LIC on Thursday announced the launch of 'Jeevan Samarth', an initiative aimed at transforming the agency ecosystem.

To achieve this, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has partnered with a global consulting firm, which will undertake this agency transformation project by reviewing its existing agency framework on an end-to-end basis.

It will also entail revamping the agency operations at the branch, division and zonal level directed towards establishing global best practices in the wake of the fast-changing industry and regulatory landscape of the insurance sector, LIC said in a statement.

State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) on Thursday said it has inked an agreement with Telangana-based Padma Vadthya to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency solutions in the state.

Vadhya Padma, a renowned woman entrepreneur from Telangana and owner of Padma Vadthya, has inked the partnership to support the establishment of retail franchises for the company.

The pact aims to establish retail franchises and make energy-efficient technologies more accessible to residents of Telangana, it stated.

According to the statement, this will contribute to India's efforts in conserving energy and reducing its carbon footprint, thereby helping the nation meet its climate goals.

By establishing retail franchises with Padma Vadthya, EESL aims to create a network of retail stores that can effectively distribute and promote these solutions to a larger customer base.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to collaborate and jointly work as a Project Service Provider for Design, Construction and Consultancy Projects in India and abroad.

The MoU was officially signed by Dr P.K.Garg, Director (Business Development) DMRC and Rajesh Prasad, Director Operations, RVNL in the presence of other senior officials.

This partnership seeks to combine the efforts of DMRC and RVNL in future projects both in India and internationally. They will serve as the Project Service Provider for various ventures, including Metro systems, Railways, High-Speed Rail, Highways, Mega-Bridges, Tunnels, Institutional Buildings, Workshops or Depots, S&T works, and Railway Electrification.

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has reached the heart of Paris, as the flagship store of Galeries Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard started accepting UPI payments, ANI reported.

This landmark move is a step further in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of globalising UPI, an instant payment system developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2016.

"On July 3, 2024, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) became live at the flagship store of the world-renowned Galeries Lafayette in Haussmann, Paris. This expands the acceptance of UPI in Paris after a successful launch at the iconic Eiffel Tower," according to an Indian Embassy statement quoted by ANI.

On July 2, it was announced that BTS member Jin will serve as South Korea’s torchbearer at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer. His role in the Olympic torch relay aims to promote messages of “harmony” and “peace,” according to an official statement, reports Teen Vogue.

The iconic Olympic torch relay precedes every edition of the Games, symbolising unity and sporting spirit. Originating at Olympia, Greece, the Olympic flame embarks on a journey through diverse nations before reaching the host city, a tradition inaugurated during the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics.

Jin recently wrapped up his mandatory military service and commemorated this significant moment by reuniting with his BTS bandmates, all of whom were granted leave to celebrate this milestone together.

Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who dedicated his political life to pursuing a just solution to the island nation’s Tamil question, passed away in Colombo late on Sunday. He was 91.

Sampanthan, of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), was a sitting MP from the eastern Trincomalee district and led the Tamil National Alliance, the main grouping representing Tamils of Sri Lanka’s war-hit north and east. He was Leader of the Opposition between 2015 and 2018.

First elected to parliament almost half a century ago, Sampanthan was a bold and relentless voice in the House. Since the end of the civil war in 2009, he tirelessly demanded equal rights for Tamils, within a ‘united, undivided, indivisible’ country. Trained as a lawyer, he based his arguments for a political solution on Sri Lanka’s constitutional history and the many promises that the southern Sinhalese establishment made in the past but failed to keep.

The 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, which is being hosted by India from July 21-31, will be held at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

The event will be attended by over 2,500 delegates from State Parties, advisory bodies, senior diplomats, heritage experts, scholars, and researchers from 195 countries, a senior official said. State Parties are countries which have adhered to the World Heritage Convention.

Sources said the event, which is being organised by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 21.

NITI Aayog is launching Sampoornata Abhiyan, a three-month campaign from today till 30th September to undertake a sustained effort to achieve saturation of six key indicators in Aspirational Districts and Aspirational Blocks across the country. It seeks to achieve saturation in each of the six identified indicators in the 112 Aspirational Districts and 500 Aspirational Blocks under the Aspirational Districts Programme and Aspirational Blocks Programme.

Sampoornata Abhiyan will focus on the six identified Key Performance Indicators KPIs across all Aspirational Blocks. These are percentage of pregnant women registered for Antenatal Care within the first trimester, percentage of persons screened for Diabetes against the targeted population in the Block, percentage of persons screened for Hypertension against the targeted population in the Block, percentage of pregnant women taking Supplementary Nutrition under the ICDS Programme regularly, percentage of Soil Health Cards generated against the soil sample collection target and percentage of Self Help Groups SHGs that have received a Revolving Fund against the total SHGs in the block.

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC)  has appointed Dr. B.N. Gangadhar as the Chairperson of the National Medical Commission. Earlier, he was the President of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board. The  Director of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram,Dr. Sanjay Behari has been appointed as the President of the Medical Assessment and Rating Board. Their appointments are for a period of four years, until they attain the age of 70 years.

In a bid to make Uttar Pradesh a one trillion dollar economy, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday passed draft of Uttar Pradesh Nodal Investment Region for Manufacturing (Construction) Area Bill (NIRMAN)-2024. This draft of the Bill to make a Special Investment Region (SIR) was approved in the cabinet meeting held in Lok Bhavan under chairmanship of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a senior official said.

Through this, the big investors of the country and the world can be attracted to invest in UP, he said.

The official also said according to draft Bill, at least four such SIRs will be created in UP, which will be in the four geographical areas of the state. He said the state has around 20 thousand acres of land bank available.