Government e-commerce portal GeM has launched a national outreach programme, GeM Samvaad, to bring on-board more local sellers. The outreach programme will take place with stakeholders across the country and with local sellers to facilitate on-boarding of local sellers on the marketplace.

The programme was launched by Commerce Secretary Anup Wadhawan in New Delhi yesterday.

 The programme will take place from tomorrow to 17th February next year and will cover all the States and Union Territories of the country.

Our Correspondent reports that GeM has more than 15 lakh products and around 20,000 services, more than 3 lakh registered sellers and service providers and more than 40 thousand government buyer organizations.

Yemen is ranked the worst (153rd), while Iraq is 152nd and Pakistan 151st

India has slipped four places to rank 112th globally in terms of gender gap amid widening disparity in terms of women’s health and survival and economic participation -- the two areas where the country is now ranked in the bottom-five, an annual survey showed on Tuesday.

While Iceland remains the world’s most gender-neutral country, India has moved down the ladder from its 108th position last year on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report to rank below countries like China (106th), Sri Lanka (102nd), Nepal (101st), Brazil (92nd), Indonesia (85th) and Bangladesh (50th).

Yemen is ranked the worst (153rd), while Iraq is 152nd and Pakistan 151st.

Nagaland Governor R N Ravi has been given additional charge of Meghalaya, a statement issued by the Rastrapati Bhavan said. "The President of India is pleased to appoint R N Ravi, Governor of Nagaland to discharge the functions of the Governor of Meghalaya, in addition to his own duties, during the absence on leave of Tathagata Roy, Governor of Meghalaya," it said, without citing further details. 
Ravi is also the Centre's interlocutor for talks with Naga insurgents.

Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been selected for national award by Union Rural Development Ministry for best performance in the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

The award distribution ceremony will be held at Pusa, New Delhi on Thursday.

Union Rural Development Ministry has sanctioned 147 Road and Bridge projects under PMGSY-II covering a length of 783.88 kilometres at an estimated cost of 878.53 crore rupees for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

The entire road length has been sanctioned for upgradation of existing road infrastructure with 10-year maintenance.

Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane will be the next Chief of Army Staff helming the 1.3 million-strong force, official sources said on Monday. Lt Gen Naravane is currently serving as Vice Chief of the Army.

Sources said Naravane’s appointment has been cleared at the highest level, adding the government has followed the principle of seniority in the appointment.

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat is due to retire on December 31 after a three-year stint. He is expected to be appointed as the country’s first Chief of Defence Staff.

The fifth meeting of the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) of the Fifteenth Finance Commission was held in New Delhi yesterday. After the meeting, Chairman NK Singh said that future revenue is the most critical issue for the Finance Commission. He said, tax regime needs predictability and certainty. 
 
In the meeting, possible macro assumptions related to real growth, inflation, ongoing structural reforms, tax revenue including GST, adherence to Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act and fiscal transparency were discussed. Further, Advisory Council was informed about submission of the 2020-21 report and Commission’s next course of actions pertaining to preparation of the report for 2021-26 period.
 
Recently, the fifteenth Finance Commission submitted its report for the period 2020-21 to President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Indian and Nepalese Army personnel exchanged theoretical, practical and special experiences with each other during a battalion-level joint military exercise in Nepal.

Joint military exercise 'SURYA KIRAN - XIV' between India and Nepal was conducted at Salijhandi of Rupendehi district of Nepal from December 3-16.

During the training programme, Nepalese and Indian Army personnel exchanged theoretical, practical and special experiences with each other.

Nepal Army has expressed hope expresses hope that such kind of exercise will help further strengthen friendly relations existing between the two armies for centuries, the Nepal Army said in a statement.

IAS officer Ravi Mittal took charge as the new Secretary,  Information and Broadcasting Ministry today. Mr Mittal took charge from Amit Khare who has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Higher Education. 

Before this, Mr Mittal, a 1986 batch IAS officer of Bihar Cadre, was working as the Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

New Zealand's three-time Olympic middle distance champion Peter Snell has died at the age of 80.

Snell is the last male athlete to have completed the 800m and 1500m double at an Olympic Games, which he achieved in Tokyo in 1964.

The former 800m and mile world record holder also claimed 800m gold four years earlier in Rome.

A sporting legend in his home country, Snell was voted New Zealand's athlete of the century in 2000.

Athletics' governing body World Athletics said it was "deeply saddened" by the news, while New Zealand Olympic Committee president Mike Stanley added Snell's achievements are "at the heart of New Zealand's sporting history".

Toni-Ann Singh has won the 69th Miss World beauty pageant.

It's the first time in history that black women hold the titles for Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss America, Miss Universe and Miss World.

The 23-year-old student was born in St Thomas, Jamaica, and plans to study medicine and become a doctor.

She tweeted on Saturday: "Please know that you are worthy and capable of achieving your dreams... you have a PURPOSE."

Toni-Ann impressed judges at the event in ExCel London after singing Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing, and answering a variety of questions.