The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched a comprehensive survey to identify and address the challenges faced by Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in adapting to new technologies.

The survey aims to lay the groundwork for a robust ecosystem that leverage the potential of artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, and the integration of 5G and 6G networks.

The 60-day survey will cover five sectors each in North and South India. It is designed to reveal sector-specific needs across at least ten industries, acknowledging the diverse nature of India’s MSME landscape.

With global markets increasingly digitized, India’s MSMEs risk losing ground without swift adaptation. The survey’s findings will shape policy interventions aimed at enhancing these businesses’ competitive positioning and survivability.

President Droupadi Murmu dissolved the 17th Lok Sabha on Wednesday after the recommendation of the Union Cabinet.

“The President accepted the advice of the Cabinet on June 5, 2024, and signed the Order dissolving the 17th Lok Sabha in the exercise of the powers conferred upon her by Sub-Clause (2) of Article 85 of the Constitution,” a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recommended the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha, whose term ends on June 16.

Following the meeting, PM Modi tendered his resignation along with his Council of Ministers to President Murmu. The President accepted the resignation and requested that the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers continue until the new government assumes office.

The Slovenian Parliament approved the recognition of an independent Palestinian state with a majority vote on Tuesday (June 4), following in the steps of Spain, Ireland and Norway.

Of the 27 members of the European Union, Sweden, Cyprus, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria have already recognised a Palestinian state. Malta has said it could follow soon.

Israel has repeatedly condemned moves to recognize a Palestinian state, saying they bolster Hamas, the militant Islamist group that led the deadly Oct. 7 attack on Israel which sparked the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The conflict has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel says the Oct. 7 attack, the worst in its 75-year history, killed 1,200 people, with more than 250 hostages taken.

Capital markets regulator Sebi has launched 'Saarthi 2.0', a focussed mobile app, on personal finance for investors with comprehensive tools aimed at simplifying complex financial concepts. The app is available on the Google Play Store iOS App Store.

The first version of Saarthi was introduced in January 2022, with the objective of engaging an investment-oriented public that increasingly Saarthi conducts transactions via mobile devices.

Haryana Chief Secretary T V S N Prasad on Monday said the state government will soon roll out a Rs 10,000-crore project funded by the World Bank to address air pollution. The Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development will be implemented in the state in a phased manner with the first phase being implemented in the districts falling in the National Capital Region (NCR) and replication in entire state later, he said.

The announcement was made in a meeting of the governing committee of Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development held under the chairmanship of the chief secretary here on Monday, according to an official statement.

Prasad said this ten-year comprehensive project would be funded by the World Bank.

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), a leading Indian shipyard, has emerged victorious in the bidding process for a new research vessel for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This significant win marks another milestone for GRSE and signifies its expertise in constructing specialized vessels.

GRSE Clinches L1 Bid

Having submitted the lowest bid (L1), GRSE has been selected to construct the research vessel for DRDO. This accomplishment highlights GRSE’s competitiveness in the shipbuilding industry and its ability to deliver cost-effective solutions. While the exact value of the contract remains undisclosed, estimates suggest it could surpass ₹500 crore, signifying a substantial project for the shipyard.

Boost for GRSE’s Diversification

This win transcends a mere commercial success. GRSE has traditionally focused on warships for the Indian Navy. The DRDO research vessel signifies the shipyard’s diversification into constructing specialized vessels for scientific research purposes. This opens doors for GRSE to explore new avenues within the maritime domain and solidify its position as a versatile shipbuilder.

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) made a world record by processing 1,971 crore transactions in a single day, according to its MD and CEO Ashishkumar Chauhan.

"@nseindia handled the highest ever - world record - number of transactions in a single day today on June 5, 2024, in a 6 hours and 15 minutes (915 am to 330 pm) single trading day - 1,971 crore (19.71 billion) orders per day. 28.55 crore (280.55 million) trades per day," Chauhan said on X platform (formerly Twitter).

Finnish telecom gearmaker Nokia on Monday said it has signed an agreement with the Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) for carrying out joint research related to 5G/6G communications in the transportation and logistics sector.

Nokia and Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, a university under the Ministry of Railways, will collaborate on research opportunities in 5G/6G communications targeting air, land and sea transportation use cases, as well as standards development, smart factory/ automation, and AI/GenAI labs, a company statement said.

The MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) was signed at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is also the Chancellor of Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya.

The Defence Accounts Department (DAD), which functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence will onboard the Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank to provide the last mile connectivity to the pensioners.

According to the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed in Delhi, the web-based SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)] Service Centres will be available across 1,128 branches of the four banks across the country.

The Department of School Education signed an MoU with the National Book Trust in New Delhi to create an institutional framework for the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya. Speaking on the occasion, Secretary of the Department of Higher Education K. Sanjay Murthy said that the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will be available round-the-clock, irrespective of the geographic location of the readers, making books more accessible to them. He also added that the problem of last mile presence of a library for many states will be solved with Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya. He hoped that in the coming 2-3 years, there will be over 10 thousand books in more than 100 languages.