Jan Dhan Yojana Launched by Narendra Modi

 Narendra Modi unveiled the government's ambitious financial inclusion scheme Jan Dhan Yojana today and said it would help remove the 'financial untouchability' that the poor of the country have had to suffer since Independence.

After officially launching the scheme, Modi noted that a number of records were being broken by the scheme for various reasons.

"In the history of the insurance sector, there may not have been so many accident insurances issued in a day," Modi said.

Modi announced an additional initiative during the launch of the scheme.

"Whoever opens bank accounts by 26 January 2015 will get an additional Rs 30,000 as life insurance above the Rs 1 lakh provided as accident insurance," Modi said.

While briefly mentioning the failed goals of nationalising banks in 1969, Modi noted on how little the country had progressed when it came to financial inclusion.

"After 68 years of Independence, not even 68 percent of population has access to these facilities. One feels the objective behind the nationalisation of banks has failed," he said.

Harking back to Mahatma Gandhi and his quest to abolish social untouchability, Modi likened the Jan Dhan Yojana to an attempt at banishing 'financial untouchability' from the country.

"We must remove financial untouchability to free India from poverty," the prime minister said.

"In villages even now women in rural areas struggle to save. But if man of the house has a vice then she has to worry about hiding it. With this scheme women now have a place to save their money," he said.

The prime minister spoke of freeing the poor of the 'vicious cycle' that is taking loans from money lenders.

"The moment a man takes a loan from a moneylender he heads towards financial ruin. It can destroy his family," Modi observed.

While talking about the RuPay card, Modi said that Indians should take pride and work towards bringing the indigenous card on par with global cards like Visa and Mastercard in terms of credibility.

"This scheme will help bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, allowing the poor to feel equal to the rich with the use of this card," he said.

The prime minister said that as per Indian scriptures say it's the state's responsibility to ensure financial inclusion and the various facets of the Jan Dhan Yoajan scheme will also help the government battle corruption by linking welfare schemes to bank accounts allocated under this scheme.

Modi also said that the achievement of successfully launching the Jan Dhan Yojana will boost the confidence of not only employees of the banking sector but of those across government departments and will help the Centre achieve any future schemes planned on a mission mode.

The mandate of the scheme, first announced in the prime minister's Independence Day speech, is to provide basic banking facilities to the country's poor. As part of the program, sections of the population so far excluded from the banking sector will be able to open basic savings accounts, have access to debit cards, credit remittance facilities, insurance, pension and a host of other services.

Mobile banking facilities will also be available.Now, the poor would be able to do normal bank transactions through non-smart phone as well because of introduction of new technology introduced by National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). A person can transfer funds, check balance through a normal phone. However, this facility was limited only to smart phones so far.

As part of the scheme, citizens will get a RuPay card, a bank account, and Rs 1 lakh in accident insurance.

To mark the launch of the Jan Dhan Yojana, the central government, together with various public sector banks is hosting 77,852 camps to educate the masses on various banking procedures, said Financial Minister Arun Jaitley.

The scheme was simultaneously launched at multiple places by 20 Chief Ministers, several Union Ministers, including Information Minister Prakash Javadekar at Pune, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at Chennai, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Bhopal, Home Minister Rajnath Singh at Lucknow and HRD Minister Smriti Irani at Surat.

"We were hoping to reach 1 crore people today but statistics indicate we will reach 1.5 crore people," Jaitley said. He also announced that the government is targetting reaching 7.5 crore people by 26 January, 2015.

Hrithik launches RADO Diamaster

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan launches RADO Diamaster collection over a fantastic cocktail evening.

Rado celebrated the launch of the Rado DiaMaster collection, and its latest advertising campaign, featuring brand ambassadors superstars Hrithik Roshan in New Delhi.

The mini-film captures the innovative design and effortless style of the versatile DiaMaster collection while showcasing the characteristic durability of Rado?s high-tech ceramic watches.

During the event cutting edge technology and design of the DiaMaster family was brought to life magnificently by aerial dancers that enthralled Rado's guests. 

Shahrukh Becomes Ambassador for Interpol

Badshah of Bollywood Shahrukh Khan has been roped in as the brand ambassador of Interpol’s Turn Back Crime campaign. Shahrukh will be lending his voice to help spread the message that all of society benefits when citizens respect law and fight crime and how everyone can take part in abolishing and fighting against crime.

"It's a very special honour to be a part of Interpol's Turn Back Crime Campaign as an Ambassador. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, 'I shall not fear anyone on Earth. I shall fear only God. I shall not bear ill will toward anyone. I shall not submit to injustice from anyone. I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering, if I have to.'. We all should believe in this maxim and in whatever way possible resolve not to let unjust people who might threaten us with criminal activity make us fear them. Because I believe we can, we should, and we must stand together against the few who commit crimes against any human being, in whatever form or guise these crimes might take," said SRK.

SRK now joins actor Jackie Chan who is also the brand Ambassador for the campaign and it has already garnered support from celebrities including footballer Lionel Messi, Formula 1 racing drivers Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in addition to law enforcement agencies around the world. Interpol 's Turn Back Crime campaign is aimed at raising public in fighting against crimes like drugs trafficking, people smuggling, counterfeiting, cybercrime, kidnapping, crimes against children and corruption in sport.

"Shah Rukh Khan has dedicated his life to making films which reflect the highest level of professionalism and commitment to bringing joy into the lives of hundreds of millions of film goers in India and around the world," said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble. 

Fiat launches Punto EVO at 4.55 lacs

Fiat Group Automobiles India launched compact car Punto Evo with introductory price ranging
from Rs 4.55 lakh to Rs 7.19 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The model will take on the likes of Maruti
lakh and Rs 7.76 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Suzuki's Swift, Hyundai i20 and Honda Brio, which are priced between Rs 3.99
The petrol versions of the Punto Evo are priced between Rs 4.55 lakh and Rs 6.65 lakh, while the diesel variants would retail between Rs 5.27 lakh and Rs 7.19 lakh.  Fiat Group Automobiles India President and Managing Director Nagesh Basavanhalli said the company will continue to expand its presence in the Indian market.
 "We are now strengthening our product portfolio in India with cars that are designed and engineered keeping Indian conditions and need in mind," he said.
 The company is on a comeback trail after failed joint dealership venture with Tata Motors.
  Basavanhalli said the company currently has 116 out lets in 93 cities across 23 states in India.
  The company will launch the compact SUV Avventura which was showcased at the Auto Expo in February, within 60 days, he said.
 Fiat, which is present in the country through a wholly- owned subsidiary, is adding new models in its portfolio this year to rev-up its sales.

Besides the Avventura, luxury hatchback Abarth 500 will be
launched later this year. The Italian-American auto major Fiat
Chrysler had announced plans to launch 12 models in India in
the next five years and will start producing models from the
Jeep brand in the country by 2015.
    After the debut of the Abarth brand in India this year,
Jeep brands will follow next year, with nine models to be
locally assembled and the remaining three to be imported.
 In 2015, the group will introduce the much-awaited Wrangler and Grand Cherokee models from the Jeep brand and Abarth Punto. The Grand Cherokee and Abarth Punto will be locally produced, while Wrangler will be imported.Towards the end of 2016, a fresh Avventura based on a new global small platform will be launched along with a mini-SUV from the Jeep stable, both of which will be locally produced.

In 2017, the group plans to launch new models of the Punto and Grand Sienna from the Fiat portfolio and Wrangler and Grand Cherokee from the Jeep brand. Of these, only the new Wrangler will be imported.
 The launches will be followed by a fresh Abarth Punto based on a new global small platform in 2018, which will also be locally assembled.
  The group's plant at Ranjangoan in Maharashtra will roll out six models across three platforms by 2018, up from the current three models from a single platform. The facility will produce six types of

engines from the current three.
 By 2018, the group expects to have a vehicle production capacity of 2,45,000 units annually, compared with 1,35,000 at present.
 While the total engine capacity will remain the same at 3,50,000 units, for transmission units, it will go up to 3,30,000 by 2018 from the current level of 3,00,000 units. It had set a target of a product line up of five vehicles by December this year and nine by 2016 in its Indian line up.