Telugu super news,Hyderabad, 20th December ‘2023:The National Pension System (NPS) has been implemented for all Government Employees (except armed forces) entering the Central Government workforce on or after January 1, 2004. Most of the State/UT Governments have also adopted the NPS for their new employees. Since May 1, 2009, NPS has been available to every Indian Citizen on a voluntary basis, including corporates. Notably, the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched on June 1, 2015, providing a significant boost to social security schemes.
As on 9.12.2023, the subscribers of NPS and APY surpassed 6.92 crores with a total Asset Under Management (AUM) of 10,70,423.51 Crore. The number of subscribers in the private sector, including corporates, exceeds 50 lacs and crossed 2 lakh crore AUM, with 14,629 corporates having adopted NPS and registering 18.76 lacs employees under NPS.
To promote awareness of NPS among corporate entities, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) organizes NPS Awareness Programme for Corporate’ nationwide. Recently, in collaboration with the FICCI, PFRDA conducted an event on December 15, 2023, at Hyatt Place, Hyderabad in presence of various corporates based in Hyderabad.
The keynote speaker at the event was Ms Mamta Shankar, Whole Time Member (WTM) at PFRDA. Ms Shankar emphasized the growing concerns related to an aging society and increasing life expectancy, underscoring the necessity for adequate pension coverage. She elaborated on the efficiency, scale, and returns that NPS has delivered and urged corporates to adopt NPS for the benefit of their employees. Other notable speakers included Mr. Jehangir Damkevala, Associate Director and Retirement Trust Consulting Leader, Willis Towers Watson and Managing Partner, and Ms. Behroze Kamdin, Partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, alongside Mr. Ramchander Maddela, Chief Human Resource Officer ofAspentek Informatics Pvt Limited. Ms. Puja Upadhyay, AGM, PFRDA explained the product benefits and features of NPS and highlighted the importance of NPS for corporate employees. The speakers addressed critical topics such as Retirement Benefits Planning, features of NPS including Tax benefits under NPS, and NPS Onboarding and Implementation for Corporates (Experience sharing).
The conference was attended by over 120 delegates from 50 corporate, and Points of Presence.
Telugu super news,2 August ,2023: Dasra, a strategic philanthropy organization, along with Observer Research Foundation launched a landmark report on the intersection of climate and the SDGs in India titled Our Uncommon Future : Intersectionality of Climate Change and SDGs in the Global South at the Think20 (T20) Summit yesterday. The T20 is an official engagement group of the G20 and serves as an “ideas bank” for the G20 by bringing together think tanks and high-level experts to deliberate on relevant policy issues.
The report delves into key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change and aims to identify measures where policymakers can create convergence in efforts to tackle climate change and barriers to respective SDGs. In the year of India’s G20 presidency, the report endeavors to highlight these Intersectionalities in the Indian context – displaying learnings for India from various global experiences and showcasing climate action from civil society organizations in India.
The report seeks to shed light on the intricate web of connections between climate change and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for Goals), highlighting the urgency of a holistic approach in our pursuit of a sustainable future. The report also looks at innovative interventions and solutions addressing the issues posed by these intersectionalities, especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized communities in the country. These case studies serve as compendium of insights, good practices and lessons shared by diverse actors on driving equitable climate action and strengthening community resilience.
The launch of the report was followed by a panel discussion on ‘‘Threads of Transformation: Unraveling the Intersectionalities between the SDGs and Climate Change” featuring Neera Nundy, Managing Partner, Dasra, India; Danang Parikesit, Professor, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; Vijay Datta, Principal, Modern School (Barakhamba Road), India; Li Xiaoyun, Chair Professor, China Agricultural University (CAU), China; Prarthana Ramesh, Head – Environment City Systems, Janaagraha, India; Uthara Narayanan Co-Founder, Buzz Women, India and Aparna Roy (moderator), Fellow and Lead, Climate Change and Energy, Centre for New Economic Diplomacy, Observer Research Foundation. . The discussion explored the intersectionalities between climate and various critical SDGs, particularly with respect to their impact on underserved communities in the Global South. Panelists also discussed the role that various stakeholders can play in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, while also strengthening the resilience of the communities at the frontline of climate impacts.
Speaking at the launch of the report, Neera Nundy, Co-Founder, Dasra said, “Addressing climate change is not a solitary endeavor; to inspire and engage stakeholders for climate action, we need to talk about the interlinkages and intersectionalities between climate and development and make it clear that investing in climate is investing in sustainable development for all. Climate action represents 0.5% of overall domestic philanthropic funding in India, which meets only 10% of our climate financing needs. We must inspire philanthropy to unlock climate action and build adaptive resilience for the most vulnerable communities, by making the climate – SDG intersectionality mainstream. The movement towards a sustainable and inclusive future for our communities mandates the involvement of all actors in climate action. Civil society, the government, philanthropic organizations, industry and consumers must understand why it is important to shift this paradigm to an intersectional and collaborative approach.”
As we face mounting global challenges related to climate change and sustainable development, it becomes increasingly evident that addressing these issues in isolation is no longer feasible. Climate change has profound implications for all aspects of human life and the planet’s ecosystems, including the realization of the SDGs. Despite climate change being a global concern, its impact is different across geographies, the situation being particularly grave for India. India is the fifth most vulnerable of 181 countries to the effects of climate change, with our poorest and marginalized communities being the most at risk. The top 5 cities in India contribute 10% to its carbon footprint, a number only set to worsen. Given India’s vulnerability to climate change and its impact on the SDGs, there is an urgent need to move from symptoms of the crisis to the root causes and strengthen localized climate governance for effective sustainable development
“We stand at the crossroads of climate change and sustainable development, and this report serves as a compass for the future, where environmental stewardship and social equity converge. We must recognize that every aspect of our life, from biodiversity preservation to gender equality, poverty eradication to healthcare, is interconnected with the urgent need to address the climate crisis. Only by uniting these efforts can we pave the way for a sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for all.” said Nilanjan Ghosh, Director, Observer Research Foundation
Key takeaways of the report:
Ø With the global system facing a multitude of crises across the social, health, and environmental spectrum, there is an urgent need for scaling international cooperation to find solutions. Development cooperation is increasingly recognizing the roles that stakeholders play in the climate ecosystem, such as the private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs), and philanthropic organizations.
Ø India’s large philanthropic community is uniquely positioned to support the CSOs driving climate action by offering capacity building, long-term capital, and technical assistance and can play a catalytic role in supplementing the efforts of other development stakeholders towards climate action.
Ø India’s vibrant civil society, with its proximity to communities, vast geographical spread, and unique mobilization skills, has the potential to scale inclusive climate action in the country and enhance climate resilience at the grassroots.
Ø SDG 17 envisions encouraging and promoting effective public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
Telugu Super News,Telangana,March 21,2023: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods company has introduced a new variant of Horlicks. Millet Horlicks in a Chocolate flavor is a new addition to the Horlicks portfolio, and it has been launched in all the Southern markets.
Millet Horlicks in Chocolate flavour is HUL’s first product with this super grain – it is made with multi-millets like Finger Millet (Ragi), Sorghum (Jowar), Foxtail Millet (Kanngani) and Pearl Millet (Bajra). Multi-millets are a natural source of Calcium, Iron, Protein and Fiber which are critical for growing children.
Millets will play an important role in HUL’s vision of ‘nourishing a billion lives’ through its Functional Nutrition business. One of the challenges in this journey is to make the traditional Indian grain easier to adapt through enhanced palatability, so that it is not rejected by children. Millet Horlicks in Chocolate flavour is designed with a focus on the taste preferences and nutritional requirements of children above the age of six.
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Krishnan Sundaram, Vice President and Business Head, Nutrition, HUL said, ‘Millets have been an integral part of South Indian households and we are happy to introduce the staple food in a multi-millet offering for children in our health-food drinks category. We are proud to support the Government’s initiative in making India the global leader of the super-grain. With the launch of Millet Horlicks in Chocolate flavor, we are moving closer to delivering on Unilever’s ‘Future Foods’ commitment. Our aim is to create a nutrition solution that addresses the issues of unbalanced diets and micronutrient deficiency in India. Mainstreaming millet for children is a critical step in this direction.’
To quote Dr Dayakar Rao, CEO, Nutrihub, ICAR-IIMR, “Millets as “Nutricereals” are enriched with proteins, amino acids, essential micronutrients such as Iron, Calcium, Magnesium & Zinc which are lacking in other staples. Millets products can be tailored for required GI and bioavailable minerals which are vital for Children.”
The Millet Horlicks launch in South India markets is led by television and digital platforms, including YouTube, OTT platforms as well as print.
The all-new Millet Horlicks packs are available in a chocolate flavour and in 3 SKUs of a 400g jar priced at 279, 400g pouch priced at 239 and 600g carton (bag-in-box) pack at 399 in stores across the South India market.
The UN declared 2023 as the “International Year of Millets” after a recommendation from the Indian Government.
*Horlicks is a nourishing beverage to be taken as a part of the regular daily diet. Horlicks combines the goodness of milk, wheat and malted barley with 23 vital nutrients such as proteins, Zinc, Vitamin C and Vitamin D with other immunity supporting nutrients like Selenium, Folic acid, Iron, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin B6.
The Muthoot Group supports rural development programme, The Shantigram Project which aims at the qualitative development of the lifestyle of about 20,000 poor and underprivileged inhabitants of 10 villages in and around Mandawar, in Sohna Tehsil of Haryana. As part of this integrated rural development programme, The Muthoot Group donated a Mahindra Scorpio Car in the presence of His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan. The event took place on Saturday, 27 August, 2022 at the Delhi Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church situated in Mandawar, in Sohna Tehsil of Haryana.
The Shantigram Project is a community development project of the Delhi Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church functioning under the aegis of the Sophia Society. The main objective behind donating a new Mahindra Scorpio Car to the Malankara Orthodox Church was to enable for the easy execution of their day-to-day noble and welfare activities.The Muthoot Group has always been at the forefront in performing social and community service for the well-being of the underprivileged and needy sections of the society.
Speaking on The Shantigram Project, Mr. Alexander George Muthoot, Joint Managing Director, The Muthoot Group said, “In alignment of the vision of our former Chairman Late Shri M. G. George Muthoot, The Muthoot Group has strived to be a responsible corporate citizen which has always believed in giving back to the society. While the last 2 years have been very challenging for everyone owing to the pandemic, however it is the marginalized sections of our society that have been the most impacted section. In a bid to improve the lives the financially weaker sections of the society, we are supporting The Shantigram Programme which primarily focuses on community services helping the needy and underprivileged sections of the society. “
The Muthoot Group has also been carrying out various welfare initiatives for the underserved section of the society under its CSR banner. Some of the notable activities are as follows:
· Healthcare: Supported 94,000 people during COVID-19 and set up a 16-bed COVID hospital for Kanpur Police, and helped 15 other hospitals with medical equipment.
· Food & ration distribution: Provided more than 2.67 lakh underprivileged people with cooked food and dry ration.
· Environment: Under the green initiatives, the Group has donated 24KW Solar Panel to National Association of Blind, New Delhi. The Group also donated 500 fruit saplings to 50 Tribal Farmers at Palgar District of Maharashtra.
· Education: To promote education among slum children in Kurla suburb of Mumbai, 500 School bags were distributed. The Group also donated a SMART Classroom in the Geography Department of Allahabad University in Prayagraj, U.P. which is benefitting 5000+ students every year.
· Support to Differently-abled People: As part of the CSR initiative, 500 differently-abledchildren were distributed education kits. A file making machine was also donated to 40 visually impaired students of Mumbai.
· Supporting Sustainable Livelihood: To promote self-employment practices and sustainable livelihood, The Muthoot Group has recently donated 25 sewing Machines to women beneficiaries in Dehradun and 30 manual tricycle Carts to underprivileged people in Delhi.
