Latest news with #YUVA
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘I caught the petals': Children soak in the spirit at PM's I-Day Red Fort event
The high energy during the Prime Minister's address at the Red Fort was accompanied by a light drizzle and overcast skies on Thursday, when people from all over the country arrived in the national capital to celebrate the 79th Independence Day. Scores of people holding the national flags eagerly entered the Fort area as early as 5.30am to watch Narendra Modi deliver his annual address. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with children at the Red Fort on the 79th Independence Day on Friday. (HT Photo) 'We have wanted to attend for a long time. Last year, we had come all the way here but got late and were denied entry. So this time we are very excited to attend,' said 26-year-old Moham Sharma from Najafgarh, as he hurriedly walked towards the entry gates. The front face of the Red Fort was adorned with saffron, green, white, and blue flowers forming the Tricolour. Light rain started when Modi arrived, and the attendees put on the raincoats provided by the government, and craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the Prime Minister. Wearing a saffron turban and a matching saffron sleeveless jacket paired with a white kurta set, Modi arrived at 7.30am, and was met with massive applause from the crowd as he saluted the army chief and walked towards the Fort. This was followed by the flag hoisting ceremony, after which the national anthem was played. The crowd stood in rapt attention as a 21-gun salute was fired. Then, two Air Force helicopters flew above, showering the audience with flower petals, drawing cheers and clapping from the audience as children in the crowd ran around trying to catch the petals. 'What they did with the flowers was a really nice moment. I also caught some of the petals, and will take them with me,' said 17-year-old Vishvajeet Vinod with a large smile on his face. He and many other school children were invited to the event by the government. 'It was my first time here, and I really liked everything. I wish I can come next year as well,' he said. Modi concluded his speech at 9.30am. The experience was an unforgettable one for many other children at the event, who excitedly repeated the PM's words to their parents, waving the flag to chants of 'Vande Matram', and were enamored by the tri-coloured balloons released at the end of the speech 'She was extremely excited to come here. Usually we have to wake her up in the mornings, but today she woke up herself and was ready to go,' said Runki Mandal, 32, talking about her 7-year-old daughter Suruchi. Among the invitees to the event were people with notable contributions to different fields, yoga volunteers, best-performing farmers, and people who have benefitted from the various schemes launched by the government. One such group comprised of the authors who were a part of the Prime Minister YUVA author mentorship programme. 'I was really excited last night. My favourite moments were the flag hoisting and the national anthem – I'm glad I could come because the feeling of being here in person and listening to the anthem was incredible,' said Deepshika, whose book was published under the scheme. Many National Cadet Corps (NCC) members also attended the event. 'It was such a unique and unbelievable experience, I did not think that my friends and I would shake hands and talk with the Prime Minister,' said 14-year old NCC volunteer Srishti Shah. 'This was a very new and mesmerizing experience for me, and I felt very proud of myself because I think I might be the first person from my village to attend this event,' said 18-year-old NCC member Prabalpreet Singh from Chopra village in Punjab's Gurdaspur district. Currently studying in Delhi University's Hansraj college, he is eager to return next year. 'I hope I can come again next year as an NCC member in the march past, or hopefully, in four years, as an army officer,' he said.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
CM Yogi refutes school closure claims; highlights UP's education, employment gains
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday strongly rejected Opposition allegations that his government has shut down 29,000 schools, asserting instead that the state's education system is being strengthened through integration and modernisation initiatives. Speaking in the Assembly, CM Adityanath clarified that schools with fewer than 50 students and located within a one-kilometre radius are being merged under a 'school pairing' initiative to create integrated campuses with improved infrastructure. 'Our aim is to achieve a 22:1 student–teacher ratio and enhance education quality,' he said. Highlighting pre-2017 conditions, CM Adityanath said 1.56 lakh basic and affiliated schools faced poor infrastructure, an imbalanced student–teacher ratio, and the highest dropout rate in the country. Under programmes like 'School Chalo Abhiyan' and 'Operation Kayakalp', community members and public representatives were encouraged to adopt schools, leading to upgrades such as smart classes, digital libraries, solar power, playgrounds, and better seating. Students now receive two uniforms, bags, books, shoes, and socks free of cost. Bal Vatika and pre-primary classes for children aged 3–6 years are being introduced, while a Rs 100 crore CM Nutrition Mission package will address malnutrition and anaemia among children. Since 2017, UP has recorded 40 lakh new school enrollments and a sharp fall in dropout rates. CM Adityanath also cited progress in higher and technical education, including courses in AI, Robotics, and Space Technology in 150 government ITIs, the establishment of 71 new government colleges, and the renovation of 75-year-old inter colleges. On employment, CM Adityanath claimed 8.5 lakh jobs have been given since 2017, including to 1.75 lakh women, boosting female workforce participation from 13.5 per cent to 35 per cent and reducing unemployment from 19 per cent to 3 per cent. Through CM YUVA, 1.65 crore youth have found jobs, while UP now hosts 7,200 startups and 50 incubators. CM Adityanath added, "In the police force, 62,200 new personnel have been recruited. Training capacity has expanded from 3,000 to 60,000, and residential facilities have been upgraded from dilapidated barracks to modern high-rise complexes." Cybercrime, identified as a major challenge, is now being tackled with one cyber police station in each of the 75 districts, compared to just one in Gautam Buddha Nagar before 2017. A dedicated cyber headquarters is being established, and cyber help desks are now operational in every police station in the state.
Mint
25-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
NSDL has onboarded majority of new brokers, says CEO Vijay Chandok
National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL) has onboarded the majority of new brokers entering the market in recent quarters, surpassing its competitor in this segment, according to the company's managing director and chief executive Vijay Chandok. 'These newly onboarded brokers are primarily new-age players who are currently small but are expected to grow significantly in size and scale,' Chandok told Mint, speaking after NSDL's press conference in Mumbai announcing the price band for its initial public offering (IPO). Bringing in new brokers could be a key move for NSDL, especially as rival Central Depository Services Ltd (CDSL) currently leads in terms of new demat account openings. As of FY25, CDSL had 37.38 million new investor accounts, while NSDL had added 3.68 million. The next growth driver and a natural opportunity in the market for NSDL is by providing better settlement pricing, said Chandok. NSDL has removed the settlement fees per debit instruction for the first 36 months from the date of opening a new demat account for individuals below the age of 24. 'The YUVA plan is meant for the young investors, because we see this as a growing market, and to facilitate this opportunity, we have brought the pricing of settlement to zero,' Chandok said. Settlement fees refer to the charges paid to the depository for transferring the ownership of shares between buyers and sellers. The transaction revenue per account for NSDL has fallen from ₹ 72 in FY21 to ₹ 63 in FY23, according to NSDL's draft red herring prospectus (DRHP). 'You will find younger investors coming as compared to the senior guys who have participated earlier in the market, they tend to have lower per capita capability, which brings down the average.' This number is naturally expected to fall further as more young investors come in, he said. But, as more investors come, there are more opportunities to generate revenue, he said. On the slow adoption of same-day trade settlement (T+0), Chandok said that was for brokers to decide. 'We are very supportive of all the regulatory changes as it is in the interest of market risk and a safer environment. In that spirit, we would have already provided this service to our brokers, and now it is really for the brokers to follow and then implement it,' Chandok said. However, Chandok said that the market participants will have to wait for it to play out as 'we have seen things moving from T+2 to T+1'. Chandok said the agenda for further investments in technology will be laid out soon. 'All of that is self-sustained in terms of financing as the company is cash-rich,' Chandok added. Investments in technology started during Covid 19, when companies had to meet the regulatory requirement of conducting AGMs. NSDL launched e-AGM, which revolutionized or changed the way people conduct and attend AGMs, Chandok said. NSDL also launched a product for debt capital markets — a DLT-based platform for covenant monitoring, he added. NSDL has the highest market share by value of securities in demat form at ₹ 464 trillion in FY25 compared with CDSL's ₹ 71 trillion. NSDL has set its price band ₹ 760-800 per share for its IPO. At the upper end, the company is expected to raise ₹ 4,000 crore. The issue an offer for sale (OFS) of 50.1 million shares. Among the sellers offloading their stakes would be IDBI, State Bank of India, National Stock Exchange, Union Bank of India, HDFC Bank, and Specified Undertaking of the Unit Trustof India. The IPO will open for subscription on 30 July and close on 1 August.
Time of India
12-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
When working class sees red, it's not the BEST way forward
Mumbai: Mangala Bawskar catches eight buses a day on her commute to and from work. "I work in three houses," says the 47-year-old domestic worker who lives in Seven Bungalows, Andheri. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "At 6am I catch the number 249 or 251 to Four Bungalows. I then board the number 266 or 79 for Lokhandwala Circle, from where I walk to my first job at Shastri Nagar. I walk to my second job at Lokhandwala Market at 8.30am, and at 11.30am, catch the number 79 or 266 to 4 Bungalows for my third job. And finally, the number 221 or 56 back home. I return to Lokhandwala Market for the evening shift in one house, catching two buses to and from there. By the time I return home at 10.30-10.45pm, I am 'energy down'. Had the number 234 been regular, it would have saved me two bus trips to Lokhandwala. But it often takes an hour to arrive." Bawskar is one of hundreds of women domestic workers in Mumbai who've been dealt a blow by BEST's reduced fleet, fare hike and route closures. Domestic workers are the second largest urban informal workforce in India after home-based workers, and female workers account for 66.6% of the segment, according to the National Sample Survey 2011-12. In a recently released situational analysis of domestic workers across 15 districts in Maharashtra, conducted by the nonprofit YUVA and the Maharashtra Rajya Gharelu Kamgar Samanvay Samiti (MRGKSS), approximately 84% worked within a 5km radius of their homes. Over 70% said they walked to work, while 11.3% took public buses. For domestic workers in Mumbai, the ride has been far from smooth. "My employers don't understand the trouble I go through to get to work," says Bawskar, "They complain when I'm late, but don't realise that the buses are irregular, and when they arrive, they are so crowded, one can barely breathe." Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The YUVA-MRGKSS survey found that 83% of domestic workers were engaged in part-time employment across multiple households. For some, like 50-year-old Vimla Vinod Maru, this involves a multi-modal commute by foot, bus, and train, as she travels from Arthur Road to Nepean Sea Road, Grant Road and Agripada. "I take three buses a day. Previously, the number 77 took me directly to J M Mehta Rd, but that bus no longer comes my way, which is why I now take two buses," says Maru. Monsoons make travel more difficult, when buses are further delayed. "After a point, I'm forced to take a taxi, which costs Rs 130-140 from Arthur Road to Nepean Sea Road," she says. Travel costs have increased, but wages haven't. When Maya Rajguru from Worli requested one of her employers to increase her monthly wage of Rs 6,000, to factor the increased cost of the commute, she was told they would consider it in October after she completed two years of work. Easy and affordable access to transport is a key factor in women's participation in the workforce and a crucial contributor to their economic independence. Over 38% of domestic workers spent 5-15% of their income on travel, said the survey. It also found that the average monthly income of a domestic worker was a little less than Rs 9,000. Moreover, 40% were the sole earners in their families. The additional outlay in increased bus fare and unplanned auto travel puts a strain on their finances. Bawskar, who lives alone, says she runs out of money by the third week of the month. "I walk to Four Bungalows to save part of the bus fare," she says. At the Holy Family Hospital bus stop on Hill Road, Sajida Shaikh glumly watches two domestic workers hail a shared autorickshaw to Bandra station and then glances up to see if the number 215 to Tata Colony is in sight. "I can't take a shared auto," she says, "Because I live in Bandra East, and taking the rickshaw would involve crossing the station from West to East, and then taking a shared auto home, because there are no buses nearby. It's too exhausting after a long day's work." Shaikh sometimes waits an hour for the number 215, but she has no choice, because it's the only direct route home. "The BEST should add more buses on busy routes," Bawskar insists, "And they should revert to the original minimum fare of Rs 5. The govt's Ladki Bahin Yojana hasn't benefited every woman, but at least the BEST did."
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Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
J&K Bank aims to cross ₹5,000 cr profit mark by 2030: MD & CEO Chatterjee
Jammu and Kashmir Bank, which crossed the Rs 2,000-crore profit mark in fiscal year 2024-25, aims to cross the Rs 5,000 crore profit milestone by 2030, its Managing Director and CEO Amitava Chatterjee has said. Chatterjee emphasized on the need for the bank to focus more on supporting the agriculture sector, while expanding its footprints in the rest of the country as part of its diversification plan. "The vision or aspiration of the bank is to cross Rs 5,000 crore profit by 2030. So that will be our way forward. Yes, we have increased the net profit by Rs 300-400 crore in the last fiscal. Obviously we would like to increase it by Rs 500 crore next year, but the ultimate vision is to cross Rs 5,000 crore by 2030," Chatterjee told PTI. He said the bank has been raising the bar each passing year by posting record profits for the past three financial years. For the full 2024-25 fiscal, the bank reported nearly an 18 per cent rise in net profit to Rs 2,082.46 crore, compared to Rs 1,767.27 crore reported for FY 2023-24. Chatterjee said, the bank is one of the main pillars of supporting the local economy, besides the government. "We need to continuously support the local economy and we need to support the agriculture sector much more than what we have been able to do in the past," he said, adding "on the agriculture front, we are now focusing more on investment credit". Commenting on the revision of MSME criteria, he said it is likely that the Jammu and Kashmir region will come up with new units in the small and medium sector. "There is another very good scheme, YUVA, being introduced by the government. It also gives us a very good opportunity to support 3.5 lakh youth of the region to get into some new kind of a business. Within this state, we are well placed to support the people and we are going to do that," he noted. Chatterjee said, while the bank has a strong presence in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh Union territories, it has a significant presence in the rest of the country as well. "... We are present in 20 other states of the country. This gives us an opportunity of diversification. While we are very focused and positive in our growth strategy in the two union territories, we will also try to diversify our portfolio to the other parts of the country," he said.
