RAJASTHAN

eSakhi: Rajasthan’s digital literacy project to empower over 1.5 crore women

For the statewide initiative, the government has drawn out a strategy to provide digital training to 1.5 lakh women under the eSakhi programme. Once trained, the eSakhis will make other women digitally literate and help them benefit from public welfare schemes and avail e-governance services through mobile phones or computers.
The initiative, conceptualized by the department of information technology & communication (DoIT&C) is being implemented by the Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Ltdthrough its nearly 7,000 centres. It has already drawn 35,000 women volunteers.

Through the scheme, the department aims to bridge the digital divide between residents and various state government schemes, ensuring effective service delivery through a digital medium.

The strategy involves training at least four to five women from every village and 10 from every ward in urban or suburbs. In all, 1.5 lakh volunteers will be enrolled as eSakhis, who will further train at least 100 people from their respective villages which is estimated to cover 1.5 crore households.

INTERNATIONAL

· World No Tobacco Day is celebrated on 31 May

Every year, on 31 May, World Health Organization and partners mark World No Tobacco Day (WNTD).
The theme of World No Tobacco Day 2018 is “Tobacco and heart disease.”
The day highlights the health and other risks associated with tobacco use, and advocating for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption.

International Conference on the TRIPS CBD Linkage 7-8 June 2018 in Geneva

India has taken the lead in seeking to revive WTO discussions on issues related to preventing theft of traditional knowledge.

Government of India, along with the Centre for WTO Studies, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and the South Centre (an inter-governmental organisation based in Geneva), are organising an International Conference on TRIPS- CBD Linkage in Geneva on 7-8 June 2018.

Brazil and South Africa are some of the other countries that have joined hands with India on this crucial initiative.

Ministry of Railways organizes a one day workshop ‘Mission Raftar’

Ministry of Railways conducted a one day workshop “Mission Raftaar” aimed at raising the average speed of freight trains and coaching trains in New Delhi.

The workshop was inaugurated by Shri Rajen Gohain, Minister of State for Railways & Shri Ashwani Lohani, Chairman,Railway Board.

All the members of Railway Board along with General Managers of Zonal Railways & Senior Railway officers were present on the occasion.

· Microsoft is third most Valuable Firm Globally

Software giant Microsoft surpassed Google’s parent company Alphabet in market capitalization for the first time in three years.
Microsoft becomes the third most valuable firm globally after Apple and Amazon.
Microsoft had a market cap of $753 billion at the close of trading, almost $14 billion ahead of Alphabet.
While Apple leads with a market cap of nearly $924 billion, Amazon is at a distant second, with nearly $783 billion.

· India and World Bank Signs $500 Million Additional Financing For PMGSY

The Government of India and the World Bank signed a $500 million loan agreement to provide additional financing for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Rural Roads Project, implemented by Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, which will build 7,000 km of climate resilient roads, out of which 3,500 km will be constructed using green technologies.
The World Bank has supported PMGSY since its inception in 2004.
The World Bank has built and improved about 35,000 km of rural roads and benefited about eight million people with access to all-weather roads.
The $500 million loan, from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 3-year grace period, and a maturity of 10 years.

NATIONAL

· Prime Minister Narendra Modi 3-Nation Visit: Launches International Rupay Card, Bhim App and UPI In Singapore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched three Indian digital payment systems – RuPay, BHIM app and UPI by SBI at the ‘Business, Innovation and Community Event’ in Singapore.
With the launch, India’s RuPay digital payments system was linked up with Singapore’s 33-year old Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS).
The move will enable RuPay users to make payments at all of NETS acceptance points across Singapore.
Whereas, holders of Singapore NETS will be able to make an online purchase on any National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI)e-commerce merchant website in India, using 2.8 million RuPay point of sale terminals in India.

· India Releases Rs33.10 Cr To Nepal For 2 Road Projects

India released10 Crore rupeesto Nepal towards the cost of two road packages of Birgunj-Thori Road being implemented under Postal Highway Projects in Nepal with Government of India’s grant assistance.
The amount has been released towards 25% of the tendered cost (including 10% mobilization advance) of the Postal Highway Projects.
The Government of India has so far released a total of 117.63 Crore rupees to the Government of Nepal for implementing 14 packages of the Postal Highway Projects.
The construction of Dhangadhi-Bhajaniya-Satti road and Lamki-Tikapur-Khakraula road has been completed.

· Indian Oil Most Profitable PSU for second Straight Year

Indian Oil Corporationemerged as India’s most profitable state-owned company for the second consecutive year.
Indian Oil posted a record profit of Rs21,346 crore in 2017-18, followed by ONGC, whose profit stood at Rs19,945 crore.
Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is the most profitable company for the third straight year, posting highest ever profit of Rs36,075 crore.

· Patanjali Launches New Messaging App ‘Kimbho’

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali launched a new swadeshi messaging application called‘Kimbho‘ to compete with WhatsApp.
Kimbho caters to private and group chats with free phone and video calling.
The tagline of Kimbho is“Ab Bharat Bolega”.
Patanjali has recently tied up with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to enter the telecom sector by launching Swadeshi Samriddhi SIM cards.

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