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Govt to further strengthen Jan-Dhan Yojana as it completes 7 years of implementation

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Government proposes to further strengthen its national mission on financial inclusion under the Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) by extending facilities for micro insurance including life and accident cover for all account holders under the scheme.

In its eighth year of operation, the Union government is set to further enrich the scheme by bringing account holders under digital transaction platform by including RuPay debit card usage amongst PMJDY accountholders through creation of acceptance infrastructure across India.

Also, improved access will be provided to PMJDY account holders to Micro-credit and micro investment such as flexi-recurring deposit, etc.

The enhanced are being looked at for extending the reach of this financial inclusion programme that has grown in size over the years with total PMJDY accounts standing at 43.04 crore as of August 18. Out of this, 36.86 crore (85.6 per cent) accounts with only 8.2 per cent PMJDY accounts being zero balance accounts.

The total deposit balances under PMJDY Accounts stand at Rs 1,46,230 crore. Deposits in these have increased about 6.38 times with an increase in accounts 2.4 times between August 2015 and August 21.

“The journey of PMJDY-led interventions undertaken over a short span of 7 years has in effect, produced both transformational as well as directional change thereby making the emerging FI ecosystem capable of delivering financial services to the last person of the society-the poorest of the poor. The underlying pillars of PMJDY, namely, Banking the Unbanked, Securing the Unsecured and Funding the Unfunded has made it possible to adopt multi-stakeholders’ collaborative approach while leveraging technology for serving the unserved and underserved areas as well,” finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on the seventh anniversary of PMJDY.

PMJDY, which is one of the biggest financial inclusion initiatives in the world, was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address on 15th August 2014. While launching the programme on 28th August, the Prime Minister had described the occasion as a festival to celebrate the liberation of the poor from a vicious cycle.

Going ahead the government is looking at further strengthening the scheme with new additions. “Endeavour is to ensure coverage of PMJDY account holders under micro insurance schemes. Eligible PMJDY accountholders will be sought to be covered under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (life cover) PMJJBY and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (accident insurance) PMSBY,” a finance ministry statement said.

Jandhan provides an avenue to the poor for bringing their savings into the formal financial system, an avenue to remit money to their families in villages besides taking them out of the clutches of the usurious money lenders. PMJDY has brought the unbanked into the banking system, expanded the financial architecture of India and brought financial inclusion to almost every adult, the statement added.

As informed by banks, about 5 crore PMJDY accountholders receive direct benefit transfer (DBT) from the Government under various schemes.To ensure that the eligible beneficiaries receive their DBT in time, the finance ministry takes active role in identification of avoidable reasons for DBT failures in consultation with DBT Mission, NPCI, banks and various other Ministries. With close monitoring in this regard through regular VCs with banks and NPCI, the share of DBT failures due to avoidable reasons as a percentage of total DBT failures has decreased from 13.5 per cent (FY 19-20) to 5.7 per cent (FY 20-21), the finance ministry said.

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‘Innocent Unless And Until Proven Guilty’: Adani Group Issues Statement In The US Bribery Indictment; Denies Charges, Calls Them Baseless

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The Adani Group, which has been at the eye of the storm since the beginning of the new day, has issued a statement in the US Indictment matter.

Adani Denies Charges

The company, in a statement procured by the conglomerate-owned IANS, said, “The allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors of Adani Green are baseless and denied.”

Furthermore, the statement asserted its stance and added, “As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, “the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.” All possible legal recourse will be sought.”

Committed to Highest Standards

The Adani Group further added that it has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations.

US Court Indicts Adani and Co.

The company, in an attempt to assuage stakeholders, partners and employees, said that the company is a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws.

The storm was kicked off by a post from short-seller group Hindenburg, which shared the news of the US Federal Court’s indictment of Gautam Adani and seven others associated with the company.

Billionaire Gautam Adani has been charged by US prosecutors for allegedly being part of a scheme to pay over USD 250 million (about Rs 2,100 crore) bribe to Indian officials in exchange of favourable terms for solar power contracts.

The press release from the US court elaborated on the allegations and claimed that the company and its leadership had indulged in mass bribery activity, in which the company bribed Indian officials to bag a contract for its Adani Green Energy company.

This in turn led to misleading American investors and global financial investors.

The court reportedly also issued an arrest warrant against Gautam Adani and seven others.

Adani Shares Tank

In the aftermath of the report, Adani Group company shares tanked at Dalal Street. With Adani Enterprises shares hitting the lower circuit, losing 20 per cent of their value. The situation was the same with the other Adani stocks, including Adani Green Energy, which is in the middle of the new storm.

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Bharat NCAP Awards 5-Star Crash Test Rating to Mahindra Thar Roxx

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The Mahindra Thar Roxx has earned a prestigious 5-star rating in Bharat NCAP’s latest crash tests, reflecting its commitment to safety. Recently evaluated under stringent testing, the SUV excelled with a 31.09 out of 32 score for adult occupant protection and 45 out of 49 for child safety.

Tested in its AX5L and MX3 variants, the Mahindra Thar Roxx delivered notable results, scoring 15.09 out of 16 in the Frontal Offset test and a perfect 16 out of 16 in the Side Impact test. The assessment revealed strong protection for most areas, with adequate ratings for the driver’s chest and lower legs.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx has received high marks for child occupant safety, scoring 24 points in Bharat NCAP tests, along with 12 points for CRS (Child Restraint System) installation and a Vehicle Assessment Score of 9. This top-tier safety rating applies to all Thar Roxx units produced from November 2024 onward, underscoring Mahindra’s dedication to enhancing safety features across its SUV range. Additionally, Mahindra’s XUV400 and 3XO models have also achieved 5-star safety ratings, further emphasizing the automaker’s commitment to robust safety standards.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx offers two interior themes – Classic Ivory and a new Dark Mocha Brown. Comfort and convenience are prioritizing with ventilated seats, leatherette upholstery, a digital driver display, a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen, a high-quality Harmon Kardon sound system, a panoramic sunroof, rear AC vents, wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, combining practicality with luxury.

Mahindra Thar 5-door comes packed with safety and interior upgrades to enhance its appeal. On the safety side, it includes essentials like six airbags, three-point seatbelts for all occupants, hill control features, electronic stability control, and a seatbelt reminder. Advanced driver-assist features, such as autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping support, lane departure alerts, and a 360-degree camera system with blind spot monitoring, add an extra layer of protection.

Mahindra Thar Roxx offers two engine choices: a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel. The petrol engine comes in two setups—150 bhp and 330 Nm of torque for the manual, and 174 bhp with 380 Nm for the automatic. The diesel option is available only with four-wheel drive.

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Why The Indian Stock Market Struggled: Inflation, FPI Outflows, And Currency Pressure; Everything You Need To Know

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The Indian stock market on Wednesday (November 13) wrapped the another challenging day, marking the fifth consecutive session of losses.

The Sensex and Nifty, the two benchmark indices, both ended lower amid concerns over inflation and a broad selloff in metal stocks.

Market Snapshot

By the close of the trading session, Sensex was down by 984.23 points, or 1.25 per cent, ending at 77,690.95. Nifty 50 followed suit, shedding 324.40 points, or 1.36 per cent, to settle at 23,559.05.

The day saw a sea of red on both the Sensex and Nifty, with the majority of stocks ending lower. Among the few gainers were NTPC, Tata Motors, and Infosys, which saw minor upticks on BSE.

However, the broader market was dominated by heavy losses, especially in stocks such as JSW Steel, State Bank of India (SBI), Adani Ports, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), and Tata Steel, all of which posted declines.

Reasons behind the sharp decline

One of the major factor contributing to the market’s downward trajectory is the growing concern related to inflation.

As per the data which released by the Ministry of statistics and Programme Implementation regarding the India’ retail inflation, it showed that for the month of October, it surged to 6.21 per cent, breaching the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent for the first time in over a year. The primary factors that contributed to surge include rise food prices, driven by the extended monsoon season and crop damage.

Adding to the pressure is the continued outflow of foreign portfolio investments (FPIs). On November 12, FPIs sold shares worth Rs 364.35 crore, bringing the total outflows for November to Rs 23,911 crore

The Indian rupee also struggled on November 13, weakening by 1 paisa to close at 84.38 against the US dollar.

The rise of the US dollar, which surged 1.8 per cent in November, has been exacerbated by the US presidential election result and higher bond yields. The US 10-year bond yield spiked to 4.42 per cent, further diverting capital away from emerging markets like India.

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