
BW LPG India joins hands with Akshaya Patra to power school kitchens with clean energy
At the event in Puducherry, BW LPG India facilitated the installation of three 500-litre LPG-powered industrial curry-making machines at Akshaya Patra's centralised kitchen, which serves over 40,000 midday meals daily to students in government schools under the PM POSHAN scheme.
As part of its CSR commitment for FY 2025–26, BW LPG India has pledged over Rs 5.55 crore towards energy support, including boiler conversions in kitchens at Puri, Udaipur, and Chittorgarh, and continued funding for energy bills in 16 kitchens nationwide.
Balaji Munjurpet, CFO, Akshaya Patra, said the partnership would improve kitchen efficiency and reduce emissions. Capt Gaurav Bhatia, Director, BW LPG India, reaffirmed the company's long-term commitment, pledging Rs 4.8 crore for FY 2026–27 and Rs 1.04 crore annually until FY 2029–30. The collaboration highlights the role of corporate responsibility in driving social impact, ensuring nutritious meals for children and promoting sustainable kitchen operations.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time of India
16 minutes ago
- Time of India
UAE rolls out new golden visa: Lifetime residency at Rs 23 lakh, India among first to benefit
NEW DELHI: In a major shift from its traditional investment-based residency model, the United Arab Emirates has introduced a new nomination-based Golden Visa, offering eligible Indians lifetime residency in the country by paying a one-time fee of AED 1,00,000 (approximately Rs 23.3 lakh), without the need to invest in property or business. Until now, Indian nationals were eligible for the UAE's coveted Golden Visa primarily through high-value investments, including a minimum AED 2 million (Rs 4.66 crore) in property. But under this new system, applicants can be nominated and approved based on their professional background, societal contributions, or potential benefits to UAE's sectors such as culture, trade, science, startups, or finance. The pilot phase of the initiative has been launched for India and Bangladesh, with over 5,000 Indian applicants expected in the first three months, according to officials involved in the process. Rayad Group, the consultancy firm selected to pilot the nomination-based Golden Visa in India, is leading the process in partnership with VFS and One Vasco centres across India and Bangladesh. Applications can also be submitted through the group's online portal and call centre. "This is a golden opportunity for Indians," said Rayad Kamal Ayub, Managing Director of Rayad Group. He explained that the vetting process includes anti-money laundering checks, criminal background verification, and social media screening. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola The final nomination decision rests with UAE government authorities. Approved visa holders can bring family members, employ staff, and engage in business or professional activities. Unlike property-based visas, which lapse upon property sale, the nomination-based Golden Visa is permanent. This initiative reflects the UAE's growing economic and strategic ties with India following the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022. The program is expected to expand to other CEPA partner countries, including China, in later phases. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now


Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
For cash-strapped colleges, security often last and least concern
1 2 3 Kolkata: The lack of allocated funds for safety-security enhancement has emerged as a major concern among college principals. Installing CCTVs and hiring private security personnel pose significant financial challenges to several state-aided colleges, said principals, prompting them to depend on netas for funding. Several principals highlighted that revenue previously generated from selling admission forms was discontinued after the pandemic, making it difficult to allocate funds for infrastructure development. While some colleges receiving RUSA (Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan) funds utilise them for infrastructure upgrade, a principal of a North 24 Parganas college said, "For availing RUSA funds, NAAC accreditation is mandatory. Gradually, colleges are becoming more serious about NAAC visits. Otherwise, we have to depend on student fees. But the number of students is decreasing, which is a major problem across colleges. We have to work under pressure, both financial and political. Sometimes we even have to contact local MPs and MLAs to get funds for development, and in the process, we have to tolerate their interference." Also, they must submit proposals to the govt for special occasion funding, such as purchasing instruments for laboratory or books for library. Principals highlighted that such proposals take months to be cleared by the dept. A principal said, "We aim for RUSA funds, which amount to Rs 1 crore-Rs 2 crore and help us enhance infrastructure. But it takes time for the funds to finally arrive. We now have to allocate funds for security enhancement as well. Security staff we hire from private agencies also need to be paid by the college. We install CCTVs but maintenance is costly. The recurring costs are only rising. With limited funds, how can we allocate money for security purposes?" Several principals said additional funding for security purposes was also stopped after 2022. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata Some principals said delayed recruitment of Group C and D staff has forced many of them to rely on contractual employees. "Here, former influential students get appointments to maintain control over administrative work," said a principal. According to a professor of a north Kolkata college, they currently have six ex-students working as casual staff. "Though they had to appear for a written test and interview, they were given advantages in appointment," he said. Former principal Purna Chandra Maiti said, "When I was the principal, I wrote letters to the govt for regular staff. The college from which I retired is running with a vacancy of 32 non-teaching posts."


Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
NPCI acquires prime land in Mumbai's BKC from MMRDA for Rs 829 cr for HQ
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the umbrella organization for retail payment systems in India, has acquired a prime land parcel in Mumbai's business district Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) for Rs 829.43 crore to set up its headquarters. The transaction, finalized on June 18, grants NPCI an 80-year lease for two amalgamated plots in G-Block of the business district. The total plot area measures nearly 1.5 acre, with a permissible built-up area of around 2.59 lakh sq ft. The deal is among key land transactions in BKC and is expected to influence the financial district's real estate landscape, particularly in terms of future pricing trends and development strategies. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You Might Want To Buy Baking Soda In Bulk After Reading This Read More Undo NPCI has already paid the entire lease premium of Rs 829.43 crore to MMRDA, showed the documents accessed through realty data analytics platform Propstack. NPCI's CEO Dilip Asbe, speaking at an industry event, had recent said the organisation is setting up a 5,000-capacity research & development and experience centre in Mumbai as part of its global headquarters. Live Events He added that the move aligns with NPCI's goal of accelerating innovation in digital payments and expanding its global collaborations, noting that over 70 countries have visited NPCI's office in the past 4–5 years. According to NPCI's board resolution, the organization plans to construct a 16-storey office on the site. The proposed office building is expected to offer around 5 lakh sq ft of built-up space and will include four to five levels of basement parking. This indicates that NPCI may seek to acquire additional Floor Space Index (FSI) beyond what is currently permissible under the lease to accommodate the larger construction footprint. ET's email queries to NPCI and MMRDA remained unanswered until the time of going to press. Recently, MMRDA allotted a prime 2.1-acre land parcel in BKC to a consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management-backed Schloss Bangalore for a lease premium of Rs 1,302 crore. Prior to that, the authority allotted Japanese company Sumitomo Corporation's Goisu Realty a 3-acre land parcel for over Rs 2,067 crore. These high-value acquisitions reinforce the growing importance of BKC as the financial nerve center of Mumbai and the country, drawing both public and private sector institutions seeking marquee office addresses. NPCI's decision to consolidate its operations in a single, custom-built headquarters comes amid a broader trend among public sector organisations to own, rather than lease, space in key central business districts. The strategic location of the G-Block plots in BKC places NPCI in proximity to several financial regulators, leading banks, global consultancies, and multinational corporations. The site is also expected to benefit from upcoming infrastructure upgrades, including enhanced metro connectivity and proximity to the proposed BKC high-speed rail station. With digital payments experiencing exponential growth across India, NPCI's move to invest in a permanent, centralized facility underlines its ambitions to scale operations and fortify its institutional presence. The organization operates critical payment infrastructure including the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), RuPay card network, and National Automated Clearing House (NACH). For MMRDA, the land deal adds to its revenue stream and supports its mandate of urban development in Mumbai's metropolitan region. The transaction reflects robust institutional appetite for quality commercial real estate in Mumbai. Ends