NSDC And MoHUA Launch Project NIPUN To Skill, Upskill More Than 1 Lakh Construction Workers

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal agency under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) today announced the launch of project NIPUN- National Initiative for Promoting upskilling of Construction Workers. The project aims to train more than one lakh construction workers through fresh skilling and upskilling programmes and provide them with opportunities in foreign countries. The project implementation is divided into three chapters - training through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) at construction sites, training through Fresh Skilling by Plumbing and Infrastructure SSC and International Placement through industries/builders/contractors.

On-site skill training will be provided to 80,000 construction workers through industry associations under the RPL certification, co-branded with MoHUA, while 14,000 candidates will receive fresh skilling through plumbing and infrastructure Sector Skill Council (SSC). The courses are aligned with National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and will be imparted at accredited and affiliated training centres. NSDC is also aiming to place at least 12,000 people in foreign countries like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, UAE and other GCC countries.

Project NIPUN will be conducted under the aegis of MoHUA, under its flagship scheme of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). It will also facilitate and support convergence with related line ministries. Meanwhile, NSDC will be responsible for the overall execution of the training, monitoring and candidate tracking. It will provide trainees with Kaushal Bima (3-year accidental insurance with coverage of Rs 2 lakhs), digital skills like cashless transactions and BHIM app, orientation about entrepreneurship, and EPF and BOCW facilities. A project committee with members from both NSDC and MoHUA will be formed under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary-cum-Mission Director, DAY-NULM to oversee and monitor the project.

While addressing the event, Shri Hardeep S Puri, Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas said, “The transformational impact of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) has definitively reduced the vulnerability of urban poor households by providing upskilling and employment opportunities to urban dwellers, especially the youth. The spirit of entrepreneurship has been encouraged and supported by giving urban workers access to self-employment and skilled wage employment opportunities. This initiative will enable Nirman workers to be more proficient and skilled while making them adopt future trends in the construction industry by increasing their capabilities and diversifying their skill sets.”

The minister also announced that the Central Vista Avenue will be opened in next few days.

Lauding the partnership between NSDC and MoHUA, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE said, “With the construction industry poised to become the largest employer by 2022, the dependency on technology cannot be ignored. I am confident that this unique project by NSDC and MoHUA, along with the support of all our stakeholders, will provide Nirman workers with better job opportunities, improved benefits, and safer work practices, making them torchbearers of not only an Aatmanirbhar Bharat but also play a pivotal part in transforming India into a skill hub for the rest of the world.”

The construction industry is poised to become the largest employer by 2022 and needs 45 million additional skilled workers over the next 10 years. To fulfill this mission, the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (CREDAI) have joined Project NIPUN as industry partners and will identify training job roles of aspirational value in the construction sector in collaboration with the SSC.

About National Skill Development Corporation

National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), a nodal skill development agency, working under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE), Government of India, is a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) that aims to catalyse the creation of a large and quality vocational training ecosystem in India. Since inception in 2010, NSDC has trained over 3 crore people through its collaboration with 600+ training partners and over 10,000 training centres spread across 600+ districts in the country. NSDC has established 37 Sector Skill Councils (SSCs) and implements the Government’s flagship skill development schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS), among others. NSDC also funds enterprises, companies and organisations that provide skill training. The organisation enables private-sector capacity building in skill development by offering concessional loans, other innovative financial products, and strategic partnerships.

About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is the apex authority of the Government of India at the national level for all issues relating to housing and urban affairs in the country, which is responsible for sponsoring and supporting the policy formulation programme, activities of various Central Ministries, State Governments and Nodal Authorities. Performs the functions of coordinating and monitoring the programmes.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education Celebrates International Day of Yoga 2022

Manipal Academy of Higher Education celebrated International Day of Yoga on June 21, 2022. The Division of Yoga, Centre for Integrative Medicine & Research (CIMR), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), coordinated the event.

The day began with a 1-hour Yoga Session held at Dr. TMA Pai Hall, KMC, Manipal. This session was headed by Dr. Annapoorna K. HOD, Division of Yoga, CIMR, MAHE and received enthusiastic participation from students, staff, faculty and people from nearby localities.

After the Yoga session, the audience gathered for the second part of the celebration of International Day of Yoga. The dignitaries present from MAHE included Dr. HS Ballal, Pro Chancellor, Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, Dr. M Venkatraya Prabhu, Pro Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Dr. Narayana Sabhahit, Registrar and Dr. Sharath Kumar Rao, Dean, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal along with other MAHE officials.

The event highlighted the importance of the practice of Yoga and the various activities held by MAHE. The Division of Yoga at MAHE provides Yoga Training Programs, Yoga Therapy for patients, Postgraduate in M.Sc. Yoga Therapy & Certificate courses for students. In the view of International Day of Yoga, they have conducted several activities and competitions over a period of three months, to bring about awareness about the knowledge and practice of Yoga. They also held a 2-week Summer Yoga Camp for children and organised free Yoga classes for staff and students for 10 days. The Division of Yoga also organized webinar on “Yoga as a Therapy: Its Dimensions and Relevance” by Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director, Morarji Desai National   Institute of Yoga, Ministry of AYUSH, New Delhi.

The programme included distribution of prizes to the winners of the competitions (Asana, essay, poster, photo).  Dr. Nalini Bhaskaranand, Professor & HOD (rtd), KMC, Manipal, and  Dr. Anice George, Professor, Manipal Nursing College, Manipal, who were the guests for the event were felicitated. It also included a demonstration of the formations of yoga postures by M.Sc. Yoga Therapy students from Division of Yoga.

In his presidential address Dr HS Ballal, Pro Chancellor, MAHE said “The practice of Yoga has the ability to improve our quality of life. It helps in preventing several lifestyle disorders and helps one to remain healthy and happy. At MAHE we encourage the future generation to inculcate the science of Yoga into their daily lives”

Speaking at the event Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M D Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor said “The practice of Yoga is believed to have started with the very dawn of civilization. The science of yoga has its origin thousands of years ago and it continues to be relevant to this day. In this modern era, stress and unhealthy living habits have become quite common. Yoga is the perfect cure to deal with all these issues and stay healthy. We are extremely pleased that our Yoga day event has received such enthusiastic participation from everyone and MAHE will continue to raise awareness about this wonderful practice”

Punjab National Bank Celebrates 8th International Yoga Day At Zones, Circles, And PNB Head Office

* PNB Parivar commemorates the theme of “Yoga for Humanity” toward a united community 

Punjab National Bank (PNB), nation’s leading public sector bank, celebrated the 8th International Yoga Day by highlighting the importance of physical and mental well-being for all its employees. On this day, the PNB Parivar came together and took part in multiple early morning interactive yoga sessions focusing on stress management, relaxation techniques, and breathing exercises across all the zones, circles, and the PNB Head Office. 

As India is celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 yrs of independence, this year’s theme, “Yoga for Humanity” focuses on instilling empathy and togetherness within people. This theme was selected by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, as a tribute to everyone for coming together to alleviate the sufferings during Covid-19 with kindness, compassion, and unity. 

Thanking the staff members, Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, said: "Success of an organization is directly related to the health of its employees in terms of increasing efficiency, productivity and focus. Yoga, a 3000-year-old practice, is a proven tool to enhance mindfulness, relaxation, and flexibility which leads to the oneness of mind and body. Hence, the idea for the UN-mandated International Day of Yoga first proposed by India’s Hon’ble Prime Minister was supported by 177 other countries.  

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the Sanskrit term ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘to unite’. We at PNB believe in the motto of “One Team, One Dream” and hence the essence of Yoga aligns with our philosophy of unity appropriately. Hence, further to PNB’s commitment towards the social, mental, and physical well-being of its employees, we reaffirm ourselves to make this practice a daily part of our routine to achieve holistic development." 

The yoga sessions at the head office were attended by Shri Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, Executive Director - Shri Vijay Dube, CGMs, senior officials, and other bank staff. 

PNB’s initiative this year marks a stepping stone towards building a harmonious society by inculcating and spreading the disciplines of an ancient Indian practice of Yoga for the overall well-being of the community. 

Rajeev Butani Joins Prodapt As The New CEO & Board of Directors

* He will guide the company’s expanded focus on connected platforms and software 

Prodapt, a leading global consulting, technology, and managed services provider to the connectedness industry announced that Rajeev Butani, CEO and Board Member of HeadSpin, has joined its board of directors. 

Prior to HeadSpin, a developer platform enabling companies to enhance their digital experiences, Rajeev was the Senior Managing Director and Group Technology Officer for Accenture’s Communications, Media, and Technology Operating Group globally. He has also served on Accenture’s Global Leadership Committee. He was a founding member of Accenture’s Advanced Technology Centers and led the company’s Software and Platform Business based in the Bay Area.  

“We are excited to welcome Rajeev to the Prodapt Board,” said Vedant Jhaver, the Chairman & CEO of Prodapt. “Rajeev is a seasoned executive with a deep understanding of connected platforms and software. His expertise will help accelerate our growth and leadership in the connectedness space,” he added. 

On joining the board of directors at Prodapt, Rajeev Butani said, “With a singular focus on the Connectedness vertical, Prodapt has become a critical partner enabling next-generation technologies and innovations for the world’s leading telecom companies. It is exciting to see Prodapt bring the same focus and commitment to the connected platforms and software industry. I am delighted to be a part of the Prodapt Board, and I look forward to partnering with Vedant, Harsha, and the Prodapt team in this journey.” 

Harsha Kumar, President of Prodapt, said, “Rajeev has an unparalleled track record in leading businesses and driving leading-edge technology innovation. I am very excited to work closely with Rajeev in developing & executing our growth strategy.” 

About Prodapt 

Prodapt has a singular focus on the Connectedness vertical. Prodapt partners with the leading creators of our hyper-connected world. Prodapt’s customers range from telecom operators, digital/multi-service providers (D/MSPs), technology and digital platform companies in the business of Connectedness. 

Prodapt builds, integrates, and operates solutions enabling next-generation technologies and innovations. Prodapt services global leaders including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink, Adtran, Vodafone, Liberty Global, Windstream, Virgin Media, Rogers, Deutsche Telekom, among many others. Prodapt’s customers help more than a billion people, and five billion devices stay connected. Prodapt has offices in North America, Europe, Latam, India, and Africa. It is part of the 120-year-old business conglomerate, The Jhaver Group, which employs over 22,000 people across 64+ locations globally. 

CoinSwitch Lists 100th Coin For Its Users To Invest In Indian Rupees

* With over 18 million users, CoinSwitch is the largest crypto company in India

CoinSwitch, India’s largest Crypto investing app, has listed 100th coin on its trading platform, providing users a wide range of Crypto assets to purchase in Indian Rupees, besides popular coins such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Shiba Inu. Now users can purchase and sell these Crypto assets in Indian Rupees following safe investing guidelines.

CoinSwitch keeps investor protection at the forefront even as it continues to list newer assets. The company recently introduced a Riskometer feature to warn users before they purchase a crypto that is new or is potentially volatile. The risk levels are assessed by analyzing a coin’s origins, utility, and other factors. The additional nudge respects the user's choice while enabling informed decisions.

“At CoinSwitch, we deliberate carefully before listing any coin on our platform. We place user protection and education at the forefront of all business decisions, even as we provide them with greater choices. Today, we are pleased to provide our 18 million users with 100 Crypto assets to purchase and invest in with Indian Rupee. Users can learn more about these coins from our educational platforms such as the CoinSwitch blog and YouTube channel and make an informed investment decision,” said Ashish Singhal, CEO & Co-Founder of CoinSwitch.

The company has implemented several measures to make Crypto investing safe and trustworthy in India. On the CoinSwitch app, users can deposit and withdraw only Indian Rupees from their verified bank account after submitting necessary KYC details. The app is open for only resident Indians. Further, it conducts name screening (for Politically Exposed Person status, Sanctioned list, and negative news) if a user makes a transfer beyond a threshold.

With a mission to make money equal for all, CoinSwitch provides users with a safe, simple, and trusted platform for users to invest in Crypto assets, and equips users with educational content to make informed decisions. Users can consume these educational materials on the CoinSwitch blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, and other platforms.

Bitbns Is Country’s First Crypto Exchange To Facilitate Automated Trading In Cryptocurrency

* Partners with Tradetron to broaden retail participation in Indian cryptocurrency trading and investments

·         To empower users to automate their investment strategies

·         Algorithm strategies created by investors for their own use or for others to avail automated crypto trade

·         Investment algorithm to be accessible to both existing and new users

·         Tradetron is the most widely used automation platform for trading in the country

Bitbns, a leading Indian cryptocurrency exchange, has partnered with Tradetron, the country's most widely used algorithm automation platform, to facilitate automated crypto trading for its traders and investors. With this strategic partnership, Bitbns aims to empower its users to automate their investment strategies while facilitating seamless trading and investment in the digital asset class.

Automated trading, also known as Algo trading, is the process of using computers programmed to follow a defined set of instructions for placing a trade to generate profits at a speed and frequency that is impossible for a human trader. The most significant advantage of automated trading is that users can execute a particular crypto trading transaction on multiple indicators, inclusive of a targeted price at lightning speed. 

Automated trading has been popular among equity traders. It is now slowly becoming a popular choice among crypto traders globally too. 

It empowers strategy creators by allowing them to automate their strategies and make them available to investors and traders worldwide. Users need not have to write a code and yet can create an algorithm to trade automatically.

Tradetron is a multi-asset, multi-currency, multi-exchange which allows strategy creators to create trading algorithms using a web-based strategy builder. Once the users create the algorithm, it can be listed on the exchanges where investors can subscribe to them and take those trades in their existing brokerage accounts. Tradetron is the most widely used traded automation platform in the country. 

Commenting on this development, Gaurav Dahake, Founder & CEO, Bitbns, said, "Innovation is at the heart of everything we do and as one of the country’s leading crypto exchanges, we have always pursued to offer a seamless end-to-end trading and investment experience to all our customers. Our partnership with Tradetron, will offer our users the unique proposition to avail a more systemic approach to active trading than being driven by emotions or mere gut. By following a defined set of instructions pertaining to price, quantity, timing etc. this trading mechanism has the potential to help build more discipline into trading. Additionally, the platform will help build more trust among retail investors who can now bank on a computer program to enjoy smart trading while opting for the strategy that works best for them."

Commenting on the development, Umesh Ranglani, CEO, Tradetron Inc, said, “Crypto as an instrument has two specific properties which make it ideal for automated trading; Its volatility and the fact that it’s a 24-hour trading window. One possibly cant be available for trading all the time and once the algo is doing the job for you, you can let your strategy do its magic. We are excited to tie up with BitBns as our first crypto partner to bring the power of Tradetron to all BitBns users. As the ecosystem deepens, stable, dependable, profitable strategies will emerge which one can trade to take bets with an edge on your side.  “.

The feature is live on Tradetron and Bitbns platform and is accessible to existing and new users. 

About Bitbns

Bitbns is India's most versatile exchange. With over 4 million users, it is today a one-stop shop for a diverse suite of crypto-based products and services. With varied products such as Bitdroplet, SIP in bitcoin, FIP which is fixed deposit for crypto, the exchange caters to a wide variety of audiences inclusive of traders and long-term mature investors among others. The exchange also offers advanced trading capabilities like margin trading which can be leveraged by sophisticated traders and automated trading options through API for users. Bitbns has Bitbns Quick Swap which offers over 400 cryptocurrencies which can be traded - the highest in India. Founded in 2017, Bitbns is the fastest and easiest way to buy & sell Bitcoin (BTC) at the lowest trading fee.

https://bitbns.com/

'Women & Diversity Brings More Rounded And More Innovative Outcomes In Any Organization'

As it is International Women in Engineering Day on June 23, Lesley Dean, Director- Enablement & Learning at Fluent Commerce, remarks, saying that, "There is still much societal bias in deeply ingrained gender stereotypes. Women who do find interest in engineering, and perhaps even study it, find themselves in a very male dominated, competitive environment, and often don't stick to it. Even for the few women that build a career in the industry, the management level is often dominated by men, which continues to deter women. If there were a few more female engineering managers around, this could encourage more young women to pursue this career, believing they too can climb the ranks and have influence and recognition in this field. 

Don't get me wrong, we are moving forward, but too slowly to see a significant impact in the numbers. I've been in this industry for more than 20 years, and in many ways I feel as though there are even fewer women in engineering. Women tend to take specific roles or areas of study, where the numbers are more balanced, or even predominantly women. 

My advice for girls and women looking to start a career in engineering: Please do it - we need you! Don't shy away from one of the most fun and rewarding careers on the planet. Learning and being able to build things, solve problems, and innovate with new ideas is addictive! Every day you have the opportunity to add value, solve a problem, be creative, and see the outcome of your work. 

Organisations can do something with and through schools, helping to change some of the systemic problems. Actively seeking to hire more women engineers, contribute scholarships, and encourage their women engineers and leaders to share their stories, and talk more about the great things they are doing in their company, will also help to address this balance. 

After all, diversity brings more rounded and more innovative outcomes. Women often have unique perspectives from men, and this can only result in better outcomes when both can come together to design and build solutions to problems,” she concludes.