Latest news with #JAM
Barnama
25-06-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Agro MADANI Sales Tour In Penang Boosts Market Reach For Local Agropreneurs
KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 (Bernama) -- For many small-scale agropreneurs in Penang, the Agro MADANI Sales Programme (JAM) Penang Tour Edition is more than just a marketplace, it's a launchpad for growth, helping them build sustainable incomes and expand into markets beyond state borders. Now in its third edition, this time held in the capital as part of the Selangor leg of the tour, the programme continues to serve as a strategic platform to strengthen the marketing network and outreach of Penang's agricultural entrepreneurs, said State Executive Councillor for Trade and Entrepreneurship and Rural Development Datuk Rashidi Zinol. He said the programme, organised by the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (FAMA) in collaboration with the Penang government, is not merely a sales event but a high-impact initiative aimed at generating long-term income for agropreneurs. 'Previously, the programme was held in Melaka and Kelantan, both of which received encouraging responses. The current edition has not only sustained that momentum but also opened new avenues for Penang products to penetrate interstate markets,' he said. 'InsyaAllah, we will bring the tour to other strategic locations. We are currently identifying areas with strong market potential and opportunities to help our entrepreneurs broaden their reach,' he added. Rashidi was speaking after officiating the Penang showcase of the JAM Tour at FAMA headquarters here today. Also present were FAMA chairman Aminuddin Zulkipli and director-general Abdul Rashid Bahri. Commenting further, Rashidi said the state government remains committed to supporting such initiatives to ensure lasting impact on local agropreneurs and producers nationwide. Among the products featured at this edition of the JAM Tour were Penang durians, a signature offering of the state, which drew strong demand, including advance orders ahead of the event. In addition to durians, Penang entrepreneurs also offered a wide range of fresh and dried food products, including vegetables, fruits, chicken, fish, meat and essential goods such as cooking oil, flour and rice.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Predict, Prescribe, Prosper: Unlocking the power of data and AI in public sector banks
Live Events Demand for Real-Time Responsiveness Need for Hyper-Personalization Urgency to Modernize Legacy Data Platforms Poor data quality and fragmented views of customer and business accounts Siloed infrastructure that separates operational and transactional insights Limited integration of alternative data (e.g., GST, digital payments, etc) Shortage of skilled data science and engineering talent to translate models into production outcomes India's digital economy is witnessing unprecedented momentum. Fueled by government initiatives such as Digital India, Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, and the rapid adoption of UPI, the country has become a fertile ground for digital transformation . Digital payments are growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 30%, with more than 17 billion UPI transactions monthly as in April 2025. As mobile penetration deepens and consumer behavior shifts online, banks are accumulating vast volumes of data—structured, unstructured, and semi-structured—across every India's public sector banks (PSBs), this explosion of data presents both a challenge and a transformative opportunity. From transactional records and scanned documents to voice logs, app interactions, and behavioral insights, the data generated holds immense potential. One of the key focus areas due to this enhanced digitalization is SME lending , whose growing digital footprints across GST, banking, and transaction systems now make it feasible to assess creditworthiness with far greater speed and this scenario, traditional analytics models—centered on retrospective dashboards and regulatory reporting—are no longer sufficient. To remain competitive and future-ready, PSBs must adopt analytics at scale - not just for efficiency, but to unlock new growth areas such as SMB lending models, risk adjusted cross-sell models, personalisation, etc. They must harness advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict, prescribe, and data analytics has largely been backward-looking—offering summaries of what happened and why. While useful for compliance and strategic reporting, it fails to deliver the predictive foresight or real-time intelligence needed in today's hyper-digital banking Public sector banks, traditional analytics has largely centered around analysing historical data to generate regulatory reports, MIS summaries, and support strategic planning. These approaches, while valuable, often focus on retrospective insights — what happened, when, and why — without offering foresight or actionable banking today is no longer willing to wait. This is particularly relevant in areas like SMB and retail lending, where expectations around turnaround time, credit personalization, and digital servicing continue to forces are accelerating the shift toward advanced analytics in PSBs:Advanced analytics models—be it predictive credit scoring, risk monitoring or generative AI —are only as powerful as the data they ingest. For PSBs to enable smarter lending they must invest in a modern, cloud-ready data platform that offers- Centralized data ingestion from core banking, GST systems, Bureau reports, CRM, digital channels, and other relevant ecosystem partners- In-built data governance, lineage tracking, and quality assurance- Scalable, real-time processing for analytics and AI workloads- Secure, compliant architecture aligned with RBI and sectoral mandatesThis platform is not just infrastructure—it is the strategic enabler for unlocking value across the banking value adopting advanced analytics in public sector banks (PSBs) requires more than just selecting the right technology . It demands strategic alignment, modernized architecture, and organizational readiness across multiple dimensions. Based on common implementation challenges and proven remediation strategies, a practical readiness framework can be anchored around the following pillars:Start with high-impact use cases like fraud detection, credit scoring, and churn prediction to demonstrate early value and secure stakeholder analytics Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to institutionalize best practices, drive talent development, and foster a data-driven culture where decisions are guided by insight rather than suboptimal tech stacks and quick-fix solutions that create long-term technical debt. Also ensure interoperability by choosing platforms that support open APIs and middleware, allowing seamless integration across trusted, consistent data through centralized dictionaries, role-based access, and robust metadata management legacy systems by adopting cloud-native platforms with real-time processing and strong data governance. Build scalable, high-performing data lakes to enable reliable, large-scale analyticsIntegrate privacy, consent, and localization controls early. Ensure full alignment with RBI and sectoral regulations when working with cloud or external public sector banks already operate on scalable data platforms, evolving these architectures to support advanced analytics capabilities is layered view illustrates how core banking functions across retail, consumer and SMB lending, cards, commercial, and enterprise operations can be elevated through Business Intelligence, Advanced Analytics, and Generative AI. Each horizontal enabler brings progressively deeper insights — from automated reporting to predictive decision-making and AI-driven personalization. Together, they form a unified intelligence fabric to accelerate data-driven transformation across the analytics is not futuristic—it's already delivering real results across the banking enterprise:30–40% reduction in compliance costs via automationReal-time anomaly detection reduces riskStreamlined documentation and automated credit memo generation in a smarter lending context specially for retail and SMB loansLower processing costs for small-ticket loans through digital workflowsSmarter underwriting improves credit qualityEarly warning systems mitigate NPA risksPersonalized offers boost conversionsCash flow–based scoring improves credit reach to thin-file SMBsFaster loan decisionsIntelligent product recommendations24/7 self-service analyticsDigital-first onboarding journeys for SMB borrowersAI-powered chat support for loan status, eligibility, and documentation assistanceIn the digital age, data is the new core capital. For public sector banks, embracing advanced analytics at scale is not just a technology upgrade—it is a strategic imperative. By investing in scalable data infrastructure, aligning analytics with business priorities, and fostering a data-driven culture, PSBs can unlock a virtuous cycle of innovation and authors are Dibyanshu Lahiri, Director, BCG; Shray Jain, Director, BCG; Vipul Singh, Lead IT Architect, BCG and Nishchal Pawar, Senior IT Architect, BCG.
Economic Times
23-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Predict, Prescribe, Prosper: Unlocking the power of data and AI in public sector banks
iStock To remain competitive and future-ready, PSBs must adopt analytics at scale to unlock new growth areas such as SMB lending models, risk adjusted cross-sell models and personalisation. The Data Dividend for India's Banks India's digital economy is witnessing unprecedented momentum. Fueled by government initiatives such as Digital India, Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) trinity, and the rapid adoption of UPI, the country has become a fertile ground for digital transformation. Digital payments are growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 30%, with more than 17 billion UPI transactions monthly as in April 2025. As mobile penetration deepens and consumer behavior shifts online, banks are accumulating vast volumes of data—structured, unstructured, and semi-structured—across every touchpoint. For India's public sector banks (PSBs), this explosion of data presents both a challenge and a transformative opportunity. From transactional records and scanned documents to voice logs, app interactions, and behavioral insights, the data generated holds immense potential. One of the key focus areas due to this enhanced digitalization is SME lending, whose growing digital footprints across GST, banking, and transaction systems now make it feasible to assess creditworthiness with far greater speed and precision. In this scenario, traditional analytics models—centered on retrospective dashboards and regulatory reporting—are no longer sufficient. To remain competitive and future-ready, PSBs must adopt analytics at scale - not just for efficiency, but to unlock new growth areas such as SMB lending models, risk adjusted cross-sell models, personalisation, etc. They must harness advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict, prescribe, and prosper. Why Traditional Analytics Is No Longer Enough Traditional data analytics has largely been backward-looking—offering summaries of what happened and why. While useful for compliance and strategic reporting, it fails to deliver the predictive foresight or real-time intelligence needed in today's hyper-digital banking environment. For Public sector banks, traditional analytics has largely centered around analysing historical data to generate regulatory reports, MIS summaries, and support strategic planning. These approaches, while valuable, often focus on retrospective insights — what happened, when, and why — without offering foresight or actionable banking today is no longer willing to wait. This is particularly relevant in areas like SMB and retail lending, where expectations around turnaround time, credit personalization, and digital servicing continue to rise. Three forces are accelerating the shift toward advanced analytics in PSBs: Demand for Real-Time Responsiveness Need for Hyper-Personalization Urgency to Modernize Legacy Data Platforms Laying the Foundation: The Role of a Modern Data Platform Advanced analytics models—be it predictive credit scoring, risk monitoring or generative AI —are only as powerful as the data they ingest. For PSBs to enable smarter lending they must invest in a modern, cloud-ready data platform that offers- Centralized data ingestion from core banking, GST systems, Bureau reports, CRM, digital channels, and other relevant ecosystem partners- In-built data governance, lineage tracking, and quality assurance- Scalable, real-time processing for analytics and AI workloads- Secure, compliant architecture aligned with RBI and sectoral mandatesThis platform is not just infrastructure—it is the strategic enabler for unlocking value across the banking value chain. Persistent hurdles impeding advanced analytics adoption Poor data quality and fragmented views of customer and business accounts Siloed infrastructure that separates operational and transactional insights Limited integration of alternative data (e.g., GST, digital payments, etc) Shortage of skilled data science and engineering talent to translate models into production outcomes Key enablers for PSBs to adopt advanced analytics Successfully adopting advanced analytics in public sector banks (PSBs) requires more than just selecting the right technology. It demands strategic alignment, modernized architecture, and organizational readiness across multiple dimensions. Based on common implementation challenges and proven remediation strategies, a practical readiness framework can be anchored around the following pillars: Define a Business-Aligned Analytics Strategy Start with high-impact use cases like fraud detection, credit scoring, and churn prediction to demonstrate early value and secure stakeholder buy-in. Develop Organizational Capabilities and Culture Establish analytics Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to institutionalize best practices, drive talent development, and foster a data-driven culture where decisions are guided by insight rather than intuition. Build Scalable Data Products Avoid suboptimal tech stacks and quick-fix solutions that create long-term technical debt. Also ensure interoperability by choosing platforms that support open APIs and middleware, allowing seamless integration across systems. Strengthen Data Governance and Quality Ensure trusted, consistent data through centralized dictionaries, role-based access, and robust metadata management frameworks. Build a Resilient Data platform and Architecture (Lakehouse) Modernize legacy systems by adopting cloud-native platforms with real-time processing and strong data governance. Build scalable, high-performing data lakes to enable reliable, large-scale analytics Embed Security, Compliance & Risk by Design Integrate privacy, consent, and localization controls early. Ensure full alignment with RBI and sectoral regulations when working with cloud or external vendors. While public sector banks already operate on scalable data platforms, evolving these architectures to support advanced analytics capabilities is essential. Tangible Impact: Use Cases Driving Value Today This layered view illustrates how core banking functions across retail, consumer and SMB lending, cards, commercial, and enterprise operations can be elevated through Business Intelligence, Advanced Analytics, and Generative AI. Each horizontal enabler brings progressively deeper insights — from automated reporting to predictive decision-making and AI-driven personalization. Together, they form a unified intelligence fabric to accelerate data-driven transformation across the bank. Advanced analytics is not futuristic—it's already delivering real results across the banking enterprise: Cost Efficiency & Compliance 30–40% reduction in compliance costs via automation Real-time anomaly detection reduces riskStreamlined documentation and automated credit memo generation in a smarter lending context specially for retail and SMB loansLower processing costs for small-ticket loans through digital workflows Top-Line Growth Smarter underwriting improves credit quality Early warning systems mitigate NPA risksPersonalized offers boost conversionsCash flow–based scoring improves credit reach to thin-file SMBs Enhanced Customer Experience Faster loan decisions Intelligent product recommendations24/7 self-service analyticsDigital-first onboarding journeys for SMB borrowersAI-powered chat support for loan status, eligibility, and documentation assistance Conclusion In the digital age, data is the new core capital. For public sector banks, embracing advanced analytics at scale is not just a technology upgrade—it is a strategic imperative. By investing in scalable data infrastructure, aligning analytics with business priorities, and fostering a data-driven culture, PSBs can unlock a virtuous cycle of innovation and impact. The authors are Dibyanshu Lahiri, Director, BCG; Shray Jain, Director, BCG; Vipul Singh, Lead IT Architect, BCG and Nishchal Pawar, Senior IT Architect, BCG.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
TANSCHE to annually train 180 UG and PG students during vacations for national level entrance tests
The Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE) will train 180 UG and PG students of basic sciences annually to get them ready for national level entrance examinations. According to a government order issued earlier this month, 30 students each from and programmes in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics will be selected from government colleges through a merit-based screening test. During summer and winter vacations, they will be put through two five-day residential workshops 'aimed at enhancing the conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills'. This would help the students face national entrance examinations such as Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM), Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST), Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), National Eligibility Test (NET) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Graduate School. The government has allocated ₹28 lakh per annum for the two residential camps. The programme seeks to provide a level the playing field for students from poor and marginalised backgrounds and increase their enrollment into premier institutions such as Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) and National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER). At the two camps, the students will be trained by qualified faculty members with proven expertise in problem-solving and examination coaching and will be provided with curated study materials free of cost. Academic support will also be extended to the students round the year through online session.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy Polkadot While It's Under $5?
Polkadot is aiming to power the next generation of Web3 applications. The JAM upgrade will make Polkadot more flexible and developer-friendly, paving the way toward full-fledged Web3 apps and services. Web3 could disrupt giants like Meta Platforms, Alphabet, and Netflix in the future. 10 stocks we like better than Polkadot › The Polkadot (CRYPTO: DOT) cryptocurrency is going through some pretty exciting changes these days. The Web3 Foundation's official crypto coin is becoming a distributed supercomputer, ready to provide a wide variety of apps and services. Yet, the coin price keeps falling. Should you pick up a few Polkadot coins while they're available for less than $5 apiece? I think that's a good idea, and here's why. First things first. Polkadot was designed to support a Web3 future. The social networks and paywalls of the Web2 world were unstoppable over the last 20 years. These days, a lot of web users are getting tired of this aging structure, looking around for new ideas. The Web3 idea is one alternative, bringing more personal freedom and giving content creators more control over their creations. In this system, gigantic hubs of advertising and social media connections are replaced by decentralized services. And Polkadot's app-building ecosystem provides a handy platform to get all the Web3 ideas done in the real world. It's still a futuristic ideology with just a handful of early success stories. But in the long run, Web3 apps could take over your online community connections, your day-to-day financial management processes, and your favorite channels for text, video, and audio infotainment. The tools won't even run in the centrally managed cloud you know and love today, but in a new global network of blockchain-based systems. When tweaked just right, the crypto world's smart contracts can run any kind of program and perform all sorts of services. And that's what Polkadot is doing, with the help of many other cryptocurrency systems. So far, Polkadot is mostly known for its ability to interact with other blockchain networks. This coin's smart contracts can tap into Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) monetary value storage, Ethereum's (CRYPTO: ETH) sophisticated contracts, and Chainlink's (CRYPTO: LINK) real-world data reports, just to name a few. It's also known as a complicated and cumbersome system, but that's changing in 2025. Polkadot's central blockchain will soon be replaced by a more flexible and standards-based system known as JAM (the Joint-Accumulate Machine, if you're curious). This is actually a virtual machine in the blockchain universe. It can compile and run any code for bog-standard central processors, because it's a software-driven and full-featured RISC-V processor. For example, Polkadot co-founder Gavin Wood has made it a habit to show off old-school computer games running on a test version of JAM. His personal laptop is good enough to make that work, but the full JAM upgrade will run on hundreds of server-class computers around the world. Imagine what this on-demand supercomputer can do for the Web3 vision. JAM is coming up, probably in the second half of 2025. It won't cause an immediate frenzy in the Polkadot community, because it takes time for people to use new tools. Then the tools must create useful apps, which in turn need to find a target audience of actual users. So it's not a magic wand that will make Polkadot's developer community's dreams come true in a heartbeat, and it won't lift Polkadot's usage-based coin price right away. But this is a much-needed step toward a true Web3 version of the online world. In the long run, I expect Web3 alternatives to disrupt the online experience as you know it today. Web2 leaders such as Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Spotify (NYSE: SPOT), and TikTok will either join the Web3 revolution or put up roadblocks instead. I can't wait to see how true innovators like Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) will find their place in the Web3 era. I could be wrong, of course. Web2 may stick around for another decade or two, as the current leaders focus on protecting the old social media world. Other cryptocurrencies can also support Web3-worthy apps, though they'll need to overcome Polkadot's built-in advantages first. So I'm not betting the proverbial farm on Polkadot coins. I simply recommend any investor who agrees with the Web3 project's ideas to pick up a few Polkadot coins while they're cheap. This cryptocurrency is only worth $6.6 billion today, which is a far cry from the trillion-dollar titans you see ruling today's Web2 structure. The coin price could multiply by 10 or 100 and still look small next to Meta and Alphabet. In short, Polkadot can be a big long-term winner even if it never matches the Magnificent 7 group's trillion-dollar market caps. I think that's worth a modest position in your long-term crypto portfolio. Before you buy stock in Polkadot, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Polkadot wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $657,871!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $875,479!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 998% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 174% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Anders Bylund has positions in Alphabet, Bitcoin, Chainlink, Ethereum, Netflix, and Polkadot. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Bitcoin, Chainlink, Ethereum, Meta Platforms, Netflix, and Spotify Technology. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Polkadot While It's Under $5? was originally published by The Motley Fool
