Tag: workers

  • India among other APAC countries is least prepared for automation.

    India among other APAC countries is least prepared for automation.

    Khevna.P.Shah, INN/Bangalore

    @Shahkhevna1, @Infodeaofficial

    The APAC countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are most at risk but are least prepared for the coming wave of automation which is triggered by Covid.

    Among the 12 of the Asia Pacific nations, India ranks fifth for the risk of automation and ninth for preparedness, according to the study conducted by Deloitte and a global software firm Autodesk. And due to the larger employment shares in agriculture, manufacturing and construction, India has a greater likelihood of being impacted from automation. And industries like education, public administration and finance are considered to be at lower risk of automation, which comprises only  7% of India’s total employment rate.

    India among countries most vulnerable, least prepared for automation in APAC:  Study, Government News, ET Government

    India’s preparedness score, which measures the ability of a country to capitalise on automation and provide help to the disadvantaged workers, stood at 44% when compared to the APAC average of 55%. Meanwhile Australia received the highest score of 72% and on the other hand Pakistan was at the lowest at 40%. And India scored 47% in its ability to capitalise on automation when compared to advanced tech adopters in APAC like Singapore that scored 71%.

    As the construction sector in India goes through a wave of digitization post pandemic, it is also the fifth most vulnerable in terms of automation ahead of Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines and Myanmar. And similarly in the agriculture sector, countries like India, Philippines and Indonesia have a higher likelihood of automation, and Pakistan’s agri-sector was at the highest risk of impact from automation. After Bangladesh, the mining sector in India has the second highest risk of impact from automation.

    The pandemic increased adoption of automation across the world, close to almost half of all the businesses in APAC intend to increase their adoption of robotic process automation over the next year, according to the reports.

    The regional director of India and SAARC, Autodesk, Rajeev Mittal said, “Automation creates opportunities for new, more meaningful types of work as it replaces mundane or repetitive manual tasks, but the state of preparedness of countries and industries will determine whether they benefit from these advances. Improving digital literacy, supporting disadvantaged workers, and putting in place the right infrastructure and skills will help create new roles that workers can transition into”.

    The study also analysed the labour markets across 12 APAC countries which includes India, Bangladesh, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippians, Thailand and Vietnam.

  • Unpaid overtime has increased since the beginning of the pandemic

    Unpaid overtime has increased since the beginning of the pandemic

    Khevna.P.Shah, INN/Bangalore

    @Shahkhevna1, @Infodeaofficial

    According to a  study by ADP Research Institute, the amount of unpaid overtime that workers around the world are doing has increased in the past year, with the average amount of free time worked increasing by almost two hours per person per week since the Covid-19 pandemic hit.

    The free time work ranges from working over breaks and starting early or staying up late, to regularly putting in extra work for no additional pay.

    Employees working longer hours with unpaid overtime during the pandemic -  Engage Employee

    In India, employees are believed to have to work an extra 11.1 hours per week for free. More than 82 percent of the respondents surveyed believe they have been underpaid at some point in time. Additionally, about 40 percent of the respondents work long hours during normal working weeks, and almost 39 percent are increasing efforts to network and develop contacts within the organization.

    The managing director (India & Southeast Asia) of ADP, a global leader in payroll and HCM solutions, Rahul Goyal said: “Workers are now routinely clocking up what amounts to more than a working day’s worth of unpaid overtime every single week.” and that  “The arrival of COVID-19 has spurred many people to work harder than ever. Essential workers may have been struggling to keep up with the extra workload COVID-19 has created.

    “Non-essential workers may be going the extra mile due to concerns about their job security, to compensate when colleagues have lost their jobs, or because the boundaries between work and home life have been blurred when working remotely,” he further said.

    One in 10 workers that is only  10 percent globally is now giving away in excess of 20 hours per week for free to their employers. Moreover, given the demanding nature of their jobs, essential workers are putting in more unpaid overtime than non-essential workers – at 10.1 hours per week on average, compared to 8.1 hours.

    ADP Research Institute surveyed 32,471 workers in 17 countries around the world between November 17 and December 11, 2020.

    The pandemic has also made individuals more tech-savvy, and about 50 percent of the respondents started using mobile applications or tools to manage their finances. Over 52 percent of the respondents also aim at becoming certified in new technologies to be successful in new jobs that are created during the pandemic.

    Globally, those who work from the home estimate they are putting in more unpaid overtime than those when compared in the workplace or on-site, at 9.4 hours per week on average, compared to 8.7 hours.

    However, those who are opting for a hybrid approach, that is combining home working for part of the week and on-site working the rest of the time, believe they are doing the most of all, at 9.8 hours.

    Solving this growing issue is neither easy nor straightforward; it requires a major cultural shift within companies to change the status quo and their  attitudes towards overwork, starting with a commitment from leadership, said the ADP Research Institute report

  • APEDA facilitated exports of Burmese grapes ‘Leteku’ to Dubai

    APEDA facilitated exports of Burmese grapes ‘Leteku’ to Dubai

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    In a major boost to harness the export potential of agricultural and processed food products from north-eastern states, a shipment of fresh Burmese grapes referred as ‘Leteku’ in Assamese language has been exported to Dubai from Guwahati by air route.

    A consignment of Leteku, which contains vitamin C and Iron, was sourced and packed at a collection centre in Darang district of Assam.Consignment was exported by APEDA registered Kiega EXIM Pvt Ltd from Guwahati airport to Dubai via Delhi.

    APEDA has been carrying out promotional activities to bring the North-Eastern states on the agricultural and processed food products export map of India.

    Recently, APEDA facilitated exports of the first consignment of ‘red rice’ to the USA from Assam. Iron rich ‘red rice’ is grown in Brahmaputra valley of Assam, without the use of any chemical fertilizer. The rice variety is referred to as ‘Bao-dhaan’, which is an integral part of Assamese food.

    APEDA assisted in exports of Geographical Indications (GI) certified KajiNemu (Assam lemon) to London. So far around 40 metric tonnes of Assam Lemon has been exported.

    Jackfruits sourced from the Tripura based Krishi SanyogaAgro Producer Company Ltd was exported to London. The consignment was packed at APEDA assisted pack-house facility of Salt Range Supply Chain Solution Ltd and exported by Kiega EXIM Pvt Ltd.

    APEDA has provided financial assistance to the private sector to set up a pack house at Guwahati which has fulfilled the mandatory requirement or infrastructure for export of fresh fruits and vegetables to Europe.

    APEDA undertakes market promotion activities for evolving structured marketing strategies for export of food products, market intelligence for taking informed decisions, international exposure, skill development, capacity building and high-quality packaging.

    APEDA would continue to focus on the north eastern region both in terms of capacity building, quality upgradation, and infrastructure development. Linking buyers to farmers, strengthening the entire supply chain of agricultural produce from the north-eastern region would bring in dividends.

  • PM’s tweets on measures announced by FM

    PM’s tweets on measures announced by FM

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    The Prime Minister , Shri Narendra Modi has said that the measures announced by the Finance Minister today will help to stimulate economic activities, boost production & exports and generate employment. He also underlined the measures taken for healthcare, healthcare facilities for children, farmers, small entrepreneurs and self-employed persons.

    In a series of tweets the Prime Minister said.

    “Measures announced by FM @nsitharamantoday will enhance public health facilities, especially in under-served areas, boost private investment in medical infrastructure and augment critical human resources. Special focus is on strengthening healthcare facilities for our children.

    Importance has been given to helping our farmers. Multiple initiatives have been announced which reduce their costs, increase their incomes & support greater resilience and sustainability of agricultural activities.

    Further support has been announced for our small entrepreneurs & self-employed persons,to enable them to sustain their business activities but & expand them further. Several initiatives, including financial assistance are being taken to help those linked with tourism.

    The measures will help to stimulate economic activities, boost production & exports and generate employment. Result linked Power Distribution Scheme and streamlined processes for PPP projects and Asset Monetisation demonstrates our Government’s continuing commitment to reforms.”

  • Vice President calls for making India a leading maritime nation

    Vice President calls for making India a leading maritime nation

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    The Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu today called for making India a leading maritime nation and emphasized the important role ports will have to play in achieving the ambitious vision.

    A presentation was made to the Vice President by the Chairman of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), Shri K Rama Mohana Rao and other senior officials during an interaction with him at Visakhapatnam. They apprised the Vice President on various activities of the port, including its expansion plans.

    Observing that India is strategically located on the world’s shipping routes with a long coastline of about 7,517 km and over 200 major and minor ports, he said “these ports play an important role in India’s economy.”

    Recalling that ancient India was a great maritime power and that the navies of Chola kings and Kalinga kings used to rule over the oceans, the Vice President said “we have to regain that past glory”.

    Touching upon the development of the port infrastructure in the country, he said that as part of the ambitious Sagarmala project, more than 504 projects have been identified to unlock the opportunities for port-led development and these initiatives are expected to mobilize more than 3.57 lakh crore of infrastructure investment.

    Noting the decline in the cargo trend at Visakhapatnam port during 2020-21 due to the pandemic after a healthy upward swing between 2015-16 and 2019-20, the Vice President expressed the hope that the port would regain its growth trajectory once the situation normalizes. “It is important to note that ports will play an important role in post-Covid economic recovery”, he added.

    Lauding the ports for having played a proactive role in handling oxygen supplies and humanitarian relief work during the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic and cyclones Tauktae and Yaas, he said “I compliment you all for that”.

    Referring to the Maritime India Vision 2030, the Vice President wanted the Port to adopt global best practices in port operations and development. He said that the Vision-2030 is not impossible to achieve as India has the inherent strength of knowledge and wanted everyone to work together in the spirit of Team India.

    During the interaction, the Vice President was keen to know the measures taken by VPT to contain pollution and protect the environment. Appreciating the Port’s green initiatives, he also wanted them to focus more on renewable energy and energy conservation.

    He also appreciated Visakhapatnam Port Trust’s initiatives in creating world-class infrastructure, port-led industrialization, digitization of processes and various green initiatives for sustainability. “I am pleased to learn about the expansion plans of VPT in the coming years”, Shri Naidu added.

    Earlier, the Vice President was apprised of the expansion plans of the Visakhapatnam Port, including the proposed establishment of a Rs. 406-crore Free Trade and Warehousing Zone (FTWZ) in an area of 103 acres.

    The proposed FTWZ is to be funded under Sagarmala and a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will be set up to develop basic infrastructure like roads, electricity, rail and road connectivity.

    Shri M. Srinivasa Rao, Minister for Tourism and Youth Development, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Shri K. Rama Mohana Rao, Chairman, Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), Shri Durgesh Kumar Dubey, Deputy Chairman, VPT and other senior officials of the Port were present during the interaction.

  • APEDA in collaboration with Indian embassy organize virtual buyer seller meet for boosting agricultural and processed food products exports to Algeria

    APEDA in collaboration with Indian embassy organize virtual buyer seller meet for boosting agricultural and processed food products exports to Algeria

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    In a bid to boost agricultural and processed food products exports, APEDA in collaboration with Indian embassy has organized a virtual buyer seller meet (VBSM) with Algeria where key stakeholders in the agricultural value chains from both the countries participated.

    More than 100 participants including exporters, processors and traders of agricultural commodities from India and Algeria participated in the VBSM titled ‘Opportunities in Agri-sector between India and Algeria’ organized on Wednesday.

    Due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic, the export promotion programmes were not possible to be organized physically. APEDA has been organizing a series of VBSMs with various countries for providing platform to the exporters and importers.

    In the VBSM held with trade and government officials from Algeria, the scope of increasing exports of India’s Geographical Indications (GI) certified agricultural products were discussed. Export potential of products including cereals, animal product, non-basmati and basmati rice etc to Algeria were discussed during VBSM.

    Along with APEDA and Indian embassy officials, trade representatives including officials from All India Rice Exporters Association, The Rice Exporters Association, All India Food Processors Association, importers from Algeria including Sarl Agro Plast Compant,  Eurl kbline, Haddadi Med Business Export and others participated in the VBSM.

  • Entire cost of this additional allocation will be borne by Government of India

    Entire cost of this additional allocation will be borne by Government of India

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    In 2020, Government of India had announced the “Pradhan Mantri GaribKalyan Anna Yojana” (PM-GKAY) for all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) as part of the pro-poor PM GaribKalyan Package for the period April-November, 2020. Around 80 Crore NFSAbeneficiaries were allocated additional 5 kg of foodgrains (Wheat or Rice), free of cost for a period of 8 months (April-November 2020), thereby ensuring food security of poor/vulnerable beneficiaries/households in the wake of economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. Under PM-GKAY2020, (April – November 2020), a total of about 321 Lakh MT foodgrains wasallocated by the Department to all States/UTs, about 305 Lakh MT food grains lifted by States/UTs and a total of about 298 LMT of foodgrains (i.e. around 93% of allocated quantity) was distributed all over the country.

    In 2021, owing to the on-going severe COVID-19 pandemic across the country and the economic disruptions in its wake, Government of India had announced to implement the “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana”(PM-GKAY) for a period of two months i.e., May 2021 and June 2021 at an estimated expenditure of about Rs. 26,602 Crore, on the same lines asPMGKAY 2020. A total allocation of over 79 LMT of foodgrains was done for the purpose. Under PM-GKAY 2021 (May – June 2021), so far, more than 76Lakh MT Foodgrains, i.e. more than 96% of the allocated foodgrain have been lifted by States/UTs. Further, more than 35 Lakh MT food grains (i.e. around90% of monthly allocation) have been distributed by States/UTs for May 2021and more than 23 Lakh MT food grains (i.e. around 59% of monthly allocation)have been distributed for June 2021. Around 80 crore NFSA beneficiaries are receiving 5 Kg additional free-of-cost foodgrains (wheat or rice) for the months of May 2021 and June, 2021.

    On a review of the continuing COVID 19 situation in the country and to help the poor and the needy during the crisis, Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, in his address to the nation on 7th June 2021, announced the extension of the PMGKAY (2021) Scheme for a further period of five month still Diwali in November, 2021. An additional allocation of 5 kg of foodgrains(Wheat or Rice), free of cost, involving a total quantity of around 204 LMT of foodgrains for a period of further 5 months will be provided to around 80 CroreNFSA beneficiaries with an estimated financial implication of up to Rs. 67,266Crore. This additional free of cost allocation of food grains will be over and above the regular monthly food grains allocated for beneficiaries covered under the NFSA. The entire cost of this additional allocation under PM-GKAY,including the expenditure on intra state transportation, dealers’ margin etc., will be borne by Government of India without any sharing by States/UTs.

  • No distinction between Domestic and International OSPs to bring in better synergies among businesses

    No distinction between Domestic and International OSPs to bring in better synergies among businesses

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Communications and Law & Justice, announced in a press interaction today that Department of Telecommunication has further liberalized the guidelines for Other Service Providers (OSPs).  These entities are business process outsourcing (BPO) organisations giving Voice based services, in India and abroad.  The Guidelines issued today further liberalized the special dispensation given to OSPs in addition to the major measures already announced and implemented in November, 2020.

    Shri Prasad informed that India’s BPO industry is one of the largest in the world. Today India’s IT-BPM industry stands at US$ 37.6 billion (2019-20) i.e. Rs. 2.8 lakh crores approx. giving job opportunities to lakhs of youths in the country. Further it has a potential for double digit growth reaching upto US$ 55.5 billion i.e. Rs. 3.9 lakh crores by 2025.

    AatmaNirbhar Bharat is the key initiative of Govt. led by PM Shri Narendra Modi and steps like Electronics Manufacturing Productivity Linked Incentive scheme,starting dedicated scheme of Electronic Manufacturing Cluster and dedicated PLI scheme for Telecom Equipment are few steps in this direction.

    Similarly Ease of Doing Business is another fulcrum based on which series of reforms has been initiated in IT & Telecom vertical by present Govt. Start of one touch VNO licenses, Spectrum Sharing & Trading, Delicensing of certain frequency bands and now Next Gen OSP liberalisation is another step in this direction.

    In November 2020, OSP guidelineswere liberalized as following:-

        • Data related OSPs were totally taken out of ambit of any regulation
        • No Bank Guarantees
        • No requirement of static IP
        • No requirement of reporting to the DoT
        • No requirement of publication of Network Diagram
        • No penalties
        • Made Work from Anywhere a reality

    The BPM industry revenues grew from USD 37.6 billion in 2019-20 to USD 38.5 billion in 2020-21, despite the pandemic. This was largely possible due to the industry’s ability to work remotely and majorly enabled by the Government of India’s relaxations of WFH requirements under the OSP regime, first temporarily, in March 2020 and then complete reforms under the new guidelines in November 2020.

    The Highlight of the Global Business is given below

    • Current BPM market – USD 198 BN
    • Outsourcing Market – USD 91 BN (46%)
    • Current BPM outsourcing revenue, India – USD 38.5 BN (Rs 2.8 lakh crore)

    The main features of the liberalised guidelines announced today are :-

    1. Distinction between Domestic and International OSPs has been removed. A BPO centre with common Telecom resources will now be able to serve customers located worldwide including in India.
    2. EPABX (Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange) of the OSP can be located anywhere in the world. OSPs apart from utilising EPABX services of the Telecom Service Providers can also locate their EPABX at third Party Data Centres in India.
    3. With the removal of the distinction between Domestic and International OSP centres, the interconnectivity between all types of OSP centres is now permitted.
    4. Remote Agents of OSP can now connect directly with the Centralised EPABX/ EPABX of the OSP/ EPABX of the customer using any technology including Broadband over wireline/ wireless.
    5. No restriction for data interconnectivity between any OSP centres of same company or group company or any unrelated company.
    6. It may be recalled that DoT has already exempted Data Based Services from the OSP regulations.  In addition, the regulations exempted OSPs from requirement of any registration.  Also, no Bank Guarantees were to be furnished. Work from Home and Work from Anywhere was also permitted.
    7. Penalties for violations were removed altogether reaffirming the trust Government has in business.
    8. Further liberalization of Guidelines today will provide a big fillip for growth of OSP industry in India.  This will create immense opportunities, income and employment in India.

    OSP reforms impact survey conducted by NASSCOM in April 2021, enumerated following important findings :

    • Over 72% of the respondents mentioned that they are highly satisfied with the OSP reforms
    • 95% of the respondent mentioned has helped in reducing the compliance burden and cost of doing business in India
    • 95% of the respondent also stated that this will help in making IT services more competitive globally
    • Another 77% of the respondent mentioned that OSP reforms has helped in increasing the productivity
    • 92% of respondent stating that reforms also helped in reducing the financial burden on the companies
    • 62% of the respondent mentioned that they will consider expanding their operation or will make fresh investments basis the OSP reforms
    • 55% also mentioned that this will help in generating new employment opportunities and will enhance access to talent

    Today’s reform will further help the BPM industry to reduce their establishment cost and creating synergies among different companies. Through these reforms more and more MNCs will get attracted towards India as a favorable destination and hence will lead to more FDIs.

    It is also to be highlighted that FDI during present govt. and previous UPA govt stands at :

       (2007-14)  (2014-21) Growth (%)
    Telecom 11.64 Billion USD 23.5 Billion USD 102%
    IT Sector (Computer S/W and Hardware) 7.19 Billion USD 58.23 Billion USD 710%

     

  • Cabinet approves Agreement between India and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes

    Cabinet approves Agreement between India and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficial

    The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved anAgreement between the Republic of India and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines for the Exchange of Information and Assistance in Collection with respect to Taxes.

    Details of the Agreement:

    i)     This is a new Agreement between the Republic of India and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines. There was no such agreement in past between the two countries.

    ii)    Agreement mainly proposes to facilitate exchange of information between the two countries and to provide assistance to each other in collection of tax claims.

    iii)    Agreement also contains tax examination abroad provisions which provide that a country may allow the representatives of the other country to enter its territory (to the extent permitted under its domestic laws) to interview individuals and examine records for tax purposes.

    Impact:

    Agreement between the Republic of India and Saint Vincent and The Grenadines will help in facilitating the exchange of information between the two countries including sharing of information held by the banks and other financial institutions encompassing the information regarding the legal and beneficial ownership. It will also facilitate the assistance in collection of the tax claims between the two countries. Thus, it will strengthen India’s commitment to fight offshore tax evasion and tax avoidance practices leading to generation of unaccounted black money.

    Background:

    There was no such agreement with Saint Vincent and The Grenadines in the past and India was negotiating this agreement since a long time. Finally, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines agreed to conclude this agreement with India which will promote tax cooperation between the two countries through exchange of information and assistance in collection of outstanding tax claims between the two countries.

  • The UN High level Dialogue on Energy 2021 presents India with an opportunity to share experiences with the entire world : Shri R . K. Singh

    The UN High level Dialogue on Energy 2021 presents India with an opportunity to share experiences with the entire world : Shri R . K. Singh

    INN/Delhi, @Infodeaofficia

    Minister of State (I/C) for Power and New and Renewable Energy and Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship , Shri R K Singh said today that India’s energy access and energy transition stories have multiple lessons and learnings, which can benefit other countries in advancing their energy goals and undertaking effective climate action. The UN High level Dialogue on Energy 2021 presents India with an opportunity to share these experiences with the entire world. He was addressing the media today at a virtual curtain raiser press conference on ” India’s role as global champion for the Energy Transition theme of the UN High Level Dialogue on Energy 2021″.

    Shri R K Singh said that with just about ten years left for the global target for ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG- 7), there is need for strong political commitments, and innovative ways of expanding energy access, promoting Renewable Energy and increasing energy efficiency.

    The Minister called on all other countries, especially those in positions of privilege to work ambitiously to support a global energy transition that is just, inclusive, and equitable.

    Shri Singh informed that India will finalize its energy compacts going forward based on its target of 450 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030, focusing on solar, wind and bio-energy; storage systems, green hydrogen and international cooperation through the International Solar Alliance. He gave an overview of the nature of the Energy Compacts being prepared by India. One of the key outcomes of the High Level Dialogue on Energy 2021 will be ‘Energy Compacts’. Energy Compacts are voluntary commitments from Member States and non-state actors like companies, regional/local governments, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and others. These stakeholders commit to an Energy Compact that includes the specific actions they commit to take to support progress on SDG-7.

    Welcoming the convening of the dialogue by the UN Secretary General in September 2021 in New York , the Minister gave an overview of the activities already undertaken by India in its role of a Global Champion and the activities planned for the future, as part of its global advocacy efforts to promote the Energy Transition theme for the Dialogue.

    As part of the preparatory process for the Dialogue in September, India is part of some key events. India will co-host the Ministerial Thematic Forum for Energy Transition on June 23, 2021 along with other Global Champions for the theme. India is hosting an event on “Accelerating Citizen Centric Energy Transition” on June 24, 2021 at 21:00 Hrs IST, on the side-lines of the Ministerial Forums. India will be organizing a webinar on “Women in Renewable Energy and Sustainability” in collaboration with the International Solar Alliance on July 7, 2021. India is also planning other important events closer to the Dialogue.The media was also apprised of ISA’s sphere of activities spanning all the five themes for the Dialogue and the support it is providing to various countries in their climate action goals. The membership of  International Solar Alliance, is now open to all UN member states.