited by imagination. It’s one of the most disruptive technologies," says Sarkar, who heads the computer science & engineering department and the centre for artificial intelligence.

That is the reason courses on AI at the IITs draw tremendous response from students, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. IIT Kharagpur is now planning a course titled Artificial Intelligence for Economics, which will deal with machine learning, game theory and their application in the subject.

16.2. Samsung to focus on startups under its new India R&D vision

ETTelecom, Dec. 10, 2020

Samsung unveiled its new vision #PoweringDigitalIndia which will launch a program for engineering students, and its R&D centres will work on areas such as 5G, AI, IoT and cloud services to take projects from research to development and to the commercialization stage.

Samsung already has India’s largest mobile phone manufacturing facility in Noida, Uttar Pradesh with a capacity of producing 120 million units annually. It also set up the world’s largest mobile experience centre at the Opera House in Bengaluru.New Delhi: Samsung India, on its 25th anniversary, has launched a new vision aimed at involving students participation in its research, and a refreshed local R&D strategy focussing on the startup community and new initiatives in manufacturing, the company said.

“In addition to this, they will expand Open Innovation with startups, students and universities to help strengthen the innovation and startup ecosystem in the country and also augment their in-house innovation capabilities,” it said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Samsung is committed to work with the Government of India and various state governments to realize their vision of nation building, digital inclusion, digital empowerment and bridging of the digital divide through multiple initiatives in manufacturing, R&D, creation of jobs and entrepreneurship, responsible citizenship and transformational innovations,” said Ken Kang, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia.

The company which has deployed 4G LTE network for Reliance Jio in India said it is also working with various partners on 5G technology.

It is also planning new initiatives for manufacturing in India and contributing to the government’s vision of ‘Make in India’, it said.

Overall, it has two manufacturing facilities, five R&D centres and one design centre, 200,000 retail outlets, over 70,000 employees, and revenues in excess of USD 10 billion, it said.

The company has also launched a new logo for the new vision on the occasion.

17.1. Pandemic experience helps Capgemini to start hiring rural women in India

PTI, Nov. 19, 2020

Following the announcement of a nationwide lockdown in late-March, the entire service delivery model of the over USD 180-billion Indian IT industry had to be reworked as staff started working from home. Capgemini employs over 1 lakh people in India.

The women hired through the project named 'Sakhi Drishtikon' will work on projects involving various team members in the cloud and infrastructure services (CIS) business to start with and also work on cyber security front, she said.Learnings from the coronavirus pandemic have led French IT major Capgemini to start hiring qualified women from rural areas, who are unable to pursue career because of an inability to relocate, as software engineers, a senior official said on Wednesday. The company is targeting to hire 500 such women by December and has already initiated the project with 100 women from southern states who are being trained currently. A woman will get hired as a trainee and earn at par with peers in the company, which is at least Rs 3.5 lakh a year.

"The pandemic showed us that work can be handled seamlessly from anywhere in the country because of telecom infrastructure and that is where we decided to launch the project to hire such qualified women who have been forced by circumstances not to pursue a career," Radhika Ramesh, global delivery centre head for CIS India, Capgemini, told.

The work they will be handling will not be akin to business process outsourcing (BPO) services, she added.

The women will be qualified graduates or postgraduates or possess a diploma in a specialised subject, she said.

Ramesh added that they will be put through more rigorous training modules before absorbed into projects and will also have experienced engineers as mentors.

She said that because of a slew of commitments, rural women are unable to pursue career like their urban area counterparts.

The first batch of 100 predominantly has those who had to go back to native place after education or ones who have an experience of up to a year, Ramesh added.

The company has roped in non-government organisations as partners to spot such women across the country, she said.

17.2. Talent500 by ANSR launches initiative to help women technologists return to the workforce

ET Bureau, Nov. 18, 2020, Brinda Sarkar

TakeTwo includes an upfront 6-week bootcamp with masterclasses and sessions from industry experts on technology, latest technology trends and soft skills (communication, interviewing, leadership).

"We plan to hold this programme multiple times a year and roll out versions of it in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and also adapt it for fresher-level talent,” Ahuja said.BENGALURU: Talent500 by ANSR, a career accelerator for software engineering talent, has rolled out a programme called TakeTwo, an initiative designed to help women technologists make a return to the workforce.

Talent500 is a product of ANSR, which helps large global enterprises in building and operating high-impact engineering global capability centres (GCCs).

TakeTwo includes an upfront 6-week bootcamp with masterclasses and sessions from industry experts on technology, latest technology trends and soft skills (communication, interviewing, leadership). Further, the programme would allow select participants to join an advanced IIT certification course and access one-to-one personal mentoring over a 9-month period. At the end of the bootcamp, all participants will be given access to job opportunities from at least 10 leading global companies.

The programme is designed to encourage and provide opportunities to experienced women technologists on a 1+ year break and looking to re-enter the workforce. The selection process includes an online assessment followed by an in-person interview. The batch size will be 15-30 women.

“Gender inequality and skewed representation is a challenge in the global technology space as the number of women leaving the workforce increases significantly post the 2-year mark. This aims to be a positive and inclusive programme aimed at bringing more women back into technology and making learning, insights and coaching more accessible. At ANSR, we’re passionate about bringing more diversity into the workforce and we aim to add 5000+ women into the GCC space in the next three years,” Vikram Ahuja, co-founder, Talent500 by ANSR, told ET.

The initiative is in partnership and collaboration with Futurense and tailor-made for women with experience in core Java. The programme will begin on January 18th, 2021.

“While many technology companies do have returnee programmes for second-career women technologists, this initiative is brand-agnostic and gives participants a wider range of job opportunities. We plan to hold this programme multiple times a year and roll out versions of it in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, and also adapt it for fresher-level talent,” Ahuja said.

Since its inception, ANSR has established over 60 GCCs aggregating to over 65,000 enterprise talent with over $1.5 billion in investment and using over 7 million sq.ft of workspace. ANSR's T500 talent platform is a continuously curated ecosystem of enterprise-ready talent for digital technologies, powered by AI-driven identification, curation and engagement aimed at the top 10% of talent.

18.1. Maharashtra gives hospitality sector industry status to boost revenue

Mumbai Mirror, Dec. 15, 2020

The government’s decision comes after nearly 2.8 lakh people working in the hospitality sector lost their jobs during the lockdown. In the last month, the government had reduced the number of permissions to start a restaurant or hotel from 70 to 20 and digitized the permission process.

Hotels which are not registered with the ministry will have to maintain basic minimum standards and fulfil the requirements to achieve the industrial status. The state government has assigned “industry” status to the hospitality sector facilitating the industrial tax tariff. The decision was taken in a bid to provide relief to the industry, which has been hit hard by the pandemic.

A tourism department notification said, “In the first phase, hotels registered with the Centre's tourism ministry will have to pay water tax, electricity tariff, property tax, development tax, FSI and non-agricultural tax as per the industrial tariff from April 1, 2021.”

The state government will appoint a committee to set up parameters for the process.

18.2. Telangana tourism department introduces TS-iPASS for speedy approval of tourism projects

ET Gov. Dec. 14, 2020

Through this single window online system, entrepreneurs planning to set up hotels, resorts, travel agencies and event management companies can now apply for permissions and obtain all clearance within 30 days or else it is deemed to have been approved.

With an aim to boost to the hospitality and tourism prospects in the state, the Telangana Tourism department has launched TS-Industrial Project Approval and Self-Certification System (TS-iPASS) service for speedy processing of issuing various approvals, licences and certificates required for setting up hotels, resorts, travel agencies, tourism events and other hospitality related activities.

Tourism Minister V. Srinivas Goud formally launched the portal on Sunday in the presence of industries department Principal Secretary Jayesh Ranjan, Tourism Secretary Srinivasa Raju and TSTDC MD B. Manohar.

The minister said setting up a hotel requires clearances and approvals from 15 departments, including fire services, pollution control board, municipality, etc and it may take several weeks or months. Through TS-iPASS, all that cumbersome process is eliminated and the entrepreneurs planning to set up hotels, resorts, travel agencies and event management companies can now apply for permissions through an online single window system, which is very user friendly, Srinivas Goud said.

The system which is already in use for industries, brings in total transparency and accountability, the minister said adding that n case if any department fails to clear the application, it will be held responsible for the delay and after 30 days, the application is deemed to be approved. The state government has also issued GO MS 3 to this effect last week. This shows the commitment of the Telangana government in extending all support and making things convenient for entrepreneurs to launch new tourism or hospitality projects, Goud said.

19.1. BPO, IT sectors in Vizag generate 10,000 jobs despite lockdown woes

TNN, Nov. 24, 2020, Arpit Basu

Despite the odds placed by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology (IT) sectors in Visakhapatnam managed to generate around 10,000 direct employments from January to October 2020.

VISAKHAPATNAM: Despite the odds placed by the pandemic and the nationwide lockdown, business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology (IT) sectors in Visakhapatnam managed to generate around 10,000 direct employments from January to October 2020.

A major proportion of these fresh graduates were recruited during the peak lockdown period between March and July.

“Even with the pandemic and the resulting lockdown and economic slowdown, around 10,000 direct employments have been created at the IT and BPO industries in Visakhapatnam. We want to complete the year by creating 15,000 employments in all,” MP Dubey, in-charge of Vizag Software Technology Parks in India (STPI) and state nodal officer for India BPO Promotion Scheme (IBPS), told TOI.

The IBPS was launched by the Union government to incentivise the BPO and IT/IN-enabled services (ITeS) sector in the country and to establish over 48,000 seats that would generate employment. Seats were distributed among states in proportion to their population. Around 15,000 seats had been allocated to Andhra Pradesh, of which 9,233 seats are allotted to the Port City and another 3,000 to neighbouring Vizianagaram city.

“Altogether these 13,000-odd seats would generate 45,000 direct employments in the next three years. We are happy that despite the pandemic we are very close to reaching the target for first year. The scheme was also supposed to generate around 1,50,000 indirect or outsourced employment. However, we are not in a position to calculate the indirect employments it has created till now. An agency had been appointed to find out the figures,” added Dubey.

Managements of the BPO and IT firms claimed that the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown actually acted as a blessing in disguise as it increased the scope for hiring manpower within the industry.

RL Narayana, former president of IT Association of Andhra Pradesh claimed that unlike in metros such as Bengaluru or Kolkata, it is easier to connect with the government administration in a tier-II city like Visakhapatnam. The government ensured that the city’s BPO and ITeS industries ran smoothly, right from arranging daily passes for employees during the lockdown to addressing any issues that cropped up because of the pandemic.

“And, we got the result immediately. There are international clients who wanted to enhance business with BPO and ITeS only if their business was being operated from Visakhapatnam. A company named Patra BPO actually shut down its operations at its Bengaluru headquarters and shifted to Visakhapatnam during the lockdown,” said Narayana.

19.2. Digital May Drive Over 80 Pc Incremental Spend For Enterprises In Near-Term: NASSCOM

IBEF, Dec. 04, 2020

The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) said on Thursday that significant growth in digital adoption by businesses and a possible growth in outsourcing intensity due to remote work are leading to a faster than anticipated recovery for the technology services industry.

In the second quarter of FY21, top Indian technology service providers performed better than analyst expectations, it said in the study titled ‘Future of Technology Services -- Navigating the New Normal.'

McKinsey & Company has performed independent third-party research and analysis.

The study highlights that from January to July, tech natives and digital reinventors with sales of more than US$ 3 billion have powered 65% of the US$ 6 trillion market capitalization growth, highlighting that technology is now at the centre of future business recovery.

Although COVID-19 has accelerated digital adoption across industries, providers of technology services are seeing a sharp growth in digital deals.

After the pandemic, digital transformation deals have seen a 30% rise, 80% rise in cloud investment, and 15% in customer experience.

Companies are also documenting an improvement in their employees' digital dexterity, with a growing emphasis on remote enablement, and are constantly updating processes to recognise automation and digitisation opportunities.

NASSCOM President Ms. Debjani Ghosh stated that the Indian technology services industry has had an unprecedented effect on the economy over the years through a multiplier effect on job development, balancing import bills through competitive exports, boosting start-ups and driving a significant contribution to GDP growth.

“The next 10 years will be radically different from the past and involve the creation of strategies and perspectives for all stakeholders to identify potential possibilities and reduce risks. Businesses need to build a recovery to ensure a quicker recovery.”

Mr. Noshir Kaka, Senior Partner and Global Leader for Analytics at McKinsey & Company stated that since the beginning of the pandemic, developments in digital re-invention and efficient operations have seen a remarkable expansion. The study indicates that in the last nine months, the world has outpaced toward digital adoption by three to five years.

He said, “We are seeing an intense emphasis on vertical digitalization, and our research shows that COVID-19 resilient digital offerings will drive 80% plus near-term spending.”

The study said businesses and chief investment officers are restructuring their spending on technology to embrace digitalization. In the second quarter of FY2021, major players in technology services recorded better performance than analysts' estimates.

The technology service providers referred the increase in revenue to cloud and digital offerings, and the benefits accrued by companies from vendor consolidation.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

20.1. Indian Railways set to organise mega recruitment drive for filling 1.4 lakh vacancies

ANI, Dec. 15, 2020

The ministry of railways, in a release dated December 11, 2020, stated that more than 2.44 crore candidates will be appearing in different cities across the country to participate in the recruitment drive.

According to the official release, the first phase of the exam will commence from December 15 till December 18, 2020, for isolated and ministerial categories.NEW DELHI: The Indian Railways, through its 21 Railway Recruitment Boards (RRBs), is organising a mega recruitment drive in three phases starting from Tuesday for filling up about 1.4 lakh vacancies.

According to the official release, the first phase of the exam will commence from December 15 till December 18, 2020, for isolated and ministerial categories. This will be followed by NTPC categories from December 28 to tentatively till March 2021 and the third recruitment for Level-1 from tentatively April 2020 onwards till June end, 2021.

RRBs have made extensive preparations for conducting examinations of this large scale in COVID-19 pandemic times following SOPs as laid down by the government ensuring social distancing, compulsory use of masks, sanitisers, curtailing shifts for conducting exams to only two shifts per day.

"Efforts are being made by RRBs to ensure that as far as possible the candidates are accommodated in their own State so that they can reach their exam centres by undertaking the overnight journey. Female and PWD candidates are accommodated within their home states. However, considering the skewed distribution of candidates area-wise, there will be unavoidable interstate movements. Railways will be running special exam trains to cater to the travel requirements of the candidates, wherever required and feasible. Chief Secretaries of concerned State Governments have also been requested to extend support of local administration to RRBs for conducting CBTs in secure and safe manner ensuring social distancing," the Indian Railways said.

According to the Indian Railways, candidates will be checked for the temperature at entry using thermo guns.

"Candidates having temperature more than prescribed limits will not be allowed inside the exam venue. Intimation in this regard will also be sent to their registered email and mobile number regarding the rescheduling of such candidates. The exact date of the re-scheduled exam of such candidates will be intimated subsequently. The candidate should use his/her own facemask. Candidate has to produce Covid-19 self-declaration in the prescribed format at the entry and in absence of the same he/she will not be allowed into the exam venue. After each shift the exam centre will be sanitised before starting another shift," it said.

In order to safeguard the health of the candidates and other personnel involved in the conduct of exams amid Covid-19, the latest instructions, guidelines, and orders issued by the Central and respective State governments concerning Covid-19 will be followed and ensured, the Indian Railways stated.

20.2. Digital India takes centerstage as BSNL launches satellite-based IoT devices for mobile connectivity

ET Gov. Dec. 11, 2020

The new services can be used across India where mobile towers are not present, including the seas within the country’s jurisdiction

In a further push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s digital India programme, the state run telecom major Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced to launch a satellite-based internet of things (IoT) device services.

The new services launched in partnership with US-based firm Skylo, are specially designed and developed for suitable use in India and can be used across India where mobile towers are not present, including the seas within the country’s jurisdiction.

According to BSNL, this is the first of its kind satellite-based narrowband-IoT network. “The new services are in line with BSNL’s vision to leverage technology to provide affordable and innovative telecom services and products across customer segments,” PK Purwar, CMD, BSNL said.

The distribution of new devices by Skylo will be exclusively done through the state-run telecom giant at an estimated price of ₹10,000 per unit. The square-shaped device can be carried by users across any part of the country and connect with their smartphones for two-way communication.

“Skylo would also help provide critical data for the logistics sector to enable effective distribution of COVID-19 vaccine in 2021 and will be a big contributor in service to the nation,” Purwar further said.

Meanwhile, BSNL said that the technology pertaining to the new device has already been tested successfully in various segments, including Indian Railways, fishing vessels and for enabling connected vehicles across India.

“Successful POCs (proof of concepts) have already been conducted by BSNL and Skylo in India and we will soon approach various user groups before the New Year 2021 begins,” BSNL Board Director (CFA) Vivek Banzal said.

Skylo CEO and co-founder Parthsarathi Trivedi in a statement said that for centuries industries, including agriculture, railways and fisheries, have been operating offline, and have not had the opportunity to take full advantage of the latest advancements in artificial intelligence and IoT till date. “This is the world’s first satellite-based NB-IoT network and I am proud to launch this capability in India first to transform lives and our domestic industries,” Trivedi said.

The new device will also serve as a complement to smartphone-centric mobile and Wi-Fi networks, and will cover India’s full geography to bring online new applications for the first time.

INDIA and the WORLD

21.1. India's AI supercomputer Param Siddhi 63rd among top 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems in the world

Press Information Bureau, Nov. 19, 2020

Param Siddhi, the high-performance computing-artificial intelligence (HPC-AI) supercomputer established under National Supercomputing Mission (NSM) at C-DAC has achieved global ranking of 63 in TOP 500 most powerful non-distributed computer systems in the world released on 16th November 2020.

The AI system will strengthen application development of packages in areas such as advanced materials, computational chemistry & astrophysics, and several packages being developed under the mission on platform for drug design and preventive health care system, flood forecasting package for flood prone metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Patna and Guwahati. This will accelerate R&D in war against COVID-19 through faster simulations, medical imaging, genome sequencing and forecasting and is a boon for Indian masses and for start-Ups and MSMEs in particular.

It is a boon for application developers and will help testing of weather forecasting packages by NCMRWF & IITM, geo-exploration packages for oil and gas recovery; packages for aero-design studies; computational physics and mathematical applications and even online courses for education.

The supercomputer with Rpeak of 5.267 Petaflops and 4.6 Petaflops Rmax (Sustained) was conceived by C-DAC and developed jointly with support of Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under NSM.

“It is a historical first. India today has one of the largest supercomputer infrastructures in the world and that is evidenced by the ranking that Param Siddhi-AI has received today,” said Secretary Department of Science & Technology, Professor. Ashutosh Sharma.

“I truly believe that Param Siddhi-AI will go a long way in empowering our national academic and R&D institutions as well as industries and start-ups spread over the country networked on the national supercomputer grid over the National Knowledge Network (NKN)”, Prof. Sharma added.

Prof. Ashutosh Sharma pointed out that with the infusion of Param Siddhi-AI, the scientific and technology community in the country will further be enabled and empowered to solve multidisciplinary grand challenges of healthcare, agriculture, education, energy, cybersecurity, space, AI applications, weather and climate modelling, urban planning to name a few.”

“This is a compelling piece of our journey in Atmanirbharta through Science Technology & Innovation,” he stressed.

Param Siddhi Supercomputer is built on the NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD reference architecture networking along with C-DAC’s indigenously developed HPC-AI engine, software frameworks and cloud platform and will help deep learning, visual computing, virtual reality, accelerated computing, as well as graphics virtualization.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

21.2. Artificial intelligence alone can add US$ 500 billion to economy: Google India

IBEF, Dec. 04, 2020

On Thursday, Google India said that artificial intelligence itself could add US$ 500 billion to the economy and help to better predict floods and diagnose diseases accurately. The company has allocated US$ 10 billion to extend India's digital footprint, a top official said.

Google India Country Manager & VP, Mr. Sajay Gupta, said at the ’ABP Infocom – The Next Normal’, “The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged us to use every tool available to tackle the threats and possibilities before us. Google recently acquired a 7.73% stake in Jio Platforms Ltd the digital subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL). The two companies have also reported plans to come up with an affordable smartphone at the entry level".

Mr. Gupta stated that data usage increased to 14 GB per month from 8 GB during the pandemic. The total intake was a mere 86 MB per month in 2014. By 2022, UPI transactions will potentially hit the one-billion-a-day mark from the current transaction of about a billion per month, a senior company official said.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

22.1. Over 800,000 Indian nationals in green card backlog in US

ET Bureau, Nov. 23, 2020, Priyanka Sangani

The green card backlog for employment-based immigrants in 2020 crossed 1.2 million applicants, the highest ever. Indians comprise about 68 per cent of this.

Employment based green cards, or the Permanent Employment Program (PERM), are often used by large companies to hold on to high-skilled workers by sponsoring their permanent residency in the United States.Pune: Indian nationals in line for an employment-based green card in the United States number more than 800,000, according to in US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data.

The green card backlog for employment-based immigrants in 2020 crossed 1.2 million applicants, the highest ever. Indians comprise about 68 per cent of this.

According to a paper by US think tank CATO Institute, Indian employer-sponsored applicants face an eight-decade wait for green cards, and nearly 200,000 will die before they can even theoretically reach the front of the line. Chinese applicants comprised 14 per cent of the backlog, and the rest of the world, 18 per cent.

There is currently a 7 per cent annual country cap or 140,000 PERM green cards that are issued annually.

In the paper, David Bier, immigration policy analyst at the Cato Institute’s Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, said that the backlog was a result of insufficient numbers under the green card limits and not a delay in processing applications.

As a result of the country cap, once a petition is approved, if the quota has been exhausted, the applicant moves to the backlog.

There was an increase in the number of green cards available in financial year 2021, as over 121,000 unused green cards (as a result of the Presidential Proclamation banning immigration in certain categories till December) from the family quota was added to this.

“The increases are almost entirely concentrated in the EB-2 and EB-3 category for employer-sponsored immigrants with master’s or bachelor’s degrees. The backlog for these categories increased 127,609,” said Bier.

There have been calls to reform the PERM process, with US President-elect Joe Biden making green card a part of his election agenda.

However, it would be a long-drawn process before this can happen, said policy watchers.

According to the paper, the EB-2 and EB-3 category backlog from India reached 741,209 in April and that, despite the spill over from the family-based categories, backlogged petitions still face an expected wait of 84 years.

Both categories are combined due to the potential for EB-2 workers to switch to the EB-3 category for advanced degree holders if wait times become more favourable there.

22.2. Hired over 7,000 employees in UK in last five years: TCS

PTI, Dec. 08, 2020,

TCS' customer-centricity and differentiated offerings have powered strong revenue growth and market share gains in recent years, making it the second largest provider of IT services by revenue in the UK this year, TCS said in a regulatory filing.

TCS has been selected as a Superbrand in the UK, for the sixth consecutive year and continues to maintain its position among the top three brands in IT services worldwide and grow as an influential brand in the UK digital economy, the filing said.NEW DELHI: India's largest software services firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Monday said it has hired over 7,000 employees in the UK over the last five years, making it among the top recruiters of IT services talent in that country.

The Mumbai-based company currently employs over 18,000 people in 30 locations around the UK.

"To support this growth, it has added more than 7,000 employees, including 1,800 trainees, over the last five years, making it among the top UK recruiters of IT services talent. TCS currently employs over 18,000 people in 30 locations around the country," it said.

TCS noted that its workforce is young and diverse, with 54 nationalities represented. Women make up 28 per cent of employees, much higher than the 17 per cent average in the UK IT sector.

"TCS has upskilled more than 90 per cent of its UK staff in the last two years, reflecting its commitment to nurturing local IT talent...TCS is also investing in the tech professionals of the future, equipping young people with the skills and passion to pursue STEM subjects and careers in the industry," the filing said.

The company and its employees work closely with charities and social enterprises to drive outreach and bridge the knowledge gap. Since its launch in 2013, TCS' IT Futures programme has reached over 3,00,000 UK students.

It works with over 200 companies in the UK, such as Legal and General, Halfords, M&S, Seadrill, and Forth Ports helping them leverage digital technologies to launch innovative new products, services and customer experiences towards their growth and transformation objectives, the filing said.

The annual survey recognised TCS as one of the strongest brands, based on its excellent brand reputation, notable business performance, industry-leading staff development and job creation, and commitment to corporate social responsibility initiatives, it added.

This year, over 3,200 brands were evaluated based on a combination of a jury of senior UK industry experts and a nationwide survey of business professionals.

"TCS' Superbrand status is a recognition of our purpose-driven world view, which entails empowering all our stakeholders and helping them realise their potential. Our sustained investments in research and development and in continually upskilling our people, have made us the preferred growth and transformation partner of our customers in the UK," TCS country head (UK and Ireland) Amit Kapur said.

He added that the company's STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skill education programmes enable it to reach and inspire young talent in local communities and make a positive contribution to the UK's digital future

23.1. India well-positioned to provide globally-skilled workforce: MEA official

PTI, Dec. 10, 2020

Speaking on 'The Future of Work -- Creating Globally Competitive Skilled Workforce' the senior MEA official said India was well-positioned in traditional labour markets in the Gulf and Europe.

Strengthening English and other business language programmes like German, Spanish, French or Japanese will ensure greater mobility, employability and readiness to join the global workforce, MEA official asserted.

NEW DELHI: India is well-positioned geo-economically and geopolitically to create and provide globally-skilled workforce, an official of the Ministry of External Affairs said on Wednesday.

Addressing the 9th Global Summit on Skill Development, MEA Secretary (CPV & OIA) Sanjay Bhattacharyya said India stands ready to improve the presence of highly-skilled workers and professionals through mutually-beneficial arrangements with Europe, the US and Japan.

Today's world is characterised by globalisation that thrives on mobility of global talent. Specialisation, domain-specific knowledge and skills are key to success and will also determine employability of the youth, who form India's demographic dividend and an advantage the country shall have into the second half of 21st century, according to Bhattacharyya.

Speaking on 'The Future of Work -- Creating Globally Competitive Skilled Workforce' the senior MEA official said India was well-positioned in traditional labour markets in the Gulf and Europe.

"India's success story in the Gulf is well-known and there are over 9 million Indian workers and professionals in these countries," he said. "The leadership in the Gulf has acknowledged their contribution to the development of the region and Indians are the preferred option for Gulf countries."

Noting that India's share in the European labour market has also shown positive signs, Bhattacharyya said a recent Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD) study revealed that of the 12 crore migrants living in OECD countries, 30-35 per cent were highly-educated with academic and vocational training.

India was ranked at the top with more than 3 lakh highly-educated Indians in the OECD countries, which is reflective of the skilled and trained workforce that India possesses, he said.

Bhattacharyya said the signing of the India-EU Declaration of Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility in 2016 affirmed the shared objectives of better organising and promoting regular migration at all levels, maximising the development impact of migration and mobility for mutual benefit.

"We are also working to provide enabling frameworks through Migration and Mobility Partnerships. While the agreement has been concluded with France, agreements with Portugal, Germany, Benelux, UK and Japan (outside EU) are in the pipeline," he said, adding that several other countries were also interested in such agreements.

"India stands ready to improve the presence of highly skilled workers and professionals through mutually beneficial arrangements with Europe, the US and Japan," Bhattacharyya said.

"India is well-positioned geo-economically and geo-politically to create and provide globally skilled workforce due to our competitive advantage, the English language, and strong core skills in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects," he said.

23.2. India and Bahrain set for health trade boom amid growing demand

IBEF, Nov. 24, 2020

Amid a GCC-wide rise in demand for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, India and Bahrain are prepared for a boost in health trade.

India Ambassador to The Kingdom of Bahrain Mr. Piyush Srivastava said, "India's position as the 'pharmacy of the world' can be further strengthened through new Gulf partnerships. The position of India as the 'pharmacy of the world' can be further strengthened through new Gulf partnerships.”

Current estimates indicate that the GCC-wide pharmaceutical industry - especially in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE - is worth approximately US$ 20 billion, with demand expected to grow.

Yet as many as 80% of medicines are imported from outside the country, creating a huge opportunity to set up shop for healthcare exporters such as India, the world's largest supplier of generic drugs.

Ambassador Mr. Srivastava said, "India has a great following in the pharmaceutical and homoeopathy sectors in Bahrain and aims to collaborate further by contributing to the developed healthcare infrastructure. There are loads of opportunities and a suitable environment for setting up manufacturing units locally in joint ventures or the public-private partnership model."

Healthcare is a crucial policy focus area for the government of Bahrain, with the increasingly rising population driving demand for modern medical services and innovations.

The Kingdom is focused on becoming a leading centre for modern medicine in line with its 2030 Vision, of providing high-quality and financially sustainable patient care throughout the GCC region.

The population of Bahrain is projected to hit approximately 2.2 million in the next decade, a rise of 55% from 2016, which will drive the demand for healthcare and hospital bed.

Mr. Tala Fakhro, Executive Director, Market & Strategy Intelligence at Bahrain EDB said, “Healthcare has long been a significant focus domain for the government of Bahrain, which aims to make Bahrain a leading centre for modern medicine. The population of the country, which has a strong social needs in many areas of health, is growing rapidly, and Bahrain provides global manufacturing of pharmaceutical and medical devices.”

He added, "Now in view of the catalytic impact of the global pandemic, the Bahrain-India partnership is once again on the verge of exciting change. We share Ambassador Srivastava's optimism regarding pharmaceuticals and medical devices and look forward to discussing in more detail how the 'pharmacy of the world' can best establish business ties in these exciting fields with the Gateway to the Gulf".

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.

24.1. HCL Technologies to hire over 3,000 people in 3 years in Vietnam

PTI, Dec. 11, 2020

HCL Technologies began its business operations in Vietnam in July this year and aims to hire more than 3,000 local university graduates and experienced professionals over the next three years.

The company will host a virtual job fair for college graduates and experienced professionals on December 19, 2020.IT services major HCL Technologies on Thursday said it has set up its first delivery centre in Vietnam at Hanoi, and plans to hire more than 3,000 people over the next three years. HCL's local entity, HCL Vietnam Company aims to foster growth and train the nation's talent pool in collaboration with local ICT and engineering institutions, a statement said.

"From its first delivery centre in Vietnam's capital city Hanoi, HCL will deliver advanced technology solutions to its global client base across several industries and verticals, including banking and financial services, healthcare, infrastructure, engineering and cybersecurity," it added.

HCL Technologies began its business operations in Vietnam in July this year and aims to hire more than 3,000 local university graduates and experienced professionals over the next three years, the company said.

"A key part of HCL's business and development strategy in Vietnam will be to provide the right skilling and platforms to train graduates for career opportunities in hi-tech domains and provide them with the requisite exposure of working on global assignments," it added.

The company will host a virtual job fair for college graduates and experienced professionals on December 19, 2020.

"We are fully prepared and committed in bringing new opportunities for both young and experienced talent (in Vietnam) to work for a leading global technology company without having to move out of their home country," HCL Technologies Corporate Vice President Sanjay Gupta said.

He added that Vietnam and its skilled youth have the true potential to develop a robust IT industry which is spearheading economic growth in the country.

"With our approach to valuable partnerships and our ideapreneurship culture, we are aiming to provide best-in-class digital innovation and support to our global clients with the help of the local talent pool. A career at HCL is about hi-tech opportunities, continuous learning and progression," he said.

25.1. IATA urges Centre to support Indian airlines to tide over COVID crisis

PTI, Nov. 26, 2020

"The Indian government has not engaged in support for airlines and we do urge them to change that position and to assist the airlines and airports and other aviation stakeholders," IATA Regional Vice President for Asia Pacific region, Conrad Clifford said.

The Indian carriers have laid off employees, cut salaries and posted significant losses during the last few quarters as coronavirus-induced travel restrictions have drastically impacted the aviation sector.New Delhi: The central government should change its position and support the Indian airlines and other aviation stakeholders in the face of COVID-19 crisis, a top official of global airlines body IATA said on Wednesday.

This is something that we continue to encourage and urge the Indian government to do, he said at a virtual press conference.

The Indian airlines have sought an interest-free credit line of at least USD 1.5 billion for the coronavirus-impacted aviation sector, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had told the Rajya Sabha on September 16.

The airlines have sought relief from the government by asking that banks and financial institutions may be directed by the Centre to defer repayments of loans to the aviation industry by six months, the minister had noted.

Clifford said given the increase in domestic activity in India, he hopes that the Indian carriers would get back to a cash positive situation, possibly more quickly than the carriers that do not have a strong domestic market.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 290 airlines across the world comprising 82 per cent of the global air traffic.

"The progressive raising of the limitation by the Indian authorities is actually being matched by demand... and I do expect that trend to continue so it is very welcome to be raising the restriction, which the authorities have been doing progressively," Clifford said.

Since May, the country has gradually raised the limit on the number of domestic flights that the Indian carriers can operate.

India had resumed scheduled domestic passenger services from May 25, after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

However, the airlines were allowed to operate not more than 33 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights. On June 26, this was increased to 45 per cent, and on September 2, it was further increased to 60 per cent. This cap was extended to 70 per cent on November 11.

The cap raise is leading to increased passenger traffic and number of flights, Clifford added.

Scheduled international passenger flights continue to remain suspended in the country since March 23 due to the pandemic.

However, Indian airlines have been permitted to operate special international flights under the Vande Bharat Mission since May this year and under the bilateral air bubble pacts since July.

25.2. Boeing's 737 Max is a saga of capitalism gone awry

New York Times, Nov. 26, 2020

The company is an American icon. It helped usher in the age of commercial aviation and produced planes like the 747. Boeing’s World War II-era bombers were built in the factory where the Max was born. Boeing engineers helped NASA put men on the moon. The company builds Air Force One, the F-15 fighter jet, the Apache attack helicopter and more.

After a Boeing 737 Max jet plunged into the ocean off the coast of Indonesia in October 2018, killing all 189 passengers and crew members aboard, Boeing quickly diagnosed the problem: faulty software. The company immediately promised to fix the code, reminded pilots how to handle a potential malfunction and insisted the Max was safe.

And yet, less than five months later, another 737 Max crashed, this time in Ethiopia. Once again, the new software — known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS — was identified as the culprit. With a total of 346 people now dead, the Max was grounded worldwide, plunging Boeing into its biggest crisis ever.

Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the Max to fly again, bringing to an end the longest grounding of a commercial jet. But the saga has shattered Boeing’s once-sterling reputation. As an avalanche of investigations and reporting over the past 20 months made clear, the true cause of the crashes wasn’t faulty software. It was a corporate culture gone horribly wrong.

“The Boeing Company for a good part of a century was the foremost and best airplane manufacturer in the world, but they got infected,” Rep. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the House transportation committee, which led an investigation into the crashes, told me. “They started watching Wall Street. They started tying executive bonuses to stock performance. It was greedy executives doing shortsighted things to pad their pockets.”

What made the crashes so vexing is that it was impossible to pin the blame on one central villain. Instead, the whole company seemed to be at fault. Time and again, Boeing executives and engineers didn’t take warning signs seriously enough, opted against adopting additional precautions and made decisions for the sake of saving money or raising profits.

The new software, which had the power to repeatedly push down the plane’s nose, relied on only one sensor. That gave the Max a single point of failure, a cardinal sin in aviation engineering, an area where safety redundancy is usually built into every system. In both crashes, that single sensor failed, causing the software to go haywire.

The risks were evident early on. During the development of the Max, Boeing employees concluded that if pilots didn’t respond to MCAS within 10 seconds, it would be “catastrophic.” Boeing considered, then abandoned, the idea of adding an alert for MCAS activation to the cockpit of the Max. At least one employee raised the question of whether having MCAS rely on a single sensor made the plane more vulnerable.

Boeing nevertheless made MCAS more powerful and left it uniquely prone to malfunction. The company also failed to inform pilots about the new software, and pressured the FAA to remove mention of MCAS from the Max’s training manual — moves that helped Boeing avoid costly retraining on simulators, and made it more appealing to airlines.

When it came time to build the Max, chaos reigned on the factory floor. “Frankly right now all my internal warning bells are going off,” one manufacturing employee told an executive in 2018, describing an exhausted workforce that was making too many mistakes. “And for the first time in my life, I’m sorry to say that I’m hesitant about putting my family on a Boeing airplane.”

Some Boeing employees harbored a disdainful view of regulators and colleagues alike. In internal company messages released as part of investigations into the crashes, one Boeing test pilot described his FAA counterparts as “dogs watching TV.” In another exchange about the Max, an employee wrote to a colleague, “This airplane is designed by clowns, who are in turn supervised by monkeys.” Yet another employee wrote, “I don’t trust many people in Boeing.”

Boeing’s failings continued once the Max entered service, in 2017. That year, company officials learned that a cockpit warning light that could have helped the pilots on the Indonesia and Ethiopia flights identify an MCAS malfunction wasn’t working in most planes. But the company didn’t inform the airlines.

And even after the crashes, Boeing executives, including the chief executive, Dennis Muilenburg, suggested that poorly trained foreign pilots, not the company, were to blame.

No single one of these transgressions was directly responsible for the crashes. But the cumulative effect was fatal. A company that once prided itself on safety above all else had abdicated its responsibility to the traveling public.

How could something like this happen at Boeing?

Yet in recent decades, Boeing — like so many American corporations — began shoveling money to investors and executives, while shortchanging its employees and cutting costs.

The changes began in 1997, when Boeing took over its chief domestic rival, McDonnell Douglas.

Led by Harry Stonecipher, McDonnell Douglas was a company that prioritized boosting share price as much as making airplanes. Stonecipher was an alumnus of General Electric and had learned under Jack Welch, the profit-obsessed chief executive who made GE the most valuable company in the world through merciless downsizing and financial engineering.

When Stonecipher became chief executive of Boeing in 2003, he brought GE’s model with him: He slashed costs, reduced head count, ramped up outsourcing and increased Boeing’s share buyback program and shareholder dividends.

“When people say I changed the culture of Boeing, that was the intent, so that it’s run like a business rather than a great engineering firm,” Stonecipher said in 2004.

Boeing moved its corporate headquarters to Chicago in 2001, lured by tax breaks and distance from its unionized workforce near Seattle. When it came time to build the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing constructed its new factory in South Carolina, which had no aviation workforce and little organized labor. Quality at the Dreamliner factory soon suffered.

In 2011, Boeing learned that American Airlines, one of its most important customers, was poised to place a major order for new jets with Airbus. Boeing had been considering designing a new mid-size passenger jet, but the threat of losing out on the American deal forced the company’s hand.

Boeing decided to redesign the 737 — a plane that was introduced in 1967 — once more. To make the new Max more fuel efficient, Boeing needed bigger engines. But because the 737 was an old plane that sat low to the ground, those engines needed to be mounted farther forward on the wings, changing the aerodynamics of the plane. To compensate, Boeing introduced the ill-fated MCAS.

And even when the company knew that the software had caused the first crash, Boeing kept the Max flying until another plane fell from the sky.

“The second crash was corporate manslaughter,” said Zipporah Kuria, whose father, Joseph Waithaka, died in the Ethiopia crash. “If they had grounded the plane after the first crash, my dad would still be here.”

In March this year, my reporting partner, Natalie Kitroeff, and I interviewed Boeing’s new chief executive, another Welch protégé, Dave Calhoun. He appeared to hint that the pilots of the two doomed flights might have mishandled the software malfunction, and said the messages in which Boeing employees denigrated the FAA and ridiculed their own colleagues were not reflective of a rotten culture. “I see a couple of people who wrote horrible emails,” he said.

It seemed that inside Boeing, little had changed.

Then, not long after our conversation, the coronavirus pandemic ground air travel to a halt. Airlines around the world canceled orders for hundreds of Max jets. Boeing laid off tens of thousands of employees and sold its corporate yacht, a symbol of corporate excess, for $13 million.

In March, the company extended a pause of its stock buyback program, stopped issuing dividends and cut executives’ salaries. Over the course of the year, Boeing implemented sweeping new policies to improve engineering oversight, promote transparency and encourage employees to flag safety concerns. There is even chatter that Boeing might sell its headquarters in Chicago, potentially setting the stage for a return to Seattle. The pandemic, it seems, is doing what the Max crisis couldn’t, and Boeing is finally demonstrating some humility.

Such changes might make Boeing more closely resemble the company that for so long embodied American ingenuity. But the true measure of change inside Boeing will be how its executives and engineers behave in the years ahead. Will they put safety first? Will they respect their regulator? Will they speak up when something seems off? Until all that happens, nothing will have really changed.

“It has been a tragic couple of years,” Michael Huerta, who was the FAA administrator when the Max was certified, told me. “The best we can hope for is that they’re applying what has been learned, and that aviation will be safer in the future.”

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AAPI

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Friday 18 December 2020

NEWSLETTER, 20-XII-2020

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NEWSLETTER, 20-XII-2020

– GENERAL POLICY, INFRASTRUCTURES, COUNTRY FINANCES, ETC.

- AGRICULTURE, FISHING & RURAL DEVELOPMENT

- INDUSTRY & MANIFACTURE

- SERVICES (Education, Healthcare, IT, R&D, Tourism, etc.)

INDIA and the WORLD