Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that all 440 schemes of Centre and State government related to direct benefit transfer, DBT should ride on India post payment Bank. Presently only 40 DBT schemes are available on the payment bank. Addressing a function to commemorate 1st Anniversary of India Post Payments Bank in New Delhi, Mr Prasad said, it has opened one crore accounts in the last one year and directed the payment bank to work on opening five crore more accounts in the next one year. The Minister said, the postal payment bank should be more accessible to the people of underprivileged section.

Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that all 440 schemes of Centre and State government related to direct benefit transfer, DBT should ride on India post payment Bank. Presently only 40 DBT schemes are available on the payment bank. Addressing a function to commemorate 1st Anniversary of India Post Payments Bank in New Delhi, Mr Prasad said, it has opened one crore accounts in the last one year and directed the payment bank to work on opening five crore more accounts in the next one year. The Minister said, the postal payment bank should be more accessible to the people of underprivileged section.

Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that all 440 schemes of Centre and State government related to direct benefit transfer, DBT should ride on India post payment Bank. Presently only 40 DBT schemes are available on the payment bank. Addressing a function to commemorate 1st Anniversary of India Post Payments Bank in New Delhi, Mr Prasad said, it has opened one crore accounts in the last one year and directed the payment bank to work on opening five crore more accounts in the next one year. The Minister said, the postal payment bank should be more accessible to the people of underprivileged section.

Microsoft has appointed Rajiv Kumar as the new Managing Director of Microsoft India (R&D) Private Limited (MIRPL), replacing Anil Bhansali, who held this role for six years.

Rajiv, who is currently the Corporate Vice-President of Microsoft’s Experiences and Devices (E+D) Group, has a 27-year long career with the company.

Anil will continue to be the Corporate Vice-President of Cloud and Enterprise. He will be relocating to Redmond, Microsoft’s headquarters in the USA.

An IIT Roorkee alumnus and a master’s in Computer Science from the University of Texas (the US), Rajiv joined Microsoft in Redmond in 1992 as a campus-hire.

The sixth India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue, SED, concluded in New Delhi today.

Both the sides agreed that SED has emerged as a crucial mechanism to facilitate bilateral trade, investment and enhance economic cooperation.

According to an official release, the two sides held in-depth discussions to review trade and investment climate, and harness synergies for future engagement.

Potential areas of collaboration across innovation and investment focusing on fintech and related technologies were highlighted.  

Senior representatives from policymaking, industry and academia participated in the dialogue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal's Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli will jointly inaugurate Motihari-Amlekhgunj cross border petroleum products pipeline through video conference today. This is the first transnational petroleum pipeline form India and first South Asian oil pipeline corridor.

The landmark pipeline will ensure smooth, cost-effective and environment-friendly supply of petroleum products to Nepal. The 69 kms long pipeline from Motihari in Bihar to Amlekhgunj in Nepal has been constructed by India in just 15 months, half of its 30 months deadline. It has been constructed at the cost of around three hundred fifty crore rupees which are entirely borne by Indian Oil Corporation.

Addressing the 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD) in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh today, Prime Minister  Narendra Modi said, augmenting water supply, enhancing water recharge and retaining moisture in the soil are all parts of a holistic land and water strategy. In his speech Mr Modi proposed initiatives for greater South-South cooperation in addressing issues of climate change, biodiversity and land degradation. He called upon the leadership of UNCCD to conceive a global water action agenda which is central to the Land Degradation Neutrality strategy. He said, India will be happy to help other friendly countries to develop land restoration strategies through cost effective satellite and space technology.

Her time was 23 seconds quicker than the world record set in 2017 by fellow Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei but the course in the northeast of England is not eligible for records.

Kosgei, who won this year's London Marathon, led a Kenyan sweep of the top four places, with Magdalyne Masai second (1:07.36) and Linet Masai third (1:07:44).

Mo Farah won the men's elite race for a record sixth successive year as he warms up to defend his Chicago Marathon title next month.

Four-time Olympic champion Farah, 36, was pushed hard by Tamirat Tola, but proved too strong in the final mile for the Ethiopian, finishing the 13.1-mile course in 59min 7sec and winning by six seconds. Abdi Nageeye of the Netherlands was third (59:55).

The Fourth Conclave of the North East Democratic Alliance, NEDA a constituent of the ruling NDA will be held in Guwahati today. BJP President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take part in the conclave along with Chief Ministers of North Eastern states. Apart from them, senior leaders of NEDA , Ministers and Chairpersons of various corporations of Assam will also attend the conclave.
 
Party sources said that issues pertaining to strengthening the NEDA will be discussed. Apart from that, several other issues  including the NRC are likely to be discussed in the conclave.

Rafael Nadal has won US Open Men's singles beating Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 this morning. This is his fourth US Open title and 19th Grand Slam trophy. His win did not come easily, even though Nadal took the first two sets and was ahead by a break at 3-2 in the third. Medvedev came back by shifting styles and breaking Nadal in the last game of each of the next two sets to force a fifth.

The 33-year-old Spanish left-hander chased his 19th career Grand Slam singles title, one shy of Roger Federer's all-time men's record, in his 27th Slam final.