Niveshak Didi
IEPFA and IPPB have signed a MoA to jointly launch Phase 2 of the “Niveshak Didi” initiative.
- A women-led financial literacy initiative by India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) in collaboration with Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA)
- Aim – to empower rural women to act as financial educators through community-driven education programs.
- Key Features – Trains women postal workers as financial educators; focuses on responsible investing, fraud prevention, savings habits, and digital banking.
Cotton Corporation of India Ltd
CCI has procured 100 lakh bales of seed cotton under Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations.
- A nodal agency under the Ministry of Textiles, responsible for cotton procurement under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) scheme.
- Digital Initiatives – Introduced Aadhaar authentication, SMS notifications, and the Cott-Ally mobile app for real-time updates.
- All cotton bales produced by CCI are traceable via QR codes.
India Skills Accelerator
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has collaborated with the World Economic Forum to launch the “India Skills Accelerator” initiative.
- A collaboration between the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and the World Economic Forum.
- Objective – To address skill gaps through inclusive upskilling, lifelong learning, and government-industry collaboration6.
- Focus Areas – High-growth sectors like AI, robotics, energy; promotes scalable training and agile career transitions6.
- Governance – Co-chaired by public and private leaders
ICE CRUNCH
Ministry of Earth Sciences launched “ICE-CRUNCH” and also inaugurated India’s first High-Altitude Climate Research Station.
- A collaborative study between India and Switzerland, focusing on ice nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei properties in the North-Western Himalayas.
- Part of India’s first-ever “High-Altitude Climate Research Station” in Jammu & Kashmir, aimed at advancing climate research and forecasting in the Himalayan region.
- Collaboration – Multi-tier partnership involving the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Swiss National Science Foundation, and Central University of Jammu
One State One RRB
Department of Financial Services notifies amalgamation of 26 RRBs on the principles of “One State One RRB”.
- Consolidation of Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) into single entities within states to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
- Effective from May 1, 2025; reduces the number of RRBs from 43 to 2811.
- Benefits – Enhances operational scale, technology adoption, and governance under unified sponsor banks.
- Part of ongoing RRB consolidation since 2005, based on Dr. Vyas Committee recommendations