Provident Financial News

International Trade Centre (ITC), a United Nations-WTO joint venture, has begun work on developing a prototype of Global Trade Helpdesk to enhance information access for small businesses in line with the G20 plan for trade endorsed at the New Delhi summit, Pamela Coke Hamilton, its executive director, told ET. The ‘Jaipur Call for Action’ under India’s G20 presidency has roped in Geneva-based ITC for “appropriate, aggregated, trade-related information relevant for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises)” available on a single portal and a non-exhaustive list of links to relevant government websites for MSMEs. The New Delhi declaration adopted last week by the G20 leaders had endorsed the proposal. “We will have an initial report on the Global Trade Helpdesk for members next year – to be shared at our annual meeting of stakeholders – and the plan is to work towards building a prototype,” Coke Hamilton said in an interview to ET.

Meryl Gordon, a renowned author and award-winning journalist, has made headlines recently for her candid remarks about CNN host Anderson Cooper's upcoming book, «Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune.» In a revealing interview on Doug Brunt's podcast, «Dedicated with Doug Brunt,» Gordon expressed her disappointment in Cooper's work, accusing him of relying heavily on her previous writings about Brooke Astor without contributing substantially to the narrative.

Piyush Goyal said Yashobhoomi, a state-of-the-art convention centre that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, will help spur trade, industry, export and employment. The centre in Dwarka in the national capital will also promote small and medium businesses, farmers and artisans, and provide new opportunities and markets to them, he added. Built at a cost of ₹5,400 crore, the first phase of the India International Convention and Expo Centre, named Yashobhoomi, has a total built-up area of over 180,000 square metres. It's among the world's largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) facilities.

The Nun 2 has ignited fervent speculation about the potential arrival of The Nun 3. While Warner Bros. and the creators of The Conjuring series have yet to make any official announcements, the remarkable achievements of The Nun 2 have kindled hopes among fans. Released in theaters on September 8, 2023, this spine-tingling sequel, with a reported production budget of $38.5 million, has amassed an impressive $101.7 million in global earnings.

Nifty Pharma index has risen nearly 30%. Indian pharma market (IPM)’s growth was in mid-single digits in August. It grew 5.8% from a year earlier, as against 6.4% in July, according to analysts’ data.

NEW DELHI : Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a ₹13,000 crore PM Vishwakarma scheme that aims to help artisans and craftsmen with collateral-free loans and other financial incentives and training for upskilling. Under the scheme, artisans would get collateral-free credit of up to ₹3 lakh at a concessional interest rate of 5%.

algo trading and institutional clients, PTI reported. The IRRA platform will be available to trading members supporting internet-based trading (IBT) and Security Trading through Wireless Technology (STWT) for their investors, the NSE said in a circular.

R K Singh on Sunday criticised the West Bengal government for «not implementing» the PM Kusum scheme, which could have helped farmers by way of lower power costs. The scheme envisages installation of solar panels for running irrigation pumps, which are usually operated with diesel. Singh, the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, said under the scheme, the Centre provides 30-per cent assistance as viability gap funding. «With this viability gap funding, solar power generation costs would come down and farmers can benefit from lower electricity tariff… But the Bengal government has not implemented it,» Singh said here. The electricity distribution company of the state government would only have to invite bids from private agencies, which set up solar panels, and then buy power from them, he said. The agency with the lowest bid would be awarded the contract.

industrial workers pursuing higher education will be granted Rs 50,000 to purchase electric two-wheelers, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced on Sunday. Speaking at an event at the Shri Vishwakarma Skill University in Palwal district, Khattar said the move will promote mobility and enable the daughters of industrial workers to be independent. Khattar also made announcements regarding scholarships for the children of industrial workers.

Rahul Gandhi said "We call BRS party as 'BJP Rishtedaar Samithi." While talking about how the Congress-led UPA fulfilled the promise of the creation of Telangana, Rahul Gandhi emphasized that Sonia Gandhi delivers whatever she promises. "I saw Sonia (Gandhi) ji's speech. Whatever Sonia ji says she fulfils it.

₹7-10 per kg of cost to the tea sold. Still, it generates large unsold odd-lots. In any case, only about 40% of the tea gets sold through tea auctions.

By Nivedita Balu

(Reuters) — DirecTV and Nexstar have agreed to temporarily returnthe signals of the Nexstar-owned stations and national cable news network NewsNation to DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse, the companies said in a joint statement on Sunday.

Larsen and Toubro, has sold out all the homes in the first phase of its maiden residential project in the city, the company said on Sunday. L&T Realty is engaged in the construction of Avinya Enclave in Manapakkam and the residential project is spread over seven acres. The first phase comprises four towers — 500 apartments with a mix of two, three and four-BHK residential units.

₹10,000-crore rights issue next fiscal to expand its equity capital as it expects to grow assets to ₹5 lakh crore by March 2024 from about ₹4 lakh crore in March 2023, PTI reported. The proposed rights issue will be carried out in two tranches of ₹5,000 crore each next fiscal to expand its capital base by ₹10,000 crore and support the growing balance sheet, which is expected to rise by a quarter from the present, the Sidbi chairman said. "We recently had moved the department of financial services seeking to raise capital.

₹3 lakh in two tranches under the Vishwakarma scheme will be identified through a three-layer verification process, one each by gram panchayats, district collectors and state-appointed committees, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) will also provide skilling camps and toolkits, and facilitate access to these local products in domestic and international markets, Sitharaman added at the launch of the new central scheme on Sunday. The MSME ministry will extend collateral-free loans to recipients of the scheme.

Indian Railways after a recent RTI query revealed that the Lucknow division of the Northern Railways spent ₹69.5 lakh between 2020 and 2022 "to catch rats". Reacting to the RTI reply, Surjewala took to X (formally known as Twitter) and wrote, “Railways spent ₹41,000 and six days in catching a rat! By spending a total of ₹69.40 lakh, 156 rats were caught in 3 years! This is the condition of the Lucknow region alone." "All over the country, the ‘rats of corruption’ are picking people's pockets every day… Result: Under BJP rule, people are hit by rampant inflation every day. Even the concession given to the elderly in rail fares has been eaten away! Still, he says - ‘Neither will I eat nor will I let you eat..’ !" Surjewala added.

₹50,000 to daughters of industrial workers pursuing higher education to purchase electric two-wheelers during an event at Palwal, PTI reported. The move will promote mobility and enable the daughters of industrial workers to be independent, Khattar said while speaking at Shri Vishwakarma Skill University in Palwal. The Haryana chief minister also made announcement to increase the scholarship amount for the children of industrial workers.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has announced to introduce a state government flagship programme for those trades, which do not come under the purview of the newly launched PM Vishwakarma scheme of the central government. Virtually attending the launch of the PM Vishwakarma scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from DK Convention Centre here, Khandu, in his brief address, said that the state flagship program will ensure that all local artisans, craftsmen and tradesmen left out from the newly launched central scheme too will get government support so that they are not left out from the benefits that will be available to their counterparts of included trades. Hailing the Vishwakarma scheme as a significant step towards empowering the artisans, who form the basic work force of the country, Khandu said crores of tradesmen across the country will benefit from it. “The Vishwakarma scheme intends to provide recognition and holistic support to the traditional artisans and craftsmen working with their hands and elementary tools, so as to improve the quality, scale and reach of their products and also to integrate them with MSME value chains,” he informed. He said that Arunachal Pradesh has a huge pool of expert artisans particularly in the trades of carpentry, weaving, sculpting, handloom and textiles, etc, who will now have government support to enhance their skills to the next level besides availing lone as well as marketing benefits. “What a great gift by our Prime Minster to our work force on the day of Vishwakarma Puja and his own birth day,” Khandu said. Narendra Modi, he said, has proven once again that he is committed to his vision of empowering the last man in the queue. “People are witness to the

US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has sanctioned a $20 million long term loan for Gurgaon-based Ummeed Housing Finance to fund housing needs of the economically weaker and middle-income groups. The American funding body will provide the debt at a 4.25% fixed rate for 15 years, Ummeed's founder and managing director Ashutosh Sharma said. «This DFC facility would allow us to extend longer tenure credit to the underbanked population to assist with home purchases, construction, and extension. This will also help us diversify the wagon wheel of liability while the funding is attractive from an interest rate perspective,» Sharma told ET. The all blended cost of this borrowing including the hedging cost for five years would be anything between 8-9%, he said.

Laurentian Bank of Canada has wrapped up its review of strategic options, including a potential sale of the company or divestiture of assets, without finding a buyer, the company has announced.