In Punjab, the government has launched ‘Project Hifazat’ to ensure the safety and dignity of women in the state. Dedicated to International Women’s Day being celebrated tomorrow, the initiative aims to strengthen the response mechanism for victims of violence against women as well as children. The 24×7 Women and Child Helpline under the Government of India’s two missions, -‘Mission Shakti’ and ‘Mission Vatsalya’ -will serve as the backbone of the ‘Project Hifazat.’

Punjab’s Minister for Social Security, Women and Child Development, Dr. Baljit Kaur informed that the project aims to eliminate the fear that prevents women from reporting domestic violence, workplace harassment or any other form of abuse. She urged all women to call helpline number 181 during any emergency.

Project Hifazat’ has been designed to streamline coordination among different departments and agencies including police, ensuring immediate support for victims. The Minister said that the helpline will ensure access to both emergency and non-emergency services, providing immediate assistance and guidance to women and children in distress.

The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has announced that the region will now have its own National Law University. He further revealed that a budget allocation of 50 Crore has been assigned with respect to the development of the said project.

This initiative is set to bring Jammu and Kashmir in line with other states that already have National Law Universities, improving the quality of legal education and expanding opportunities for students.

In a significant move to advance gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots level, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj will launch its transformative initiative to develop model women-friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP) at a National Convention on March 5 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj said in a release on Tuesday.

The event is part of the Ministry's International Women's Day 2025 celebrations and is poised to have a lasting impact on rural governance, ensuring safety, inclusivity, and gender equality for women and girls in Gram Panchayats across the country.

The primary objective of this initiative is to establish at least one Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat in each district, serving as a beacon for gender-sensitive and girl-friendly governance practices.

India is making significant progress in artificial intelligence by establishing a world-class AI infrastructure and fostering a robust ecosystem for start-ups and innovators. Initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission and the establishment of Centres of Excellence for AI are strengthening the country’s Artificial Intelligence ecosystem, paving the way for innovation and self-reliance.

These efforts align with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, leveraging cutting-edge technology for economic growth, governance, and societal progress. With the approval of the IndiaAI Mission in 2024, the government allocated 10,300 crore rupees over five years to strengthen AI capabilities.

A key focus of this mission is the development of a high-end common computing facility equipped with 18,693 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it one of the most extensive AI compute infrastructures globally.

PhonePe on Thursday launched its 'Insuring Heroes' campaign ahead of International Women's Day. International Women's Day is celebrated every year on March 8. With this initiative, the company is offering special discounts of up to 30 percent to women on select term life and health insurance plans.

This special discount will be available on the PhonePe platform till March 9, 2025. Women can avail these special offers on the PhonePe app to strengthen their financial position and enjoy long-term stability. Under the initiative, up to 15 percent discount is being given on health insurance plans and up to 30 percent discount on term life insurance plans.

Through this initiative, PhonePe aims to provide more financial security to women, so that women can easily get the right insurance according to their needs. To avail these offers on the PhonePe app, users will first have to select the 'Insuring Heroes' banner in the Insurance section of the PhonePe app.

HDFC Bank has launched Project HAKK (Hawai Anubhavi Kalyan Kendra) to provide support and services to Indian Air Force (IAF) pensioners, veterans and their families.

In this regard, the Bank has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the IAF acting through the office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff – Accounts & Air Veterans and CSC Academy.

The Bank said in a statement that 25 centres have been proposed across the Air Force units, including New Delhi, Bengaluru, Gurgaon, Pune, Secunderabad, Guwahati, Jodhpur, and Chandigarh.

The bank, in association with CSC Academy (promoted by Common Service Centre E-Governance Limited), will provide skill development and training across financial products and services, empowering defence service veterans and next of kin to be financially independent.

AGNIT Semiconductors, India's only vertically integrated Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor startup, has been honored with the Semiconductor Startup Award 2025 by the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA). The award was presented at the IESA Vision Summit 2025 held on March 6, 2025, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, recognizing AGNIT's contributions to India's semiconductor startup ecosystem. The award ceremony witnessed Hareesh Chandrasekar, CEO & Co-founder of AGNIT Semiconductors, receiving the award from Ms. Mona Khandhar, Principal Secretary (Science and Technology), Government of Gujarat, marking a significant achievement in the company's journey toward innovation and self-reliance in semiconductor technology.

AGNIT is the first Indian GaN semiconductor startup incubated by the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID) located at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). Recognized for its cutting-edge GaN semiconductor technology, the startup was also awarded an ELEVATE startup grant by the Government of Karnataka in 2021 for its pioneering work on indigenous GaN technology.

Federal Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks with an impressive legacy over the years, today announced the appointment of acclaimed actress, Vidya Balan, as its first-ever brand ambassador. The announcement was made during a special ceremony in Mumbai, where Ms. Balan was presented with a commemorative memento by Mr. K.V.S. Manian, Managing Director & CEO of Federal Bank.

This association is an important milestone in the brand's journey as it continues to enhance its market position. The Bank's senior team in a recent analyst meet had laid out clear directional path for the Bank, and brand transformation was one of the significant themes.

NMDC has announced the appointment of Amitava Mukherjee as the chairman and managing director (CMD) of the company, effective from 6 March 2025.

According to an exchange filing, his tenure will continue until his superannuation on 29 February 2028, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Mukherjee has been with NMDC since November 2018, when he joined as Director (Finance). He had been serving as the additional charge of CMD since March 2023 before officially assuming the full role. Along with his new position at NMDC, Mukherjee also serves as the chairman of NMDC Steel and Legacy Iron Ore.

A seasoned professional, Mukherjee is a cost accountant and a senior officer from the 1996 batch of the Indian Railway Accounts Services (IRAS). He has held various critical roles within the Government of India, contributing significantly to the countrys industrial and economic development.

Pakistan has been ranked as the second-most affected country in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, following Burkina Faso, with Syria in third place. The report, released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Sydney, highlights a sharp rise in terror incidents within Pakistan, which have doubled from 517 attacks in 2023 to 1,099 in 2024. This marks the first time attacks have exceeded 1,000 since the index's inception.

The report attributes this surge to the growing influence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups. This militant group has emerged as Pakistan's most dangerous terrorist organisation for the second consecutive year. In 2024, the group carried out 482 attacks, resulting in 558 deaths, a 91% increase compared to 2023, when 293 people were killed in TTP attacks.