Bitcoin is becoming quite popular – Why?

 Bitcoin was the first digital currency that was invented in the year 2009, and it become quite popular across the globe over the years. However, its value is never stable as of now, and right from the beginning, it is continuously fluctuating. Therefore bitcoin, as a cryptocurrency is known as a highly volatile asset amongst all. For more detail about Bitcoin Application

These days, Bitcoin is used by many individuals and companies as a method of payment instead of conventional currencies. No one can deny that this particular cryptocurrency has made trading quite simple and lots of customers are accepting it in their businesses. Let us move forward and see the reasons behind the popularity of Bitcoin right now.

  1. Low fees for transactions:

Bitcoin attracts minimal costs, unlike conventional methods of payment. In fact, low transaction fees are one primary reason that attracts more people toward it. It makes sense for most individuals, particularly while making online payments for services or purchasing items online. Many people are using Bitcoin for sending money, particularly across borders.

  • Suitable asset to make a profit:

One more reason behind the popularity of Bitcoin is the fact that there is a huge potential for making a profit. In case you purchase Bitcoin when the price is low and sell it once the price becomes high, you will be able to make lots of profit in the long run. During the last several years, almost all the investors are doing short-term bitcoin trading and earning little but multiple profits by using the same strategy.

  • It is becoming simpler to use Bitcoin:

People are becoming more aware of Bitcoin which has helped it to become more popular these days. Lots of websites are accepting cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin as payment which will become more widespread in the upcoming days. It can be rightly asserted that the usage of Bitcoin is becoming simpler every day since an increasing number of online companies are adopting it. Here, we like to mention that the usage of cryptocurrency debit cards has also started in some particular locations.

For instance, at present, the e-Yuan currency has been introduced in China and if you like to trade this particular currency, then it will be advisable to make use of the Yuan Pay App. Visit yuanpaygroup.nl for getting more information on this particular topic.

  • Less possibility of fraud:

Bitcoin is 100% digital, and therefore, many individuals are investing in this digital currency right now. Moreover, Bitcoin does not exist physically and it offers a decentralized platform where no central authority is there to regulate the transactions. Consequently, there is virtually no risk of fraud when it comes to the usage of Bitcoin.

  • Security:

The usage of Bitcoin happens to be safer compared to fiat money which can be stolen by getting hold of your physical wallet. But, bitcoin is safer as you use your private key for safeguarding your digital wallet. No person can get hold of your Bitcoin without this digital wallet key. Moreover, you will only share the address of your digital wallet while paying with Bitcoin, and there is no need to reveal any personal info. Bitcoin will allow you to safeguard your money and identity which matters a lot for most individuals out there.

  • Bitcoin is seen as the currency of the future:

According to many people, government-regulated currencies will be replaced by cryptocurrencies in the future. Bitcoin is loved by lots of individuals because of its innovativeness. Apart from this, this particular cryptocurrency also makes use of blockchain technology that has the power of transforming lots of social and economic sectors. Bitcoin is used by many people as a means of acclimatizing to technological innovation which has made it quite popular over time.

  • The simplicity of acquiring Bitcoin:

In the past, individuals were in the habit of mining Bitcoin for obtaining it. However, this process is somewhat complicated that requires one to solve math or computer problems are need high energy and highly proficient hardware. However, now it is not difficult to get Bitcoin anymore. You simply require a well-known crypto exchange for purchasing or trading this cryptocurrency.

Conclusion:

More and more traders are accepting Bitcoin these days as a convenient method of payment. Therefore, it can be rightly asserted that the popularity of this digital currency will go on increasing shortly. Moreover, Bitcoin is likely to allow individuals to preserve value, particularly when there is an economic crisis.

Factors influencing the rise of Bitcoin’s market price

 Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that was created in 2009 gained its reputation in the year 2020 as it marked an alleged rise in value before the start of the pandemic. Bitcoin was at its lowest limit during the Covid period raking in $4,000 in value and reaching a stupendous amount of $30,000 at the end of the fiscal year. Within a few days, the value reached a peak of $40,000 and in 2021 it skyrocketed to over $65,000 for Bitcoin investors to sell them as assets and earned even billions and millions. Thus, it is essential to check the different factors involved before buying a cryptocurrency for trading purposes. Learn More

Over 18,000 different cryptocurrencies are in the existence among them Bitcoin stands tall. With the increase in the value of Bitcoins, other cryptocurrencies are also increasing in value over the longer term. However, there are several reasons why bitcoin shows such volatility and those reasons have marked the growth in the rates of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. A few of the essential factors are demonstrated below.

Factors influencing the rise of rates and values of Bitcoin cryptocurrency:

According to News reports, Bitcoin has staggered its way up from $0 in 2016 and now in 2022, it is around $20,600 as of November. Many factors are responsible for the increase in the values and rates of Bitcoin cryptocurrency. 

  1. Increase in Bitcoin investors:

The major reason for an increase in Bitcoin value and rates is because of the high increase in Bitcoin investors. Many organizations and service providers have staked in hefty amounts for buying Bitcoins for trading purposes. According to news sources-

  • companies like J.P. Morgan have invested quite heavily in cryptocurrencies. 
  • Companies like PayPal have introduced services for purchasing, selling, and trading purposes using Bitcoins. 
  • Visa has also been favorable to Bitcoins by introducing debit and credit cards for the trading platform Coinbase.
  • Many other mammoth organizations are accepting bitcoins as a payment method and also utilizing services for trading purposes. 

With the increase in investors, the Bitcoin applications such as bitcoin-prime.nl have become quite easy to login into accounts and trade over different cryptocurrencies. Digital wallets and private keys need to be kept safe from any unwanted intrusion into the Bitcoin account.

  • Inflation due to the Covid-19 pandemic:

Another increase in the value of Bitcoins is due to Covid 19 pandemic issues. This has evolved into banks printing more money and the government imposing extensive packages by driving up inflation. In the last financial year, the government of the United States deducted a 2% rise in the initial economic showdown. 

Therefore, keeping Bitcoins seems to be wiser for people. Possessing Bitcoins shortly can help investors in getting increased rates over the same. According to News agencies, the utilization of Bitcoin would go up in several folds and individuals would stick to Bitcoins for transactional purposes. Bitcoin is kept at a margin of 21 million units whereas around 18 million units of Bitcoins are been utilized to date by individuals.

  • Safe and secure cryptocurrency with strong policies:

Another important aspect of the rising values and rates of Bitcoins is that they are safe and secured cryptocurrencies utilized by many financial companies worldwide. The policy is also updated over stringent approvals where individuals have fewer chances of losing assets.

  • Some companies like Tesla and Expedia utilize Bitcoins for buying cars and booking hotels and flights. 
  • Companies like PayPal, Microsoft, and Shopify utilize Bitcoins for shopping purposes and individuals can purchase software, add-ons, mods, and even products to buy from such portals. 
  • Easily available cryptos for trading:

Another important aspect of the growing utilization of Bitcoins is that it is available to the general public easily. Bitcoins are quite volatile and prices may increase or decrease depending on the utilization of the cryptocurrency for trading purposes. Bitcoins have a really good store value and individuals can convert their cash to the bitcoin value and store it for prospects. Some even tend to buy assets utilizing bitcoins and store them for reselling purposes soon.

Bottom-line:

Thus, the above-mentioned points prove that saving Bitcoins can help with numerous advantages over the period. It is also essential to check with the different trading platforms for utilizing it in buying Bitcoins. Some trading platforms provide utilization of a decentralized process for storing bitcoins using a secure blockchain methodology. It is also advisable to check the different policies involved before buying Bitcoins for personal purposes.

The fundamentals of Bitcoin trading that you need to know

 Trading actually means transferring things in exchange for something. However, bitcoin trading is the same but the practice is more centered on the profit gained out of a trade. The process of purchasing bitcoin at a low price and selling it at a higher price for making a profit is known as Bitcoin trading. A trader will purchase this cryptocurrency when he’s off the notion that its price will go up and he can sell it afterward at a higher price. For more detail please visit our website.

In the same manner, it is also possible for traders to take advantage of the plummeting prices of Bitcoin. He might short-sell Bitcoin at a higher price when he thinks that its price will drop in a while and the position can be covered at a lower price.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels.com

Why bitcoin trading is a good idea?

It will be extremely profitable to trade Bitcoin in case you can get the basics correct and also comprehend how to minimalize the risk of this volatile market. Incidentally, Bitcoin is considered to be the most renowned cryptocurrency on the market right now.

Here, we have enumerated the various benefits of trading Bitcoin preferably with the help of the Bitcoin Era app. If you want to know more about this app, then make sure to visit https://bitcoins-era.nl/.

  1. Opportunities for trading:

There has been a rise in the different trading opportunities over time since the price of Bitcoin fluctuates heavily at times. You will come across a Bitcoin trading setup virtually all the time. It is a fact that the price of this cryptocurrency can go up or fall significantly within only several minutes these days.

  • Mass adoption:

One can’t deny that the concept of cryptocurrency is rather new in the financial world. Nevertheless, Bitcoin has been accepted already by lots of large businesses as well as several renowned banks out there and other companies are likewise planning to do it.

  • Margin trading:

It is possible to trade Bitcoin with a margin account on leverage similar to any other digital currency. This will enable you to open a bigger position size compared to your trading account and it will allocate just a small percentage of your account for the trade as collateral.

Steps for trading Bitcoin:

  1. Create a brokerage account:

The initial step that should be taken by you will be to create a brokerage account. The registration process comes first here that needs some of your IDs to be verified and once it is done a bitcoin trading account will be opened.

  • Funding

After opening up the brokerage account, transferring some funds to it is necessary. Therefore, it will be imperative to link your bank account for getting the funds and the withdrawals promptly. 

  • Select the currency:

After completing the previous steps, you need to select the currency type that you will deal with. All these steps will be essential for every type of cryptocurrency out there including Bitcoin.

  • Automated trading:

An automated trading platform will be the most effective option for you when you want to formulate a solid strategy for Bitcoin trading. One notable thing regarding automated trading platforms is that they will provide you with conservative, aggressive, or neutral mechanisms that you can use to generate quick money, diversify your portfolio, plus hold the coins.

  • Store the currency:

It is a fact that Bitcoin happens to be a digital currency, unlike money that exists physically. Consequently, it is important to store Bitcoin properly since it does not have any physical existence and online fraud can be another reason as well. Therefore, use bitcoin wallets that safeguard your crypto holdings by keeping your private and public keys safe. Try to use cold storage wallets that are more secure.

Conclusion:

The procedure of starting a trade, monitoring it, and closing it happens to be quite simple. Brokers are nowadays making a lot of investments in order to earn. However, the toughest part happens to be fine-tuning your decisions regarding trading so that you will be able to make a profit. But newbies who stick to the standard advice of Bitcoin trading in small sizes will provide themselves with the most effective option of becoming successful in the long run.

Top companies with the maximum Bitcoin holdings this year

 Investing in Bitcoin has become quite well-known in many parts of the world right now. Every investor dreams of investing at least a small portion of their savings in this popular cryptocurrency individually. However, you will come across many companies that have invested significantly in Bitcoin these days. Bitcoin is largely being welcomed by them globally. Here, we will take a look at the companies with the maximum Bitcoin holdings this year. For more detail about Bitcoin the create an account and open account.

Photo by David McBee on Pexels.com
  1. MicroStrategy:

According to many individuals, this particular company happens to be the leading public company that has invested in Bitcoin. This company was one of the first ones to enter the Bitcoin market and it has already made a significant profit from its investment in Bitcoin. Michael Saylor, the CEO, supports the usage of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies since he’s of the notion that Bitcoin is vital for diversification. 

MicroStrategy has the distinction of holding as many as 114,041 bitcoin which happens to be the biggest holding of any public company at present. They have also invested a total amount of $3.1 billion whose worth is now $5.4 billion. It represents approximately 0.54% of the entire supply of Bitcoin.

  • Coinbase:

Coinbase happens to be the first crypto company that has gone public and other crypto companies have also followed it when it comes to going public. The public listing of this company had been a significant highlight of the crypto market last year. Right now, this particular exchange holds approximately 4,500 Bitcoin only which is smaller compared to most of the other companies mentioned on this list. However, it is nonetheless quite significant. Although the price of this purchase is not certain, the present value happens to be $214 million.

  • Voyager Digital LTD:

Voyager Digital LTD, a well-known crypto brokerage, holds approximately 12,260 Bitcoin whose worth is approximately $267 million at present prices. This company intends to offer a one-stop outlet for trading Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Quarterly revenue of approximately $60 million was reported in the month of May last year. 

This company turned out to be amongst the most notable casualties of the crypto crash that took place in the year 2022. Nevertheless, it revealed an exposure of approximately $660 million in Bitcoin because of the existing market conditions to Three Arrows Capital, a struggling crypto investment company. Subsequently, Voyager Digital ended up filing for bankruptcy.

  • Square:

We are all aware of this payments company known as Square that has made significant investments in Bitcoin. Having about 8,000 Bitcoin in its coffers, this company holds Bitcoin whose worth is approximately $382 million right now. Incidentally, it was purchased by Square at only $220 million.

According to some experts, this company is perhaps the largest supporter of Bitcoin since it wants to make this cryptocurrency an integral part of its business. The Cash app of Square happens to be a convenient way to purchase Bitcoin right now.

5. Tesla

Although the aforementioned Microstrategy is considered to be the premier public company investing in Bitcoin, Tesla is perhaps the most well-known. Tesla came into the limelight when it announced that it will purchase Bitcoin in the long run. This particular decision made by this company took the world by surprise and a lot of attention was given to cryptocurrency.

This company has Bitcoin holdings of approximately 44,000 which happen to be $1.5 billion in purchase costs. This has turned out to be the second most lucrative Bitcoin investment done by a public company. 10% of its cryptocurrency holdings were sold by Tesla in 2021.

Galaxy Digital Holdings

This one is a merchant bank that emphasizes the usage of cryptocurrency and happens to be the biggest institutional Bitcoin holder that is involved with the cryptocurrency industry directly. Right now, Galaxy Digital can boast of holding 16,400 Bitcoin which is worth more than $357 million at present prices.

Galaxy Digital has partnered with Block.one and other crypto firms and it was established by Michael Novogratz in the year 2018. It is not surprising that Novogratz happens to be a patron of Bitcoin as well.

Conclusion:

It appears that companies can make use of cryptocurrency for diversifying their portfolio. However, one cannot deny that the number of companies investing in Bitcoin and other digital currencies is quite impressive in the long run. It can be rightly expected that more companies will be investing in this cryptocurrency in the upcoming days. For this context, you can also buy the currency and trade Bitcoin in a convenient manner using BitQT, an app that has become quite famous across the globe at present.

India to test Agni-V missile.

India recently issued a NOTAM notice declaring the Bay of Bengal a no-fly zone ahead of another Agni-V ballistic missile test scheduled for December 15-16 from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

The development comes amid the reported movement of a Chinese research vessel in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). According to data collected by the Norwegian company Maritime Optima, as reported by ThePrint, Yuan Wang 5 re-entered the Indian Ocean region. The report stated that the Yuan Wang 5 was currently southbound in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Indonesian island of Java.

Agni V is India’s long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of hitting a target 5,000 kilometres away with pinpoint accuracy. This range puts almost the entire country of China within the missile’s range. Though an ICBM requires a missile with a range of at least 5,500 km, India’s closest contender for an ICBM is the Agni 5, which can reach countries on other continents, including parts of Africa and Europe.

Though the government claims that it has a maximum range of around 5,000 kilometres, several reports indicate that it can hit targets as far away as 8,000 kilometres, according to the report. The nuclear-capable missile can carry a warhead weighing around 1,500 kg and has a launch weight of 50,000 kg, making it one of the country’s most powerful missiles.

India to test Agni-V missile.

India recently issued a NOTAM notice declaring the Bay of Bengal a no-fly zone ahead of another Agni-V ballistic missile test scheduled for December 15-16 from Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

The development comes amid the reported movement of a Chinese research vessel in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). According to data collected by the Norwegian company Maritime Optima, as reported by ThePrint, Yuan Wang 5 re-entered the Indian Ocean region. The report stated that the Yuan Wang 5 was currently southbound in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Indonesian island of Java.

Agni V is India’s long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of hitting a target 5,000 kilometres away with pinpoint accuracy. This range puts almost the entire country of China within the missile’s range. Though an ICBM requires a missile with a range of at least 5,500 km, India’s closest contender for an ICBM is the Agni 5, which can reach countries on other continents, including parts of Africa and Europe.

Though the government claims that it has a maximum range of around 5,000 kilometres, several reports indicate that it can hit targets as far away as 8,000 kilometres, according to the report. The nuclear-capable missile can carry a warhead weighing around 1,500 kg and has a launch weight of 50,000 kg, making it one of the country’s most powerful missiles.

UPI payments remains favourite mode for Indians.

UPI has once again emerged as the most favoured mode of payment in India. The UPI transactions volume and value has almost doubled since last year and recorded about an 88 per cent increase in volume and over 71 per cent increase in value in the third quarter of the current fiscal as compared to the same quarter last year, according to Worldline India’s ‘Digital Payments Report’ for the third quarter.

UPI clocked over 19.65 billion transactions in volume and Rs 32.5 lakh crore in terms of value in the third quarter this year. The top three UPI apps in terms of volume and value were PhonePe, GooglePay and Paytm Payments Bank App.

UPI, Debit and Credit cards, Prepaid Payment Instruments like Mobile Wallets, and Prepaid Cards executed a total of 23.06 billion transactions amounting Rs 38.32 trillion. 

UPI payments remains favourite mode for Indians.

UPI has once again emerged as the most favoured mode of payment in India. The UPI transactions volume and value has almost doubled since last year and recorded about an 88 per cent increase in volume and over 71 per cent increase in value in the third quarter of the current fiscal as compared to the same quarter last year, according to Worldline India’s ‘Digital Payments Report’ for the third quarter.

UPI clocked over 19.65 billion transactions in volume and Rs 32.5 lakh crore in terms of value in the third quarter this year. The top three UPI apps in terms of volume and value were PhonePe, GooglePay and Paytm Payments Bank App.

UPI, Debit and Credit cards, Prepaid Payment Instruments like Mobile Wallets, and Prepaid Cards executed a total of 23.06 billion transactions amounting Rs 38.32 trillion. 

India assumes G-20 presidency.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially handed over the G20 presidency to India on November 16 this year at the summit in Bali. The year-long presidency assumed by India comes at a time when the world is struck with uncertainties about recovery from a pandemic-hit economy.                                  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a series of tweets, highlighted the country’s commitment towards resolving challenges of “climate change, terrorism and pandemic” through international cooperation.

The main objectives of G20, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), includes policy discussion and coordination on economic and financial issues around the globe. However, over the years, the meeting has extended its aims to cover global terrorism, health and sustainable development.

The leadership of G20 rotates annually among nations, where the President nation determines the agenda of the summit held every year. Non-members, namely, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), among others participate regularly in the G20 proceedings.

India assumes G-20 presidency.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially handed over the G20 presidency to India on November 16 this year at the summit in Bali. The year-long presidency assumed by India comes at a time when the world is struck with uncertainties about recovery from a pandemic-hit economy.                                  Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a series of tweets, highlighted the country’s commitment towards resolving challenges of “climate change, terrorism and pandemic” through international cooperation.

The main objectives of G20, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), includes policy discussion and coordination on economic and financial issues around the globe. However, over the years, the meeting has extended its aims to cover global terrorism, health and sustainable development.

The leadership of G20 rotates annually among nations, where the President nation determines the agenda of the summit held every year. Non-members, namely, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), among others participate regularly in the G20 proceedings.

5th European Union-India Competition Week 2022 Inaugurated

 The European Union-India Competition Week, 5th edition, was inaugurated today at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) HQ by Dr. Sangeeta Verma, acting Chairperson, CCI, and Mr Seppo Nurmi, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to India & Bhutan. The Competition Week is scheduled to be held during 5-7 December 2022.

In her opening remarks, Chairperson, CCI appreciated the relevance of the Competition Week for capacity building of CCI officers. Dr. Verma also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between CCI and Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two authorities in November 2013. Further, she pointed out that this technical cooperation program has provided a platform for dialogue and exchange of good practices between competition authority officials and experts from the EU and India. She remarked that the topics on the agenda are not only of great contemporary relevance and significance but also quite futuristic. 

In the backdrop of the rapidly changing and evolving digital landscape that is posing new challenges for competition law enforcers and questioning the traditional parameters of competition regulation, she highlighted the need for competition agencies to develop innovative perspectives on how to apply the existing instruments suitably and devise new tools, where necessary.

The practical insights shared by experts from the EU in designing and implementing their digital regulations will lead to very engaging discussions, she added.  

The Deputy Head of the EU delegation, Mr Nurmi, highlighted the India-EU relations that date back to the early-1960s. In reference to the agenda items to be covered in the ongoing India-EU Competition Week, he stated that topics such as experiences in applying antitrust laws to the digital economy/markets, introduction of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, investigating hub-and-spoke agreements & other atypical cartels and competition law & sustainable co-operation; are timely for sharing the views of EU experts. He further stated that the 5th India-EU Competition Week provides a platform to share views from two key economies on antitrust action in digital and technology markets as we attempt to find answers to these challenges and provides an opportunity to discuss how regulation can supplement competition enforcement, as the EU has set the Digital Markets Act in motion.

A short meeting on the sidelines of the competition week was also held between the Deputy Head of the EU delegation and Chairperson, CCI along-with the Secretary and other officials.

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Conference on “Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India

 Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh will inaugurate a conference titled, “Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India” in New Delhi tomorrow.

Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ms. Melinda French Gates, Co-chair and Trustee Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Ms. Amie Batson, Executive Director, WomenLift Health will also address the conference.

The conference being organized by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a PSU of DBT, in collaboration with WomenLift Health and Grand Challenges India will highlight and promote the importance of women’s leadership in health and science and seek to identify attainable pathways and goals to strengthen the representation of women in leadership positions in India and Global health ecosystem.

This conference honours and celebrates Indian women’s accomplishments in overcoming unprecedented challenges over the past few years and advancing STEM innovation and healthcare with their indefatigable resilience and unwavering perseverance.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology& Chairperson, BIRAC said “Women’s leadership throughout centuries has been transformative. I congratulate all women, and I believe that this is the time we need to empower more women in leadership positions so that India becomes the superpower that our Prime Minister dreams of.”

Dr Alka Sharma, Senior Adviser, DBT & Managing Director, BIRAC, said, “Women’s leadership is now recognized at the highest level and is steadily on the rise. Through various schemes and programs of BIRAC, the researchers and entrepreneurs are being promoted and supported across the country”. She further added that “this conference is certainly going to help in building a national focus on women’s leadership”.

The global healthcare workforce is predominantly women and yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and decision-making positions, especially at the higher executive or board levels. Under-representation in STEM is also one of the major concerns. In India, even though the healthcare workforce participation is somewhat similar between men and women, there are fewer women in leadership roles.

Recognizing the importance of this issue, BIRAC has been working to advance scientific and technological research to alleviate India’s most critical health and development issues.

Initiatives in agriculture, food, and nutrition are centered on improving health outcomes for women by mitigating maternal and child health issues. Initiatives like BIRACTiE Women in Entrepreneurial Research focus on Women in Entrepreneurial Research- strongly promote and recognize women in science and entrepreneurship.

Co-host WomenLift Health works to accelerate the advancement of talented women into senior leadership by investing in mid-career women and influencing the environments in which they live and work.

The esteemed panel of speakers at this conference includes Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist World Health Organization, Dr Renu Swarup, former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, and Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, and Secretary, Department of Health Research, Dr. Tessy Thomas, Director General of Aeronautical Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and many other prominent names working in health and science.

About DBT

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, boosts and augments the development of biotechnology ecosystem in India, through its expansion and application in agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment, and industry.

About BIRAC

Set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, which acts as an Interface Agency to improve and encourage the evolving biotechnology industry to execute strategic research and development activities in context to Nation’s product development needs

About WomenLift Health

The WomenLift Health conference is an initiative of Stanford University and is organized since 2017 to provide a forum for established and emerging leaders across the global health community to meet and work together to advance gender equity in health leadership, contribute to the growing momentum to advance diversity and women’s leadership in global health and expand understanding of the opportunities and challenges across countries, sectors, and disciplines for women’s leadership.
 

 

                                                                       


Section of NH-69, stretch between Obedullaganj to Itarsi constructed and upgraded in Madhya Pradesh

 Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari said in a series of tweets that stretch between Obedullaganj to Itarsi, a section of NH-69 has been constructed and upgraded under NHDP Phase-3 in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The investment in this 46 km National Highway project is worth Rs. 600 Crores, he said.

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Shri Gadkari informed the stretch connects the capital city of Madhya Pradesh with Narmadapuram and Itarsi. He said this project is also helpful for passengers to reach Bhopal faster by reducing travel time.

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MJPS

Marked Reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses of DISCOMs in FY22

 Aggregate Technical and Commercial Loss (AT&C Loss) and ACS-ARR Gap are key indicators of DISCOM performance. In the last 2 years, the AT&C loss of the DISCOMs of the country was hovering at 21-22%.  Ministry of Power instituted a number of measures to improve the performance of utilities.  Preliminary analysis of data for FY2022 of 56 DISCOMs contributing to more than 96% of input energy, indicates that the AT&C losses of DISCOMs have declined significantly to ~17% in FY2022 from ~22% in FY2021.

Reduction in AT&C losses improves the finances of the utilities, which will enable them to better maintain the system and buy power as per requirements; benefitting the consumers.  The reduction in AT&C losses has resulted in reduction in the Gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Realizable Revenue (ARR).  The ACS-ARR Gap (on subsidy received basis, excluding Regulatory Income & UDAY Grant) has declined from Rs. 0.69/kWh in FY2021 to Rs. 0.22/kWh in FY2022.

The decline of 5% in AT&C losses and 47 paise in the ACS-ARR Gap in one year is the result of a number of initiatives taken by the Ministry of Power. On 04th September 2021, the Ministry of Power revised the prudential norms of PFC and REC, the lending agencies for the power sector to provide that loss making DISCOMs will not be able to avail financing from PFC and REC until and unless they draw up an action plan for reducing the losses within a specific timeframe and get their State Government’s commitment to it.  The Ministry of Power also decided that any future assistance under any scheme for strengthening of the distribution system by the DISCOMs will be available to a DISCOM which is making losses only if it undertakes to bring its AT&C losses / ACS-ARR Gap down to specified levels within a specific timeframe and gets their State Government’s commitment to it.  The Revamped Distribution Sector scheme lays down that funding under the scheme will be available only if the DISCOM commits to an agreed loss reduction trajectory. The Ministry of Power made a series of presentations before the 15th Finance Commission as a result of which 15th Finance Commission provided for an additional borrowing window to States contingent on their taking steps to reduce to their DISCOMs losses.  The Ministry of Power issued Regulations on 07th October 2021 providing for mandatory energy accounting and energy auditing for all DISCOMs.  On 03rd June 2022, the Ministry of Power issued Late Payment Surcharge Rules which provide that unless the Distribution companies promptly pay for the power drawn from the ISTS, their access to the power exchange will be cut off.  While putting all these in place; the Ministry of Power also worked with the distribution companies to provide the necessary finances under the RDSS for undertaking the loss reduction measures.

The above improvement is a result of the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Power, the State Governments as well as Distribution companies to implement the reforms and adoption of best practices. As a result – the viability of the power system has improved. This was necessary because the demand for power has been growing and further investments will be necessary for the power sector to expand to meet the growing demand; and the investments will only come if the power sector remains viable.

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National Conference on Soil Health Management for Sustainable Farming

 Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today inaugurated the National Conference on Soil Health Management for Sustainable Farming. On this occasion, Shri. Tomar said that due to chemical farming and other reasons, soil fertility is getting eroded and climate change is going to be a big concern for the country as well as the world. He said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has concerns about climate change and from time to time prepares plans and keeps working on these plans. He said Prime Minister Shri Modi is committed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and World Soil Day, NITI Aayog in collaboration with GIZ affiliated to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, Chief Guest Shri Tomar said that the lack of organic carbon in the soil is a serious concern for us. To meet this serious challenge and for better soil health, we have to promote natural farming, which is beneficial for the environment. He said that to promote natural farming, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi is working with the States. The Government has re-adopted the Indian Natural Farming System for Agriculture. Natural Farming System is an ancient technique used by farmers for farming and at that time people also knew how to live in harmony with the nature, he added. States like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu etc. have made many innovations to promote natural farming. During the last year, an additional area of 4.78 lakh hectares has been brought under natural farming in 17 States. To promote natural farming, the Central Government has approved the National Mission on Natural Farming as a separate scheme with an expenditure of Rs. 1,584 crores, Shri Tomar said. Under the Namami Gange programme, the project of natural farming is going on along the banks of the Ganges, while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Central and State Agricultural Universities and Colleges are making all-round efforts to promote natural farming.

Shri Tomar said that the Government of India is also working through Soil Health Card. In two phases, more than 22 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers across the country. Infrastructure development is also being done by the Government under the Soil Health Management Scheme, in which there is a provision to set up different types of Soil Testing Laboratories. So far, 499 permanent Soil Testing Laboratories, 113 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories, 8,811 Mini Soil Testing Laboratories and 2,395 Village-level Soil Testing Laboratories have been established. He said that there was a time when the policies were production-oriented, due to chemical farming, agricultural yield increased, but now the situation has changed, and with climate change, keeping soil health intact is a big challenge. He said that if an attempt is made to exploit the earth contrary to the principles of nature, the consequences can be dangerous. Today, due to chemical farming, the soil’s fertility is being eroded, the country and the world should avoid this and fulfill our environmental responsibility.

In the conference, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Shri Suman Berry, Member Prof. Ramesh Chand, CEO Shri Parameswaran Iyer, Senior Advisor Ms. Neelam Patel, Central Agricultural University Vice Chancellor of Jhansi, Dr. A.K. Singh and Mr. Drik Steffis, along with several scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders were present. Various technical sessions were addressed by experts at the conference.

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