Category: Business & Economy

** Karnataka ranks third among larger States in administering first dose

Karnataka has administered the third highest number of first doses among larger States in the country. In terms of coverage per million population, Karnataka is in the fifth position.

Contributing 6.2% of the total 100 crore doses administered in the country till Thursday, Karnataka has covered 84.7% (4,15,10,701) of the 4.9 crore eligible population with the first dose. Gujarat has covered 90.2% of its population with one dose, and Madhya Pradesh 89.5%, according to data from CoWIN.

** International conference on innovation in agriculture organised

Indian Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) Bengaluru, in association with Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, UK, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia and Faculty of Management Sciences, Suratthani Rajabhat University, Thailand, had organised a one-day International Conference on Challenges, Opportunities and Innovations in Agriculture, Plantations and Allied domanis posed by the Pandemic on Thursday

According to a IIPM release, delivering the inaugural address, Prof. V.G. Dhanakumar, director, IIPMB, emphasised on the ned to develop a research culture to address issues posed by the pandemic. He also encouraged delegates to strive for publishing in peer-reviewed and internationally indexed journals of ABDC, ABS and FT 50 series.

David Bozward, Professor and Dean, School of Entrepreneurship, Royal Agricultural University, presented a paper on ‘A Strategic Model for Opportunity Recognition and Entrepreneurship within Rural and Agricultural Regions’. He discussed different entrepreneurship models, applications and their impact on rural development.

** Bengaluru banker makes a buzz with beekeeping mission

Alongside his job as a home loan counsellor at SBI, Swamy has been training urbanites and farmers

At a time when health-conscious citizens are looking far and wide for pure honey, Mahadeva Swamy, a banker in Bengaluru, is on a mission to revive the concept of neighbourhood apiary and help people harvest the syrup on their own by setting up beehive boxes on vacant plots and terraces

** IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath to leave job and return to Harvard University

She had joined the IMF as the Chief Economist in January 2019

IMF’s Chief Economist Gita Gopinath will leave her job in January next year and return to the prestigious Harvard University, according to the global financial institution.

The 49-year-old prominent Indian-American economist had joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as the Chief Economist in January 2019.

She was the John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University when she joined the Washington-based global lender.

Mysuru-born Gopinath is the first-ever woman Chief Economist of the IMF.

** Six yards of creativity

Designer Nagashree Sriram of Udupu Designer Studio in Jayanagar recently created a power suit using a pink and golden Kanchipuram saree for a client.

She says, “The client wanted to create something different for a function and she came with the idea to make a power suit out of the saree.

So, we made a pair of flared trousers, crop top and blazer to complete the outfit.” 

** Flying mobile towers may up India’s broadband penetration

Bengaluru start-up, VFLYX India, the drone tech arm of e-com platform for electronic/tech gadgets, XBOOM Utilities, is now doing R&D to introduce such drones. A proof of concept is expected to be ready in a year, as per the firm.

A swarm of long-flying drones, powered either by solar, electric, gasoline or hybrid engines have to be used to create a mobile tower environment (they become both receivers and repeaters) to ensure seamless Internet and mobile access to people in no-connectivity areas, said Rohit Dey, CTO, UAV/Drones at VFLYX.

** GII to open office in Bengaluru

The State Government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gulf Islamic Investment (GII) group that has shown interest to invest in the State. The GII will open its office in Bengaluru to further strengthen Indo-UAE investment ties, a release from the office of Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, said.

The MoU was signed in Dubai during the DubaiExpo on Monday in the presence of Mr. Nirani and Higher Education Minister C.N. Ashwathnarayan. “GII’s decision to foray into Karnataka will further strengthen investment ties between India and UAE. GII’s presence in Bengaluru will pave the way for more investments, trade and creation of jobs,” Mr. Nirani said.

** Honeywell bags ₹496.57 crore Bengaluru Safe City project

ity to have 7,000 video cameras at over 3,000 locations

The Union Government has selected Honeywell Automation India to lead the ₹496.57-crore Bengaluru Safe City project under the Nirbhaya Fund. The project was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs to create a safe, secure and empowering environment for women and girls in public places to enable them to pursue all opportunities without the threat of gender-based violence or harassment.

Bengaluru is among eight cities selected for the government’s Safe City project, which involves identification of hot spots for crimes against women and deployment of various components, including infrastructure, technology adoption, and capacity building in the community through awareness programmes.