-->

Friday 19 February 2021

20-II-2021











DELHI, 20th FEBRUARY 2021
Index of this Newsletter


INDIA

– GENERAL POLICY, INFRASTRUCTURES, COUNTRY FINANCES, ETC. 


1.1. Bhopal to develop 1,000 smart model schools under CM Rise scheme
1.2. Amid pandemic, 170,000 people lost jobs every hour last April: Oxfam India
2.1. Tamil Nadu becomes the 11th State to complete One Nation One Ration Card system reform: Additional borrowing permission of Rs. 4,813 crore issued to Tamil Nadu
2.2. PLI scheme will make India integral part of global supply chain, create huge employment opportunities: Economic Survey
3.1. India is giving topmost importance to develop its blue economy: PM Modi
3.2. Investment in upskilling can boost global GDP by $6.5 trillion by 2030
4.1. Madhya Pradesh government to construct 52,000 homes for urban poor: CM
4.2. World Bank commits ₹3700 crore for STARS project to improve quality of India’s education system
5.1. FFC highlights gaps in India’s public health infra and quality
5.2. IIT Kharagpur and National Institute of Urban Affairs collaborate to Build Accessible, Safe and Inclusive Indian Cities


– AGRICULTURE, FISHING & RURAL DEVELOPMENT


6. Finance Minister proposes 9 measures for Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Farmers' Welfare and Rural India as part of inclusive development for aspirational India
7.1. Indian Army Signs MoU with SIDM on Indigenisation and Innovation Partnership
7.2. Infosys Collaborates with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to Digitally Transform its Operations by Implementing SAP S/4HANA in 50+ Countries
8.1. Modernisation of 10% kiranas can generate 3.2 million jobs: Report
8.2. Single window digital platform for clearances and approval of industries across India on the anvil: Som Parkash
9.1. Digital agriculture missions and innovation hubs will propel growth in farm sector during fiscal 2021-22: Vivek Aggarwal
9.2. Adoption of tech got covid boost: Satya Nadella
10. Kerala CM launches ₹7,000 crore 5 year package for development of Wayanad


– INDUSTRY, MANUFACTURE


11.1. India’s first indigenously designed and developed driverless metro car rolled out for MMRDA
11.2. Tamil Nadu cabinet approves 24 investment proposals, to generate 93,935 jobs
12.1.1. Ola to deploy ABB robotics and automation solutions at e-scooter factory in TN
12.1.2. Ola to invest INR 2,400 Cr (`$327 million) for electric scooter manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu
12.2. Tata Boeing Aerospace to manufacture 737 vertical fin structures at Hyderabad
13.1. BEL to showcase about 30 products/systems developed as part of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' during Aero India 2021
13.2. With nod for 83 LCAs worth Rs 47,000 crore ($6.44 bn), HAL readies 3rd plant
14.1 Panasonic Life Solutions to invest Rs 600 cr in new facility in AP
14.2. Amazon to make Fire TV Stick devices in India in a mega boost to 'Atmanirbhar Bharat’
15.1. Tesla to set up electric car manufacturing plant in Karnataka, says CM Yediyurappa
15.2. H&M set to rehire hundreds of fired garment workers


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


16.1. Union Budget 2020-21: FM unveils ₹64,180 crore Atmanirbhar Health Yojana
16.2. RailTel proposes broadband, WiFi services in remote areas
17.1. Pandemic necessitates India to accelerate focus on digital skills: IBM India chief
17.2. HCL to establish digital workplace for Airbus employees
18.1. Cognizant to recruit 23,000 from campus this year
18.2. China's Oppo set to expand Hyderabad facility by making huge R&D investments
19.1. India to witness boom in digital reality as immersive technologies gain popularity: Deloitte
19.2. 74% of India's tech firms to increase headcount by 14%: Report
20.1. With $25-30 billion investment, PCBA manufacturing will generate over 1 million jobs: Report
20.2. Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme extended with additional funding of ₹950 crore


INDIA & THE WORLD 

21.1. India and Japan Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation in the Field of ICT
21.2. NTT to set up data centre in Greater Noida, will create employment for 1,500 locals
22.1. India’s science diplomacy could take centre stage in 2021
22.2. Global cellular IoT module units to hit 780M, India to lead
23.1. ISRO, MapmyIndia join hands to take on Google Maps, Google Earth in India
23.2. Salil Parekh: "My focus at Infosys is much more on what clients want and making sure we do that"
24.1. Siemens ties up with IISc, CMTI to set up digital transformation labs
24.2. Taj theme & gaming team: Microsoft’s new office in Noida is a story of two firsts
25. 38% Indian women working in tech industry prefer WFH: Survey


* * *

DELHI, 20th FEBRUARY 2021

NEWSLETTER, 20-II-2021



INDIA

– GENERAL POLICY, INFRASTRUCTURES, COUNTRY FINANCES, ETC. 



1.1. Bhopal to develop 1,000 smart model schools under CM Rise scheme 
ET Gov. Feb. 15, 2021 

As part of the project Rashidia Middle School of Bhopal will be developed as a model for development of 1,000 middle schools across the state on the same lines. 

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan addresses during 'Atmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh' program.The Bhopal Development Authority (BDA), Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Smart City Corporation have joined hands to undertake the task to develop the 1,000 school as a model school.
As part of the project Rashidia Middle School of Bhopal will be developed as a model for development of 1,000 middle schools across the state on the same lines. In this school, excellent schools infrastructure, smart classrooms, IT set up, art & craft room, library, music room, computer room with Internet facility, activity room, sports room, sick/ rest room, visitors/rest room, canteen-cum-lunch room, separate toilets for boys, girls and staff will be provided.

The Bhipal divisional commissioner Kavindra Kiyavat has studied a presentation on how schools in other countries operate and plans to develop Rashidia school on similar lines which will be later replicated on across 1,000 schools across the state.
The project will be developed under the CM Rise scheme. The scheme has proposed to develop 1,000 model schools in the state. 


1.2. Amid pandemic, 170,000 people lost jobs every hour last April: Oxfam India 
IANS, Feb. 10, 2021 

Behar says that over 40-50 million seasonal migrants working in construction sites, factory manufacturing units and services activities were left to fend for themselves during the 2020 lockdown. 
Out of a total 122 million who lost their jobs, 75 percent, which accounts for 92 million jobs, were lost in the informal sector. 

New Delhi: While the wealth of nations top 100 billionaires increased by Rs 12.97 lakh crore since March 2020, about 1.7 lakh people lost their jobs every hour in April 2020 alone.
Oxfam India's CEO Amitabh Behar says, "To contextualise the inequity in what is the biggest economic crisis in the history of independent India, the wealth of the nation's top 100 billionaires went up by Rs 12,97,822 crores since March 2020, while in April alone over 170,000 people lost their jobs every hour. Just this increase in wealth could sustain the NREGA wages (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) for 10 years!"

Behar says that over 40-50 million seasonal migrants working in construction sites, factory manufacturing units and services activities were left to fend for themselves during the 2020 lockdown.
"While affluent Indians stranded abroad were flown back and quarantined in hotels, it was only at the end of May 2020, that buses and Shramik special trains were arranged for the relocation of migrant workers," he said.
The India edition of Oxfam's newly released report 'The Inequality Virus,' elucidates how amid spiralling unemployment, dire food insecurity, distress migration as well as reverse migration, the super-rich elite continued to amass wealth while billions struggled to make ends meet.

The findings in "Inequality Virus' reports say that the pandemic has hit India's informal workers the most. Out of a total 122 million who lost their jobs, 75 percent, which accounts for 92 million jobs, were lost in the informal sector.
During the mass exodus on foot, over 300 informal workers died from starvation, suicides, exhaustion, road and rail accidents, police brutality and denial of timely medical care.

According to a Stranded Workers Action Network's report in April, 2020, 50 percent of the respondents had no rations left even for a single day; while 96 percent had not received rations, 70 percent had not received cooked food from the government; and 78 percent of the respondents had less than INR 300 left.
The National Human Rights Commission recorded over 2582 cases of human rights violation as early as in the month of April 2020.

As per the findings, the relief packages for the informal sector and migrant workers were also minuscule. Additional expenditure of the government in the first relief package announced was only 0.5 percent of the GDP and the total additional public spending promised by all the relief measures announced by the end of May 2020 amounted to only around 1 percent of the GDP.
The report found that the brunt of job loss was experienced by the female workforce and 17 million women lost their jobs just in April 2020.

Unemployment for women rose by 15 percent from a pre-lockdown level of 18 percent and could result in a loss to India's GDP of about 8 percent or $ 218 billion.
Women who were employed before the lockdown are also 23.5 percentage points less likely to be re-employed compared to men in the post-lockdown phase.

A study reports that despite having a hold of 77 million tonnes of food grain, more than three times the buffer stock requirement before the lockdown, only 2.2 million tonnes of this had been distributed to states. Eventually, public stocks increased to more than 100 million tonnes by the beginning of June 2020, which meant that some of the stock effectively rotted in the storage facilities.
Moreover, what was announced through the PDS system and fair price shops were not applicable for most of the migrants outside their home town due to sedentary bias that makes ration cards made in the source state of the migrants unusable in the destination state, the report said. 


2.1. Tamil Nadu becomes the 11th State to complete One Nation One Ration Card system reform: Additional borrowing permission of Rs. 4,813 crore issued to Tamil Nadu 
Press Information Bureau January 18, 2021 

Tamil Nadu has become the 11th State in the country to successfully undertake “One Nation One Ration Card system” reform stipulated by the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. Thus, the State has become eligible to mobilise additional financial resources of Rs. 4,813 (US$ 658.76 million) crore through Open Market Borrowings. Permission for the same was issued by the Department of Expenditure. 

Tamil Nadu has now joined 10 other States namely, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, who have completed this reform. On completion of One Nation One Ration Card system reform, these 11 States have been granted additional borrowing permission of Rs. 30,709 crore (US$ 4.20 billion) by the Department of 

Expenditure. State wise amount of the additional borrowing permitted is as under: 
  • Andhra Pradesh Rs. 2,525 crore (US$ 343.75 million) 
  • Goa Rs. 22 crore (US$ 3.01 million) 
  • Gujarat Rs. 4,352 crore (US$ 595.66 million) 
  • Haryana Rs. 2,146 crore (US$ 293.73 million) 
  • Karnataka Rs. 4,509 crore (US$ 616.20 million) 
  • Kerala Rs. 2,261 crore (US$ 308.99 million) 
  • Madhya Pradesh Rs. 2,373 crore (US$ 323.06 million) 
  • Tamil Nadu Rs. 4,813 crore (US$ 657.75 million) 
  • Telangana Rs. 2,508 crore (US$ 341.44 million) 
  • Tripura Rs. 148 crore (US$ 20.26 million) 
  • Uttar Pradesh Rs. 4,851 crore (US$ 663.96 million) 
One Nation One Ration Card System is an important citizen centric reform. Its implementation ensures availability of ration to beneficiaries under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and other welfare schemes, especially the migrant workers and their families, at any Fair Price Shop (FPS) across the country. 

The reform especially empowers the migratory population mostly labourers, daily wagers, urban poor like rag picker, street dwellers, temporary workers in organised and unorganised sectors, domestic workers etc., who frequently change their place of dwelling to be self-reliant in food security. This technology driven reform enables the migrant beneficiaries to get their entitled quota of food grains from any electronic point of sale (e-PoS) enabled fair Price Shops of their choice anywhere in the country. 

The reform also enables the States in better targeting of beneficiaries, elimination of bogus/ duplicate/ineligible card holders resulting in enhanced welfare and reduced leakage. Further, to ensure seamless inter-state portability of a ration card, Aadhar seeding of all ration cards as well as biometric authentication of beneficiaries through automation of all Fair Price Shops (FPSs) with installation of electronic point of sale (e-PoS) devices are essential. Therefore, additional borrowing limit of 0.25% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is allowed to the States only on completion of both of the following actions: 
  • Aadhar Seeding of all the ration cards and beneficiaries in the State 
  • Automation of all the FPSs in the State. 
In view of the resource requirement to meet multiple challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India had on 17th May 2020 enhanced the borrowing limit of the States by 2% of their GSDP. Half of this special dispensation i.e. 1% of GSDP was linked to undertaking citizen centric reforms by the States. The four citizen centric areas for reforms identified by the Department of Expenditure were (a) Implementation of One Nation One Ration Card System, (b) Ease of doing business reform, (c) Urban Local body/ utility reforms and (d) Power Sector reforms. 

So far 11 States have implemented the One Nation One Ration Card System, 8 States have done ease of doing business reforms, and 4 States have done local body reforms. Total additional borrowing permission issued so far to the States who have done the aforesaid reforms stands at Rs. 61,339 crore (US$ 8.40 billion). 

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


2.2. PLI scheme will make India integral part of global supply chain, create huge employment opportunities: Economic Survey 
PTI, Jan. 30, 2021 

The government in the Survey said the scheme will make "Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attract investment in the areas of core competency and cutting-edge technology." 

Under the scheme, the government has earmarked the highest amount of incentive for the automobile and its components sector amounting to Rs 57,042 crore. The mobile sector had been granted an incentive of around Rs 40,951 crore. New Delhi: The Rs 1.46-lakh crore PLI scheme is expected to make India an integral part of the global supply chain and create huge employment opportunities, according to the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday. The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme was recently expanded to 10 sectors, after registering traction from global investors in the mobile manufacturing segment.
The government in the Survey said the scheme will make "Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attract investment in the areas of core competency and cutting-edge technology."

It added that the scheme will also establish backward linkages with the MSME sector in the country, which, in turn, "will lead to more inclusive growth and create huge employment opportunities".
The scheme was launched to boost manufacturing in the country and make it self-reliant.
The Survey said the PLI scheme will ensure efficiencies, create economies of scale, enhance exports, provide a conducive manufacturing ecosystem, and make India an integral part of the global supply chain especially for the 10 sectors identified under the scheme.

Under the scheme, the government has earmarked the highest amount of incentive for the automobile and its components sector amounting to Rs 57,042 crore. The mobile sector had been granted an incentive of around Rs 40,951 crore.

Some other sectors included under PLI are advance cell chemistry battery (Rs 18,100 crore), electronic and technology products (Rs 5,000 crore), pharmaceutical drugs (Rs 15,000 crore), and telecom and network products (Rs 12,195 crore).
Textile products (Rs 10,683 crore), food products (Rs 10,900 crore), high efficiency solar PV modules (Rs 4,500 crore), white goods (Rs 6,238 crore) and specialty steel (Rs 6,322 crore) are also included in the scheme.
The respective ministries of the sectors included under PLI are working on detailed guidelines for rolling out the incentives.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT, which started the scheme, has approved 16 proposals from domestic and international companies entailing an investment of Rs 11,000 crore to manufacture mobile phones worth Rs 10.5 lakh crore over the next five years.
The companies who have applied for the scheme include iPhone maker Apple's contract manufacturers Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron and Pegatron, apart from Samsung and Rising Star.
Domestic companies whose proposals have been approved include Lava, Bhagwati (Micromax), Padget Electronics (Dixon Technologies), UTL Neolyncs and Optiemus.
The mobile phone sector is expected to generate over 2 lakh direct jobs and nearly 6 lakh indirect employment opportunities in the next five years. 


3.1. India is giving topmost importance to develop its blue economy: PM Modi 
ANI, Feb. 15, 2021 

He said, "Our vision and work in this sector include improving infrastructure on current ports, more ports, offshore energy, sustainable coastal development and coastal connectivity." 

India is giving topmost importance to develop its blue economy, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday while inaugurating several projects in Kochi.
He said, "Our vision and work in this sector include improving infrastructure on current ports, more ports, offshore energy, sustainable coastal development and coastal connectivity."
PM Modi further said, "The Propylene Derivatives Petrochemical complex of Kochi Refinery will help strengthen our journey towards being Atmanirbhar," adding that a wide range of industries would gain employment opportunities with the help of the project.

Tourists come to Kochi not only as a transit point to go to other parts of Kerala and the spiritual, market, historical and other such places are widely known, he remarked.
"The central government is undertaking several efforts to improve tourism here. The inauguration of Sagarika - the International Cruise Terminal in Kochi - is an example of this," he added.
Sagarika Cruise Terminal brings both comfort and convenience for tourists and will cater to over 1 lakh cruise guests, he said.
He also commented that local tourism has facilitated added livelihood to people in the local tourism industry and also connects our youth and culture stronger. "I urge our young start-up friends to think about innovative tourism-related products," he said.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that the tourism sector in India has grown well in the last five years, adding that India's ranking has jumped from 65th to 34th in the World Tourism Index.
"VIGYAN Sagar is the new knowledge campus of the Cochin Shipyard. Through this, we are expanding our human resource development capital," he mentioned.
"This campus is a reflection of the importance of skill development. It would particularly help those wanting to study marine engineering. In the times to come, I see a prime place for this sector. Youngsters who have knowledge in this domain will have several opportunities," he added.

He asserted that the definition and scope of infrastructure have changed today and is beyond good roads, development works and connectivity between a few urban centres. "We are looking at the quantity and top-quality infrastructure for coming generations," he stated.
Mentioning that Rs 110 lakh crores being invested through the national infrastructure pipeline, he said that a special focus is being given to coastal areas, the Northeast and mountain areas and that India today is embarking on an ambitious programme of broadband connectivity to every village.

He also pointed that this year's budget has devoted significant resources and schemes that will benefit Kerala. "This includes the next phase of Kochi metro. This metro network has come successfully and has set a good example of progressive work practices and professionalism," he added.
During his tour to Kerala, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the Propylene Derivative Petrochemical Project (PDPP) of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL); Ro-Ro Vessels at Willingdon Islands, Cochin; International Cruise Terminal "Sagarika" at Cochin Port; Marine Engineering Training Institute, Vigyana Sagar, Cochin Shipyard Limited and laid the foundation stone of Reconstruction of South Coal Berth at Cochin Port. 


3.2. Investment in upskilling can boost global GDP by $6.5 trillion by 2030 
PTI, Jan. 25, 2021 

The report, Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, authored in collaboration with PwC, found that accelerated skills enhancement would ensure that people have the experience and skills needed for the jobs created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution - boosting global productivity by 3 per cent, on average, by 2030. 

Country-wise, India has the second highest additional employment potential at about 23 lakh, after the US at close to 27 lakh, but much more than 17 lakh for China.New Delhi/Davos: Investment in upskilling has potential to boost the global GDP by USD 6.5 trillion by 2030, including by USD 570 billion (over Rs 40 lakh crore) in India alone -- the third highest after China and the US, a WEF report showed on Monday. The study released during the ongoing online Davos Agenda Summit, to be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of other global leaders, also said that accelerated investment in upskilling and reskilling of workers could create 53 lakh (net) new jobs by 2030, and help develop more inclusive and sustainable economies worldwide.

Country-wise, India has the second highest additional employment potential at about 23 lakh, after the US at close to 27 lakh, but much more than 17 lakh for China.
The report, Upskilling for Shared Prosperity, authored in collaboration with PwC, found that accelerated skills enhancement would ensure that people have the experience and skills needed for the jobs created by the Fourth Industrial Revolution - boosting global productivity by 3 per cent, on average, by 2030.
The additional GDP potential is the highest in China at almost USD 2 trillion, followed by close to USD 1 trillion in the US.

"Even before COVID-19, the rise of automation and digitization was transforming global job markets, resulting in the very urgent need for large-scale upskilling and reskilling. Now, this need has become even more important," said Bob Moritz, Global Chairman, PwC.
The newly created jobs will be those that are complemented and augmented - rather than replaced by technology. 

"Millions of jobs have been lost through the pandemic, while accelerating automation and digitization mean that many are unlikely to return. We need new investments in the jobs of tomorrow, the skills people need for moving into these new roles and education systems that prepare young people for the new economy and society," said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director, World Economic Forum.
According to Sharan Burrow, General-Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) "investment in job creation, particularly climate-friendly jobs, is key to ensuring a Reskilling Revolution, and concerted action by governments and by business is needed urgently." 


4.1. Madhya Pradesh government to construct 52,000 homes for urban poor: CM 
TNN, Feb. 03, 2021 

Shivraj Singh Chouhan first inaugurated Bhopal smart city development project, Boulevard Street. It would be named as Atal Path, he said. CM said, the government plans to construct 52,000 houses for the urban poor 

Special attention will be given to the poor and government’s development plan will majorly focus on environment to make Bhopal the most beautiful city in the world, said CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during inauguration of six projects and review of three others in the state capital here on Monday. These projects are pegged at development cost of about ₹240 crore.
Chouhan first inaugurated Bhopal smart city development project, Boulevard Street. It would be named as Atal Path, he said. CM said, the government plans to construct 52,000 houses for the urban poor. He also emphasised on the water supply network being laid to cater to city’s estimated population of year 2031. Reclamation of Bhanpur Khanti (waste dump yard) is an accomplishment for the city, he said.

CM inaugurated the solar power plant at Upper Lake, Boulevard Street, Maholi Damkheda Sewage Treatment Plant and Garbage transfer station (JK Road, Shahpura and Idgah Hills). He also laid the foundation for water wall and fountain at Cable Stay Bridge, Karond Railway over bridge, flyover at Maida Mill. 

Foundation laying ceremony for three projects was undertaken on Monday in the presence of ministers Gopal Bhargava, Vishwas Sarang, MLAs PC Sharma & MLA Krishna Gaur, divisional commissioner Kavindra Kiyawat etc. BMC commissioner KVS Chaudary and BSCDCL CEO Aditya Singh were also present. 

Later Chouhan also reviewed construction of Bairagarh flyover, global skill park, coaching hub, adventure tourism destination, Bharat Mata campus, upgrading Shaurya memorial and construction of Krantivir Park. The review meet took place at Bhopal smart city office.

Chouhan was also informed about Bio-CNG capacity of 200 tonne per day being planned at Adampur Chhavani. In the review it was pointed that relaying work of 36 city roads has been given to PWD, BDA and CPA. 


4.2. World Bank commits ₹3700 crore for STARS project to improve quality of India’s education system 
ET Gov. Jan. 29, 2021 

At the national level, through the Samagra Shiksha, and in partnership with the states of Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, STARS will also help improve learning assessment systems; strengthen classroom instruction and remediation; facilitate school-to-work transition; and strengthen governance and decentralized management. 

The government of India and the World Bank have signed a $500 million Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) programme to improve the quality and governance of school education in six states - Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan. Around 2.5 crore students between the age of 6 and 17 in 15 lakh schools, and over one crore teachers will benefit from the programme.
The STARS programme builds on the long partnership between India and the World Bank which began in 1994, for strengthening public school education and to support the country’s goal of providing ‘Education for All’. Prior to STARS, the WB had provided a total assistance of more than $3 billion towards this goal.

The agreement was signed by CS Mohapatra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of the government of India and Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, India, on behalf of the World Bank.
Over the years, India has made significant strides in improving access to education across the country. Between 2004-05 and 2018-19, the number of children going to school increased from 219 million to 248 million. However, the learning outcomes of students across all age groups continues to remain below par, according to a government press release.

"India recognizes the need to significantly improve its learning outcomes to fuel future growth and meet the demands of the labor market. STARS will support India's response to this challenge by strengthening implementation at the local level, investing in teacher capacity and ensuring that no child of any background is left behind from the right to education,” said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India. "Investing more in the early years of education will equip children with the skills required to compete for the jobs of the future."
STARS will support India’s renewed focus on addressing the ‘learning outcome’ challenge and help students better prepare for the jobs of the future – through a series of reform initiatives. These include:

- Focusing more directly on the delivery of education services at the state, district and sub district levels by providing customized local-level solutions towards school improvement.

- Addressing demands from stakeholders, especially parents, for greater accountability and inclusion by producing better data to assess the quality of learning; giving special attention to students from vulnerable sections – with over 52 percent (as a weighted average) of children in the government-run schools in the six project states belonging to vulnerable sections, such as Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and minority communities; and delivering a curriculum that keeps pace with the rapidly evolving needs of the job market.

- Equipping teachers to manage this transformation by recognizing that teachers are central to achieving better learning outcomes. The program will support individualized, needs-based training for teachers that will give them an opportunity to have a say in shaping training programs and making them relevant to their teaching needs.

- Investing more in developing India’s human capital needs by strengthening foundational learning for children in classes 1 to 3 and preparing them with the cognitive, socio-behavioural and language skills to meet future labour market needs.

At the national level, through the Samagra Shiksha, and in partnership with the states of Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan, STARS will also help improve learning assessment systems; strengthen classroom instruction and remediation; facilitate school-to-work transition; and strengthen governance and decentralized management.
In line with the Sustainable Development Goal for education (SDG 4), the programme will help produce better data on learning levels by improving the National Achievement Survey (NAS). India’s participation in PISA is a historic strategic decision by the government of India to obtain data on how India's learning levels compare globally. STARS will assist India in this major step forward.

India has successfully achieved gender parity in enrolment in primary education. However, for many children, secondary education is the stage when they leave school and enter the workforce. Under STARS, each state is expected to not only stabilize this downward trend but also improve the completion rate for secondary education.
"STARS will support the government of India’s vision to provide greater flexibility to states for school education planning and budgeting. This will help states implement evidence-based planning to factor in the needs of the most deprived, strengthen accountability at all levels, and thereby adopt a holistic approach to improve education outcomes," said Shabnam Sinha, Lead Education Specialist, and World Bank’s Task Team Leader for the project. 


5.1. FFC highlights gaps in India’s public health infra and quality 
Mint, 03 Feb. 2021, Neetu Chandra Sharma

The report pointed to critical gaps in health infrastructure like sub-centres, primary health centres, community health centres and human resource for health like doctors, nurses and paramedics 

NEW DELHI: The Covid-19 crisis has exposed India’s insufficient focus on core public health functions, including a lack of accountability in the service delivery model, the 15th Finance Commission (FFC) said. 

Its report, tabled in Parliament on Monday, said there has been an insufficient focus on core public health functions such as disease surveillance and testing. The report found critical gaps in health infrastructure like subcentres, primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs) and doctors, nurses and paramedics. 

It highlighted shortcomings in the quality of care, despite improvement in access, and inadequate attention to urban health systems and municipalities, which have a key role to play in public health, including for air and water pollution, road traffic injuries and pandemic-related vulnerabilities. 

The report pointed to the rising cases of non-communicable illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, kidney and heart disease, a major public health concern. 

“Government service delivery system has traditionally focused more on reproductive health and infectious diseases and less on non-communicable diseases, which are now the dominant share of the disease burden," said the report. It added that there is a fragmentation and lack of coordination between different levels and sectors, including a badly regulated private sector which dominates service provision. 

“The private sector, which has grown more by default than by design, needs better regulation to align it with the vision and values of universal health coverage. By providing much-needed remedial direction and augmented resources to the health sector, the Finance Commission has given the central and state governments a mandate they must deliver," said K. Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India, a public-private partnership initiative. 

“The commission has done well to draw attention to the neglect of urban primary healthcare, disease surveillance and neglect of non-communicable diseases which contribute immensely to death, disability and are comorbid contributors to infectious disease deaths. Major gaps in infrastructure and health workforce have greatly impeded the ability of the health system to deliver efficient and equitable services," said Reddy. 

In a scathing review, the commission said that service delivery has traditionally focused on inputs and infrastructure instead of outputs, outcomes and accountability. This has led to underperformance in government health facilities and the consequent emergence of a large private sector as patients seek care elsewhere, it said. The report pointed out that almost 70% of outpatient utilization and 58% of all inpatient utilization now occurs in the private sector, which is fragmented and largely unregulated. “The health system is not fully equipped to address the growing burden from non-communicable diseases, for which it will need to move from addressing episodic health issues towards the provision of people-centred chronic care," it said. 


5.2. IIT Kharagpur and National Institute of Urban Affairs collaborate to Build Accessible, Safe and Inclusive Indian Cities 
IBEF, Feb. 04, 2021 

IIT Kharagpur has signed an MoU with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) for 'Building Accessible Safe and Inclusive Indian Cities' (BASIIC). The objective of the partnership is to establish a common city planning system that will be more open and inclusive for different parts of the population with age-friendly disability-friendly initiatives. 

Prof. Virendra K Tewari, director, IIT Kharagpur said, “India is a young country with a 1% rate of population growth (as of 2019). Such development, together with its current status, will generate a unique opportunity in India for housing and urban planning. In addition, it is important to create new designs, frameworks, standards for cities serving broader populations and people with diverse needs as we shift towards a more inclusive approach.” 

He further added, “According to the NIRF, the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning at IIT Kharagpur is recognized as the best school in the country in the field of architecture. In implementing its mission statement and achieving the comprehensive objectives to create sustainable living standards for everyone, we are proud to work together with NIUA.” 

Through the Formulation and Implementation Guidance for the Urban and Regional Development Plan, NIUA identifies new emerging aspects such as regional development, inclusive planning, sustainable habitat, land use and transport integration at the planning stage, Service Level Benchmarks, principles of disaster management, and reforms of governance. 

Prof. Subrata Chattopadhyay from the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning at IIT Kharagpur, said, “IIT Kharagpur will propose a model for universal cities, following a comprehensive analysis of the various acts, guidelines and design standards in the relevant field and reviewing global best practises and international standards, to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, the elderly and parents with children, can participate in society and have access to the built environment, transport, services, etc.” 

He also emphasises the need for seamless connectivity for everyone throughout the city and the entire travel network for safe and autonomous movement. 

The proposed architecture will be instrumental in the sectoral assessment of existing cities in terms of protection, accessibility and inclusivity, as well as in the development of cities in Greenfield. The methodology will cover segments on (i) infrastructure, facilities and services, including water, electricity, sanitation and solid waste (ii) outdoor climate, (iii) livelihoods, (iv) urban mobility and public transport, (v) IT connectivity, digitalisation and participation by people (vi) recreation and tourism. 

Prof. Haimanti Banerji from the Department of Architecture and Regional Planning at IIT Kharagpur, said, “Owing to the existence of sensory, attitudinal, cognitive, physical, and economic barriers, individuals of different abilities and the elderly often experience prejudice and discrimination. 

The framework, by emphasising on the process of audit, ground-level data collection, study, planning and planning, would seek to crystallise potential pathways for planning accessible, sustainable and inclusive cities in India. The model would seek to achieve urban inclusiveness, via "participation," "appropriation," and the development of "value" in the form of the urban life of its disadvantaged community.” 

The researchers continue to work on a variety of such development initiatives, including affordable housing, creative building technology, decent living and productive involvement of the trans-generational population. 

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. Finance Minister proposes 9 measures for Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Farmers' Welfare and Rural India as part of inclusive development for aspirational India 
Press Information Bureau, Feb. 02, 2021 

In a slew of steps to support the Agriculture Sector, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman announced 9 measures for Agriculture Sector as part of inclusive development for aspirational India while presenting the Union Budget 2021-22 in Parliament here today. 

SWAMITVA Scheme 

Ms. Sitharaman proposed to extend SWAMITVA Scheme to all States/UTs. Earlier this year, Hon’ble Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi had launched SWAMITVA Scheme to bring transparency in property ownership in villages. Under the Scheme, a record of rights is being given to property owners in villages. Up till now, about 1.80 lakh property-owners in 1,241 villages have been provided cards. 

Agricultural credit target enhanced to Rs. 16.5 lakh crore (US$ 226.29 billion) in FY22 
To provide adequate credit to our farmers, the Finance Minister enhanced the agricultural credit target to Rs. 16.5 lakh crore (US$ 226.29 billion) in FY22. Ms. Sitharaman further said that the Government will focus on ensuring increased credit flows to animal husbandry, dairy, and fisheries. 

33% increase Rural Infrastructure Development Fund 
The Finance Minister also announced the enhanced the allocation to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund from Rs. 30,000 crore (US$ 4.11 billion) to Rs. 40,000 crore (US$ 5.49 billion). 

Micro Irrigation Fund doubled 
Ms. Sitharaman proposed to double Micro Irrigation Fund, started with a corpus of Rs. 5,000 crore (US$ 685.72 million) under NABARD, by augmenting it by another Rs. 5,000 crore (US$ 685.72 million). 

Operation Green Scheme – ‘TOPS’ to include 22 more perishable products 
To boost value addition in agriculture and allied products and their exports, Ms. Sitharaman proposed to increase the scope of ‘Operation Green Scheme’ that is presently applicable to tomatoes, onions, and potatoes (TOPS), to be enlarged to include 22 perishable products. 

1,000 more mandis to be integrated with e-NAM 
The Finance Minister said that around 1.68 crore farmers are registered and Rs. 1.14 lakh crore (US$ 15.63 billion) of trade value has been carried out through e-NAMs. Keeping in view the transparency and competitiveness that e-NAM has brought into the agricultural market, the Finance Minister proposed to integrate 1,000 more mandis with e-NAM to bring transparency and competitiveness. 

APMCs to get access to Agriculture Infrastructure Fund. 

The Finance Minister proposed to make available the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to APMCs for augmenting their infrastructure facilities. 

To develop 5 major fishing harbours proposed 
Ms. Sitharaman proposed substantial investments in the development of modern fishing harbours and fish landing centres. The Finance Minister said that to start with, 5 major fishing harbours – Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, and Petuaghat – will be developed as hubs of economic activity. Ms. Sitharaman also proposed to develop inland fishing harbours and fish-landing centres along the banks of rivers and waterways. 

Multipurpose Seaweed Park to be established in Tamil Nadu. 
Recognising the potential in Seaweed farming. the Finance Minister said that it is an emerging sector with potential to transform the lives of coastal communities – it will provide large scale employment and additional incomes. To promote seaweed cultivation, Ms. Sitharaman proposed a Multipurpose Seaweed Park to be established in Tamil Nadu. 

Reiterating the commitment of the Government to the welfare of farmers over the years, Ms. Sitharaman said that there is a steady increase the procurement of wheat, rice, pulses from farmers. The Finance Minister said that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) regime has undergone a sea change to ensure price that is at least 1.5 times the cost of production across all commodities. 

Providing details of procurement and amount paid to farmers over the years, Ms. Sitharaman said that in case of wheat, the total amount paid to farmers in 2013-2014 was Rs. 33,874 crore (US$ 4.65 billion). In 2019-2020 it was Rs. 62,802 crore (US$ 8.61 billion), and even better, in 2020-2021, this amount, paid to farmers, was Rs. 75,060 crore (US$ 10.29 billion). The number of wheat growing farmers that were benefitted increased in 2020-21 to 43.36 lakh as compared to 35.57 lakh in 2019-20. 

For paddy, the amount paid in 2013-14 was Rs. 63,928 crore (US$ 8.77 billion). In 2019-2020 this increased Rs. 1,41,930 crore (US$ 19.46 billion). Even better, in 2020-2021, this is further estimated to increase to Rs. 172,752 crore (US$ 23.69 billion). The farmers benefitted increased from 1.24 crore in 2019-20 to 1.54 crore in 2020-21. In the same vein, in case of pulses, the amount paid in 2013-2014 was Rs. 236 crore (US$ 32.37 million). In 2019-20 it increased Rs. 8,285 crore (US$ 1.14 billion). Now, in 2020-2021, it is at Rs. 10,530 crore, a more than 40 times increase from 2013-14. 

The receipts to cotton farmers have seen a stupendous increase from Rs. 90 crore (US$ 12.34 million) in 2013-14 to Rs. 25,974 crore (US$ 3.56 billion) (as on 27th January 2021). 

A comparison of payment to farmers has substantially increased shown as under: 

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


7.1. Indian Army Signs MoU with SIDM on Indigenisation and Innovation Partnership 
Press Information Bureau, Jan. 22, 2021 

An MoU between the Indian Army & Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) was signed on 21 January 2021 to provide further impetus to indigenisation under the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and to achieve strategic independence by reducing dependence on foreign origin equipment. This MoU was signed on the occasion of 25 Years of Army-Industry Partnership with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Collaboration between the Indian Army and industry started in 1995 with the indigenisation of spares and has progressed to major defence platforms and a wide range of weapons and equipment. 

Increasing security challenges due to India's rising stature in the international community, apart from unresolved borders and revisionist adversaries require continuous and concerted capability building of the Army through modernisation to address them. This can be done by equipping the Army with indigenously built equipment. In order to optimise capability building and single contact with the industry, Indian Army has reorganised itself by aligning both the revenue and capital routes of procurement under Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development & Sustenance). Army Design Bureau (ADB) has been established to act as a direct facilitator with the industry and thereby connect the defence manufacturers directly with the user. These changes have resulted in a collaborative engagement between the technology provider, the equipment manufacturer and the user. 

The Government has made necessary policy changes to support indigenisation and achieving self-reliance in defence sector with the active support from the Army. Industry associations have provided a common platform for industry to interact with Indian Army to showcase their expertise. The inputs of industry go a long way in effecting policy modulation and changes. With the signing of MoU with SIDM, Indian Army has reiterated its firm resolve towards achieving self-reliance by supporting and handholding indigenous defence industry. 

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


7.2. Infosys Collaborates with Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy to Digitally Transform its Operations by Implementing SAP S/4HANA in 50+ Countries 
IBEF, Feb. 03, 2021 

Infosys was selected as a strategic partner by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy (SGRE), for the implementation of SAP S/4HANA to deliver a globally harmonised ERP framework. The implementation will allow Siemens Gamesa to become an agile, global digitalization organisation, while improving its digital capabilities, supply and competitive capabilities. 

A Greenfield SAP S/4HANA solution has been successfully deployed by Infosys across 7 nations, replacing 2 legacy ERP systems. Teams from Infosys and Siemens Gamesa co-engineered and created a solution framework that helped minimise complexity in record time across business processes and technical ecosystems. The solution is intended to increase company output around the supply chain. 

This transition will allow real-time reporting, a digitally empowered workforce, reduced go-to-market time and is the cornerstone of the next-generation application landscape of Siemens Gamesa. In addition, Siemens Gamesa has contracted Infosys for an industrialised rollout in more than 50 countries, 22 manufacturing facilities covering all business units (including onshore, offshore, services and corporate functions). 

Mr. Alan Feeley, CIO of Siemens Gamesa said, “A key component of our company-wide strategy towards process quality, standardisation and industrialization is the introduction of a single S/4HANA framework across all business units and regions. These first live measures across 7 countries, helping all business forms, have demonstrated the importance of the greenfield opportunity to analyse, achieving a secure efficient environment through Infosys across Hybrid Azure cloud. This single and global framework offers a virtually zero "change the standard" approach that provides opportunity for the future in sustainable cost control & upgrade proofing. Infosys has shown admirable 'staying strength' and has supplied a good product while completely satisfying our aspirations of becoming a partner.” 

Mr. Jasmeet Singh, EVP and Global Manufacturing Head, Infosys, said, “For business continuity, particularly today, an effective ERP system is essential. As we collaborate to deliver innovation through business process harmonisation and technology leadership, leveraging Infosys Cobalt, our strategic collaboration with Siemens Gamesa will take their digital transformation journey to its next stage.” 

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


8.1. Modernisation of 10% kiranas can generate 3.2 million jobs: Report 
ET Bureau, Jan. 26, 2021, Writanker Mukherjee 

“The rapid changes in consumer behavior and acceleration of online commerce, mandate that the Indian retail ecosystem transform to meet emerging consumer needs,” said Piyush N Singh, India market unit lead. 

TRRAIN founder B.S. Nagesh said kirana stores play a crucial role in the Indian retail sector, which in turn contributes nearly 11% of the nation’s gross domestic product and 8% of its total workforce. Modernization of 10% of the 13 million kiranas in India could boost retail consumption by more than 5% and generate 3.2 million new jobs in the country, according to a latest report from Accenture and Trust For Retailers and Retail Associates of India (TRRAIN).
“The rapid changes in consumer behavior and acceleration of online commerce, mandate that the Indian retail ecosystem transform to meet emerging consumer needs,” said Piyush N Singh, India market unit lead.

“As the lifeline of the Indian retail sector, a digital led transformation of Kirana stores can result in significant economic gains, including nearly 1% employment growth in India. The transformation process needs to be expedited with comprehensive policy intervention, technology support, and, most importantly, collaboration between key ecosystem players,” he said.
Sameer Amte, managing director in Accenture’s Strategy & Consulting business in India, said the modernization of Kirana stores will not only help improve consumption and local employment but will also have a positive impact on the retail ecosystem in terms of new growth opportunities.

“We believe with an improved, intelligent supply chain infrastructure, easier access to technology and funds, these stores can redefine the future of the Indian retail landscape,” he said.
Amongst the modernization initiatives, the focus areas should be location assessment of the store, funding assessment whereby the rent should not be more than 3% of sales or one-fifth of the gross profit, store layout which influences the customer’s perception of the store, technology, product placement practices and customer engagement.

TRRAIN founder B.S. Nagesh said kirana stores play a crucial role in the Indian retail sector, which in turn contributes nearly 11% of the nation’s gross domestic product and 8% of its total workforce. “Kirana transformation will not only help store owners improve profitability but also add value to the customers and overall ecosystem,” he said. 


8.2. Single window digital platform for clearances and approval of industries across India on the anvil: Som Parkash 
ET Gov. Feb. 05, 2021 

The centralized investment clearance cell will provide end-to-end facilitation support, including pre-investment advisory, information related to land banks and process clearances at Central and state level. 

The Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry is working on setting up a single window digital platform for clearances and approval for industries in the country.
Despite the presence of several online platforms for obtaining clearances for investing in India, various departments of the government of India and state single window platforms, investors need to visit multiple portals to gather information and obtain clearances from different stakeholders.
To address this issue, the creation of a centralized investment clearance cell which would provide end-to-end facilitation support, including pre-investment advisory, information related to land banks and facilitating clearances at Central and state level was proposed as announced in the budget 2021, according to Som Parkash, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry.

The cell is being planned as a one-stop digital platform to obtain all requisite central and state clearances and approvals required to start business operations in India. The investment clearance cell will be a national portal that integrates the existing clearance systems of the various ministries/departments of government of India and state governments without disruption to the existing online portals and will have a single, unified application form, the minister said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
This will eliminate the need for investors to visit multiple platforms/offices to gather information and obtain clearances from different stakeholders and provide time-bound approvals and real time status updates on their applications, the minister said. 


9.1. Digital agriculture missions and innovation hubs will propel growth in farm sector during fiscal 2021-22: Vivek Aggarwal 
ET Gov. Jan. 29, 2015, T Radhakrishna 

The agriculture ministry, which has the mandate now to offer government-to-farmer services in digital mode like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), is building partnerships with state governments and private players to achieve the goal of digital agriculture and digitizing the stakeholders’ interface. 

Digital Agriculture Missions (DAMs) and Innovation Hubs (IHs) at national and state level will be set up soon by the agriculture ministry as part of its efforts to foster a digital agriculture ecosystem, further facelifting the agriculture sector during 2021-22 fiscal.
The ministry, which has the mandate now to offer government-to-farmer services in digital mode like Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), is building partnerships with state governments and private players to achieve the goal of digital agriculture and digitizing the stakeholders’ interface.
“We are looking at setting up digital agriculture missions and innovation hubs among new initiatives in collaboration with state governments and private sector,” agriculture joint secretary Vivek Aggarwal said, in his keynote speech at India Public Sector Summit, organized jointly by ETGovernment and Cisco India, on Friday.

Many technology initiatives, the official said, are underway to support and strengthen the agriculture sector. Technology companies, including Cisco have agreed to partner with innovation hub, where proof of concepts can be explored for the benefit of the agriculture sector and its ecosystem.
Aggarwal said the agriculture ministry is improving the induction of technology at the grass root level for the benefit of farmers, value chain systems and other stakeholders. Vivek is responsible for India’s digital agriculture initiative. As CEO, he is also leading Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM KISAN), a programme by the Central government, in which farmers will get up to Rs 6,000 per year as minimum income support.

Surplus agriculture economy
Aggarwal said India has transformed from a deficit-agriculture economy to a surplus-agriculture economy now. “In almost all agricultural products, we are a normal surplus country. It may be milk, foodgrains or pulses. The only area where there is a deficiency is seeds. Apart from that, all our horticultural produce is in surplus,” he said, adding farmers have a major issue about marketing of produce at a relative price.

Twin challenges
“Challenges faced by farmers such as quality inputs, market information on seeds and products can be overcome if we provide proper information to the farmer at the right time. The information can only be possible, if there is a technology interface, which is more automated, and less personal in nature,” the official felt.
“The dual challenges such as having good information on the market before sowing and post-harvest and having technology are crucial for farmers to get the best price for their produce,” he said.
According to Aggarwal, it is high time farmers got the benefit of the best technology that is available in the world. Now, people have made a lot of effort on mechanization of farming.

Emerging technologies
“The Central government has taken up many initiatives such as the Agriculture Fund, through which startups can get fundinh with interests of insurance credit guarantee. These startups can look at providing IoT services to the farmers on a chargeable basis and also provide soft advisory services like weather, crop and marketing. Technology players can come in both at a large scale level as well as at the grass root level to fill in the gap,” Aggarwal said.
He said other initiatives including digital agriculture and innovation hub at the national level are expected to play a major role in the sector. The ministry has recently revised the guidelines of National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) for agriculture-related projects. “We are funding projects in the states for using emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Blockchain,” he said.

Green fund for tech infra
Vivek Aggarwal said the department of agriculture cooperation is giving subsidy for setting up tech-infrastructure under the green fund initiated by the ministry.
“We will also look at situations where this infrastructure is already in place would get optimum utilization with the use of technologies,” the official added. 


9.2. Adoption of tech got covid boost: Satya Nadella 
Mint, 29 Jan 2021, Ayushman Baruah, Nandita Mathur
  • Covid sped up decade long process of digital transformation, says Nadella 
  • What we were going to think about in 2030 is probably going to be true in 2025, Nadella added 

BENGALURU/NEW DELHI: The covid-19 pandemic has accelerated a decade long process of digital transformation, Microsoft Corp. chief executive officer (CEO) Satya Nadella said on Thursday. 

“What we were going to think about in 2030 is probably going to be true in 2025," Nadella said. “We have seen tremendous structural change...Any company that has digital technology at its core is going to be more resilient and faster to transform and adapt to any tail event," he said in conversation with Kalyan Krishnamurthy, CEO, Flipkart Group, at the ongoing Resurgence TiEcon Delhi–NCR event. 

In the wake of the pandemic, Nadella had last year said that tech intensity, the combination of technology adoption and capability built on trust, will determine whether organizations are able to navigate the covid-19 crisis. 

With retail having undergone a seismic shift during the pandemic, Krishnamurthy said the industry has seen significant changes in consumer behaviour. “In India, many first-time users got online, sought entertainment, made purchases, and explored fintech offerings, all in a way bridging a digital gap that may have taken years to close," he said. 

During the pandemic, Flipkart focused on accelerating innovation to meet the increasing needs of customers through multi-lingual interfaces, digital payments, and voice-enabled search, Krishnamurthy said. “These were powered by a strong technology backbone and a robust supply chain and logistics network." 

Flipkart, while addressing consumer needs, also used technology to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing critical data insights to enable them to pivot their business and stay relevant, Krishnamurthy said. 

Just like shopping, education also went digital last year with edtech firms seeing a huge surge in users. 

Byju Raveendran, founder and CEO of the eponymous edtech startup said it wants to define the future of learning in India and abroad. 

“I want to define the future of learning and create a part of it and find that ideal blended format of learning. I will be happy if I can play a role in defining the online schools of tomorrow," he said. 


10. Kerala CM launches ₹7,000 crore 5 year package for development of Wayanad 
PTI, Feb. 13, 2021 

The Chief Minister said tourism was another key area of focus. 
An ₹7,000 crore five year package to double revenue from crops, boost tourism and ramp up infrastructure and health facilities in Wayanad was launched by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Friday. He also released a Detailed Project Report for the Carbon Neutral Park.
"While the country is reeling under severe agricultural crisis, the Left government is presenting a comprehensive development package for the Wayanad district.

The aim is to double revenue from coffee, along with pepper, plantain, ginger and other crops," Vijayan said.
The Chief Minister said tourism was another key area of focus
"The package also has provisions towards basic infrastructure, roads, education and health facilities while considering the ecological sensitivity of the area," he said.
Finance Minister Thomas Isaac, who presided, said the package provides for advancement of the agricultural and tribal sectors.

To promote coffee from the district, Minister for Industries, Youth and Sports, E P Jayarajan launched Wayanad Coffee Procurement kiosks and handed them over to 'Kudumbashree' (women's Self Help Group).
"The government aims to enhance income for growers by marketing Wayanad yield under the brand name "Carbon Neutral Coffee.
The first phase of procurement and marketing shall be carried out via Brahmagiri Wayanad Coffee, the state government said in a release. 


- INDUSTRY & MANUFACTURE 


11.1. India’s first indigenously designed and developed driverless metro car rolled out for MMRDA 
ET Gov. Jan, 18, 2021 

The driverless metro car has been manufactured for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) 

India’s first indigenously designed and developed state-of-the-art driverless metro car was rolled out of the BEML Bangaluru manufacturing facility on Friday.
The driverless metro car has been manufactured for Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while unveiling the metro car, said MMRDA project has 63 percent indigenous content which will enhance to 75 percent in next two to three years.

"This reflects Indian industry’s overwhelming response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanairbhar Bharat Abhiyan call," he said. Rajnath said this driverless metro project will act as a source of inspiration to other Indian companies, particularly the defence industry to help India emerge as a manufacturing hub which, in turn, will fulfil USD 5 billion defence export target and USD 25 billion defence industry turn over by 2025.

Singh further said the Ministry of Defence has taken a number of steps like introducing Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy (DPEPP) 2020 and new Defence Acquisition Policy incorporating provisions for purchasing equipment and platforms with more indigenous technology. Citing the government's recent decision to procure 83 Tejas fighter aircrafts from HAL at the cost of nearly Rs 50,000 crore, the Defence Minister said it will create over 50,000 new job opportunities and about 500 Indian companies including MSMEs as well as private companies will get a business boost with the HAL's Tejas project.

Rajnath Singh expressed hope that MMRDA driver-less technology will lead to its expansion into other fields of defence such as tanks and fighter planes in the future. While appreciating BEML, the minister termed the company as a true ‘Atmanirbhar Warrior’. He expressed his happiness that the Covid-19 pandemic, which has halted progress across the world, has had almost no impact on the production activities of BEML and DPSUs.

Chairman & Managing Director, BEML Dr. Deepak Kumar Hota, said, "The Defence Minister’s visit to BEML is a true reflection of the unstinted support and encouragement that he is providing to the firm. BEML’s foray into metro manufacturing has been a defining moment for the urban transportation scenario of the country. With a major market share in the country in direct competition with well-established international players, BEML has made its mark as the only Indian company in this high technology field." 


11.2. Tamil Nadu cabinet approves 24 investment proposals, to generate 93,935 jobs 
PTI,  Jan. 2021 

An official release said incentive packages as per the requirement of the investors were offered to the companies and the government has already entered into a 'facilitation Memorandum of Understanding' enabling the entities to take up 'preliminary works' at the project site. 

Ola Electric would manufacture electric vehicles and batteries at SIPCOT Park in Bargur, Krishnagiri district with investments of Rs 2,354 crore that would create 2,182 jobs. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu cabinet on Friday gave its nod for 24 major investment proposals, valued at Rs 52,257 crore, that would generate 93,935 jobs. The cabinet, headed by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, also accorded its approval to the soon to be unveiled 'Tamil Nadu Industrial Policy, 2021', to give a boost to the State's investment climate.
An official release said incentive packages as per the requirement of the investors were offered to the companies and the government has already entered into a 'facilitation Memorandum of Understanding' enabling the entities to take up 'preliminary works' at the project site.

"With cabinet approval, detailed legally binding MoUs will be executed", the release said.
Some of the major investment proposals include one by Tata Electronics to set up a mobile phone component manufacturing facility at an investment of Rs 5,763 crore in Krishnagiri district, which would create 18,250 jobs.
Taiwan-based Pegatron Corporation would invest Rs 1,100 crore in the first phase in neighbouring Chengalpet district to manufacture mobile phones and create 14,079 new jobs, the release said.
To manufacture solar photo-voltaic modules, SunEdison would invest Rs 4,629 crore, creating new jobs of 5,397 while Taiwan-based Luxshare to make electronic components in Sriperumbudur district, reviving the factory of Motorola which has been lying 'defunct', the release said.

Ola Electric would manufacture electric vehicles and batteries at SIPCOT Park in Bargur, Krishnagiri district with investments of Rs 2,354 crore that would create 2,182 jobs.
German firm Eickhoff Gruppe would invest Rs 621 crore employing 319 people to manufacture gearboxes for wind energy.
The facility to come up near Chennai is a relocation of the company's production facility from China.
Berlin-based BASF would invest Rs 345 crore to manufacture auto-emission catalysts in Chengalpet district that would see creation of 235 jobs.

Lucas TVS would invest Rs 2,500 crore to produce Lithium-Ion batteries in Tiruvallur district, creating 3,500 new jobs while Japan-headquartered Daicel Corporation would set up its first airbag inflator manufacturing unit in Chengalpet district at an investment of 358 crore creating 180 jobs in the region. Seoul-based LS Automotive would invest Rs 250 crore to set up automotive switches in Tiruvallur district employing 200 people.
Data Patterns would invest Rs 303.52 crore that would create 703 jobs in Chennai to make defence and aerospace related products, under the Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor initiative.
US-based Autoliv Inc would invest Rs 100 crore to manufacture auto-components in SIPCOT Park, Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai district. The facility would create 400 new jobs, the release said.
The approval by the Cabinet would enable the state further its industrial development, besides creating new jobs, particularly during the pandemic, the release said. 


12.1.1. Ola to deploy ABB robotics and automation solutions at e-scooter factory in TN 
ET Auto, Feb. 12, 2021 

Ola will utilise ABB’s automation solutions in its factory’s key manufacturing process lines, including the painting and welding lines, while ABB robots will be deployed extensively in the battery and motor assembly lines. 

New Delhi: Ola has selected ABB as one of its key partners for robotics and automation solutions for its electric scooter factory in India.
Billed to be the world’s largest, the scooter factory in Tamil Nadu is expected to be ready and operational in the coming months, the company said in a statement.
Ola will utilise ABB’s automation solutions in its factory’s key manufacturing process lines, including the painting and welding lines, while ABB robots will be deployed extensively in the battery and motor assembly lines.

These include ABB’s “IRB 5500” paint and “IRB 2600” Integrated Dressing robots in its painting and welding lines, and “IRB 6700” robots for assembly and material handling in the battery and motor assembly areas.
Based on Industry 4.0 principles, the factory will be powered by Ola's own proprietary AI Engine and tech stack that will be deeply integrated into all its systems, continuously self-learning and optimising every aspect of the manufacturing process.

The use of ABB’s robots and automation solutions will ensure remote digital connectivity and monitoring of the robots that will ride on Ola’s proprietary AI engine and tech stack.
This will enhance the entire operations, especially with Ola’s implementation of cyber-physical and advanced IoE systems.
Bhavish Aggarwal, chairman and Group CEO, Ola, said, “We are delighted to bring on board ABB, a global leader in robotics, machine automation and digital services, as a key supplier and partner for robotics and automation solutions that will be deployed at our scooter mega-factory."

Sanjeev Sharma, managing director, ABB India and South Asia, said, “We are privileged to be an end to end partner of Ola Electric and contribute to the EV vision of this path-breaking company and of our nation. Our integrated automation package with digital connectivity, riding on Ola’s AI platform will be instrumental in the roll-out of these world-class scooters for India and the rest of the world."
With an initial annual capacity of 2 million units, the electric scooter factory will create 10,000 jobs and serve as the company’s global manufacturing hub for both India and international markets across Europe, the UK, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand.
The mega-factory is also expected to be the country’s most automated, with about 5,000 robots and automated guided vehicles in use, once the factory is operational in its full capacity. 


12.1.2. Ola to invest INR 2,400 Cr (`$327 million) for electric scooter manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu 
ETAuto, Dec. 14, 2020, Shalini Pryia 

The factory will have an initial production capacity of 2 million electric vehicles per annum. The factory will produce Ola’s upcoming range of two-wheeler products starting with Ola’s electric scooter. 

New Delhi: Softbank-backed Ola on Monday announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government to set up what it claims to be the 'world's largest scooter manufacturing facility' in the state.
The ride-hailing firm will invest about USD 327 million (INR 2,400 Crore) in setting up the factory which would result in the creation of almost 10,000 jobs. The factory will have an initial production capacity of 2 million electric vehicles per annum and will produce Ola’s upcoming range of two-wheeler products starting with Ola’s electric scooter.

“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 across shared and owned mobility," said Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO of Ola, in a statement.
He further added, "This will be one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities in the world. This factory will showcase India’s skill and talent to produce world-class products that will cater to global markets.”
The new factory would also cater to customers in Europe, Asia, and Latin American among other markets, the company said in a statement.

Ola's transformation from cab-aggregator to EV player

Ola has been making rapid strides in the electric two-wheeler segment. In May this year, the company announced the acquisition of Etergo BV, an electric scooter OEM, based out of Amsterdam, the Netherlands to mark its entry into the premium electric two-wheeler market, both globally and nationally. 


Ola last week announced it will bring its electric two wheeler range of products to New Zealand.Founded in 2014, Etergo has developed an all-electric 'AppScooter' that uses swappable high energy density batteries to deliver a range of up to 240 km.
The company will be striving to carve out space in the segment which is currently driven by the likes of Hero Moto, TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto, who have decades of experience in the two-wheeler space, as well as with startups like Ather Energy and Okinawa Scooters.
According to media reports, Ola plans to launch an e-scooter simultaneously across India and several European markets by January next year. The e-scooter is expected to be priced competitively against the current petrol scooters, as the company looks to tap into the 20 million units-two wheeler market in India.
The electric scooter, initially manufactured at a facility in the Netherlands, will be sold in India as well as Europe.

Ola Electric has also planned to set up extensive charging and swapping networks around the country and is currently running several pilots to deploy electric vehicles and charging solutions across cities with a focus on two and three-wheelers.

Earlier this year the ride-hailing major announced plans to hire over 2,000 people for its electric business. Recently, the company also roped in General Motor Veteran Jose Pinheiro to head its global manufacturing and operations.

Ola Electric has raised about USD 400 million in funding from Tiger Global, Matrix India, Tata Sons Chairman Emeritus Ratan Tata and others. 


12.2. Tata Boeing Aerospace to manufacture 737 vertical fin structures at Hyderabad 
ET Gov. Feb. 05 2021 

The vertical fin is a complex structural part and the new production line will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation in manufacturing and will also enable skill development and employment opportunities in high technology manufacturing in Telangana. 

Global aerospace major Boeing has announced the addition of a new production line at its joint venture, Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL) in Hyderabad to manufacture complex vertical fin structures for the 737 family of airplanes. The expansion marks a significant milestone for the joint venture.
"This is a noteworthy step in the growth of India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing," said KT Rama Rao, Telangana Municipal Administration and Industries Minister. "Telangana is an established hotbed for India’s defence and aerospace industry supported by a robust ecosystem, including a large pool of skilled and industry-ready workforce. I congratulate Boeing and Tata for this milestone," he added.

"Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited is an example of Boeing’s commitment towards co-development of integrated systems in aerospace and defence in India, for the world, and a reflection of the country’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative," said Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India. "Skilled talent, robust infrastructure, ease of doing business, and a highly responsive government administration make Telangana an ideal destination," he added.
Sukaran Singh, MD & CEO, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), said, "The expansion of our aerostructure manufacturing capabilities with the new production line to deliver complex vertical fins for the 737s is another landmark in our collaboration with Boeing. He further added, "This new production line for complex vertical fin structures is another testament for TASL's commitment towards making India self-reliant in defence manufacturing."

The vertical fin is a complex structural part and the new production line will utilize cutting-edge robotics and automation in manufacturing. The expansion will create additional employment opportunities and enable skill development as well. Spread over 14,000 square meters, the state-of-the-art facility has been producing aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache helicopter, including fuselages, secondary structures, and vertical spar boxes for customers worldwide.

Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As a top US exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
Boeing’s advanced aircraft and services focus plays an important role in mission-readiness for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced technologies and remains committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector – developing local suppliers, and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions, according to a company press release.

Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with 250 local companies in India and a joint venture to manufacture fuselages for Apache helicopters. Annual sourcing from India stands at $1 billion. Boeing currently employs 3,000 people in India, and more than 7,000 people work with its supply chain partners. Boeing serves communities and citizenship programs to inspire change and make an impact on more than 300,000 lives in India, the company said.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, is the strategic Aerospace and Defence arm of the TATA Group. TASL is both an operating & a holding company. TASL group is fast emerging as a key Defence and Aerospace player in India with established capabilities and demonstrated deliveries in the following areas such as Missile Systems and subsystems, Radar Systems and subsystems, Command & Control Systems, Aerospace & Aero-Structures, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Optronic Systems, Homeland Security Solutions. 


13.1. BEL to showcase about 30 products/systems developed as part of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' during Aero India 2021 
Press Information Bureau, Feb. 03, 2021 

Defence PSU, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) will showcase state-of-the-art products and systems spanning every domain of its business, at Aero India 2021 to be held from February 3-5, 2021 at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru. The products and systems are clustered as ‘Airborne & Space Application’, ‘Satellite and Space Application’, ‘Products and Systems for Self-Reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat)’, ‘High Performance Computing & Artificial Intelligence Systems’, ‘Land and Naval Products and Systems’, ‘Communication and Laser based Products ’, ‘Non-Defence/Diversification and Outdoor Display Products’. 

In addition, BEL will showcase its R&D capabilities by launching/demonstrating some of its new products and technologies. Some of the new products and technologies are in the area of Airborne & Space/Satellite Application include Self Protection Suite with DIRCM (with foreign ToT), Hand Held Field Signal Generator, Airborne & Ground Spread Spectrum Modem, Backpack Anti Drone System, BE NAVIC 705, Compact Time Reference Server (Airborne), VPX architecture based SDR for Air Borne platforms and Airborne Sonar. 

In total, about 30 products and systems developed as part of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative will be on display, including Airborne Missile Electronics, Receivers for EW Systems and many others such as 2KW Fuel Cell, FO Gyro based Sensor Packaged Unit, Athremal Laser Transmitter, IR Jammer, Call Manager & Media Gateway, C-Band Tropo Power Amplifier and IR Seekers Missiles. 

Other Innovative Solutions and Artificial Intelligence Systems on display in the area of High Performance Computing & Artificial Intelligence Systems will include RRO (Software based solution), Secure Video Conferencing Solution, Generic Networking System, Imagery Solution for Defence and civilian application, Automatic Train Supervision System for DMRC and Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre besides others. 

BEL will showcase its Land and Naval Products and Systems comprising QRSAM Radars (BFMR and BSR), BFSR-XR AESA, DDR (FMCW), Coastal Surveillance System, GBMES, Single Combat Vehicle (QRSAM), Weapon Control System, etc. 

BEL will also display Communication and Laser based products including MODEM for Troposcatter Communication System, Encryptors, Frequency Modulated Continuous- Wave (FMCW) Radar for Fog Vision and Drone Guard systems for Railways, 4G Secure Phone and 5G Tablet PC, High Power Fibre Laser, Li Fi High Speed Communication System and Software Defined Radio under Communication and Electro Optics segments. 

Besides, products for non-applications like Ventilators and Dialysis Machine, Smart City platforms with IoT Components, etc. will also be showcased. The highlight of BEL’s outdoor display will be Mini Shelter based Mini C4I system, Atulya (ADFCR), CTFCR (X-APAR on 4 x 4), WLR (Mountain Version) and Anti Drone System. The entire set of state-of-art equipment on offer will be a force multiplier for any Defence force. 

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


13.2. With nod for 83 LCAs worth Rs 47,000 crore ($6.44 bn), HAL readies 3rd plant 
TNN, Feb. 01, 2021, Chethan Kumar 

Buoyed by the recent Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval for procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark-1A aircraft worth Rs 47,000 crore, Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is all geared up to make operational a dedicated second LCA plant in Bengaluru. 

Buoyed by the recent Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approval for procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark-1A aircraft worth ₹47,000 crore, Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is all geared up to make operational a dedicated second LCA plant in Bengaluru.
The new plant at Doddanekundi here, according to sources in HAL, will be inaugurated by defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. “The plant, when commissioned fully, will be able to produce 16 LCAs per year. We’ll make the Tejas Mark-1A and the trainers here,” one source said.
At present, HAL has the capacity to manufacture eight LCAs per year. The first dedicated LCA plant and HAL’s Aircraft Division are both producing them. “The plant that will be inaugurated by the defence minister will technically be the third, given that the Aircraft Division also make LCAs now,” the source said.

The Tejas Mark-1A aircraft worth Rs 46,898 crore - 73 fighters and 10 trainers - cleared by the CCS on January 13, will have 43 “improvements” over the Tejas Mark-1 jets which the IAF has already placed orders for earlier.
The order/contract for the new 83 aircraft is expected to be placed during the upcoming Aero India show. “From the date of the signing of the contract, HAL will have 36 months to start delivering the first batch of aircraft,” the source said.
There was no immediate confirmation on the investment that has gone into the second plant, or when it is expected to be commissioned fully. “The first phase of the operations will start in a few months after Tuesday’s inauguration and we’ll subsequently commission the rest of the plant,” another source said, adding that existing manpower will be used to operate the plant.

5k New Jobs: Atmanirbhar
Soon after the CCS nod, HAL had said: “Tejas would have the highest level indigenisation in comparison to any programme of this scale with progressive indigenisation of critical technologies, thereby making India a technologically self-reliant nation. The programme would look at developing technologies indigenously.”
The Tejas programme, the PSU said, has created a national aerospace ecosystem with participation of approximately 560 companies. “It is estimated that as the LCA Mark-1A programme kicks-off, it will generate primary jobs to a tune of 5,000 across the country. The programme will foster local industry and drive skill development of young Indian workforce,” HAL said.

As per the PSUs estimates, the LCA programme, till date has produced 50,000 primary and secondary jobs across the nation. “For the first time in India’s aerospace history, the program enabled partnership with Indian private players to manufacture aircraft fuselage and wings. Some of the major companies contributing in the programme from the private sector are VEM technologies, L&T, DTL, Alpha Toccol, TAML, Data Patterns, Pendios, Compupower and many others,” HAL added. 


14.1. Panasonic Life Solutions to invest Rs 600 cr in new facility in AP 
PTI, Jan. 26, 2021 

The previously announced investment of Rs 294.7 crore in phase one is part of the company's robust manufacturing and expansion plans to support infrastructure and increase production capacity in India, Panasonic Life Solutions (formerly known as Anchor Electricals), said in a statement. 
Upon completion, the new facility will be Panasonic Life Solution India's eighth electrical equipment material production base in India, followed by facilities in the North and West regions, the company added.New Delhi: Panasonic Life Solutions India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation, on Monday said it will invest Rs 600 crore to set a up a new manufacturing facility in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh (AP). The company plans to make a total Investment of Rs 600 crore in two phases.

The previously announced investment of Rs 294.7 crore in phase one is part of the company's robust manufacturing and expansion plans to support infrastructure and increase production capacity in India, Panasonic Life Solutions (formerly known as Anchor Electricals), said in a statement.
The company, which held the ground breaking ceremony for the facility on Monday, said it aims is to create employment opportunities and industrial development in Andhra Pradesh.
The aim is to provide direct employment to at least 600 people in the state by 2022. Due to the pandemic scenario, the new unit will now commence its operations of manufacturing the electrical appliances by April 2022, it said.

Upon completion, the new facility will be Panasonic Life Solution India's eighth electrical equipment material production base in India, followed by facilities in the North and West regions, the company added.
Tetsuyasu Kawamoto, Managing Director, Panasonic Life Solutions India Pvt.Ltd. said, "India is growing exponentially in terms of housing development, and the real estate market, especially in Andhra Pradesh, will witness a paradigm shift in the post-pandemic era. The pandemic had brought businesses to a halt; however, we look forward to a revived growth journey and contribute to the speedy economic recovery of the country.

"The new facility in Sri City, once completed, will help us significantly scale up our productions in India and generate employment opportunities for the locals in Andhra Pradesh. With a strong commitment towards the government's vision of 'AatmaNirbhar Bharat', the completion of this land will assist in strengthening our relations with the Government of Andhra Pradesh".
In India, Panasonic Life Solutions has factories in Haridwar which are equipped to cater to the demands of the North, and the factories in Daman and Kutch which cater to the Western markets. 


14.2. Amazon to make Fire TV Stick devices in India in a mega boost to 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' 
Mint, 16 Feb. 2021, Staff Writer
  • 'Delighted to share that soon Amazon will commence manufacturing of electronics products like FireTV stick in India,' said union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad 
  • Amazon will start making the devices via a subsidiary of its manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group 
In a mega boost to Modi government's 'Make in India' initiative for an Atmanirbhar Bharat, Amazon will start manufacturing television streaming devices in India later this. "Delighted to share that soon Amazon will commence manufacturing of electronics products like FireTV stick in India," said Union minister for electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday. 

The e-commerce giant will start making the devices via a subsidiary of its manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group and production will start later this year in its facilities outside Chennai, the company said in a blog post on Tuesday. 

"This further reiterates our commitment to ‘Make in India’, contributing directly to the local economy, creating jobs & boosting Indian innovation," said Amit Agarwal, SVP and Country Head, Amazon India. On Tuesday, Amazon’s India Agarwal briefed Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, on the details of the company’s manufacturing plans. 

“The device manufacturing program will be able to produce hundreds of thousands of Fire TV Stick devices every year, catering to the demands of customers in India," the company said in the blog." Amazon will continuously evaluate scaling capacity to additional marketplaces." 

"We welcome Amazon’s decision to set up a manufacturing line in Chennai, as it will enhance domestic production capacities, and create jobs as well. This will further our mission of creating a Atmanirbhar Bharat which is digitally empowered," Prasad said, quoted Amazon's blog post. 

The global e-commerce giant also pledged to invest $1 billion to digitize 10 million small and medium businesses, help Indian businesses sell worldwide thereby enabling US $10 billion in cumulative exports, and create an additional 1 million jobs by 2025. 

In 2020 Amazon announced the ‘Local Shops on Amazon’, a program that retailers and local shops be Atmanirbhar, and benefit from selling online. "We have over 22,000 neighborhood stores registered across the country gathering additional footfalls through their online presence and furthering their earning potential by acting as pickup points, logistics partners, and experience centers for e-commerce," the blog mentioned. 

"India is an attractive investment destination and is poised to become a major player in the global supply chain in the electronics and IT products industry. Our Government’s decision to launch a Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme has received tremendous response globally," the minister added. 

The online retailer is joining electronics giants such as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. in making devices like phones and tablets in the South Asian nation. 


15.1. Tesla to set up electric car manufacturing plant in Karnataka, says CM Yediyurappa 
Mint, 14 Feb 2021, Staff Writer
  • Elon Musk, founder and chief executive officer of Tesla, said earlier that US electric carmaker will make a foray into India in 2021 
  • In January, Elon Musk's company set up a subsidiary named Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd in Bengaluru 
Tesla Inc will set up an electric car manufacturing unit in Karnataka, said chief minister BS Yediyurappa in a statement. The statement was a part of release listing benefits for the southern state under the Union Budget 2021. "American firm Tesla will open its electric car manufacturing unit in Karnataka," Yediyurappa said in a statement in Kannada. 

In January, billionaire Elon Musk's company set up a subsidiary named Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd in Bengaluru. It registered office at Lavelle Road, a business district in Bengaluru, with a paid-up capital of ₹1 lakh and an authorized capital of ₹15 lakh, a Registrar of Companies (RoC) filing showed. The filing mentioned the Indian unit has three directors including David Feinstein, who is currently a senior executive at Tesla, according to his LinkedIn profile. 

Elon Musk, founder and chief executive officer of the Cupertino-based Tesla, said earlier US electric carmaker will make a foray into India in 2021.“Next year for sure," Musk said on Twitter in reply to a post with a photograph of a T-shirt with the message: “India wants Tesla" in October 2020. “Thanks for waiting," Musk said. 

The move comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting the production and use of electric vehicles to reduce the country’s oil dependence and cut down on pollution. The state had earlier said Tesla would open a research and development (R&D) centre in Bengaluru, according to reports. 

“We have been interacting with Tesla for the last few months and it is happy news that they have decided to incorporate their company here. We have impressed upon them that Bengaluru is not only the technology capital but also the aerospace and space capital. For any kind of technology collaboration, it has the right kind of talent pool," Gaurav Gupta, principal secretary, commerce & industries of Karnataka earlier told Mint. 

Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said in December that Tesla will begin its operations in India early this year with sales, and later venture into assembly and manufacturing of electric cars. 


15.2. H&M set to rehire hundreds of fired garment workers 
Reuters, Feb. 12, 2021 

Garment manufacturer Gokaldas Exports Limited has agreed to re-employ 1,257 workers - mostly women - who were laid off when it closed a factory near Mysuru in Karnataka state in June, said two Indian unions and global federation IndustriALL. Under the agreement, the laid-off workers will be rehired in other Gokaldas factories by August, according to the unions.By Anuradha Nagaraj

CHENNAI: More than 1,200 Indian garment workers who were fired by a H&M supplier in southern India during coronavirus lockdown last year are set to be rehired in a rare win for labour unions.
Garment manufacturer Gokaldas Exports Limited has agreed to re-employ 1,257 workers - mostly women - who were laid off when it closed a factory near Mysuru in Karnataka state in June, said two Indian unions and global federation IndustriALL.
The organisations said an agreement signed this month with Gokaldas - which has not yet been made public - would also allow the Garment and Textile Workers' Union (GATWU) to negotiate in any factory where at least 20% of the workers were members.

Gokaldas could not be reached for comment. On its website, the company says it is India's largest manufacturer and exporter of clothing, and hires more than 25,000 people at 20 factories.
Swedish retailer H&M - Gokaldas' biggest buyer - said it was "positive that an agreement has finally been reached" but could not give further details as it was not a signatory to the pact.
Jayaram K Ramaiah, legal advisor for Bangalore-based GATWU, said the agreement could set an example for other manufacturers.

"This is not just any win for workers, it is historic," he said, praising the workers for protesting for several weeks.
"We want to take this beyond the present victory ... to create a model factory and a harassment-free environment for all workers," Ramaiah told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone. "This is just the beginning."
Under the agreement, the laid-off workers will be rehired in other Gokaldas factories by August, according to the unions.
India's multi-million-dollar garment industry, which employs at least 12 million people, has faced scrutiny for labour rights abuses and advocates fear the COVID-19 pandemic could put more pressure on suppliers and lead to greater worker exploitation.

UNION-BUSTING
The Gokaldas factory in question was the only one among more than 20 facilities which was unionised, IndustriALL said.
Gokaldas said in June that H&M order cancellations led to the factory's closure yet the brand denied this and stated that it had paid for all products as agreed, according to the union, which criticised the Indian manufacturer for "union-busting".
In several garment-producing countries - from India to Cambodia and Myanmar - activists say factory bosses have used the economic fallout from the pandemic as an excuse to target and fire union members while keeping on non-unionised workers.

In response to questions about the Gokaldas factory, a spokeswoman for H&M said the retailer would continue to strengthen freedom of association in its supply chain.
"We recognise there is a continuous need to address these issues," she said.
The lay-offs were illegal under Indian federal labour law because Gokaldas' management had not engaged with the state government before closing the factory, according to a report in December by the Alternative Law Forum - a legal research group.

Hundreds of workers at the factory protested for about 50 days after the mass firing, and continued to do so despite threats from bosses at Gokaldas, the three unions said.
One of them, 50-year-old Padma - a GATWU member who had worked at the factory for a decade - described the protests as "very tough ... the most difficult I have ever been part of".
"But now that our union is being recognised, I hope any future issues will be settled faster and through talks," the widow and mother of two - who only uses one name - said by phone. "It should not have to take such a long protest again."

(Reporting by Anuradha Nagaraj @AnuraNagaraj; Editing by Kieran Guilbert.) 


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


16.1. Union Budget 2020-21: FM unveils ₹64,180 crore Atmanirbhar Health Yojana 
ET Gov. feb. 02, 2021 

Sitharaman has announced outlay for health and welfare is a total of Rs 2,23,846 crore in the 2021-22 budget, an increase of 137 percent. 

Finance Minister presents Union Budget 2021.To boost the healthcare sector during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and to augment the future health infrastructure, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitraman today announced a new central healthcare scheme ‘Atmanirbhar Health Yojana’ during Union Budget 2021. The Pradhan Mantri Atma Nirbhar Swasthya Bharat Yojana, which will operate in addition to the existing National Health Mission, has been allocated around ₹64,180 crore over six years.

This scheme is expected to be used to develop capacities of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems as well as existing national institutions over a period of six years, according to Sitharaman. In addition to this, it would be used towards creating new institutions to cater to the detection and cure of new and emerging diseases.
Sitharaman has also allocated an outlay of ₹35,000 crore for Covid-19 vaccine. “The government is committed to providing more funds. The budget outlay for health and welfare is a total of ₹2,23,846 crore in the 2021-22 Budget, an increase of 137 percent increase.
During her budget speech, the minister said that investment on health in this budget has increased ‘substantially’, with a focus on strengthening preventive care, curative and well-being of the population.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that the government will boost healthcare spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2025 from the existing 1.15 percent, but the sector has continued to receive minimal funding so far. The sector received ₹69,000 crore in this fiscal year’s budget up from ₹62,659 crore in 2019-20.
On Friday, the finance minister tabled the Economic Survey in Parliament. The Survey said that the economy can contract by 7.7% in the current financial year ending on March 31 and the growth could be 11% in the next financial year. 


16.2. RailTel proposes broadband, WiFi services in remote areas 
IANS, Jan. 16, 2021 

RailTel, which has provided fibre optic connectivity at over 5,900 stations across the country and mostly in rural areas, is now planning to provide broadband and WiFi facilities in remote villages 

RailTel, which has provided fibre optic connectivity at over 5,900 stations across the country and mostly in rural areas, is now planning to provide broadband and WiFi facilities in remote villages, sources said on Friday.
"As we already have optic fibre cables in 58,742 route km and proper InternWiFi services at 5,900 railway stations we have shared a proposal with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) for providing broadband and WiFi services in remote villages," a RailTel source connected to the development told IANS.

The source said that RailTel, which has a presence even in the remote areas of the country, has the capacity to provide broadband and WiFi services in the villages, which will be a mega boost for the government's Digital India programme.
The source said that DoT has so far not responded to the proposal sent by it.
The source said that once permission is granted by the DoT, then the work for providing the broadband and WiFi services will start taking shape.
The source said that RailTel plans to provide broadband service with a basic phone and WiFi services. It clarified that it has no plans to enter into the voice calling services.

The source said that RailTel has the infrastructure and equipment in place at 5,900 stations across the country and they just need to extend their services to the villages, while it would take time for the private operators.
The source said that considering the fact that many operators services are not available in many remote areas so laying the cables and setting up mobile towers will take time for them.
"And our services are already available at the nearest railway stations there, so we just need to extend the services to the villages," the source added.

RailTel, a Miniratna public sector unit under the Ministry of Railways, handles crucial communication systems, video conferencing and implementation of e-office platform as well as storing important data for the national transporter in its two data centres in Haryana's Gurugram and Telangana's Secunderabad. 


17.1. Pandemic necessitates India to accelerate focus on digital skills: IBM India chief 
ET Gov. Jan. 28, 2021, Mohd Uialey 

What Covid-19 has done is that it has pushed the world into an extreme digitisation mode and technology has now become a Sutradhar, says Sandip Patel, MD, IBM India. 

The 2019 India Skills Report shows that only 45.6 per cent of the youth graduating from educational institutions are employable, reflecting a significant shortage of skilled workforce.
To bridge this gap, IBM collaborates with academia, industry bodies and various government organisations under its Good Tech programme in which it invests in technology and digital skilling, said a senior executive.

"We live in a digitally pervasive world. We have seen an accelerated digital transformation push all around us because of the pandemic," Sandip Patel, MD, IBM India, said adding that digital is going to be a new normal and if the country does not have skilled people, it may make things difficult.
"We need to make digital skilling an essential focus for national development," said Patel in an exclusive interview with ETGovernment's Mohd Ujaley.

Edited Excerpts:
There is a massive focus of government on digital skilling under Digital India programme. What is your assessment of digital skilling and what kind of work is IBM doing to promote digital skills?
Digital Skilling is an essential focus for national development.The 2019 India Skills Report shows that only 45.6 per cent of the youth graduating from educational institutions are employable — this reflects a significant shortage of skilled workforce in the country.
Adding to that now, we live in a digitally pervasive world. We have seen an accelerated digital transformation push all around us because of the pandemic. If you think about a new look-out into what the new normal is going to be, if we do not have skilled people, it will be a lot more complicated for the nation.

So, we at IBM have a strong focus on Good Tech, where we try to invest in technology for the world. And we do that by scaling across the value chain by collaborating with academia, and industry bodies.
One of the first ones that we had was on STEM education for girls. Now we have the vision to prepare over 200,000 high school girls across multiple states to pursue and understand their potential through a three-year program. So far, we have on-boarded ten states, over 600 secondary schools, catering to 78,000 girls and 45000 boys.
Also, to ensure continuity of digital skilling and support to National Education Policy that envisaged to promote next-generation technology among students, we have partnered with Niti Aayog to reach out to over 2,00,000 students over the next two-years with innovative courses, internships and training.

Besides, we support ITIs and National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC) with specially curated courses and offer students practical hands-on experience.
Beyond English, we are also looking to have courses available in various Indian languages starting with Hindi and then expanding it to Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, Sindhi, Urdu and Bengali.

We observed that state skills development corporations struggled with their business continuity plans during the pandemic as they lacked integrated platforms. What kind of impact did you witness on digital skilling?
What Covid-19 has done is that it has pushed the world into an extreme digitisation mode. And technology has now become a Sutradhar. So I think governments and government bodies are increasingly cognizant of this fact. Making sort of a digital highway will make all this a lot more accessible at the grassroots levels.
That is one part of the equation. A lot can be done through public-private partnerships and research & development with pilot implementations in building use cases.
For instance, for cloud-based solutions, there is a work that we are doing currently, in partnership with the government where we are working on the notion of a digital university.

Adoption of emerging technologies such as AI and ML are reality. Is there anything that we can do to make next-generation technologies a mass movement across the country where it becomes a part of the curriculum?

Absolutely. The work that we did with CBSE was exactly focused on that. The idea is to pick up the children at a young level and provide them with some of these tools practically. It will help in developing the neck for technology.
With Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC), we recently signed an MoU to create a Center of Excellence (COE) in the IT sector. The centre will help students develop their skills in analytics, cybersecurity, and big data.

In digital, there is a massive requirement for teacher's training. What is IBM doing in this space?

In our all skilling endeavour, we invest a significant component on capacity building of teachers or trainers. We have created content specifically for teachers, such as AI for teachers. When we go into government schools, we tell them that 80 per cent of future jobs will be in STEM. We empower teachers and make them a good mentor and role model to show the right path to the kids.
Because IBM can only be for a certain amount of time in a school, and that is why the teachers training always makes a significant portion of what we do in our initiatives.

From a policy point of view, is there anything that the government can do to encourage digital skilling partnerships?

The states where we've gone out and done this have been the more progressive states — schooling and digital education have been a priority for them.
I think recognising internships will bridge the gap between theoretical understanding at schools and college level and practical realities when students go out and work.

These internships make a big difference, and the government should encourage the industry to take interns. We at IBM do a lot.

A consortium of companies coming together and the education department facilitating it by providing conducive benefits for companies will help kids and may make the digital skilling at-a-scale a reality for the state governments. 


17.2. HCL to establish digital workplace for Airbus employees 
PTI, Feb. 04, 2021 

HCL will establish a modernised digital workplace to enhance the user experience and service quality for the majority of Airbus employees globally, a statement said. 

The company's Fluid Workplace Model will enable Airbus to deploy the latest digital technologies and will rapidly simplify Airbus' existing IT processes and optimisation of delivery costs, using unique end-to-end management services to cover the information and operational technology landscape.New Delhi: IT services major HCL Technologies on Thursday said it has signed a five-year Digital Workplace Services agreement with Airbus. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
HCL will establish a modernised digital workplace to enhance the user experience and service quality for the majority of Airbus employees globally, a statement said.

"HCL was selected as Airbus'preferred partner as it was able to offer the broadest combination of standard functionality and innovation capabilities to generate greater efficiency and improved time to market," it added.
The company's Fluid Workplace Model will enable Airbus to deploy the latest digital technologies and will rapidly simplify Airbus' existing IT processes and optimisation of delivery costs, using unique end-to-end management services to cover the information and operational technology landscape.

"We're delighted to be working with Airbus as a key strategic partner in its digital workplace transformation journey. The combination of HCL's scale transformational expertise and management capabilities of IT and OT (Operational Technology) landscape will enable Airbus to remain at the forefront of innovation and deliver leading-edge user experiences," HCL Technologies Executive Vice President (UK&I, France & Benelux) Sandeep Saxena said. 


18.1. Cognizant to recruit 23,000 from campus this year 
TNN, Feb. 05, 2021, Rajesh Chandramouli 

“In addition, we have also been running one of the industry’s most scalable internship programs. Last year, we got 5,000 for an internship within Cognizant. This year, we are expanding the program to 10,000 interns,” he added. 
"Our emphasis is going to be on hiring in the latest technologies, in our digital battlegrounds,” said Rajesh Nambiar, CMD, Cognizant India.

Chennai: India, home to more than 2,00,000 Cognizant employees will see more than 23,000 campus recruitments in 2021, a senior company official said.

“We hired more than 17,000 people from campuses in 2020. And we expect to hire more than 23,000 in 2021. That’s about 35% more than what we did last year. They will complement our lateral hires. In quarter one, we will hire more than in any other quarter in the history of Cognizant. There’s a lot of momentum. Our emphasis is going to be on hiring in the latest technologies, in our digital battlegrounds,” said Rajesh Nambiar, CMD, Cognizant India.

“In addition, we have also been running one of the industry’s most scalable internship programs. Last year, we got 5,000 for an internship within Cognizant. This year, we are expanding the program to 10,000 interns,” he added. 


18.2. China's Oppo set to expand Hyderabad facility by making huge R&D investments 
ET Bureau, Jan. 20, 2021, Danish Khan & Romit Guha 

Oppo currently has 400 employees at the Hyderabad facility. Arif said that the pace of hiring slowed down in 2020 due to the pandemic but the company will increase the hiring activity this year. 

China's Oppo has filed 200 patents mostly for 5G and camera technology from its India research and development center (R&D) and said that "huge investments" are being made to further expand the Hyderabad facility.NEW DELHI: China's Oppo has filed 200 patents mostly for 5G and camera technology from its India research and development center (R&D) and said that "huge investments" are being made to further expand the Hyderabad facility.
"40 per cent patents are filed while the rest 60% are in the process of getting filed. This is being done by the India R&D team," Tasleem Arif, Vice President & Head, R&D Oppo India told ET.
Oppo had last year said that it is investing $7 billion globally to develop core technologies in hardware, software and system along with 5G/6G over the next three years.

"We have established our 5G lab in India, which was a huge investment. The global bucket is $7 billion and India is getting investments from that fund," he said.
Arif said that Oppo's India R&D center is the largest outside of China. "The Indian market is very critical. We are investing a lot on local resources in India."
Asked if Oppo was planning to expand R&D in Bengaluru, Arif said that the expansion is still under consideration but the company first wants to fully utilise the Hyderabad facility.
"IoT and 5G are going to be key focus areas for us in India," Arif said, adding that the company will hire more engineers to expand the facility.
Oppo currently has 400 employees at the Hyderabad facility. Arif said that the pace of hiring slowed down in 2020 due to the pandemic but the company will increase the hiring activity this year. "The way our business is growing, our employee base will also grow."

The R&D facility not just helps Oppo localise products for the India market, but it also helps software and technology for overseas markets, especially Europe. "All 5G launches with European telcos were supported by the Oppo India R&D team."
Oppo, which is the fifth largest brand in India by volume market share, will launch more than six 5G smartphones in India across price range. It also plans to bring 5G handsets in the affordable segment.
Currently, Motorola is the only brand to offer a 5G smartphone in the sub-Rs 20,000 price segment.
"We want to be among the first brands to bring the 5G technology in lower price segments. Our recently launched 5G will enable us to do that," Arif said.

Oppo is currently in a process to establish standalone camera and Artificial Intelligence (AI) labs at the Hyderabad facility. "We will hire new talent but our existing employees will also play a key role." Arif said.
The handset maker is also working with startups and IITs to further aid its R&D-related efforts in the country. Arif said that there are a few startups that are working very closely with Oppo. "Some are in initial stages which will soon result in partnerships for products for India."
Oppo has a seperate team that looks after startup funding. "...whenever they identify startups, they discuss with us," Arif said. 


19.1. India to witness boom in digital reality as immersive technologies gain popularity: Deloitte 
ET Bureau, Jan. 20, 2021, Priyanka Sangani 

India likely to witness broad-based cloud adoption across the government and public sectors, large corporates, Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and start-ups. 

A change in business strategy and consumer preference has resulted in unprecedented growth in the integration of immersive technology for smoother operations, according to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India’s annual TMT Predictions 2021 report released on Tuesday.
“We have seen widespread acceleration in adoption of digital and virtual business models (from a customer lens) and operating models (from an organisational lens). We predict these trends to continue in 2021 and see India’s TMT story emerge as a credible proposition in the region,” said PN Sudarshan, Partner and TMT Leader, Deloitte India.

The edge computing market in India is gaining momentum with the growth of drivers like explosion of mobile data, driving telecom operators’ need for low latency media processing, public cloud, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and big data.
While the Indian market for edge computing is smaller than global markets, the expected growth rate for edge computing in the region, driven by IoT, is likely to surpass the global rate during 2020-27.
“Collaboration across ecosystem players, including telcos, content delivery networks, tech providers, web-scalers, and start-ups to offer service-oriented consumption and delivery models for edge computing would be the key to market growth,” said Sathish Gopalaiah, Partner, telecom industry leader, Deloitte India.

There is likely to be broad-based cloud adoption across the government and public sectors, large corporates, Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) and start-ups.
The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, acceleration in digital and virtual adoption by organisations, the regulatory and policy push, and significant investments by existing data centre players, hyper-scale cloud providers, and new emerging market participants are unprecedented catalysts pushing the market forward.

Advancements in consumer healthcare technology, along with the broader digitisation of healthcare infrastructure through telehealth platforms, will herald the next phase of healthcare service delivery in India and across the world. Investments in physical and digital infrastructure, including cybersecurity protections for data privacy and security, will help bridge the urban-rural divide and ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare.
The gaming sector is expected to continue to grow. In the long term, the key drivers that would drive gaming consumption in India are demographics, smartphone penetration, affordable data services, improving disposable income, supply-side factors, and deeper adoption of digital payments.

Jehil Thakkar, Partner, media & entertainment industry leader, Deloitte India, said, “The increasing use of IoT devices in sports and the rise of the ‘connected athlete’ is one that will truly change sports and our understanding of performance in the years ahead. The other is the exciting rise of online gaming in India, which is growing at over 40% per year.” 


19.2. 74% of India's tech firms to increase headcount by 14%: Report 
IANS, Jan. 21, 2021 

Companies now are also open to considering talent remotely available, said the report by professional recruitment services firm Michael Page India. 

According to the study, over 71 per cent hiring managers felt that skills and experience are the most important criteria for hiring in the industry.Mumbai: As the world recovers from the socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis, 74 per cent of India's technology companies are set to increase headcount by 14 per cent in 2021, said a report on Thursday.

Companies now are also open to considering talent remotely available, said the report by professional recruitment services firm Michael Page India.
Titled "Talent Trends 2021," the report signals a stable recovery in 2021 with recruitment across industries.
Job roles such as application architect backend engineer and chief technology officer will be in most demand, it added.

Additionally with the increase in the use of AR and mixed reality (MR) by e-commerce platforms and virtual gaming, the report said that professionals needed in this space and skills such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will gain more importance in 2021.
"With the steady recovery of India's economy and market, most tech companies are anticipated to increase headcount in 2021. We hope tech hiring will bring a degree of stability and serve as a catalyst for overall business recovery," Varsha Barooah, Director of Michael Page India, said in a statement.
According to the study, over 71 per cent hiring managers felt that skills and experience are the most important criteria for hiring in the industry.

With the overall demand levels for tech roles improving to almost pre-Covid levels, employers will continue to compete for high potential professionals.
Entrepreneurs with a stellar professional record who have been forced to close down their ventures during the pandemic, will also be back in the talent pool and available for key positions in growth start-ups, said the report.
With mental health and well-being emerging as an important consideration when looking for a job in 2021, 47 per cent of the technology companies that participated in the study are focusing on "remote/flexible work arrangements "as a key talent attraction strategy. 


20.1. With $25-30 billion investment, PCBA manufacturing will generate over 1 million jobs: Report 
PTI, Feb. 13, 2021 
  • "To achieve the domestic and export potential India's PCBA manufacturing would require a cumulative capital investment of USD 25 to 30 billion by 2024-25. This investment will lead to the generation of 1 million to 1.2 million direct and indirect jobs," the report said. 
  • The report recommended the government to consider a disability incentive of 4 to 6 per cent through an incremental production and turnover scheme such as PLI.
New Delhi: Domestic demand for electronic motherboards is expected to grow by over six-fold to USD 81.5 billion by 2025-26, according to a report released by IT hardware makers body MAIT on Friday. The size of domestic electronic motherboards, technically called printed circuit board assembly (PCBA), was around USD 15 billion in 2019-20, Manufacturers' Association for Information Technology said.
"It is expected that India's domestic PCBA market demand will touch USD 81.5 billion by 2025-26. The planned capacity investments by EMS companies are not only anticipated to address the domestic demand but position India as a competitive player in the global market too.

"Between 2020-21 and 2025-26, India will generate cumulative export revenues of USD 101 billion," the report said.
The report was released by Meity joint secretary Saurabh Gaur at a virtual event organised by MAIT.
"PCBA is a major segment for future manufacturing and in terms of exports. Out of all the electronics imports, PCBA still accounts for almost 15 per cent. MAIT's report is a great collation to look over further policy actions," Gaur was quoted in a statement issued by MAIT.
The report recommended the government to consider a disability incentive of 4 to 6 per cent through an incremental production and turnover scheme such as PLI.

"India must overcome the cost disability compared to its closest competitor Vietnam and other Asian countries. Government support to negate the cost disability should be viewed as enabling a critical industry segment for exports," MAIT president Nitin Kunkolienker said.
The report has also suggested the need to address the absence of a local component supply base and India should facilitate smooth processes at ports and ensure unhindered and time-bound components availability for PCBA manufacturing.

"To achieve the domestic and export potential India's PCBA manufacturing would require a cumulative capital investment of USD 25 to 30 billion by 2024-25. This investment will lead to the generation of 1 million to 1.2 million direct and indirect jobs," the report said.
The report calls for covering both existing units engaged in manufacturing PCBAs and new units in production linked incentive schemes.
While it is vital to incentivise new investments for PCBA capacities, it is equally important to recognise the value of existing PCBA units.

"We started our operations in 2001, and currently, we have over 17,000 employees working in seven facilities across India with a total footprint of over 1M square feet. There are massive opportunities that lie in the Indian electronics manufacturing industry," Flex senior vice president Richard Hopkins said. 


20.2. Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme extended with additional funding of ₹950 crore 
ET Gov. Feb. 10, 2021 

To provide one nation one software for registration of documents and properties for the convenience of citizens, the department of rural development has developed and field tested a National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS). 

The Digital India Land Records Modernization Programme (DILRMP), a central sector scheme, has been extended up to 2020-21 at a total cost of Rs 950 crore. It attempts to build upon the commonalities that exist in the arena of land records in various states to develop an appropriate Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS) across the country, on which different states can also add state-specific needs as they may deem relevant and appropriate.

The department of rural development said substantial progress has now been achieved in the prime components of computerization of Record of Rights - more than 90 percent in 24 states/UTs, digitization of cadastral maps - more than 90 percent in 22 states/UTs, computerization of registration - more than 90 percent in 27 states/UTs, connectivity between sub-registrar offices and Tehsils, integration of registration and land records - more than 90 percent in 20 states/UTs.

National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS)
To provide one nation one software for registration of documents and properties to empower citizens, the department of rural development has developed and field tested a National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) through NIC/NICSI under the broad aegis of DILRMP, a central sector scheme to include requirements of all the states and the same has been launched and under implementation in 10 states/UTs namely Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram and Punjab, benefiting 10.47 crore population.

The digitization of land records will reduce land disputes, curb fraudulent transactions, reduce process, time of document registration at sub registrar level as per reports from two state governments. The processes and time taken in document registration has reduced from 9 to 6 processes and from 3-4 hours to 15-20 minutes respectively. presentation for document registration anywhere within concurrent jurisdiction is possible.
The other features include SMS and email enabled alerts related to transactions on a property, a dashboard for senior authorities for monitoring the outcomes and analyzing the performance or challenges faced by SROs; data shared and used by important government authorities/stakeholders like the Revenue Department (Income Tax) with a data policy and standards in place; and external system integrations with eSign, eKYC, payment gateways, PAN verification, ROR to fetch party names for data standardization, can be provided as required.
NGDRS software is expected to improve the ranking of the country in ease of doing business at global level and provide ease of living to the people, the Ministry of Rural Development said.

Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN)
The Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) system will have 14 digits - alpha-numeric unique ID for each land parcel. The unique IDs based on geo reference coordinate of vertices of the parcel would be of international standard and in compliance of the Electronic Commerce Code Management Association (ECCMA) standard and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards and it will provide compatibility so that all states can adopt it easily. Proper land statistics and land accounting through ULPIN will help develop land bank and lead towards Integrated Land Information Management System (ILIMS).

Benefits of ULPIN include its uniqueness in all transactions and it keeps the land records always up-to-date; a link of all property transactions gets established; delivery of citizen services of land records through the single window; sharing of land records data across departments, financial institutions and all stakeholders; and standardization at data and application level would bring in effective integration and interoperability across departments.
The pilot test has been successfully carried out in 11 states namely Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. 


INDIA & THE WORLD


21.1. India and Japan Sign MoU to Enhance Cooperation in the Field of ICT 
Press Information Bureau, Jan. 18, 2021 

India and Japan signed MoU to enhance cooperation in the field of Information and Communications Technologies today. MoU was signed by Union Minister for Communications, Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad and the Japanese Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota and it was exchanged through a video conference today. 

Department of Telecom, Government of India and Ministry of Communications, Government of Japan will enhance mutual cooperation in the field of 5G technologies, telecom security, submarine optical fiber cable system to islands of India, spectrum management, smart cities, high altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management and public safety etc. It has been agreed that apart from Ministry level cooperation, Government of India organization such as C-DOT and ITI Limited along with industry partners from Japan will also part of this cooperation. 

Speaking on this occasion the Union Minister for Communication, Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad highlighted the timely execution of connecting Andaman & Nicobar Islands with submarine optical fiber cable as a great example of cooperation between India and Japan. He further shared the rapid adoption of innovative digital technologies by India during COVID19 pandemic such as AarogyaSetu app, use of Aadhaar Enabled Payment System for doorstep disbursement of cash by India Post, digital hearings in Courts of India and rapid growth of digital payments. He further highlighted that during COVID19, due to attractive polices like PLI and SPECS large amount of investments have come to India in the field of electronics manufacturing. He urged the Japanese electronics industry to invest in India and avail the benefits of the new technologies. Minister further highlighted the great potential India holds for Japanese investors in the field of 5G and 5G based services, Internet of Things, digital health technologies etc. 

Japanese Minister Mr. Takeda Ryota expressed happiness on signing of MoU between India and Japan and expressed the commitment of Government of Japan towards mutual cooperation and investments in India. 

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


21.2. NTT to set up data centre in Greater Noida, will create employment for 1,500 locals 
ET Bureau, Jan. 25, 2021, Faizan Haidar 

According to the Greater Noida authority, the plan is to develop the region into a data centre hub as this is the second allotment after Mumbai-based Hiranandani Group’s Yotta Infrastructure said it would set up a 20-acre data centre park with an investment of Rs 7,000 crore. 

Japanese technology firm NTT Ltd. has acquired 6-acre land in Greater Noida to set up a data centre with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore.Japanese technology firm NTT Ltd. has acquired 6-acre land in Greater Noida to set up a data centre with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore.
According to the Greater Noida authority, the plan is to develop the region into a data centre hub as this is the second transaction after Mumbai-based Hiranandani Group’s Yotta Infrastructure said it would set up a 20-acre data centre park in Greater Noida with an investment of Rs 7,000 crore.
“The data centre will be established in techzone IV of Greater Noida west. Headquartered in London, the company will require supply of 70MW electricity. The data centre is part of a 25-acre SEZ, which already house some multinational companies including IBM,” said a spokesperson for the authority.

Yotta park by the Hiranandani group will consist of 6 interconnected data center buildings offering 30,000 racks capacity and 200 MW of power.
The authority expect both data centres to generate employment for 1500 locals and is in talk with more companies to set up data centres in the region.
NTT Ltd. had said earlier that it would invest about $2 billion over the next four years to expand its data centre business in India.
NTT’s Global Data Center division recently launched a new data centre in Mumbai, expanding its capacity in the country by 30%.

NTT, which had earlier acquired local data centre firm Netmagic, currently operates 10 data centres across four major cities, with over 1.5 million sq ft and over 150 MW of power generation. It plans to double the data centre capacity in the next two to three years.
The Uttar Pradesh government is also formulating a policy to attract data centre builders to Noida, seeking to draw investments away from preferred destinations such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai.
In a bid to be cost-competitive, the policy will include benefits such as uninterrupted power supply and permission to build without underground parking.

DLF has also leased 360,000 square feet at the upcoming Noida IT Park to Singapore-based ST Telemedia Global Data Centres.
India’s data centre capacity, as measured in terms of power load, is expected to almost triple to 1,078 MW by 2025 from 375 MW in H1 2020, presenting a $4.9 billion investment opportunity, Jones Lang LaSalle said in a report in September. Mumbai and Chennai will account for a 70% share of the capacity additions, JLL said.
Daily data consumption rose 14% to an average of 308 petabytes (PB) after the lockdown period from an average of 270 PB in the period before Covid-19 restrictions were imposed.
There was a 12% rise in data consumption in Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, while there was a 7% increase in Maharashtra, which is the biggest data consumer. 


22.1. India’s science diplomacy could take centre stage in 2021 
ET Bureau, Feb. 09, 2021 

To start with a safe prediction, India’s remarkable success at managing the pandemic’s impact on health and economy will continue, even as India gains recognition as the world’s pharmacy. 

Two time-honoured traditions this time of the year are an annual list of (ig)noble events of the past year, and predictions for the new. This article is a trifle late for the former, so we’ll take a stab at the latter.
To start with a safe prediction, India’s remarkable success at managing the pandemic’s impact on health and economy will continue, even as India gains recognition as the world’s pharmacy.

Both, Medical and digital competencies have highlighted the role of the private sector in science diplomacy and economic diplomacy- two pillars that the government will likely leverage in execution of foreign policy. It’s perhaps no coincidence that the MEA launched the economic diplomacy website last month.
Significantly, India has demonstrated scale, in both vaccine production and transition to a digital economy, providing ready learnings to many economies. Especially relevant, as vaccine rollout and digital economy are predictably going to remain the two big issues to 2021. Paypal CEO, Daniel Schulman reckons that Covid-19 pandemic accelerated digitisation by 3-5 years, in the last year alone.

An important example is that of Japan- keen to learn from the India Stack (Aadhaar, Jandhan, UPI), and replicate a digital government platform via the newly formed division for digital transformation under Minister Hirai. Just this month, Indian Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Japanese minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Takeda Ryota signed an MoU to cooperate across 5G, telecom security, submarine optical fiber cable and smart cities, spectrum management, high altitude platform for broadband in unconnected areas, disaster management and public safety.

Indeed, connectivity is emerging as a defining feature of the 21st century (and this year, so far) - especially through private and public sectors collaboration. Not only physical connectivity- optical fibre cables, aviation and railways- but also digital, as the world exponentially moves towards hyper-connectivity with machines (IoT) and AI.

The coming years will witness launch of approximately 20,000 satellites (as covered by Forbes and ScienceNews, among others). This will augment 5G (already over 100 million active subscribers), and enable the next wave in human and machine connectivity and automation through hyper-connectivity.
The newly formed Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) under the Department of Space will take independent decisions to permit and regulate private sector’s space activities. Proposed space activities include Geospatial services, Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, Satellite Constellation, Application products, etc.

Recently MoS for Department of Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh shared that 25 industries approached the department for space activities. Applications of space technology include railways, road and bridge construction, agriculture, housing, tele-medicine, disaster management and accurate weather forecast.
Innovations in Space communication and cost reduction (Reusable Launch vehicles) have made it feasible to compete with 5G and fibre rollouts.

Private sector’s entry into the space connectivity race is changing the dynamics. To take 3 examples: Amazon’s BlueOrigin is launching a 3,236 satellite constellations for internet connectivity; SpaceX (Elon Musk) has launched Starlink (some 12,000 satellites) for connecting remote locations, airlines, and replacing inter-continental fibres; and OneWeb -recently recovered from bankruptcy to UK government and a major investment by the Bharti group- is launching up to 2,000 satellites.

Prof Chaturvedi, DG of RIS often refers to AEI (access, equity and inclusion), which the private sector’s role will help create through healthy competition and cost efficiency.

Further, India’s previous experience in leapfrogging stages of technology lifecycle can be instructive for many of our friends. Developed economies in Europe are yet to see fibre rollout and broadband in rural locations, but could go straight to satellite connectivity.

That we will leveraging the potential of G2B collaboration in areas of economic and science diplomacy is as much a hope as a prediction for the new year.

Bharat Joshi is CEO of J-Curve Ventures, and author of Navigating India. 


22.2. Global cellular IoT module units to hit 780M, India to lead 
IANS, Feb. 15, 2021 

Global cellular IoT module shipments will cross 780 million units in 2024 to reach $11.5 billion in revenues and India is set to experience the highest growth (38 per cent), according to latest research. 

New Delhi: Global cellular IoT module shipments will cross 780 million units in 2024 to reach $11.5 billion in revenues and India is set to experience the highest growth (38 per cent), according to latest research.
NarrowBand-Internet of Things (NB-IoT) will lead the cellular IoT module shipments by 2024, followed by 4G and 5G.
"The growth of NB-IoT will keep China ahead of other regions in the cellular IoT module market. However, India is expected to experience the highest growth (38 per cent) in shipments," said Associate Director Jan Stryjak.

"The commercial deployment of NB-IoT by the country's major telecom operators, such as Jio, Vi, Airtel and BSNL, will help usher growth in cellular module shipments in India," he said in a statement.
North America will overtake Europe in 2024 to become the second largest market after China.
5G will lead in terms of value while NB-IoT will lead in terms of volume in the market, according to Counterpoint Research's Global Cellular IoT Module and Chipset Forecast.
Qualcomm is expected to hold nearly half of the global cellular IoT chipset market by 2024.

"With its leadership in 5G market, supply shortages being faced by Hisilicon and sanctions imposed by the US, Qualcomm is going to maintain its legacy in this market," said Neil Shah, Vice-President Research.
"We may witness strong competition between Qualcomm and Mediatek for the 5G cellular IoT chipset market, just as we see in the smartphone chipset market," Shah noted. 


23.1. ISRO, MapmyIndia join hands to take on Google Maps, Google Earth in India 
PTI, Feb. 13, 2021 

The joint platform brings together MapmyIndia's digital maps and ISRO's catalogue of satellite imagery and earth data, according to MapmyIndia's CEO Rohan Verma. 

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and MapmyIndia have partnered to offer India's best, and fully indigenous, mapping portal and geospatial services.
The platform brings together MapmyIndia's digital maps and ISRO's catalogue of satellite imagery and earth observation data, according to MapmyIndia's CEO and Excutive Director Rohan Verma.
He termed the alliance a path-breaking milestone in India's journey towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat', wherein Indian users would not be dependent on foreign organisations for maps, navigation and geospatial services, and leverage Made-in-India solutions instead.

"You don't need Goo*le Maps/Earth any longer", Verma said in the headline in an article on LinkedIn.
According to ISRO, the Department of Space has joined hands with MapmyIndia to combine their geospatial expertise and build holistic solutions by leveraging their geoportals. On Thursday, the Department of Space signed a memorandum of understanding MaymyIndia parent CE Info Systems Pvt. Ltd.
Under the partnership, the combined geospatial expertise of the DoS and CE Info Systems would be leveraged through their respective Geoportals, according to Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO.
The collaboration will enable them to jointly identify and build holistic geospatial solutions utilising the earth observation datasets, 'NavIC', Web Services and APIs (application programming interface) available in MapmyIndia, 'Bhuvan', 'VEDAS' and 'MOSDAC' geoportals, the space agency said in a statement. 

Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), called NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation), is India's own navigation system, developed by ISRO. 
Bhuvan is the national geoportal developed and hosted by ISRO comprising geospatial data, services and tools for analysis. 
VEDAS (Visualisation of Earth observation Data and Archival System) is an online geo-processing platform using optical, microwave, thermal and hyperspectral data covering applications particularly meant for academia, research and problem solving. 
MOSDAC (Meteorological and Oceanographic Satellite Data Archival Centre) is a data repository for all the meteorological missions of ISRO and deals with weather-related information, oceanography and tropical water cycles. 

Verma said there are many reasons why Indians are better off with an indigenous solution for maps and geospatial services. "MapmyIndia, being a responsible, local, Indian company, ensures that its maps reflect the true sovereignty of the country, depicting Indias borders as per Government of India, and hosts its maps in India," he said.

Through the combined partnership with ISRO, MapmyIndia's end user maps, apps and services will now integrate with ISRO's huge catalogue of satellite imagery and earth observation data.
Verma said foreign mapping solutions come with a lot of hidden costs.
"For example, foreign search engines and companies claim to offer 'free' maps, but in reality they make money by targeting the same users with advertising based on invading user privacy and auctioning those users private location and movement data," he said. "This should be very alarming to all citizens."

"On the other hand, MapmyIndia has an ethical point of view against advertising-led business models of such companies, and hence does not have an advertising business model. By using MapmyIndia maps and applications instead of the foreign map apps, users can better protect their privacy," he said.
The "sustainable and direct, clean business model" ensures that MapmyIndias maps and apps can be kept free of cost as well as free of ads for users, according to him.
"MapmyIndias maps cover all 7.5 lakh villages, 7500+ cities at street and building-level, connected by all 63 lakh kilometres of road network pan India and within cities, in total providing maps for an unparalleled 3+ crore places across India," the company statement said. 


23.2. Salil Parekh:"My focus at Infosys is much more on what clients want and making sure we do that" 
ET Prime, Feb. 15, 2021, Jochelle Mendonca & Shishir Prasad 

Infosys CEO says large deals and leadership in digital will continue to be the top priorities as he prepares the IT giant for the future.

Salil Parekh has spent three years shoring up Infosys’s foundations and setting the stage for future growth. Parekh tells ET Prime’s Jochelle Mendonca and Shishir Prasad about the building blocks being put in place for the company to meet its ‘internal’ targets. Edited excerpts:

How would you judge the last three years of your tenure?
We’d set the objective to put this game plan across three years, but if you look at how we had articulated the approach, the focus was very much on building capability on what clients were looking for — which was mainly around the digital area and automation area — and then focus on what was the right thing with respect to employees, which was the big reskilling push that we ran at that time. So that has been the focus of attention.

We thought it would take us three years — given that there are always ups and downs and no one could have predicted what we have seen in the last 11 months — but we have seen the acceleration because the key was putting all the capability building and making sure getting the employees reskilled.
The other thing, which was not defined so explicitly, was bringing everyone together within Infosys and making sure it was a ‘one Infosys’ approach within the market and more unified. Of course, there are a lot of things still to be done, now that we have a foundation to go over the next several years.

One of the key things you did was boosting the large-deals team. Infosys won over USD7 billion worth of large deals in Q3 FY21. Would that be the new baseline for large deals?
Large deals are volatile. You can’t predict every quarter, but on an annualised basis you will see it has gone up every year for the last three years quite significantly, and on an annualised basis we will have a target. We do have an internal target on large deals. Within that we have a distinction between what is a new activity and what is a renewal activity. Without a doubt, USD7 billion we are delighted with, but it may not be that on an annualised basis. It will be a much higher number than what we have been seeing in the past.

You say large deals will be a higher number than in the past. In FY20, you had over USD9 billion in large deals. So far, in FY21, you have already beaten that. How do we think of large deals factoring into Infosys’s growth?
Large deals are a critical element to help with that. So my sense is that this will continue to be a bigger part of our overall activity, but it is not the only element. We’ve done a lot of work in building new digital capabilities and reskilling and automation and, of course, deals will be a part of that.

You’ve talked about internal targets. You had one where digital service lines like cloud and analytics would grow to USD1 billion. Now there is a USD25 billion target by 2025. What kind of building blocks are you putting in to meet these targets?
As you said, there are internal targets but that is not the main driver. The main driver is what clients are looking for. In looking at that we will add more capabilities to our digital work, which has crossed 50% of revenue and grown at 30% in the last quarter. There are many components of digital which are growing faster still. On acquisitions, we have an active outlook. If you saw the previous quarter, we did three acquisitions. On an ongoing basis, acquisitions will continue. We will look at some medium-sized ones, but the main focus is to enhance digital capability. Anything else will be more opportunistic.

The large-deals teams will be further enhanced but there is no one specific thing that will help us. We are winning market share, if you look at the last few quarters, or a year and a half. That needs to continue. Because once a client trusts us to do more and more of its digital and cloud transformation, more capability will be built. We will win more market share, and, therefore, the growth will follow.

There is an arms race building in the cloud space. How is Infosys looking at this space?
We were the first, I think, to launch a dedicated cloud capability called Cobalt. Some of our peers very soon were trying to follow in that. What we are trying to build is a comprehensive platform. A lot of people may be talking about it, but what we have built is extraordinary and we announced it after we built it. It wasn’t like we announced it and then started building.

Infosys wanted to win back the bellwether title. Do you have it back and will you keep it?
My focus is much more on what clients want and making sure we do that. All the other elements such as what you are describing is what people outside are looking at. Our focus is what clients want. 


24.1. Siemens ties up with IISc, CMTI to set up digital transformation labs 
PTI, Feb. 08, 2021 

Siemens on Monday said it has signed pacts with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) to set up digital transformation labs. 

Siemens on Monday said it has signed pacts with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) to set up digital transformation labs. Siemens signed two separate memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with IISc and CMTI, respectively, to establish first-of-its-kind digital transformation labs, the company said in a statement.
The labs are aimed at enhancing the expertise of researchers at IISc as well as technical skills of professionals in the machine tool industry, it said, adding that the MoUs will focus on development of industrial Internet of Things and Industry 4.0-enabled products and technologies.

This initiative will benefit many research scholars, students and industry professionals across the machine tool industry in Bengaluru for a period of three years, it noted.
Special emphasis will be given to equip the labs with technologies, products and prototypes of emerging digital technologies such as digital twin, blockchain technology and automatic guided vehicle. This initiative will encourage adoption of smart digital technologies by MSMEs of manufacturing sector.

Sunil Mathur, MD and CEO of Siemens, said: "With digital transformation now a priority for industry, premier educational institutions such as IISc and CMTI have a crucial role to play in equipping researchers and professionals with cutting-edge technology and expertise."
The Smart Factory at IISc and the Smart Manufacturing Demo and Development Cell at CMTI are two of the five experiential and demonstration centers for Industry 4.0 sanctioned under the Smart Advanced Manufacturing and Rapid Transformation Hub (SAMARTH) Udyog initiative of the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Government of India.

The support from Siemens will be used to develop IIoT/Industry 4.0 enabled digital twin-based platform for machine tool industry and a machine tool health monitoring app on the platform, the statement added. KKS ANS ANS 


24.2. Taj theme & gaming team: Microsoft’s new office in Noida is a story of two firsts 
TNN, Feb. 08, 2021, Sharmila Bhowmick 

The Taj Mahal has come closer home — not in the form of any hotel or an installation in any park, but as Microsoft’s new office. And it’s not just the design that one should look out for. Microsoft’s gaming division — a first in the country — will also work out of this office. 


Spread across 1 lakh sqft, Microsoft’s third India Development Center (IDC) is being readied for post-pandemic operations in Sector 16A of the city.

NOIDA: Here, employees need not wait for the weekend to drive down to the Taj and click the mandatory sun-kissed selfie with the Charbagh in the background. A walk down the ivory-white marble corridor with a stream of light perforating through the intricate Mughal lattices on to the floor will be an everyday affair.

Yes, the Taj Mahal has come closer home — not in the form of any hotel or an installation in any park, but as Microsoft’s new office. And it’s not just the design that one should look out for. Microsoft’s gaming division — a first in the country — will also work out of this office. 



Spread across 100.000 sqft, Microsoft’s third India Development Center (IDC) is being readied for post-pandemic operations in Sector 16A of the city. The idea to set up Taj-like interiors was given shape by RSP Design Consultants, an architecture firm based in Bengaluru. What was tough though, according to the designers, was to blend in a Mughal architectural masterpiece into a high-technology corporate office — balancing aesthetics and functionality at the same time. Not just white Jaipur marble and semi-precious stones, the office will have lattice screens, arches and domed ceilings too.


“Selection and placement of the artwork was carefully determined in the transitioning and informal spaces, considering the surrounding elements. Customised artwork also had technology icons and symbols integrated into the design to show the true blend. The free-flowing corridors around the central cores of this office symbolise the river,” said Arunjot Singh Bhalla, MD of RSP Design Consultants. 


Meenakshi Sharma, the design lead of the project, said the space for informal meetings had been inspired by the ghats. “The setting of the hub, as one emerges from the lift lobby, takes its cues from the Charbagh. The walls and ceilings are enriched with motifs inspired by the Taj and the entire planning is informed by the monument’s setting,” said Sharma, who is also the associate director of RSP Design. 



The design for the office was commissioned in 2019 and the interiors were developed over the whole of 2020. It was on January 28 that Microsoft announced its Noida-based IDC. This is the third such facility in the country after Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

But another first-of-its-kind in this office is the Xbox gaming division, which will also conduct research here.

“Recognising the strategic importance of establishing Microsoft engineering presence in Noida, my team went over and beyond in ensuring that our first engineering hub in Noida truly represents the Microsoft Design Language infused with local culture and inheritance. In this respect, I feel the team overdid themselves, and the newly opened Noida office is one of the most beautiful Microsoft workspaces, we have designed to date,” said Riku Pentikäinen, regional director of Asia Real Estates Operations, Microsoft.
Rajiv Kumar, managing director of Microsoft India Research and Development, said, “Digital transformation is set to trigger the new frontier of innovation. The excellent facilities at Microsoft’s Noida workplace provide the right environment for shaping the future of the IT industry in this part of the world.” 


25. 38% Indian women working in tech industry prefer WFH: Survey 
IANS, Jan. 26, 2021 
  • About 36 per cent women said they had more autonomy when not working in an office, according to the "Women in Tech" report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky. 
  • The research was conducted among men and women working in technology or IT roles in November to December 2020 across 19 global markets. 
New Delhi: Almost 38 per cent Indian women working in tech or IT industry prefer working at home to working in the office, says a new survey.
About 36 per cent women said they had more autonomy when not working in an office, according to the "Women in Tech" report by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky.
When female respondents were asked about the day-to-day functions that are detracting from productivity or work progression, 54 per cent said they had done the majority of cleaning in the home compared to 33 per cent of men.

Similarly, about 54 per cent women had been in charge of home schooling compared to 40 per cent of men, and 50 per cent of women have had to adapt their working hours more than their male partner in order to look after the family.
As a result, 76 per cent of women in India believe that the effects of Covid-19 have actually delayed, rather than enhanced, their overall career progression.
"Companies need to signal, both through culture and policy, that they will give working parents of both genders the flexibility they need during COVID (and beyond)," Merici Vinton, Co-Founder and CEO at Ada's List, a professional women's network, said in a statement.

"Companies need to understand that representation does matter and having women in leadership, majority-women teams and women in interviews demonstrate that there's space for women in their company."
While these examples of social disparity aren't tech specific, they do point towards a barrier that is preventing women from capitalising on the past year's shift to remote working.
"If the tech realm takes the lead and ensures a more flexible and balanced environment for women, then it will become the norm more quickly, which is more likely to trigger a change in social dynamics too," said Evgeniya Naumova, Vice President of the Global Sales Network at Kaspersky.
The research was conducted among men and women working in technology or IT roles in November to December 2020 across 19 global markets.
The online survey involved 13,000 respondents across 19 countries including 500 from India. 

* * *