National
'Investment Opportunities in India’s Healthcare Sector' Report
- NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Investment Opportunities in India’s Healthcare Sector’ on 30 March 2021.
The report outlines the range of investment opportunities in various segments of India’s healthcare sector, including hospitals, medical devices and equipment, health insurance, telemedicine, home healthcare and medical value travel.
Key Point of the Report:
- India’s healthcare industry has been growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of around 22% since 2016. At this rate, it is expected to reach USD 372 billion in 2022.
- Healthcare has become one of the largest sectors of the Indian economy, in terms of both revenue and employment.
- As per estimates by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) healthcare can generate 2.7 Million additional jobs in India between 2017-22- over 500,000 new jobs per year.
Healthcare Product 'COVIRAP'
- IIT Kharagpur has successfully commercialised its flagship healthcare product ‘COVIRAP’— the novel diagnostic technology, it was announced on 21 March 2021.
The product ‘COVIRAP’ is nucleic acid-based Point-of-Care Diagnostic Device for infectious diseases including COVID-19 and beyond.
The product has been developed by lead researchers Professor Suman Chakraborty, Dr Arindam Mondal and their research group.
The product has been licensed for commercialisation to the Rapid Diagnostic Group of Companies, India and Bramerton Holdings LLC, USA.
Green Energy Corridor in western Rajasthan
- A green energy corridor is being developed for the first time in western Rajasthan to combine the solar and wind power production. This is an effort to strengthen the renewable energy sector. The new intra-State transmission infrastructure, comprising a network of grid sub-stations, is expected to generate 6311 MW green energy.
The Rajasthan Vidyut Prasaran Nigam is functioning as the State government’s power transmission company.
It will establish the grid sub-stations of:
- 765 KV at Jodhpur
- 400 KV at Pokhran
- 220 KV Each at Lohawat, Sawa and Panchu
- Besides upgrading a sub-station at Sanwreej from 132 KV to 220 KV
Bharti Airtel Received CERT-IN Empanelment
- Bharti Airtel has received CERT-IN empanelment to offer its cybersecurity solutions to Union and State governments, as well as Public Sector entities, under Airtel Secure.
The ‘Indian Computer Emergency Response Team’ (CERT-In) is the nodal agency within the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY). CERT-In, which deals with cybersecurity threats and works to strengthen the defense of the Indian internet domain.
International
First Hotel in the World to achieve the LEED Zero Carbon Certification
- USGBC (United States Green Building Council) has recognised ITC Windsor, Bengaluru as the first hotel in the world to achieve the LEED Zero Carbon Certification.
The LEED Zero carbon certification includes creating an environment and a process where any human-produced carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere through technological or natural means.
6th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of 'New Development Bank'
- Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs and India’s Governor in New Development Bank, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman attended the 6th Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of ‘New Development Bank’ through video-conference in New Delhi on 30 March 2021.
The meeting was also attended by Governors/Alternate Governors of Brazil, China, Russia and South Africa.
Theme:
This year’s Annual Meeting theme was “New Development Paradigms: The Evolution of Infrastructure”.
Death
- The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) legislator Dr G Venkata Subbaiah passed away on 28 March 2021. He was 62. He was legislator from Badvel SC reserved constituency in Kadapa district.