Blog

Mastercard and ACCESS Development Services to Strengthen Farmer Producer Organizations in Assam

Guwahati, 17 February 2023: Mastercard and ACCESS Development Services today announced the launch of a new program in Assam focused on empowering farmer producer organizations (FPOs) in the state. The program, Mainstreaming Agriculture through Networks and Development Initiatives, or MANDI, aims to strengthen FPOs by helping build their capacity through structured technical assistance by a professional cadre of trainers.

Historically, smallholder farmers are unable to take advantage of economies of scale, struggle to access market information and linkages, and can face unfavorable prices for agricultural inputs as well as for their produce. Collectivization of smallholder farmers through FPOs has proven to be a successful model in India to address the challenges concerning access to markets and technology. However, many FPOs lack the resources, know-how and tools to operate effectively. According to the ACCESS baseline survey of FPOs in Guwahati, 95% of organizations cited access to markets as their key challenge along with lack of financial services and the awareness and knowledge to avail of government schemes.

Mastercard and ACCESS are aiming to help address these challenges by facilitating training frameworks, curriculum, and tools for FPOs. The program will focus on accelerating growth and development among FPOs and enhancing the financial literacy among farmers by:

Training them in best agricultural practices
Improving their access to market linkages, and digital tools
Generating awareness about financial services along with the available government schemes

The program has been operational on a pilot basis in Assam for the last six months and has been able to onboard 83 FPOs to date. As it continues, MANDI aims to benefit 50,000 farmers by the end of 2023.

The launch event was attended by Shri Sankar Das, AGM, NABARD, Dr. Jayanta Sharma, Senior Scientist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kahikuchi, Dr. Lalit Sharma, Director, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, and other distinguished guests.

Vipin Sharma, CEO, ACCESS Development Services, said, “The adoption of agritech solutions has played a vital role in streamlining the supply chains and address diverse challenges related to market linkages and access to financial services. There is a need to strengthen FPOs through technology to ensure increased connectivity and enhanced productivity. We are thrilled to collaborate with Mastercard and facilitate the tools, curriculum, and skills to ensure long-term sustainability for FPOs.”

Gautam Aggarwal, Division President, South Asia, Mastercard, said, “FPOs face several challenges to growth due to lack of digital infrastructure and technical skills. The MANDI program aims to address these issues by establishing a sustainable model that bolsters resilience of smallholder farmers as well as supports self-reliance for FPOs by equipping them with knowledge, digital tools, and training. This initiative advances the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and reiterates Mastercard’s commitment to connect more people to the digital economy, including those who earn their livelihoods from agriculture.”

Renault India Strengthens Its Rural Presence With Customer-centric Initiatives

New Delhi, February 17, 2023: With an innovative and comprehensive customer-centric effort, Renault, the leading European brand in the country, has made significant inroads in the rural markets. The rural journey for Renault started in 2019, with the identification of new low-cost formats for showrooms, followed by the expansion of network infrastructure under ‘Project Vistaar’.

Under ‘Project Vistaar’, Renault through its network, recruited, trained, and deployed close to 500 specialised sales consultants called Resident Dealer Sales Executives (RDSE). These RDSEs ensured a better connection with the customers, enhancing Renault’s reach within the country and creating a strong network in the rural markets. With an aim to make further inroads into the rural market, Renault adopted a customer-centric approach with extensive target audience engagement through Grameen Mahotsavs. Organised in 200+ villages so far, these Mahotsavs garnered great responses from the customers. To keep the momentum high, Renault adopted a digital format during the last few challenging years, creating the first of its kind ‘Digital Grameen Mohatsav’.

Moving closer to the customers in rural areas, Renault became the first passenger car OEM to join hands with the CSC Grameen e-store, in early 2021, ensuring easy access to Renault’s products and services. CSC, as a network of local stores run by a massive network of 4 lakh+ Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) trained by Renault teams, are successfully addressing queries from potential customers, and delivering last-mile e-governance services.

Renault’s partnership with CSC commissioned 400 Renault Booking Centres last year, providing rural customers an opportunity to book their favourite Renault car within their locality with ease and convenience. With this the customers are able to book their Renault car with minimum documentation formalities, by scanning the QR Code available at the nearest Renault Booking Centre, making digital inclusion of rural India a reality

Further widening its reach, Renault recently engaged with more than 50 villages across the country to develop them as ‘Model Villages’. Renault India has designed and developed a dedicated plan on sustainable development of these villages in partnership with the CSC Grameen eStore. The company has also announced a monetary aid to foster education in rural areas – “Renault Scholarship Programme” under which the students of certain age groups from these villages will be awarded with a scholarship every year basis merit. The objective of the programme is to promote the higher education, further empowering the population in rural areas and build sustainable communities. Local competitions and sports events like ‘Renault Kabaddi’ and ‘Renault Run’ have also been organized in order to offer robust platform to budding athletes at the grassroot level to develop their talents.

‘Rural Float’ is yet another annual initiative that the company has been undertaking in order to provide a Renault vehicle ownership experience in rural areas, enabling them to touch and feel the cars, next to their neighbourhood. The company has so far engaged with more than 25,000 customers in 500+ towns across 15 States through this initiative. Additionally, a mobile workshop providing door-step service facility – ‘Workshop on Wheels’ (WOW) and ‘Workshop on Wheels-Lite’ helps in facilitating the servicing of Renault vehicles even in the remotest areas. It offers hassle-free car ownership experience to the customers in rural and far-flung locations.

Together with its product portfolio expansion strategy to drive volumes in India, Renault has substantially increased its reach in India. It has created a strong connect and presence in the rural areas with the introduction of several unique and pioneering initiatives, ensuring that customers’ have an unparalleled association with the Renault brand.

Ambuja Cements honoured as the ‘ICONIC BRAND OF INDIA 2022’ by Economic Times

Bangalore, 17 February 2023: Ambuja Cements, the cement and building materials company of Adani Cement and part of the Adani Group, was felicitated with the prestigious ‘Iconic Brand of the Year 2022’ by The Economic Times at the fifth edition of the Economic Times Iconic Brands of India Conclave held in Mumbai. The conclave featured remarkable brands, which have redefined the benchmark in their respective fields through their legacy and sustainability in India and globally. It also celebrated the best homegrown brands in India and their exceptional growth stories.

With over three decades of experience in the Indian cement industry, Ambuja Cement has become a household name for providing hassle-free, home-building solutions with its unique sustainable products and environment-friendly practices. The company has established a strong brand image through its commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

Mr. Ajay Kapur, CEO, of Cement Business and Ambuja Cements, said, “We are delighted to be recognized and felicitated as one of the most iconic brands in India. As a responsible brand that cares for the people and planet, this is surely a moment of pride for us. We have always kept consumers at the forefront by providing quality and sustainable solutions that are relevant for building a sustainable future. Our goal is to continue to lead the way in sustainable cement production while delivering the highest quality products to our customers.”

Economic Times’ ‘Iconic Brands of India’ list is based on extensive research and analysis of various brand performances and their impact on the Indian market. The list includes companies from diverse industries, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the country’s growth. Ambuja Cement’s inclusion in this list is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to quality and sustainability. Ambuja Cements, part of Adani Cement, has also been recognized as India’s Most Trusted Cement Brand by TRA Research in its Brand Trust Report, 2022, and has become synonymous with quality and strength. It has always focused on building a brand rather than just selling a commodity and was the first company to create a brand in this commoditized category. It not only gave its product a name but also an identity of strength in the form of a Giant symbol. This is what makes Ambuja a great brand and a time-tested one too. Today, it offers the most innovative, cutting-edge, and futuristic product offering to meet the need of growing India with a sharp focus on sustainable growth.

Influencers and Psychology play an important role in creating magical moments in our love life

Psychology and influencers

Psychology plays an important role when it comes to human beings. We as humans are the best example of habits, where some patterns are wired in our brains. Influencers have always kept in mind that these wires get intervened a little bit.

Nowadays, the digital world has several ideas and techniques for inherent human traits to reach out to them and give them what they are actually looking for. We intend to look up to our favorite influencers and aspire toward them with positive feelings. We not only follow their opinions but also build our trust and relationship with them indirectly. Social media has had this tendency to persuade us towards more intelligent and competent people as compared to others. There has been a normal phenomenon where our fondness for them increases as we feel there are things that are relatable and we find comfort in them.

“Fitting in” is the imperative thought that goes in our mind which at times leads us to follow the dynamics and hampers our actual needs and responsibilities that we have as an individual.

Idea of “fitting in” in a relationship

Pushppal Singh Bhatia and Ravneet Kaur from the popular influencer duo – That Couple Though talk efficiently about these trends and how we can neglect this trend of “Fitting in” and create magical moments with our loved ones not only this Valentine’s but also in the upcoming years ahead. This couple talks about the daily hurdles of love life.

“Not everything you see on social media is reality, but it’s about our willingness to be inspired and love our partner unconditionally only then can miracles occur. Comparing your relationship with the influencers is the biggest hurdle toward these magical moments to happen. We tend to be egoistic and raise our expectations seeing this fantasy world, but the reality is one should keep their expectations low so that when you get the unexpected gesture you really see these magical moments happen” says Pushppal Singh Bhatia and Ravneet Kaur.

Keeping things original is better than having a copied version:

Following influencers and somewhere copying them has become a trend, but little do we know that these are the copied gestures. Your feelings for the person you love should come from within and not ideated from somewhere else. They also add “Moments are not created they just happen with the gratitude shown, love given, and action taken”

Acknowledging influencers and aspiring to become like them is something where the narrative should be changed. We should know where to draw the line between a world where everything is “Lovey-Dovey” and a world where you face the hurdles of holding your partner’s hand and winning the race.

That Couple Though – Influencers and Psychology…

Tata 1mg announces ‘Grand Saving Days’ sale from 17th February

NEW DELHI / February 17, 2023: Tata 1mg, India’s trusted healthcare platform, has announced its much-awaited Grand Saving Days (GSD), India’s biggest health and wellness sale. The sale is set to commence on February 17 and will run through February 21. The five-day biannual sale promises a “parade of offers” and will bring the best and most exclusive healthcare offers to consumers across popular brands and categories, including medicines, health products, lab tests, and e-consultations.

Tata 1mg has partnered with reputed brands such as Dettol, Dabur, Himalaya, and more from all leading categories to offer a range of health and wellness products and services for the evolved Indian consumer. From fitness enthusiasts to prescription medicine users and caregivers, there will be exciting, value-based offers and deals to choose from for every segment of buyers on over 2 lakh medicines and health brands, health check-ups, lab tests, and doctor consultations.

Subscribers of the Tata 1mg Care Plan will be able to access the sale one day before it goes live for everyone else. Customers can expect the best offers on the entire range of Tata 1mg’s products and services, along with additional NeuCoins that are 100% redeemable while transacting on the platform.

The company has partnered with banks and online payment platforms such as Citibank and Paytm, along with Simpl, MobiKwik, Freecharge, Airtel Payments bank and Cred, to provide its customers with a slew of offers and benefits during the sale.

In addition to offering attractive discounts, Tata 1mg also plans to introduce several out-of-the-box engagement activities during the health and wellness sale. This includes an immersive gamification experience aimed at encouraging customers to live a healthy life and engagement activities like Spin the Wheel, Deal of the day etc, where participants stand a chance to win exciting prizes like ipads, smartwatches and other goodies.

Speaking on the sale, Prateek Verma, Vice President, ePharmacy, Tata 1mg, said: “The Grand Saving Days sale has become India’s biggest health and wellness sale, growing year on year for the last three years. It is an opportunity for our customers to experience the convenience of digital healthcare services, with super-fast deliveries and the ability to order medicines or lab tests anytime, from anywhere, for themselves and their loved ones.”

As claimed by the healthcare platform, the response to its previous Grand Saving Days Sale (September 2022) exceeded all expectations. Tata 1mg saw exponential growth across categories and brands, with most partner brands seeing as much as 4-5X growth during the period. They aim to break all previous records in their latest edition of the sale.

GITAM Hosts Workshop on Critical Analysis of 2023 Budget

Hyderabad, 17th February 2023: The Union Budget 2023 focuses on youth power as one of the seven priorities, referred to as Saptarishi by Finance Minister Sri Nirmala Sitharaman in her presentation speech. Taking this agenda forward, a workshop on the critical analysis of the budget was organized at GITAM (deemed to be University), Visakhapatnam. The workshop aims to sensitize the youth about their role in making Bharat a “Viswa Guru” in the next 25 years.

In her keynote address, former Union Minister, Daggubati Purandeswari said, “The budget document goes beyond the discussion about the government’s revenue and expenditure and seeks to ensure social justice and equality, which reflects the spirit of the Indian Constitution.”

Referring to the next 25 years as the Amrit Kaal, she added, “We achieved our independence 75 years ago. We’ve got another 25 years to reach the hundredth year of independence. It is this period that Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has addressed as Amrit Kaal. Then is it simply a number? In the words of the honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, “It is in these 25 remaining years that we aim to achieve equality, reach the last mile, and bridge the gap between rural and urban India.”

Citing the IMF report on global economic projections, she said, “Post-pandemic, Germany is expected to grow at around 1.4%, France is expected to grow around 1.6%, Japan and the UK are expected to grow around 0.9%, and China is expected to grow around 4.5%. “India, as the IMF had said, is expected to grow around 6.8% this year; even if we reduce it by another 0.4%, it would be 6.4%, which is much more than what the developed countries are going to grow at.”

A couple of other schemes that found mention in her speech include the Mahila Samman Savings Patra, to empower women, the Jan Dhan Yojana, which has brought the banking system closer to the lives of the poor; and the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana, to invest in the youth population with a special focus on artificial intelligence, robotics, mechatronics, 3D printing, and drone technology. In her speech, the former minister also touched upon the budget allocation for education and the recruitment of 38,800 teachers for 748 Eklavya schools.

Other speakers included Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council member PNV Madhav, ICWAI – Cost Accountant, who discussed government initiatives to improve scientific rigor in the country, such as Atmanirbhar Bharat.He also commented that the computerization of (primary cooperative agriculture societies (PCAS) is another initiative that is expected to bring a lot of economic benefits to farmers through the interlinking of different PCAS.

Sharing his expert views, Lanka Dinakar, Member of the Union Budget Committee, Andhra Pradesh, said, “The motto of this budget for 2023–24 is Antyodaya. I would like to use the example of the Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. During the pandemic, the lockdown created a lot of hardships for people. More than 80 crore are among the poorest of the poor who live across the country.This scheme has been providing food grains to such people for the past 32 months, and it has been extended further for another twelve months in this budget.”

In his closing remarks, Mr. Dinakar expressed gratitude to GITAM (deemed to be University) and its president, Mr. M. Sri Bharat, for providing this opportunity, urged students to retain the information

shared during such workshops and persevere in being a part of this Amrit Kaal, which will lead Bharat to the number one position. The panel was facilitated by Prof. Y. Gouthama Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Campus Life, GITAM

National Innovation Day – February 16th 2023

By Deepak Visweswaraiah Vice President, Platform Engineering, and Site Managing Director, Pegasystems, India

“Innovation has been a driving force behind the phenomenal growth of the Indian IT sector. In today’s fast-paced, dynamic world, innovation is not just a nice-to-have but a necessity for businesses to remain agile and competitive in the global market. With a growing talent pool and an expanding technology ecosystem, the increased establishment of R&D centres has enabled companies to create innovative solutions and leverage next-gen technologies like low-code development platforms. At Pega, with our latest innovations like ‘sustainable low-code to minimize waste and ‘Voice AI,’ we are looking to integrate the capabilities of AI and low-code, enabling businesses to operate more efficiently and create new growth opportunities. Digital capabilities, next-gen technology, and engineering form the core of our operations, helping us to nurture innovative solutions at every point of interaction. Leaders must build an ecosystem that fosters innovation through consistent learning and collaboration, thereby accelerating the growth of today’s dynamic enterprises and preparing them for the future.

The Indian IT industry has always been at the forefront of innovative thinking and introducing new technologies and services that have revolutionized how we live and work. The onset of the pandemic has pushed us to be innovators and as the adoption of these technologies continues to grow, the future looks bright for the Indian IT industry.”

Ministry of Rural Development and Meesho sign MoU to onboard rural women as online sellers

Bangalore, February 17, 2023: The Ministry of Rural Development and Meesho, India’s only true online marketplace, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to drive digital inclusion of all women registered under State Rural Livelihood Missions (SRLMs) and enable them to sell online. The partnership will give impetus to Meesho’s ongoing efforts to onboard rural women entrepreneurs in various states and enable them to launch and grow their businesses online. Over the last few months, Meesho has tied up with several government-run self-help groups (SHGs), such as Sanjeevini – Karnataka State Rural Livelihood Mission and UMEED – Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Meesho will now work with the central government to facilitate this digitisation at scale, organising rural women as community institutions, ensuring their financial inclusion and helping them with market access. The Ministry of Rural Development will support Meesho’s engagement with state-owned and SRLM-promoted enterprises to bring local artisans, weavers and craft producers into the e-commerce fold.

Giriraj Singh, Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj,said, “Uplifting rural women across India by unlocking livelihood opportunities for them has been our key objective. Our constant endeavour has been to support the growth and development of rural communities and the collaboration with Meesho will be instrumental in driving financial inclusion for them. Through market insights and training on product cataloging and packaging, women from these self-help groups will be able to leverage the power of technology in making their products visible and accessible to a wider customer base, thereby increasing their earning potential.

With more than 40% of the women population into non-farming, it is our collective responsibility to build capabilities and unlock wider opportunities for them through online selling platforms. We are hopeful to empower 10 crore women financially through this partnership, thereby making them an integral part of India’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy.”

Meesho’s continued commitment towards creating a level playing field for the smallest of sellers and its industry-first initiatives like zero commission will encourage women from across the country to embrace internet commerce and allow them to access a wider market. Aligned with Meesho’s vision to enable 100 million small businesses to succeed online, the move will allow them to become self-employed entrepreneurs and fulfill their aspirations of achieving financial independence.

Sanjeev Barnwal, Co-founder and CTO, Meesho, said, “We are honoured to partner with the Ministry of Rural Development on our mission to democratise internet commerce for everyone. Women entrepreneurship is key to India’s vision of becoming a $5 trillion economy and, over the years, Meesho has empowered lakhs of them to succeed in the online world and achieve financial independence. This partnership will amplify our efforts in that direction, unlocking the power of internet commerce for their social and economic growth. We will provide them with all the tools and guidance they need to grow their business online with Meesho.”

Meesho will provide end-to-end support to SHGs, training them on the various facets of running an online business. From guidance on identifying the right products and creating a seller account to uploading catalogues and packaging, Meesho will organise a host of in-person training workshops in several regional languages. Further, Meesho will impart education and training on features like product and pricing recommendations, besides facilitating logistics tie-ups in the respective states.

Blockedge Technologies Inc and Suvik Technologies FZE inks the Joint Venture deal to accelerate Web3 Adoption

Chennai, 17th February 2023: Blockedge Technologies Inc., a leading enterprise blockchain technology platform, and Suvik Technologies FZE, a UAE-based public blockchain technology company, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture in Dubai, aimed at creating tools that empower organizations globally migrate to WEB3 technologies.

With the right complementary ingredients to facilitate the movement towards a large-scale secure Web3 adoption, Blockedge brings its infrastructure automation platform, and expertise to develop decentralized applications and interoperable blockchain solutions. At the same time, Suvik group brings its proprietary trading system for crypto assets and Plugin – a Decentralized Oracle Platform built on XDC Network.

“Web3 is all about building system-backed trust to facilitate trusted peer-to-peer transactions,” said Srinivas Mahankali, Chief Business Officer of Blockedge Technologies Inc. “To accelerate the adoption of Web3 technologies globally, we have come together to leverage each other’s strengths to create the required infrastructure layer to encourage and empower over 1000 organizations in the next three years” he added.

Vinod Khurana, Co-Founder of Plugin Decentralized Oracle on XDC Network and CEO of Suvik Group added, “The creation of the joint venture between Blockedge and Suvik has come at the right time and place and has the potential to add immense value to the blockchain ecosystem. With this venture, we aim to launch decentralized applications across industries, with an initial focus on Agriculture, Healthcare, Supply chain, and E-commerce”.

The partnership will be converted into a 55:45 joint venture based in Dubai, specifically focusing on the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and North America.

Daikin Japanese Institute of Manufacturing Excellence (DJIME) launches a virtual academy.

17th February 2023: Daikin Japanese Institute of Manufacturing Excellence (DJIME), a not-for-profit educational institute set up by Daikin Air-Conditioning India Pvt Ltd, has developed a virtual academy to improve awareness about the HVAC sector. The virtual program aims at reaching out to colleges across India to develop interest and project the HVAC industry as a viable career option.

The program aims to help learners understand the latest mechanics of technologies like VRV, Chillers, Inverters, R-32, and many more. Emphasis is given to the fact that good technology is followed by good service. Students will comprehend how service is crucial in the HVAC sector, and a brand depends on quality of installation, servicing,
and troubleshooting. Sales and product knowledge will also be covered.

The Industrial Training Program, which lasts for six weeks, covers theoretical and practical training at A.C.D.C along with deputation with training services across locations. Enrollment is based on a payment of INR 5000. At the end of the program, students will receive certification to aid in receiving employment offers. The top 48 students from the course will get invited by DJIME for a 6-week industrial training programme that includes branch and fieldwork, and out of this lot, the top 10 candidates will get a PPO (Pre Placement Offer) for Daikin and ultimately the “Best HVAC Engineer of India” award will go to the top 5 students, giving them exposure and momentum.

Speaking on the initiative, Mr. K J Jawa, Chairman & MD, Daikin India, said, “ With the technological advancement in the HVAC industry, a skilled and knowledgeable workforce is the need of the hour. Our goal is to provide students with the best information possible in the HVAC sector and a solid understanding of all the current technologies. We are giving them a certificate upon completion to help them stand out among others. This program would help with technical skills and numerous other placement opportunities”.

By the end of the course, DJIME guarantees that students will have the in-depth knowledge necessary to begin a promising career in the HVAC industry. The program will put them several steps ahead of their peers.