Category: Business & Economy

** India, UAE sign comprehensive trade pact – February 18th, 2022

The agreement will herald a new age in India-UAE finacial ties, says PM Modi

India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) signed a bilateral “comprehensive” trade pact on Friday. Announcing the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the biggest trade pact of the last seven years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed investment from the Gulf country into Jammu and Kashmir and said the initiative would open new routes for regional trade and connectivity and advance “collective interests” of India, Israel, the UAE and the United States. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the CEPA would have strong anti-dumping measures.

“This agreement will herald a new age in our financial relations. Our trade in the next five years will increase from $60 billion to $100 billion,” said Mr. Modi, thanking Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan who participated in the summit virtually.

** The incredible story of Hicky’s Bengal Gazette and how it took on the establishment

Andrew Otis offers insights into Asia’s first printed newspaper that was published from Calcutta, the then capital of British India, and his research that led to his seminal book, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette: The Untold Story of India’s First Newspaper

** The music and the memory

The story of a man who made a business of recording the music of the past.

The Indian in the United States — nostalgic and out of place — was homesick. It was a sentiment that Atanu Biswas, formerly of Calcutta, then of Newark in the US, understood well. And it was to cater to

his compatriots that the research chemist launched Biswas Records in 1994.

Biswas Records filled this gap. The logo of a Bengal School-influenced line drawing of a traditionally-dressed Indian woman holding a lit lamp with Biswas written at the bottom was always found in abundance at major Durga Pujas across the US, from Boston to San Francisco. A passion project for Atanu, whose day job involves trying to turn soya bean products into biodegradable packaging for FMCG, and his wife Sheena, Biswas Records produced more than 175 albums of Bengali as well as north Indian classical music till 2005.

West Bengal / USA

** India’s first water taxi connecting Mumbai east coast with mainland sets sail

The long-awaited water taxi services linking Mumbai’s east coast with the mainland in Navi Mumbai and other locations — the first of its kind in India — was inaugurated on Thursday by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray in the presence of Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

While Thackeray inaugurated the new Belapur Jetty, Sonowal formally flagged off the water taxi services with Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, Ports Minister Aslam Shaikh, MoS Ports Abdul Sattar, Mumbai Port Trust Chairman Rajiv Jalota, Maharashtra Maritime Board CEO Amit Saini, Thane Collector Rajesh Narvekar, local elected representatives and other dignitaries.

Maharashtra

** Global Skill Park in Bhopal to be named after Sant Ravidas, announces MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Along with this, Sant Ravidas Swa-rozgar Yojana, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Aarthik Kalyan Yojana and Mukhyamantri Anusuchit Jati Vishesh Pariyojana Vitta Poshan Yojana will be started to provide employment to the youths. Sant Ravidas community buildings will be constructed in scheduled caste dominated areas of every district of the state.”

Madhya Pradesh

** DUK partners with British High Commission to aid tech start-ups

Commercialisation support, access to investment opportunities on offer

Digital University Kerala and electronic hardware incubator Maker Village that functions under the university have partnered with the British High Commission for a business acceleration programme for technology start-ups.

According to an official release, the programme, UK India Tech Startup, also involves collaboration with Cambridge Cleantech, a UK-based network of organisations that support the growth of sustainable and clean technology companies, and UK-based business consultant Triple Chasm.

Kerala

** Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat bags Swaraj Trophy

For efforts in Plan fund use, excellence in project planning

The Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat has won the Swaraj Trophy for the best district panchayat in the State for the fourth consecutive time.

The local body has bagged the trophy for its efforts in Plan fund utilisation, excellence in project planning and implementation of public welfare schemes, according to district panchayat president D. Suresh Kumar.

Kerala

** Apollo signs MoU with Marafon Group for setting up hospital in Uzbekistan

In phase I, the hospital at Fergana region will have 100 beds with scope for expansion in future

Apollo Hospitals entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Marafon Group for setting up a tertiary care hospital in Uzbekistan. 

Dinesh Madhavan, president of Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., said there was a huge gap in healthcare in Uzbekistan due to the lack of a tertiary care hospital and numerous patients travelled to India for treatmen

** Asia’s biggest tribal fair kicks-off in Telangana

An estimated four lakh devotees have already visited Medaram during the last few days ahead of the Jatara.

Also known as Sammakka-Sarakka Jatara, the fair got underway with the customary arrival of Sarakka’s image from Kannepally village which was placed on a platform in Medaram. The image idol covered in red cloth was brought in a vessel laden with vermilion and turmeric powder.