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Namma Yatri goes 100% open and calls for citizen participation

Bengaluru, Mar 17, 2023: Bengaluru-based auto booking app Namma Yatri has become the world’s first 100% open-mobility app. Its vision is to create an open platform where both drivers and customers win together. The product’s software, data, and roadmap are open for public review and collaboration. Namma Yatri offers a cost-effective SaaS platform for drivers where they receive direct customer payment without any middlemen. Within a few months of its launch, the platform already has 43000 drivers and 3.9 lakh customers. The drivers own and promote the platform themselves. The customers love the app and have rated it 4.8 out of 5 in Google and Apple app stores.

Namma Yatri’s open move will build trust within the community and provide collective support toward the product roadmap and vision. It will also enable collaboration with the experts and the larger ecosystem to build a sustainable transportation platform for Bengaluru. This city has over 2 million techies, designers, influencers and marketers who can all contribute to Namma Yatri in important ways toward this vision.

The Namma Yatri app and the tech platform are built by Juspay, which has worked on open initiatives like UPI and OCEN. Mr. Vimal Kumar, CEO and Founder of Juspay, said, “Digital infrastructure for mobility is a population scale problem, especially when you see the future of transportation as a multi-modal, interoperable system. Hence, mobility networks should be open and community-driven, like the Internet. While Juspay is known for building user-friendly and large-scale tech products, Namma Yatri adds a new dimension to it – the human angle. Hence, we need to enable the driver community with products and principles to achieve customer-centricity at the level of the Mumbai Dabbawalas. We hope to collaborate with the Bengaluru drivers, citizens and city authorities to create an exemplary system that other cities can emulate.”

Drivers across the city have come together to support this product. Mr Rudramurthy, General Secretary of ARDU, said, “Namma Yatri will be a boon to Bangalore. It is liberating for us, the drivers, to serve the people directly with happiness. We feel the bonding is stronger without any middlemen. Namma Yatri drivers will focus on building people’s trust. We are committed to citizens’ safety, good service and affordable prices. We will work collaboratively with citizens to solve any existing problems.”

Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Pramod Varma, co-author of the Beckn Protocol and Architect behind India’s digital infrastructure initiatives such as Aadhaar and UPI, said, “India has shown the world that digital innovations and open initiatives like UPI can be transformative. They improve efficiency and accelerate economic growth. I am glad that Namma Yatri, built on the Beckn open mobility initiative, is gaining traction. It has immense potential to improve the lives of both drivers and citizens. Any big change will have a few initial hiccups, and citizens’ collective effort can solve it. Bangalore citizens have always been open, forward-thinking, and inclusive. Namma Yatri needs their full support to make it big and impactful.”

A city’s mobility has to be collectively run by its service providers and citizens. A symbiotic relationship between them is crucial. If Namma Yatri is successful, Bengaluru can set a model for all cities to adopt a similar open mobility platform.

SIG exhibits the latest aseptic solutions at the 49th Diary Industry Conference

SIG, a leading player in aseptic and sustainable packaging solutions, presented a wide range of its products and sustainable solutions at the 49th Dairy Industry Conference organized by the Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in collaboration with Gujarat. The three-day conference began on March 16, 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

Known for high-quality and sustainable packaging solutions, SIG showcased and displayed several innovations – aseptic packaging solutions for portion sizes; for example, the flagship CFA 1224 filling machine for combiblocXSlim with a capacity to fill up to 24,000 packs per hour and the flexibility to fill 9 volumes (80 ml to 200 ml) on the same filling machine.

SIG also promoted family pack solutions that can be filled on SIG’s CFA 312 and CFA 812 filling machines, allowing multiple packaging formats and volume options (500 to 1.1 liter).

SIG also showcased combi smile, a premium portion size solution for dairy and juice products available with straw or closure – both versions with future-ready drinks plus the option to aseptically fill beverages with particulates in carton packs with various volume sizes (180 ml to 350 ml). SIG also displayed its most advanced high-tech filling machine SIG NEO, making its debut with the innovative combivita family pack available in three volume sizes (500, 750 and 1,000 ml).

Vandana Tandan, Head of Markets for India, and Bangladesh at SIG said: “The dairy sector is one of the strongest sectors in India’s vast FMCG industry, undergoing impactful developments. SIG’s world-leading filling technology and wide range of specialized aseptic cartons in multiple sizes and formats, made using sustainably sourced materials, are uniquely positioned to support in the expansion of India’s dairy sector.”

This year’s conference was the first post-pandemic physical meet themed on “Indian Dairy to the World: Opportunities & Challenges.” Leaders from the dairy industry, experienced farmers, milk producers, and exhibitors from across the country came together to discuss dairy trends, sustainability in the sector, climate change, nutrition, and health in India to make India the mecca of dairy innovations and solutions.

SIG entered the Indian market in 2018 and has seen a rapid expansion of its business. Expanding its Indian operations, the company recently announced the construction of its first aseptic carton plant in India. It will be in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The plant will supply its growing filler base, serving all leading dairy and non-carbonated soft drink players. SIG will invest approximately €60 million over the period 2023–2025 to reach a production capacity of up to 4 billion packs per annum.

With a 6% increase, three times the global growth rate, and a per capita availability of 427 grams daily, India now dominates the global dairy business. The Indian dairy industry is the largest in the world, accounting for 23% of the global milk production, contributing 5.2% to the national economy, and directly supporting 100 million farmers.

Moldcell launches first-of-its-kind Digital Wallet – moldcell money, supported by Comviva

London, UK – 17 March 2023: Moldcell, the leading mobile network operator in Moldova, announced its entry to the financial services market with a first-of-its-kind digital wallet, “moldcell money”. With this launch, Moldcell has become the first telecom operator in Moldova to provide digital financial services that bring a new level of convenience and security to its customers.

This service is now available through the moldcell money app and offers subscribers of any mobile network in the country to easily transfer money and pay for services directly from their mobile wallet. This new service is a significant step towards financial inclusion and creating a cash-lite economy.

The financial service is supported by Comviva, the global leader in digital financial solutions. Comviva has deployed its flagship mobiquity® Pay platform that provides several innovative capabilities. Users can make payments with their mobile numbers, without the need for bank cards or cash, and can transfer money to any mobile phone number or pay for services directly from the mobile app. The service also provides the ability to transfer money using an SMS code or through any Moldcell Center store, ensuring the safety of personal data and instant payment.

Commenting on the partnership, Olga Pavlic, Mobile Financial Services, and Business Innovation Director at Moldcell said: “Our solution mold cell money is the first fintech service on the telecommunications market in Moldova, the purpose of which is to offer subscribers of all communication networks a wide range of financial services. The solution consists of three main components: the “moldcell money” mobile application, which offers various services such as payments, bills, loans, government payments, gaming payments, money transfers to loved ones and bonuses; financial services available in direct Moldcell stores throughout the country, which makes transfers and payments convenient, simple and accessible; possibility to make payments with Moldcell number exclusively for Moldcell subscribers, offering an additional advantage of comfort and simplicity.”

“Comviva has been the industry leader in the payment space and our work on this market first project in the region shall set the stage for many more exciting developments in the payments space in the region. We are thrilled to partner with Moldcell in their digitization initiative that will offer a modern, digital first and secure way to manage payments,” said, Srinivas Nidugondi, Chief Transformation Officer, Digital Financial Solutions at Comviva.

Comviva’s obliquity Pay is one of the leading digital payment platforms across the globe. It is a cloud-native, payment platform that caters to all digital money, wallet, and payment requirements. mobiquity Pay is a feature-rich, robust, scalable, and flexible platform that serves consumers, service providers, and their partners. It facilitates digital payments for all customer segments and allows them to use multiple payment instruments like bank accounts, credit cards, prepaid accounts & stored value accounts (SVA).

IIFL Aims World Record with IIFL JITO Ahimsa Run on April 2 in 23 Countries and 65 Cities in India

MUMBAI [March 17]: IIFL Group, which is one of India’s largest financial services conglomerates, aims to create the Guinness Book of World Records with the IIFL Jito Ahimsa Run to be held on April 2, 2023, across 23 countries and 65 cities in India. This is the largest such run for the cause of peace and non-violence. The run is organized by the lady’s wing of Jito (Jain International Trade Organization) and IIFL besides Jito volunteers and supporters across the world.

One can register for IIFL Jito Ahimsa Run at https://ahimsarun.com/ to become a part of the run. The registration link opens on March 17, 2023, and one can choose the city and country they want to run in. The IIFL Jito Ahimsa Run aims at creating awareness for a better world to stop wars, and hatred and bring peace and nonviolence in our surroundings.

‘Ahimsa’ means forgiveness, positivity, cosmic love, strength, and brotherhood. Ahimsa is Shakti and in today’s trying and turbulent times, we all need to come together and show our Shakti (strength). And what better day one can choose for IIFL Jito Ahimsa Run than just before Mahavir Jayanti, when we pay respect to Lord Mahavir – Lord of Forgiveness? This is run for all communities, genders, and age groups. The idea of the run is collective strength and inclusion.

The run has been endorsed by many public personalities across India and aims to initiate the younger generation towards peace and nonviolence at an early age to create a future generation where war and violence will become a thing of the past.

The idea of the IIFL Jito Ahimsa Run resonates with IIFL Group’s philosophy – Fairness, Integrity, and Transparency – and ‘Seedi Baat’ or straight talk. IIFL Group is a pioneer of financial inclusion in India by providing loans to over 8 million unbanked and underbanked customers and aims to fulfill the dreams of small entrepreneurs across India. IIFL Foundation works towards girl child education, health, poverty alleviation, and livelihood on a large scale and has brought over 36,000 out-of-school girls

IIFL Group, founded by Mr. Nirmal Jain has become one of the most successful financial conglomerates in India in just over two decades with distinctly listed businesses – IIFL Finance, IIFL Wealth (360 One), IIFL Securities, and 5paisa.com – each in leadership positions in the segments they operate. The group also has two subsidiaries IIFL Home Loan, and IIFL Samasta Finance, one of the largest affordable housing finance and microfinance businesses respectively.

First Batch of Students of ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ in Bhubaneswar Graduate with Certificates in Coding & Programming, AI & IoT; Flagship CSR Program Aims to Make Students Job-Ready with Future Tech Skills

Bhubaneswar, India – March 16, 2023 – Samsung India’s flagship CSR program Samsung Innovation Campus concluded the Coding & Programming, AI and IoT courses for its first batch of 88 students in Bhubaneswar, reiterating Samsung’s commitment to being a strong partner of India and working alongside the Government in its mission to empower the country’s youth and #PoweringDigitalIndia.

The students, who were mentored and trained at Central Tool Room & Training Center, Bhubaneswar, were presented with certificates at a ceremony held on Thursday.

ESSCI, which is a National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) approved entity, is executing the program through its nationwide network of approved training and education partners.

Student teams from the Coding & Programming course participated in the 3-day Hackathon in which they developed codes based on problem statements given to them.

The problem statements included topics such as developing a chatbot for e-governance support, an e-commerce website for handicrafts and artisan-based industries, a machine learning model to predict housing prices, a loan approval system, a plant leaf disease detection system using image classification, a home automation module and a social media platform for senior citizens. The teams presented their prototypes to a jury from Samsung R&D Institute, Noida, and Central Tool Room & Training Center, Bhubaneswar.

“Our global citizenship initiative, Samsung Innovation Campus, is in alignment with India’s development agenda. Through this initiative, we want to empower the youth and create opportunities for them in future tech domains, further boosting India’s growth story and strengthening our commitment to Powering Digital India,” said Mr. Partha Ghosh, Head, CSR and Communications, Samsung Southwest Asia.

Samsung India launched its Samsung Innovation Campus program at eight campuses across the country with the aim of upskilling 3,000 less-privileged youth in future tech domains such as AI, IoT, Big Data and Coding & Programming and helping them get relevant job placements.

Samsung Innovation Campus aims to upskill youth aged 18-25 years in future technologies and enhance their employability. These are key technology skills for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

During the course of the program, participants receive instructor-led classroom training through approved training and education partners of ESSCI across the country.

Youth enrolled in the program are undergoing classroom training and complete their hands-on capstone project work in their selected technology areas from among Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Big Data and Coding & Programming. They will also be imparted soft skills training to enhance their employability and provided job placements in relevant organizations.

Those opting for the AI course will undergo 270 hours of theory training and complete 80 hours of project work while those doing the IoT or the Big Data course will undergo 160 hours of training and complete 80 hours of project work. Participants opting for the Coding & Programming course will do 80 hours of training and be part of a Hackathon.

Samsung Newsroom India: First Batch of Students of ‘Samsung Innovation Campus’ in Bhubaneswar Graduate with Certificates in Coding & Programming, AI & IoT; Flagship CSR Program Aims to Make Students Job-Ready with Future Tech Skills

Morisons Baby Dreams collaborates with By Design to launch a series of videos on maternal mental health with Dr. Aditi Govitriker

[Mumbai, March 17, 2023] – Morisons Baby Dreams is a leading brand in the baby care and mommy-needs category. They have partnered with By Design, a 360-degree strategic and communications agency to address issues of maternal mental health. The video series features renowned celebrity psychologist, Dr. Aditi Govitriker, who supports mothers dealing with mental health challenges during pregnancy and postpartum.

The video series was launched around World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2022, on Morisons Baby Dreams’ social media channels – Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The videos cover topics such as mental health during pregnancy, postpartum depression, and anxiety.

“We understand that mothers go through a lot of physical and emotional changes during and after pregnancy. We want to support these mothers, and we believe that this video series with Dr. Aditi Govitriker will help address the issue of maternal mental health,” said Mr. Nitin Manchanda, Vice President – Sales & Marketing.

Rahul Gupta, Founder & Chief Creative Officer of By Design (formerly IBD), said “At By Design, we are dedicated to partnering with brands to create impactful campaigns that resonate with their audience. We are proud to associate with Morisons Baby Dreams on their video series addressing maternal mental health, as it aligns with our shared commitment to improving the well-being of mothers and their children. Through this partnership, we hope to continue driving meaningful conversations and raising awareness about the importance of maternal mental health.”

By Design played a significant role in the successful execution of the video series, leveraging its expertise in digital marketing to ensure maximum reach and engagement across social media channels.

The video series has been well-received by the brand’s audience, with each video garnering a significant reach and engagement on social media. The videos have been adapted into short-format reels for Instagram and YouTube, making them easily accessible to a wider audience.

Morisons Baby Dreams and By Design are committed to providing the best for babies and their mothers. This video series is a step in that direction, and the brand aims to continue its efforts toward addressing maternal and child health issues.

BI WORLDWIDE India to back emerging and elite Indian athletes

Bengaluru, March 17th, 2023: BI WORLDWIDE India, a global leader in loyalty and engagement solutions, announced a partnership today with GoSports Foundation on their flagship programme, ‘GoSports Long-term Athlete Development Programme’ (GLTADP) for three years. The programme aims at grooming and supporting the next generation of elite Indian athletes by providing them access to a high-performance support structure from the formative stage of their careers.

Launched in 2017, GLTADP was conceptualised to create pathways to excellence for emerging and elite sports talent and to support long-term athlete development in a holistic manner. Selected athletes are provided with an annual scholarship, high-performance stints, access to sports science expertise, support in procuring the requisite apparel, equipment, and gear, and travel and accommodation compensation during competitions.

Since its inception, the programme has helped create some truly remarkable milestones at the world’s grandest sporting stages. These include athletes’ participation in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, and clinching medals at the Asian Games 2018, Commonwealth Games 2018, and Youth Olympics 2018. Outcomes for the current cohort of athletes supported by the programme are anticipated at the Commonwealth Games 2026, Youth Olympics 2026, and Los Angeles Olympics 2028.

Speaking about the association, Siddharth Reddy, Managing Director, BI WORLDWIDE India, stated, “As a global leader in loyalty and engagement solutions, we take inspiration from the power of sports in building engaged, inclusive, and thriving communities. BI WORLDWIDE India, in partnership with GoSports Foundation, will work towards amplifying the reach and influence of sports across our nation. We are delighted to support the GoSports Long Term Athlete Development Programme [RS1] and make a mark in India’s journey towards becoming a sporting superpower.”

GoSports Foundation is a National Sports Award (Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar) winning not-for-profit trust established in 2008. It is working towards the development of some of India’s most talented, emerging, and elite athletes across a plethora of sporting disciplines. So far, the Foundation has supported 16 Olympians and 27 Paralympians, including 10 Paralympic medalists.

Deepthi Bopaiah, CEO, GoSports Foundation, stated, “We are delighted to welcome BI WORLDWIDE India as the ‘Programme Partner’ to the GoSports Long-Term Athlete Development Programme. BI WORLDWIDE’s commitment to come aboard as a Partner is of immense significance. Creating an Olympian is a process that takes a significant amount of time, effort, expertise, and resources. We thank the BI WORLDWIDE India team for taking this decision to support emerging and elite athletes in their quest to bring sporting glory to India. Support provided by donors through corporate CSR investment has been instrumental in helping us complement the efforts done by the central government and other stakeholders to uplift the Indian sports ecosystem.”

Enviro’s Waste Segregation Initiative Paves the Way for a Cleaner and Greener Future

Gurugram: The key to a greener future is in our hands, and Enviro (Integrated Facility Management) is leading the way in its new waste segregation initiative aimed at promoting sustainable waste management practices. The initiative aims to encourage people to separate waste at the source, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, and promote the recycling and reuse of valuable resources. The initiative involves the distribution of color-coded bins to households and commercial establishments in the city. The color-coded bins help residents and business owners to easily segregate their waste at the source. Once the waste is segregated, Enviro’s waste collection team collects the waste from each bin separately and transports it to the appropriate processing facility.

At Enviro, we believe in the importance of waste segregation. We encourage residents and clients to segregate their waste by conducting a series of educational and awareness campaigns to educate people on the importance of waste segregation and its benefits to the environment. The campaigns will focus on different aspects of waste management, such as composting, recycling, and reducing waste generation. That will reduce up to 250 tons of waste from entering landfills. This initiative has several benefits. Firstly, it reduces the amount of waste that is sent to landfills, which helps to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal. Secondly, it promotes the recycling and reuse of waste materials, which helps to conserve natural resources. Finally, it creates employment opportunities for waste management workers who are involved in collecting and processing the segregated waste.

Enviro will establish recycling and composting facilities in different regions to collect and process segregated waste. The facilities will be equipped with advanced technology to ensure efficient processing and maximum resource recovery. Enviro will collaborate with local governments and NGOs to promote waste segregation and sustainable waste management practices. The partnership will include joint initiatives such as waste collection drives, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building programs.

A K Singh, CEO, Enviro said, “Our waste segregation initiative is a crucial step towards achieving a sustainable future. Waste segregation at the source is a simple but powerful practice that can significantly reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and promote the recycling and reuse of valuable resources. We believe that this initiative will not only benefit the environment but also create new job opportunities in the recycling and composting sectors. Enviro invites everyone to join hands in this noble cause and work towards a cleaner and greener future.”

Gurugram is a rapidly growing city with a population of over one million people. With this growth comes an increase in waste generation, which has put a strain on the city’s waste management infrastructure. Enviro’s waste segregation initiative is a step towards addressing this issue. The success of this initiative depends on the participation of residents and business owners in Gurugram. It is important for people to understand the importance of waste segregation and to actively participate in the initiative. Enviro has taken steps to raise awareness about the initiative through social media, community outreach programs, and educational campaigns.

At Enviro, we are committed to facility management that prioritizes waste segregation, recycling, and reuse. We believe that by working together and making small changes in our daily habits, we can create a greener, more sustainable future for ourselves and future generations. So remember: don’t mix, segregate, and give it a try.