Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan Offers Visitors a Glimpse of India’s Military Heritage

Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan Offers Visitors a Glimpse of India’s Military Heritage

New Delhi, Aug.31: The iconic Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan continues to captivate visitors by showcasing India’s rich military traditions, impeccable discipline and ceremonial grandeur.

Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan Offers Visitors a Glimpse of India's Military Heritage

The Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan showcases India’s rich military traditions, discipline and ceremonial splendour. The impressive ceremony offers the visitors a memorable glimpse of India’s proud heritage. pic.twitter.com/N3GfNwQbOI

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 31, 2026

Held at the President’s official residence, the ceremony is a striking display of precision drill, synchronized movements and ceremonial excellence by the President’s Bodyguard and other participating military personnel. It reflects the professionalism and heritage of India’s armed forces while upholding a tradition that has become a major attraction for visitors to the national capital.

Blending history with pageantry, the ceremony offers spectators a memorable experience and an opportunity to witness one of the country’s most distinguished ceremonial events up close.

The Change of Guard Ceremony stands as a symbol of India’s proud military legacy and enduring commitment to preserving its ceremonial traditions for future generations.

Hyundai Capital Officially Launches Financial Services Operations in India

Hyundai Capital India transitions from a consulting entity to a financial entity, starting operations with wholesale financing.

SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hyundai Capital Services (the “Company”) is commencing financial operations in India, one of the world’s three largest automotive markets.

Hyundai Capital Officially Launches Financial Services Operations in India

Hyundai Capital India (HCIN) is the Company’s 14th financial entity, and an independent stand-alone entity fully owned and operated by Hyundai Capital Services.

In March this year, the Company obtained a Non-banking Financial Company (NBFC) license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), laying the foundation for providing financial services to customers in the country. Building on its auto finance expertise and experience accumulated across diverse global markets, Hyundai Capital Services plans to pursue a localized strategy tailored to the needs and characteristics of the Indian market and its customers.

India has emerged as the world’s third largest automotive market, supported by its population of more than 1.4 billion and a rapidly growing economy. Hyundai Motor Group (the “Group”) is also strengthening its presence in the country by expanding local production capacity while enhancing its EV lineup for the Indian market.

In line with the Group’s strategy in India, Hyundai Capital Services plans to expand its business in the country in phases. During the initial stage of operations, HCIN will focus on wholesale financing for local automotive dealers, given the country’s vast geography and significant regional differences in financial environments.

Alongside expanding dealer financing network across India, HCIN will also work to establish a solid sales infrastructure and robust risk management systems in preparation for the future launch of retail financing for individual customers.

“Building on the expertise we have developed in Korea and across key global markets, we plan to introduce a range of financing solutions that support the Group’s sales in India,” said Hyung-Jin David Chung, CEO of Hyundai Capital Services. “With a disciplined strategy designed for the Indian market, we will work to achieve both sustainable growth and operational stability as we build our business in the country.”

Meanwhile, Hyundai Capital Services currently operates 19 entities in 14 countries worldwide, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia. The Company continues to broaden its international footprint in key markets, supporting the Group’s growing global presence with its auto finance capabilities.

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Hyundai Capital Officially Launches Financial Services Operations in India

NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 marks 15th Edition with several firsts: Records 32,000 Registrations, Introduces Inclusive Run, Brings 184 Tribal Youth to the Marathon and Earns several Global Recognitions

 

NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 marks 15th Edition with several firsts: Records 32,000 Registrations, Introduces Inclusive Run, Brings 184 Tribal Youth to the Marathon and Earns several Global Recognitions

 

Hyderabad, Aug 31: The 15th edition of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026, powered by IDFC FIRST Bank, is held on Sunday with a record 32,000 registrations across the 5K, Inclusive Run, 10K, Half Marathon and Full Marathon categories, making it one of the largest running events in the country.

The main events — Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K Run — were conducted on Sunday, following the 5K and Inclusive Run held on Saturday.

Dr. M. Ramesh, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad; Mr. Prashant Shinde, Zonal Head, IDFC FIRST Bank; Shri Krishna Kumar Thakur, Director (Personnel), NMDC; Smt. K. Shilpavalli, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zonal Office; and Rajesh Vetcha, Founder, Hyderabad Runners Society and Race Director, NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026, jointly flagged off the Elite Runners and Full Marathon at People’s Plaza, Necklace Road.

The Half Marathon was flagged off at 5:30 a.m. from People’s Plaza by Mr. R. V. Karnan, Commissioner, GHMC, along with other dignitaries.

The 10K Run was flagged off at 7:15 a.m. from HITEX, Madhapur, by Dr. M. Ramesh, IPS; Ms. Laura Williams, Consul General of the United States; V. Vaidyanathan, MD & CEO, IDFC FIRST Bank; and representatives of the Hyderabad Runners Society.

Overall, 32,000 runners registered for the various categories. Around 11,000 runners participated in the Half and Full Marathons and Elite categories, while about 9,000 participated in the 10K Run on Sunday. On Saturday, 6,500 runners participated in the 5K and Inclusive Runs, including around 300 differently abled participants and 15 overseas and 30 Indian elite runners.

The Inclusive Run, introduced for the first time at the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon, was organised in association with the Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation (ABBF). The initiative seeks to promote inclusive participation in distance running and reinforces the belief that running has no barriers and everyone deserves an opportunity to experience the joy of sport.

The 300 differently abled participants included 205 persons with disabilities, 37 wheelchair runners from the Telangana Wheelchair Cricket Team and Bengaluru Wheelchair Cricket Team and other; 14 dwarf participants from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, visually challenged runners and other participants with disabilities yesterday and quite a significant number participated in the Main event. 

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon is regarded as the beginning of the marathon season in India and is among the country’s largest marathon events.

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026 witnessed an impressive performance by elite runners from Ethiopia, Kenya and India.

In the Women’s Elite category, Ethiopia’s Emane Seifu emerged as the champion with a winning time of 2:46:29. Ethiopia’s Tsega Desta finished second in 2:46:57, while Kenya’s Teresiah Omosa secured third place in 2:47:17.

Among Indian women, Nirmaben Thakor was the leading Indian finisher with a timing of 2:50:20, followed by Bhagirathi Non (2:51:41), Meenakshi Negi (3:08:43), Maripally Uma (3:18:22) and Bhagwati Dangi (3:31:28).

In the Men’s Elite category, Ethiopia’s Seboka Negusse emerged as the champion with a winning time of 2:20:57. Kenya’s Felix Kimutai also clocked 2:20:57 to finish second, while compatriot Francis Cheruiyot secured third place in 2:21:29.

Among Indian men, Gopi Thonakal was the leading Indian finisher, securing fourth place overall in 2:21:46, followed by Man Singh (2:23:56), Pradeep Singh Chauhan (2:26:12), Ranjit Singh (2:27:49) and Bugatha Srinu (2:29:56).

The performances underlined the growing strength of Indian distance runners competing alongside an international elite field.

184 Tribal Youth from Chhattisgarh make their Marathon debut.  A special highlight of this year’s marathon was the participation of 184 young tribal runners from Chhattisgarh, where NMDC operates its mining projects.

The runners were selected from villages and remote areas of Chhattisgarh and participated across different categories of the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon for the first time. Their participation provided an opportunity for young runners from tribal communities to experience a major national marathon and showcase their potential.

Speaking at the flag-off, Dr. M. Ramesh, IPS, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad, said he had been associated with the Hyderabad Marathon in different capacities over the years — as a runner and mentor — and was happy to participate in this year’s event as well.

He said the weather was ideal for the marathon and praised Hyderabad’s vibrant running community and the city’s growing focus on fitness and healthy living.

“Hyderabad has a very strong running community. Hyderabadis are health conscious and the city has also emerged as an events capital of India. Telangana is known for its hospitality. Nearly 2,000 police personnel participated in different categories of the marathon,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Krishna Kumar Thakur, Director (Personnel), NMDC, said that the initiative had helped identify promising running talent among the tribal youth.

“We have found excellent running talent among the 184 tribal youth from the villages of Chhattisgarh. Some of them have already shown tremendous potential, with a few completing the Full Marathon in under 2 hours and 30 minutes. Through their participation, they have become ambassadors of good health. We hope to see many of them progress to higher levels of running from the next edition,” he said.

Awards were presented to the winners by Dr. M. Ramesh, Commissioner of Police, Cyberabad; Mr. Sunpreet Singh, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Cyberabad Commissionerate; Shri Krishna Kumar Thakur, Director (Personnel), NMDC; Vivek Nishant Nath, Director (Commercial), NMDC; Anurag Kapil, Director (Finance), NMDC; Arun Kumar Kaliappan, President, Hyderabad Runners Society; and Rajesh Vetcha, Founder, HRS and Race Director, NMDC Hyderabad Marathon 2026.

The first-place winner received ₹3,00,000, while the second-place winner received ₹2,50,000 and the third-place winner received ₹2,00,000. The fourth, fifth and sixth positions received ₹1,50,000, ₹1,00,000 and ₹75,000, respectively.

Novartis Healthcare was recognised for recording the highest percentage of women participants in the marathon.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories was recognised for the highest number of registrations, with 1,000 employees/participants registering for the event.

Arcesium was recognised for its contribution of ₹30 lakh towards charity.

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon supports 40 NGOs and has raised more than ₹2 crore towards various charitable organisations through the event.

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon continues to strengthen its focus on environmental sustainability. The previous edition became India’s first marathon to receive the World Athletics Silver Sustainability Award, placing it among a select group of sustainable athletics events globally.

The Hyderabad Marathon now stands alongside internationally recognised events such as the Boston Marathon (USA), Generali Berliner Halbmarathon (Germany), Golden Gala (Italy), Wanda Diamond League Xiamen (China) and BAUHAUS-Galan (Sweden). The World Athletics sustainability recognition is valid for three years.

The organisers have set a goal of making the NMDC Hyderabad Marathon carbon neutral within the next three years. As part of the sustainability measures, 35% of runners opted out of receiving T-shirts, while the use of flex cut-outs was also reduced.

The NMDC Hyderabad Marathon has also been officially accredited by SheRACES, recognising its commitment to providing safer spaces, equal opportunities, better support and a more inclusive race experience for women runners.

The accreditation further strengthens the marathon’s commitment to making distance running more accessible, safe and inclusive for everyone.

 

 

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem celebrate the start of a new era of rallying in Encarnación

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem celebrate the start of a new era  of rallying in Encarnación

 

Dubai, UAE, Aug 31: The President of Paraguay, H.E. Santiago Peña, joined FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem and hundreds of thousands of passionate fans at FIA WRC Rally del Paraguay this weekend, celebrating the rapid growth of motorsport in the country and an exciting new chapter for rallying worldwide.

The two Presidents met during the rally weekend to discuss the continued development of motorsport in Paraguay and across the Americas, from creating opportunities for young people at grassroots level to bringing more world-class competition to the region.

Together, they watched the iconic ‘Paso de los Teros’, a replica of the legendary Group B Audi Quattro S1, which has been built in Paraguay, take on SS17 Encarnación. The moment held particular significance for President Ben Sulayem, a 14-time FIA Middle East Rally Champion, who competed in an Audi Quattro during his own rallying career at the 1987 Qatar Rally.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem celebrate the start of a new era  of rallying in Encarnación

 

They also met local karters during their visit, seeing first-hand the enthusiasm for motorsport among the next generation and highlighting the importance of creating accessible pathways into competition.

Rally del Paraguay continues to strengthen its place on the international motorsport stage, with 300,000 fans experiencing the excitement of this round of the FIA World Rally Championship on the country’s distinctive red gravel roads – a huge 42.8% increase on fan numbers compared to its inaugural year in 2025.

The weekend also came at a pivotal moment for the future of rallying following the FIA’s landmark new long-term commercial rights agreement for the FIA World Rally Championship and FIA European Rally Championship.

Following FIA approval, Cosmobilis and Park Square Capital have acquired WRC Promoter GmbH in the ‘deal of the century’, bringing record new investment into rallying and putting fans at the heart of the sport’s next chapter. The partnership will focus on growing the Championships’ global audiences, strengthening storytelling and content, and bringing fans closer to the action.

Central to the agreement is a new FIA Growth Fund, designed to support the development of rallying worldwide, from the highest levels of international competition through to entry-level grassroots participation.

Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem celebrate the start of a new era  of rallying in Encarnación

 

FIA President H.E. Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The passion for motorsport in Paraguay is incredible. President Peña shares that passion and understands the opportunities our sport can create for young people, communities and the country.

“It was particularly special to watch the Audi Quattro take to the stage here. It is a car that means a great deal to me from my own rallying career, and seeing it on these roads, surrounded by so many passionate fans, was a fantastic moment.

 “But the future of our sport is just as important as its history. Meeting the young drivers here and seeing their enthusiasm shows why we must continue creating opportunities and increasing accessibility.

“Our landmark new promoter agreement for the Championship will help us do exactly that. We are bringing significant new investment into rallying, putting fans at the centre of its future and, through the new FIA Growth Fund, supporting the sport at all levels.”

H.E. President Santiago Peña said: “President Ben Sulayem’s presence at the Rally del Paraguay for a second consecutive year is a powerful recognition of Paraguay’s growing role on the world motorsport stage. It reflects the FIA’s confidence in Paraguay as a reliable partner for the future, and in the passion of our people for motorsport – particularly rally.

“The Rally del Paraguay has already been recognized as the Best Rally in the World, and we are determined to uphold that distinction. Its challenging roads, exceptional landscapes and passionate fans make it a truly unmissable event on the WRC calendar.”

President Peña has been a strong supporter of bringing the FIA World Rally Championship to Paraguay and developing the country’s wider motorsport ambitions. Paraguay also hosted the 2025 FIA American Congress in Asunción, uniting FIA Member Clubs from across the Americas to collaborate on the future of motorsport and mobility.

XIMB Concludes Business Excellence Summit 2026 with Focus on Risk, Resilience, AI and ESG

 

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

Bhubaneswar, Aug 31: Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB) successfully concluded the 8th edition of the Business Excellence Summit (BES) 2026, themed “Building Resilient Businesses – Navigating Risk to Shape A Sustainable Future.” The two-day summit brought together industry leaders, faculty, students and alumni to explore resilience, leadership, technology, ESG, AI and risk management.

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

The summit commenced with a lamp-lighting ceremony and inaugural address by Dr. Biswa Swarup Misra, followed by the theme address by Dr. Fr. K.S. Casimir, S.J., who emphasised openness, collaboration and the human edge in building resilient organisations. The session also witnessed the launch of Echoes, the BES magazine, and Unnayan, the alumni magazine.

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

The Day 1 keynote by Mr. Sandeep Bagla, CEO, TRUST Mutual Fund, introduced the 4A Framework – Anticipate, Absorb, Adapt and Accelerate, highlighting AI, accountability, digital infrastructure and responsible leadership. Panel discussions on “Leadership – Leading for the Long Run” and “Technology – Build to Bend, Not to Break” featured Mr. Srinivas Baratam, Mr. Jaydeep Chakraborty, Mr. Sushant Dwivedy, Mr. Bivas Mishra, Mr. Gaurav Chawla and Ms. Jayati Dwivedy, focusing on resilient leadership, technological transformation, AI, governance and sustainable value creation.

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

Day 2 featured a keynote by Mr. Himanshu Routray, Director, JLL India and XIMB alumnus, who highlighted embracing uncertainty, risk management, AI, networking, collaboration, continuous upskilling, compliance, quality and ethics in building resilient careers.

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

The panel on “ESG – Resilience by Design,” moderated by Prof. S.S. Ganesh, featured Ms. Priyanka Ghosh, Mr. Debasmit Mohanty and Mr. Sambitosh Mohapatra, who discussed adaptability, governance, stakeholder management, ESG, technology and sustainability. The final panel, “Risk Management Built for the Bad Day,” moderated by Dr. Ritesh Kumar Dubey, featured Mr. Kiran Rana and Mr. Chittaranjan Mohanty, focusing on risk assessment, AI, technological disruption, adaptability and human judgement.

XIMB Concludes 8th Business Excellence Summit 2026, Spotlighting Resilient and Sustainable Business Leadership

 Interactive Q&A sessions across both days enabled students to engage with speakers on AI, innovation, entrepreneurship, ethics, career choices, ESG, uncertainty and risk management. The summit concluded with the felicitation of the dignitaries, reinforcing BES 2026’s focus on building adaptable, responsible and resilient organisations for an uncertain future.

GIGABYTE Collaborates with NVIDIA to Enhance Gaming with GeForce RTX™ 50 Series and CONTROL Resonant Bundle

TAIPEI, Aug. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — GIGABYTE, the world’s leading computer brand, announced a collaboration with NVIDIA for the CONTROL Resonant game bundle across eligible graphics cards, laptops, and gaming desktops powered by NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 5070 or above GPUs and Laptop GPUs. Combining NVIDIA technologies including path tracing and DLSS 4.5 with GIGABYTE’s advanced cooling solutions, the bundle enables gamers to experience the highly anticipated title with enhanced visual fidelity and performance across a wide range of gaming platforms.

GIGABYTE Collaborates with NVIDIA to Enhance Gaming with GeForce RTX™ 50 Series and CONTROL Resonant Bundle

For graphics cards, the lineup includes the AORUS GeForce RTX™ 50 INFINITY Series, spanning the GeForce RTX™ 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070 models. The series features the WINDFORCE HYPERBURST cooling system to support sustained GPU performance under demanding gaming workloads, while the GeForce RTX™ 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070 INFINITY models feature a STEALTH design for cleaner cable management and streamlined PC builds. The bundle also covers the GIGABYTE RTX 5090 AI BOX, which integrates WATERFORCE cooling for efficient thermal management. Together with NVIDIA path tracing and DLSS 4.5, these solutions bring greater realism and AI-enhanced performance to supported games.

Eligible gaming laptops include the AORUS MASTER 16 GEN 2, GIGABYTE AERO X16, and GIGABYTE GAMING A16 PRO. The AORUS MASTER 16 GEN 2 features the WINDFORCE INFINITY EX cooling system, while the AERO X16 and GAMING A16 PRO leverage WINDFORCE INFINITY cooling to balance high performance with efficient thermal management. GIGABYTE’s GiMATE AI agent further provides intelligent system optimization for a more intuitive gaming experience. Selected AORUS PRIME 5 and PRIME 3 gaming desktops are also included, combining all-around cooling solutions with comprehensive connectivity for a streamlined plug-and-play experience.

From August 25 to September 29, 2026, gamers who purchase eligible GIGABYTE graphics cards, laptops, or desktops can receive a CONTROL Resonant redeem code. Codes must be redeemed by October 27, 2026. For eligible products, redemption details, and full campaign information, please visit the campaign page.

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GIGABYTE Collaborates with NVIDIA to Enhance Gaming with GeForce RTX™ 50 Series and CONTROL Resonant Bundle

Lesotho Launches National Farmers Portal, Giving Every Farmer a Place in a Single Digital Registry

The new registration system, built on Joget DX Enterprise, brings farmer and land information together across all 10 districts, giving the Ministry a stronger foundation to serve farmers.

MOYENI, Lesotho, Aug. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition (MAFSN) has officially launched the Lesotho Farmers Portal, the country’s first national digital platform bringing farmer and land information together in one central registry. The Honourable Selibe Mochoboroane, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition, led the launch in partnership with Vodacom Lesotho. Field officers across all 10 districts will use the platform to register farmers and their land parcels, and to capture information about households, farming activities, livestock, assets and support services.

Joget New Logo

Prior to the portal, farmer information was held in paper files, spreadsheets and separate district-level records that did not connect to one another. Built by FiscalAdmin Ltd on Joget DX Enterprise platform, the new system replaces that patchwork, giving the Ministry a clearer picture of the country’s agricultural community.

Field officers use the portal to register farmers against their national identity number, capture household, farming, livestock and asset information, and record land parcels with GPS boundaries. Ministry staff can then search and review that data centrally, giving the government a live, national view of the farming population for the first time.

For farmers, formal registration means the Ministry can identify who they are, what they grow or raise, and what support they may need, laying the groundwork for future services such as targeted subsidies and input distribution. For the Ministry, the registry replaces incomplete and scattered records with one verified source of data to guide policy and budget decisions.

The wider platform already includes capabilities for programme applications, eligibility evaluation, decision management and entitlement issuance, which can be introduced as the programme progresses beyond this initial registration phase.

The Farmers Portal is an important step in strengthening how the ministry understands and supports farmers across Lesotho. Having reliable information in one place will help the Ministry better understand the needs of the farmers, plan agricultural programmes and improve the way services are delivered. Transitioning from development into a national service enables the platform to benefit farmers across all 10 districts.

Built for the needs of a public-sector team

The Farmers Portal was delivered by FiscalAdmin Ltd using Joget DX Enterprise, with several partners contributing to the programme. MAFSN owns the registry, the data and the process; the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) provided the programme framework and digital-government methodology; GovStack supplied the Registration Building Block specification and reference architecture; the World Food Programme supported the implementation, including the Joget DX Enterprise licence; and Vodacom Lesotho partnered on the launch and on reaching officers in the field.

The portal was built with the realities of a small public-sector ICT team in mind. Much of the application is managed through configuration rather than traditional software development, including forms, lists, workflows, user access and reference data. This means Ministry staff can maintain information such as districts, villages, crops, livestock types and document types through the system itself, without needing a developer for every change.

“We wanted to build a service that could work at a national scale and still be practical for the people using it every day. The Farmers Portal brings together a number of processes that would otherwise remain separate, while giving the Ministry greater control over its own data.

We built this as a live implementation of the GovStack Registration Building Block, so it needed to hold up under real conditions in the field, not just on paper. Joget’s enterprise application platform enabled a very small team to turn a working prototype into a national service the Ministry can run and maintain on its own, and that is what made the two-year timeline possible.”  said Aare Lapõnin, Founder and CEO, FiscalAdmin Ltd, Technical Delivery Partner.

The delivery approach also used what FiscalAdmin describes as LLM-assisted spec-driven development. An LLM assistant worked against a written specification rather than the live system directly, with each result pushed through the platform’s own API and checked by an automated test suite before release. When something did not work, the fix went back into the specification, not into the system directly.

Raveesh Dewan, President and CEO of Joget Inc., said the project shows how technology can help public-sector organisations build practical digital services while keeping them adaptable as their needs evolve.

“What makes this project meaningful is the real-world problem it addresses. The Ministry needed a better way to understand its farmers and manage information that can support agricultural services across the country. We are proud that Joget could provide the foundation for that work.

The portal also shows how an agentic AI application platform can help a small team build and maintain a national service while leaving room to expand it as new needs emerge.”  continued Raveesh Dewan, President & CEO, Joget Inc..

As registration reaches full national coverage, the Ministry expects to introduce further services building on the registry, including programme applications and input distribution, extending support to farmers across Lesotho.

About Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition (MAFSN)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition (MAFSN) was first established in 1935 as the Department of Agriculture. Since its inception, like any other government Ministry and/or department, the Ministry has not been immune to transformations and structural changes that have been occurring.

Following a government wide reorganisation and restructuring of Ministries and Departments, the Ministry was renamed Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in 2003.

Today the Ministry is now known as the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition. The Ministry’s principal responsibility is to facilitate sustainable production and productivity of agricultural outputs and promotion of food and nutrition security in the country.

About FiscalAdmin

FiscalAdmin is a software engineering and consulting company established in 2015 in Tallinn, Estonia.

We focus on assessment, modernisation and development services and technologies for tax administrations, ministries of finance, the public sector and international organisations.

Our Tallinn Office, located in the middle of the Nordic startup scene, is focused on the development of products for the new digital age. We develop new operational models for the public sector to help tackle the complexity of digitalisation through the creation of platforms and ecosystems for public finance, revenue management, marketing, e-commerce and public transport.

About Joget

Joget offers an open-source, enterprise Agentic AI application platform that converges no-code/low-code development with AI agents to help organizations rapidly build and customize enterprise applications at scale. By combining AI agents with visual app builders, not raw code, Joget makes app generation faster, safer, and more accessible for business users and developers alike.

With Generative AI and Agentic AI capabilities, Joget Intelligence enables organizations to automate and enhance processes while maintaining oversight and compliance.

Through Vibe Composition, Joget enables AI-assisted application development where AI interprets business intent and assembles applications using governed, pre-validated composable components. Unlike typical AI code generation, Joget’s visual-first approach ensures applications remain maintainable and governed within collaborative human workflows.

As an Application and Integration Fabric, Joget connects legacy and modern systems seamlessly. Its extensible, open-source core and plugin architecture offer unmatched flexibility, and its White Label solution allows OEMs and digital solution providers to fully rebrand the platform.

Trusted by startups, global enterprises, and government agencies, Joget delivers the speed of AI with the control of visual development for scalable, intelligent digital transformation.

Visit www.joget.com and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or YouTube.

Media contact: 

FiscalAdmin: info@fiscaladmin.com

Joget Inc: pr@joget.com 

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Lesotho Launches National Farmers Portal, Giving Every Farmer a Place in a Single Digital Registry

India’s Digital Fertiliser Network Reaches Over 14 Crore Aadhaar-Linked Farmers

India’s Digital Fertiliser Network Reaches Over 14 Crore Aadhaar-Linked Farmers

 

New Delhi, August 30: India’s digital infrastructure for fertiliser distribution has expanded to cover more than 14 crore Aadhaar-linked farmers and fertiliser buyers, strengthening the government’s ability to track the movement and sale of subsidised agricultural inputs across the country.

The Integrated Fertilizer Management System (iFMS), developed with technical support from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for the Department of Fertilizers, has grown into a nationwide digital platform covering multiple stages of the fertiliser supply chain. The system tracks production, imports, dispatches, transportation, inventories and retail sales, providing authorities with greater visibility into the availability and movement of fertilisers.

The platform currently connects more than 2.5 lakh fertiliser retailers and processes around 7 crore metric tonnes of fertiliser sales transactions each year, highlighting the scale at which digital systems are being deployed to manage one of India’s most critical farm inputs.

 

 

The expansion of iFMS is aimed at improving transparency in fertiliser distribution and enabling government agencies to respond more quickly to changes in regional demand and supply.

Digital dashboards provide information on fertiliser stocks and movement at different administrative levels, from the national and state levels down to districts and individual retail outlets. This allows officials to monitor inventories and identify potential supply pressures or unusual purchasing patterns.

The availability of transaction-level information is also expected to support more effective planning during periods of heightened agricultural demand, when fertiliser consumption typically rises.

The government’s next phase of digital integration involves connecting fertiliser purchase information with broader agricultural databases, including land and crop records.

The Department of Fertilizers has already worked towards integrating iFMS with state-level agricultural databases such as Haryana’s Meri Fasal Mera Byora, while exploring integration with the national AgriStack framework.

Such linkages could enable authorities to analyse fertiliser consumption in relation to factors including crop patterns, landholdings, geographical regions and the type of fertiliser being purchased.

This could improve demand forecasting and help policymakers better understand how fertilisers are being consumed across different agricultural regions. At the same time, the effectiveness of such systems will depend on the availability and quality of underlying land and crop data.

Digitalisation has also become an important component of India’s fertiliser subsidy framework. The government provides substantial financial support to keep key fertilisers affordable for farmers, with annual fertiliser subsidy expenditure running into nearly ₹2 lakh crore.

Under the fertiliser Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, subsidy payments to manufacturers and importers are linked to actual retail sales recorded through Point of Sale (PoS) devices.

The system provides a digital trail from the retail transaction to the subsidy claim, helping improve accountability and reduce the scope for leakages or irregularities in the distribution chain.

Farmers purchasing subsidised fertilisers through registered retailers receive transaction records generated through the PoS system, while government agencies gain access to data that can be used to monitor sales and subsidy flows.

The rapid expansion of the digital fertiliser network signals a broader change in the government’s approach to agricultural input management.

Rather than functioning only as a mechanism for recording sales, iFMS is increasingly being positioned as a data and decision-support platform. The large volume of transactions generated through the network can provide insights into regional demand, stock levels, distribution patterns and purchasing behaviour.

For policymakers, this information can potentially help anticipate shortages, improve supply planning and coordinate production and imports with actual market requirements.

The integration of fertiliser data with land and crop information could take this process further by providing a more detailed picture of input requirements at the farm and regional level.

The scale of the iFMS network reflects India’s broader effort to use digital technology to improve the delivery of agricultural services and government support.

With more than 14 crore Aadhaar-linked buyers and a nationwide network of retailers, the system has created a large digital footprint for monitoring fertiliser distribution. The government’s focus is now shifting towards making greater use of this data to improve forecasting, supply-chain management and subsidy administration.

As India continues to digitise its agricultural ecosystem, the integration of fertiliser transactions with farmer, land and crop databases could become an important tool for improving the efficiency and transparency of farm-input distribution.

For the agricultural economy, the development represents a significant move towards data-driven fertiliser management, where digital records can increasingly influence how supplies are planned, distributed and monitored across the country.

Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi Applauds Odisha Women for Turning Forest Protection into Livelihood

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30 (UDN): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the inspiring work of women in Odisha’s Debrigarh region of Sambalpur, praising their efforts to protect forests while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for themselves and their communities.

Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi Applauds Odisha Women for Turning Forest Protection into Livelihood

 Representational Image 

Speaking during his Mann Ki Baat programme, Modi narrated the journey of women from Dhodrokusum village, focusing on how their relationship with the forest has evolved from dependence on forest produce to active conservation and eco-tourism.

From Forest Produce Collector to Conservationist

The Prime Minister referred to the experience of Maithili Bhue, who earlier depended heavily on the forest to meet her family’s daily needs.

Maithili would regularly venture into the forest to collect firewood, Mahua flowers, Kendu leaves, bamboo shoots and other forest produce. For her family and many others in the region, the forest was an important source of both sustenance and income.

Her association with Debrigarh Eco-Tourism, however, opened a new avenue.

According to Modi, the forest gradually became more than just a source of raw materials for Maithili—it became a source of livelihood through conservation.

Over 60 Women Join Conservation Efforts

Maithili’s transformation subsequently encouraged several other women in the area to participate in conservation-related activities.

More than 60 women are now reportedly involved in protecting and managing the natural environment around Debrigarh. Their responsibilities range from wildlife protection and grassland development to supporting eco-tourism initiatives.

Their participation has created a model where environmental protection and economic opportunity complement each other.

‘Nature and Prosperity Can Go Together’

Highlighting the Debrigarh experience, PM Modi said the women have demonstrated that protecting nature can go hand in hand with improving livelihoods.

The initiative also underscores the role local communities can play in conservation when they have a direct stake in preserving natural resources.

The Prime Minister described the women of Debrigarh as an example of how individual efforts can grow into a broader community movement, creating both environmental and social benefits.

Their story from Dhodrokusum has now gained national attention through Mann Ki Baat, putting the spotlight on a community-led conservation model emerging from Odisha’s forests.

PMFBY Enters Second Decade With ₹12,200 Crore Push, Turning Crop Insurance Into a Key Farm-Risk Tool

New Delhi, August 30, 2026: For millions of Indian farmers, a failed crop can quickly turn a weather event into a financial crisis. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), now in its second decade, is increasingly positioned as a critical risk-management instrument for agriculture, providing a financial cushion against crop losses caused by extreme weather, pests and diseases.

The Centre has earmarked ₹12,200 crore for PMFBY in the Union Budget 2026–27, signalling its continued focus on expanding crop insurance and strengthening the financial resilience of farmers.

Launched on 18 February 2016, PMFBY was conceived with a straightforward objective: make crop insurance more accessible and affordable while reducing the income shock faced by farmers when crops are damaged.

PMFBY Enters Second Decade With ₹12,200 Crore Push, Turning Crop Insurance Into a Key Farm-Risk Tool

 

Nearly a decade later, the scale of the programme has grown substantially. From Kharif 2016 through Rabi 2025–26, more than 92.46 crore farmer applications have been insured, while claims have been paid to more than 26.33 crore farmer applications, with the total value of claims exceeding ₹2.06 lakh crore.

The numbers point to the growing role of insurance in an agricultural economy where weather volatility can directly affect farm output, cash flows and household incomes.

PMFBY provides coverage against a broad spectrum of agricultural risks. These include drought, floods, cyclones, hailstorms, pests and diseases, along with provisions for prevented sowing, localized calamities, inundation, unseasonal rainfall and specified post-harvest losses.

For farmers, the significance of such coverage extends beyond compensation.

A major crop failure can affect the ability to repay loans, purchase inputs for the next season or maintain household expenditure. Timely insurance compensation can therefore act as a financial bridge, allowing farmers to continue participating in the agricultural cycle rather than being forced into distress sales or additional borrowing.

The economics of the scheme are also designed to make insurance affordable. Farmers pay a capped premium of 2% of the sum insured for Kharif foodgrain and oilseed crops, 1.5% for Rabi foodgrain and oilseed crops, and 5% for commercial and horticultural crops, with the government providing the balance of the eligible premium subsidy.

While insurance coverage is one side of the equation, accurately assessing crop damage and settling claims efficiently is equally important.

This is where technology is becoming increasingly central to PMFBY.

The government has introduced the Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-TECH) to strengthen technology-based crop-yield assessment. The objective is to reduce dependence on conventional assessment processes and improve the consistency and objectivity of yield estimation.

The Weather Information Network and Data System (WINDS) is another technology-led initiative aimed at expanding the availability of weather data through a network of weather stations and rainfall gauges.

Together, such systems are expected to create a more data-driven insurance architecture, potentially improving the quality of crop-loss assessments and reducing delays in claims.

For an industry dealing with millions of farms spread across vastly different climatic and geographical conditions, the ability to generate reliable, location-specific data could become a significant determinant of how efficiently insurance claims are processed.

The value proposition of crop insurance becomes particularly visible at the individual farmer level.

Consider the case of Anwar, who enrolled under PMFBY by paying a premium of just ₹100. After his crop loss was assessed, he received ₹50,600 in compensation under the scheme.

The experience illustrates the fundamental economics of crop insurance: a relatively small upfront premium can provide substantial protection against an otherwise potentially devastating financial loss.

For farmers operating on tight margins, this protection can make the difference between absorbing a bad season and facing a prolonged financial setback.

The evolution of PMFBY also reflects a broader shift in the way agricultural risk is viewed.

Climate variability, irregular rainfall, extreme weather events and changing pest patterns are increasing uncertainty around farm production. In such an environment, crop insurance is not simply a post-disaster compensation mechanism; it is increasingly part of a wider farm-risk management strategy.

A more predictable insurance framework can also support access to institutional credit and encourage farmers to continue investing in agricultural inputs despite weather-related uncertainty.

The government’s continued financial commitment suggests that crop insurance is being treated as an important component of the country’s broader strategy to strengthen rural incomes and build climate-resilient agriculture.

The scale of PMFBY, however, also brings a major operational challenge: ensuring that coverage translates into timely and accurate payouts.

For farmers, the effectiveness of an insurance programme is ultimately measured not by the size of the allocation but by how quickly and transparently a legitimate claim reaches the beneficiary.

This makes technology-driven assessment systems such as YES-TECH and WINDS particularly significant. Better weather data, more accurate yield estimates and digitised processes can potentially reduce disputes, improve transparency and accelerate settlement.

The next phase of PMFBY is therefore likely to be defined as much by technology and execution as by the size of the government’s budgetary support.

With more than ₹2.06 lakh crore already paid in claims and millions of farmers covered, PMFBY has developed into one of India’s most significant agricultural risk-transfer mechanisms.

The ₹12,200 crore allocation for 2026–27 provides another financial push as the government seeks to deepen crop-insurance coverage and strengthen the programme’s technological backbone.

The larger business story is that India’s agricultural economy is gradually moving from a model where farmers largely absorb weather risk themselves toward one where insurance, government subsidies, digital assessment and weather intelligence share the burden.

For farmers such as Anwar, that shift can have a very tangible outcome: turning a potentially crippling crop loss into a manageable financial setback.

As climate-related risks become a more persistent feature of agriculture, the effectiveness of PMFBY could increasingly influence not just farmer incomes, but also the stability and resilience of India’s broader rural economy.