Local Round-up: Amazon's 'Karigar Programme' to support the Lambani community, Bajaj CNG bike, Union Budget date and more!

Local Round-up brings to you what's happening across the country in the travel, food, infrastructure, sports diversities, and herein, we have curated for you, the updates from the weekend and the initial of this week. So, read these out below. 

List of Indian athletes participating in Paris Olympics 2024 out

A complete list of every Indian athlete and team who will compete at the Paris 2024 Olympics is out. This year 82 athletes (excluding team sports players) are qualified for the competition. India will see participation in various sports from swimming to athletics to team sports and dual sports having some prominent names and newcomers. Javelin star Neeraj Chopra, Badminton icon P V Sindhu, Shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Athletes Annu Rani, Sarvesh Kushare, Jyothi Yarraji and others will be taking part in the competition this year. 

Bajaj launches world's first CNG bike in India

Bajaj launched the world's first CNG-powered motorcycle named Bajaj Freedom 125. The bike is set to target more cost-conscious buyers with claims of helping to reduce expenditure on fuel by up to 65 per cent compared to a regular petrol motorcycle. It will feature a sloper-style single-cylinder mill in the displacement range of 110 cc to 125 cc, coupled to a four or five-speed gearbox. The ex-showroom price will be starting from Rs.1,10,000

FSSAI introduces bigger font and bold letters for nutrition labels 

A new proposal mandating the use of strong lettering and higher font sizes on the labels of packaged food items—such as total sugar, salt, and saturated fat has been accepted by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). For ultra-processed foods, this ruling replaces the earlier planned Front of Package Labelling (FoPL) Regulations in India.

Suzuki launches Rs.340-cr 'Next Bharat Ventures' fund for start-ups

With a corpus of ₹340 crore, automaker Suzuki has established 'Next Bharat Ventures,' a venture investment arm, to support the social impact startup ecosystem. The fund will be established as a Suzuki subsidiary with the goal of supporting impact entrepreneurs that add value to tier-II cities and less developed regions. 

Captain Anshuman Singh was awarded Kirti Chakra posthumously

On July 5, Army and paramilitary soldiers received 10 Kirti Chakras, including seven posthumously, from President Droupadi Murmu for their unwavering fortitude and remarkable valour while performing their duties. Captain Anushman Singh was one of the soldiers who received the award posthumously. The Army Medical Corps, 26th Battalion The Punjab Regiment officer was awarded for his exceptional bravery and resolve in rescuing many people during a major fire incident in Siachen. The award was received by his mother, Manju Singh, and his wife, Smriti.

FSSAI has issued a summon to KFC for the overuse of chemicals to clean oil

In response to the seizure of magnesium silicate-synthetic (MSS) from a KFC location, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Thoothukudi unit summoned the restaurant chain's Mumbai headquarters on Saturday. The FSSAI's designated officer has summoned the KFC licensee of the Thoothukudi outlet, the KFC material godown in Tiruppur, and the nominee of the KFC headquarters in Mumbai to appear on July 8. On July 15, an investigation has also been requested from a Telangana packing facility and an MSS maker located in Delhi.

Gurugram-based start-up Delhivery gets MCA approval to incorporate drone subsidiary

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has approved Delhivery's incorporation as a drone subsidiary, more than a month after the company declared its intention to enter the freight aviation services market. Delhivery announced in May that the new company will provide Drone as a Service (DaaS) for remote sensing and package mobility. Additionally, it would be involved in the worldwide manufacture, production, and sale of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Madhya Pradesh to soon have an air cargo ecosystem: CM Mohan Yadav

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Mohan Yadav, stated that in order to maximize the potential of both domestic and international freight operations, the MP government intends to expand the state's air cargo ecosystem. “In this globally connected world, there is a crucial need for fast and efficient delivery, especially after Covid-19 which has taught us how unpredictable the future can be,” Yadav said at the Annual Conclave ‘Unlocking Potential Paving Way for a Developed India’ organised by Air Cargo Forum India (ACFI).

Karnataka-based NPO Banjara Kasuti has partnered with Amazon to support Lambani women

Banjara Kasuti, a non-profit organisation based in Vijayapura, Karnataka, has partnered with Amazon India’s Karigar programme to support Lambani women by enabling them to sell their handcrafted products online. Through Amazon, this cooperation seeks to showcase the rich legacy and craftsmanship of the Lambani people in North Karnataka to a global audience. Through the initiative, Amazon aims to create employment opportunities for women from the Lambani community.

Union Budget in India will be tabled on July 23

Hon’ble President of India, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from 22nd July, 2024 to 12 August, 2024 (Subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget,…

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 6, 2024

The Union Budget for the financial year 2024-25 is scheduled to be presented in the Lok Sabha on July 23. 
Announcing the date on X (formerly Twitter), Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs said, "Hon’ble President of India, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from July 22, 2024 to August 12, 2024 (Subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget, 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on July 23, 2024." The Parliament's Budget Session is set to take place from July 22 to August 12.

Rohit Sharma to captain the Indian Cricket Team in the Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship (WTC) 

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah announced that Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma will continue as India's cricket team captain for the 2025 Champions Trophy and the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Under Rohit's leadership, India recently ended an 11-year ICC title drought by winning the T20 World Cup against South Africa. "I am confident that under Rohit Sharma's leadership, we will clinch victory in both the WTC Final and Champions Trophy," said Jay Shah.