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  • SIR Drive Launched in Telangana to Update Electoral Rolls

    Hyderabad, June 25: Door-to-door enumeration has officially begun across Telangana under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, aimed at updating and verifying voter records.

    Election officials said trained field staff have been deployed across districts to carry out the verification process, which involves collecting and updating voter details directly from households. The exercise is intended to ensure accuracy in the electoral rolls ahead of upcoming revisions.

    According to officials, the enumeration drive will cover all eligible voters, with teams visiting homes to verify existing entries and include eligible new voters. The process is being carried out in coordination with local authorities to ensure smooth implementation.

    Authorities have urged citizens to cooperate with enumeration teams and provide accurate information to facilitate error-free voter lists. Adequate arrangements have been made to ensure that the process is completed in a systematic and time-bound manner.

    Officials stated that the SIR exercise is a key step in strengthening the electoral system by improving data accuracy and removing discrepancies in voter records.

    The drive will continue over the coming weeks across all districts of Telangana.

  • Wood Mackenzie acquires LandGate to deliver connected intelligence for the new era of US power markets

    Acquisition of 150 million parcel-level land intelligence dataset strengthens Wood Mackenzie’s leading market position and will drive faster, higher-confidence capital allocation decisions for power, renewables, and data center developers

    LONDON/HOUSTON/SINGAPORE, June 25: Wood Mackenzie, a global leader in data, analytics and insights for the energy and natural resources industry, today announced the acquisition of LandGate. The deal combines Wood Mackenzie’s power market forecasting and supply chain analytics with LandGate’s proprietary land and grid intelligence, as electricity demand grows at an unprecedented pace.

    “Wood Mackenzie is committed to providing the data, analytics and insights our clients need to make critical decisions in an increasingly complex energy world,” said Jason Liu, CEO of Wood Mackenzie. “The system is becoming more interconnected and companies that rely on siloed approaches will be left behind. This acquisition advances our strategy by bringing LandGate’s granular land and infrastructure data into our platform, giving customers a uniquely connected view of where demand is growing, how the grid must respond, and where capital should flow.”

    Power generation investment in the US is expected to reach $1.36 trillion through 2035. Data centers are at the forefront of this growth and Wood Mackenzie estimates they will account for roughly 68% of US load growth through 2030.  That concentration of large-scale, location-specific load is shifting power markets from a supply-led model to one defined by demand and whether grid infrastructure can respond in time. Decisions made at the earliest stages of project development are more crucial than ever and require data connecting power market fundamentals to ground-level site conditions within a single workflow.

    Founded in Denver, Colorado in 2016, LandGate offers a highly differentiated and proprietary data and analytics solution, leveraging insights on the US power transmission grid and more than 150 million land parcels in the US to support critically important capital allocation decisions for data centers, power and renewables projects, and other energy infrastructure assets.

    “The energy industry is undergoing a fundamental transformation, and our customers are at the heart of it,” said Yoann Hispa CEO of LandGate. “By combining our proprietary data and insights with Wood Mackenzie, we are creating a unified ecosystem that will strengthen our offerings and accelerate the growth and innovation our clients rely on.”

    “The future of power market analysis requires connecting demand, supply, networks and infrastructure in a single decision-making framework,” said Xizhou Zhou, Executive Vice President and Head of Power & Renewables at Wood Mackenzie. “LandGate adds a critical layer of high-resolution data across land, transmission and large-load demand that allows us to model and understand markets from the ground up and significantly enhances our ability to support clients through the full investment lifecycle, from screening and siting to development and financing.”

    KippsDeSanto & Co., KPMG, and Brach Eichler LLC served respectively as financial, tax, and legal advisors to LandGate in connection with the transaction. 

  • Avery Dennison South Asia recognized for the advanced packaging material category at InnoPack Pharma Confex 2026, showcases smart pharmaceutical labeling solutions

    Avery Dennison South Asia recognized for the advanced packaging material category at InnoPack Pharma Confex 2026, showcases smart pharmaceutical labeling solutions

    Mumbai, June 25: Avery Dennison, a global leader in materials science and packaging solutions, showcased its latest pharmaceutical labeling and packaging innovations at the 15th Annual InnoPack Pharma Confex 2026, held on June 18–19 at the Sahara Star Hotel, Mumbai. As the pharmaceutical industry increasingly looks to packaging as a critical enabler of product integrity, traceability and patient safety, the company highlighted solutions designed to support greater transparency and trust across the healthcare value chain. 

    At the event, Avery Dennison presented a range of pharmaceutical labeling and packaging solutions designed to address some of the sector’s most important priorities, including product security, intelligent traceability and patient safety. The showcase brought together advanced functional materials, RFID-enabled technologies and authentication solutions that reflect how packaging is evolving from a basic identification layer into a more active part of the healthcare ecosystem.

    Recognizing its contributions to packaging innovation, Avery Dennison was awarded in the Advance Packaging Material Category at InnoPack Pharma Confex 2026. 

    Speaking on the occasion, Jitesh Mehta, Senior Director – Marketing, South Asia, Avery Dennison said, “The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly looking at packaging as a strategic tool whether it is strengthening traceability, supporting patient safety or enabling greater visibility across the supply chain. InnoPack Pharma Confex is a valuable platform to connect with the industry on the changing expectations from pharmaceutical packaging. We are pleased that our work was recognized in the Advance Packaging Material Category, and we value the conversations we had with customers, partners and industry stakeholders during the event.”

    The event brought together pharmaceutical manufacturers, packaging companies, technology providers and industry experts to discuss advancements shaping the future of pharmaceutical packaging. Conversations throughout the conference highlighted the growing emphasis on digitalization, supply-chain transparency, sustainability and patient-centric packaging solutions.

    Avery Dennison engaged with industry stakeholders on how materials science and intelligent identification technologies can help address the evolving needs of the pharmaceutical sector while supporting greater safety, efficiency and trust across the healthcare value chain. Also engaging with customers on how innovation in materials can support the sector’s evolving needs.

  • Odisha Vigilance Launches Massive Probe into Alleged LED Streetlight Scam Across Three Districts

    Bhubaneswar, June 25 (UDN): The Odisha Vigilance has launched a large-scale investigation into alleged corruption and embezzlement of government funds in the implementation of LED street lighting projects in Gram Panchayats across Kendujhar, Nayagarh and Jajpur districts.

    Odisha Vigilance Launches Massive Probe into Alleged LED Streetlight Scam Across Three Districts

    Representational image

    Acting on credible inputs regarding suspected financial irregularities, the anti-corruption agency on Wednesday deployed 24 specialised teams comprising 81 officers, including Additional Superintendents of Police, Deputy Superintendents of Police, Inspectors and other personnel, to conduct simultaneous field inquiries in the three districts.

    The investigation pertains to the project titled, “Implementation of LED Street Lighting System in One Village of Each Gram Panchayat on Turnkey Basis Including Comprehensive Annual Maintenance Contract (CAMC),” undertaken during the financial years 2021-22 and 2022-23 under the Fifth State Finance Commission devolution grants.

    Preliminary inquiries have reportedly uncovered serious procedural violations and large-scale irregularities in the execution of the project. Vigilance officials suspect that several mandatory components required for every cluster of 10 LED streetlights were either partially installed or not installed at all.

    These components allegedly include energy meters, electrical cables, MCCBs, eye hooks, suspension clamps, dead-end clamps and photo switch timers. Despite the alleged non-installation of these materials, executing agencies are suspected to have submitted bills claiming full completion of the works and received payments accordingly.

    As part of the ongoing investigation, Vigilance teams are carrying out on-the-spot technical inspections and physical verification at nearly 50 locations across the three districts. The exercise aims to determine the exact quantum of financial loss caused to the government and identify the roles of officials, contractors and executing agencies involved in the alleged irregularities.

    Officials said documentary evidence is being collected and records are being scrutinised to verify whether the installations conform to the specifications mentioned in project documents and payment bills.

    The Vigilance Department is expected to initiate further legal action, including registration of criminal cases, after completion of the field inquiry and assessment of the extent of the alleged misappropriation.

  • Nutanix Healthcare ECI Report Finds AI Urgency Outpacing Infrastructure Readiness as Shadow AI Risks Mount

    Bengaluru, June 25: Nutanix  a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today published findings from the healthcare vertical edition of its eighth annual Enterprise Cloud Index (ECI) survey. The report, which examines infrastructure readiness, AI adoption, and containerisation trends across healthcare organisations globally, reveals a sector under mounting pressure. AI deployment is being driven from the top, shadow AI is proliferating across clinical and administrative functions, and the infrastructure required to support secure, compliant AI workloads at the point of care is not yet in place.

    As AI moves from the data centre to the bedside, where up to 75% of healthcare data is expected to be generated, the stakes around infrastructure readiness, data sovereignty, and clinical governance have never been higher. The findings show that while healthcare IT leaders recognise the transformative potential of AI, including through autonomous agents and real-time clinical decision support, the organisational and infrastructure gaps required to realise that potential remain significant.

    “Healthcare organisations across APJ are under growing pressure to adopt AI, but clinician demand is colliding with the readiness of the infrastructure underneath it. The impact extends beyond IT; it can affect the availability of critical systems, access to data, and ultimately, the continuity of patient care. For healthcare leaders, the priority is shift from reactive management and build a unified, hybrid approach that bridges the gap between data sovereignty compliance and the real-time, low-latency insights required at the patient’s bedside,” said Daryush Ashjari, Chief Technology Officer and VP of Solution Engineering, APJ at Nutanix.

    Key findings from the 2026 Nutanix Healthcare ECI report include:

    • Shadow AI is widespread and largely unmanaged: Seventy-nine percent of healthcare organisations encounter AI applications or agents being implemented by employees in non-IT functions, and 83% believe that AI tools and agents operating outside official oversight create business risk. The same proportion, 83%, say silos between business units and IT make it difficult to effectively execute technology initiatives, deepening the governance challenge as AI adoption scales.
    • Infrastructure is not ready for AI at the point of care: Eighty-eight percent of healthcare IT leaders view their current infrastructure as not fully ready to support deploying AI workloads on-premises. This is a significant gap given that AI inference at the point of care, rather than via cloud-only processing, is increasingly seen as essential to eliminating latency risks in clinical settings. Single patient rooms can generate up to 7TB of data annually, and high-density device environments such as ICU beds can include 15 to 20 connected devices, requiring local, low-latency AI processing to maintain clinical continuity.
    • AI is accelerating container adoption as healthcare modernises its application strategy: Eighty-six percent of healthcare organisations say AI is meaningfully accelerating their adoption of containers, which enable AI models to be deployed locally at the bedside in secure, portable environments. Eighty-one percent expect the level of application containerisation to increase at their organisation, and 80% are already building new applications in containers. Containers allow hospitals to keep data where it is generated, within their own walls, while enabling real-time AI-driven insights without compromising network performance.
    • AI agents are seen as transformative for healthcare operations: Fifty-eight percent of healthcare IT leaders expect AI agents to improve productivity and efficiency, 57% anticipate agents will transform business processes and operations, and more than half (55%) see potential for AI agents to create new products, services, or revenue streams. Looking three years ahead, 57% of organisations anticipate using agentic AI or autonomous agents, alongside generative AI (62%) and predictive analytics or machine learning models (55%).
    • Data sovereignty is a must-have, not a nice-to-have: Seventy-two percent of healthcare organisations say data sovereignty is a high priority or a must-include when making infrastructure decisions. Fifty-four percent run containerised applications on-premises or on private clouds today, and 54% feel the need to run infrastructure within a single country due to customer or stakeholder expectations. This reflects the sensitivity of protected health information (PHI) and the compliance requirements governing where this data can be stored and processed.
    • AI adoption is being driven from the top, with scale coming fast: Fifty-five percent of healthcare organisations anticipate having more than five AI-enabled applications within three years, including 12% who expect to be running more than 10. Sixty-three percent currently run AI applications on managed service providers, with hybrid deployment models expected to remain the norm as organisations look to support AI centrally and at the point of care.

    Together, these findings paint a clear picture: healthcare organisations are accelerating into AI without the infrastructure beneath them to support it safely. Closing the gap from the data centre to the bedside requires a fundamental rethink of how healthcare IT is architected, governed, and scaled.

    Where the data meets the bedside

    The findings point to a sector at critical stage in its innovation journey. AI is more than just a consideration for healthcare and is already running in containerised environments, across hybrid infrastructures, and increasingly at the point of care. But the picture underneath is messy as organisations are juggling workloads across on-premises systems, private clouds, and managed services simultaneously, often without the unified infrastructure strategy to support them consistently or safely.

    For healthcare IT leaders, this creates a clear mandate. AI workloads at the bedside demand infrastructure that can deliver performance, maintain regulatory compliance, and support clinical governance. Not just centrally, but locally, where latency and continuity directly affect patient outcomes. A cloud-only approach is no longer sufficient.

    Clinical continuity and patient outcomes depend on healthcare organisations fundamentally rethinking how they architect for AI by building secure data environments, scalable compute, and reliable application delivery across the entire business.

  • Massive Earthquake Devastates Venezuela; International Aid Teams Mobilised

    June 25: A powerful earthquake in Venezuela has claimed at least 32 lives and left more than 700 people injured, according to interim President Delcy Rodríguez. The tremor has caused widespread destruction, with severe building collapses reported in La Guaira and surrounding regions.

    Describing the situation as a “true tragedy,” Rodríguez said emergency response teams are working continuously to carry out search-and-rescue operations, locate survivors trapped under debris, and provide urgent medical care to the injured.

    Authorities confirmed that extensive structural damage has disrupted normal services and slowed access to some affected areas. Despite these challenges, rescue operations remain underway with full mobilisation of emergency personnel across the impacted regions.

    The government has prioritised relief measures, including deployment of medical teams, restoration of essential services, and evacuation support for displaced residents. Efforts are also being made to ensure timely delivery of food, water, and emergency supplies.

    Rodríguez expressed gratitude to international partners, including US President Donald Trump, for extending support in response to the disaster. She also confirmed that international rescue teams are expected to arrive in Venezuela within hours to assist ongoing operations.

    Humanitarian agencies and global relief organisations are closely monitoring the situation as rescue and recovery efforts intensify. Priority remains focused on saving lives, supporting the injured, and stabilising affected communities.

    Experts have warned that the scale of destruction highlights the region’s vulnerability to seismic activity and underscores the urgent need for stronger disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure.

  • Fresh Plea in Odisha High Court Seeks CBI Probe into Missing Naidu Commission Report in Swami Laxmanananda Murder Case

    Cuttack, June 25 (UDN): A fresh petition has been moved in the Odisha High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the alleged disappearance of the Justice A.S. Naidu Commission report pertaining to the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati.

    Fresh Plea in Odisha High Court Seeks CBI Probe into Missing Naidu Commission Report in Swami Laxmanananda Murder Case

    The petition, filed by advocate Debashish Hota, has raised serious concerns over the whereabouts of the commission report and sought an independent probe to ascertain the circumstances under which the document allegedly went missing.

    According to the plea, the disappearance of the report has cast doubts over transparency in the handling of one of Odisha’s most sensitive and high-profile cases. The petitioner has urged the court to direct the CBI to investigate the alleged lapse and identify those responsible.

    The Justice A.S. Naidu Commission was constituted to inquire into various aspects related to the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the subsequent communal violence that rocked Kandhamal district in 2008.

    Swami Laxmanananda, a prominent Hindu seer and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, was assassinated along with four associates at his Jalespeta Ashram in Kandhamal district on August 23, 2008. The incident had triggered widespread communal unrest in the region.

    The latest petition has once again brought the case into the spotlight, with legal experts and civil society groups closely watching the proceedings in the High Court.

    The matter is expected to come up for hearing in the coming days.

  • 400 Buses to Ply to Puri for Rath Yatra; Government Ensures Smooth Transport Arrangements

    Bhubaneswar, June 25 (UDN): The Odisha government has put in place elaborate transportation arrangements to ensure hassle-free travel for devotees during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri. As part of the arrangements, nearly 400 buses will operate to and from the pilgrim town to facilitate the movement of lakhs of devotees expected to attend the grand festival.

    400 Buses to Ply to Puri for Rath Yatra; Government Ensures Smooth Transport Arrangements

    Officials said the special bus services will be operated from various parts of the state with an aim to provide safe, convenient and orderly transportation during the festival period.

    The State Transport Authority (STA) and the Commerce and Transport Department have prepared a comprehensive traffic and transport management plan in coordination with district administrations, police and other concerned agencies.

    Special emphasis has been laid on streamlining vehicle movement, reducing congestion and ensuring smooth passenger flow in and around Puri. Temporary bus stands, designated parking zones and traffic diversions are also being planned to manage the heavy influx of pilgrims.

    Authorities have urged devotees to make use of the designated transport facilities and adhere to traffic regulations to ensure a smooth and safe Rath Yatra experience.

    The annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra attracts lakhs of devotees from across the country and abroad, making it one of the largest religious congregations in the world.

  • TN School Education Dept Launches Digital QR-Based Petition Platform

    Chennai, June 25: The Tamil Nadu School Education Department has introduced a QR code-based e-petition system aimed at simplifying and speeding up the process of addressing public grievances, marking a significant step towards digital governance in the education sector.

    The initiative was launched by the School Education Minister as part of the state’s broader push to enhance transparency, accessibility, and efficiency in public service delivery. The system allows citizens, parents, and stakeholders to register complaints and submit petitions by scanning a QR code, enabling direct digital access to the grievance redressal platform.

    Officials stated that the new mechanism is designed to reduce procedural delays, eliminate paperwork, and ensure faster resolution of issues related to school infrastructure, administration, and student welfare. Each grievance submitted through the system will be digitally tracked, allowing users to monitor the status of their petition in real time.

    The department noted that the initiative is expected to improve accountability and strengthen communication between the public and education authorities. By leveraging simple digital tools like QR codes, the system aims to make grievance registration more accessible, even in semi-urban and rural areas.

    Education officials highlighted that the move aligns with Tamil Nadu’s ongoing efforts to integrate technology into governance and improve service delivery across departments. The QR-based system is also expected to reduce dependency on physical visits to offices, making the process more user-friendly and efficient.

    Experts believe such digital interventions can significantly enhance responsiveness in the education system while encouraging greater public participation in governance. The initiative is part of a larger trend of adopting e-governance solutions to modernise administrative processes and improve citizen experience.

    With the launch of the QR code-based e-petition system, the School Education Department aims to set a precedent for other departments to adopt similar technology-driven grievance redressal mechanisms in the future.

  • ‘Vande Bharatam’ Initiative Aims to Boost Rural Entrepreneurship: Gautam Adani

    Ahmedabad, June 25: Gautam Adani has launched a new initiative titled Vande Bharatam’, aimed at nurturing grassroots innovators and supporting emerging entrepreneurs across India, with a focus on inclusive growth and local talent development.

    The initiative is designed to identify and empower individuals from rural and semi-urban regions who demonstrate innovative thinking and entrepreneurial potential. It seeks to provide mentorship, access to resources, and industry exposure to help transform early-stage ideas into scalable ventures.

    Speaking on the launch, Adani emphasised the importance of unlocking India’s vast pool of untapped talent and creating pathways for sustainable economic participation at the grassroots level. He noted that innovation is no longer confined to urban centres and that India’s next wave of growth will be driven by ideas emerging from diverse regions of the country.

    The programme is expected to support innovation across sectors such as clean energy, logistics, agriculture, infrastructure, and digital services. It will also focus on skill development and capacity building, enabling participants to better navigate market challenges and adopt technology-driven solutions.

    Industry observers say the initiative aligns with broader national goals of promoting entrepreneurship, job creation, and self-reliance, while strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem. By connecting grassroots innovators with industry leaders and investors, Vande Bharatam aims to bridge the gap between ideas and implementation.

    The launch comes at a time when India is witnessing a surge in startup activity and increased focus on decentralised innovation, with both public and private stakeholders investing in programmes that support early-stage entrepreneurs.

    With this initiative, Adani Group aims to contribute to building a more inclusive and innovation-led economic landscape, encouraging participation from all sections of society in India’s growth story.