ICMR Warns Misleading Adds, Zeta's UPI Entry, EVs & Thialand, TikTok & AI, Etc.

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Main Briefs

ICMR Warns of Misleading Food Labels: Consumers Advised to Exercise Caution:

PC: Facebook

Challenges Identified:

  • ICMR highlights misleading information on packaged food labels, urging consumers to scrutinise details for informed choices.

  • Dietary guidelines emphasise potential inaccuracies and incomplete claims made by manufacturers.

Health Claims Misleading:

  • Packaged foods often feature health claims aimed at attracting consumers, which may not always reflect their nutritional content accurately.

  • Terms like 'natural' or 'real fruit' may be deceptive, concealing additives or minimal fruit content.

Concerns Raised:

  • Products labelled as 'natural' may only contain one or two natural ingredients, leading to misconceptions.

  • 'Real fruit' claims may include added sugars and additives, with only 10% actual fruit pulp.

Interpretation of Terms:

  • Terms like 'organic' or 'sugar-free' can be misunderstood, creating false impressions about their health benefits.

  • 'Sugar-free' foods may contain fats, refined cereals, and hidden sugars, contradicting expectations of lower calories.

Need for Consumer Awareness:

  • While FSSAI regulates nutrition and health claims, consumers are advised to verify claims by examining ingredients and nutritional details on labels.

  • Guidelines stress the importance of understanding 'nutrition facts' and 'nutrition claims' as distinct entities.

Key Recommendations:

  • Consumers should pay attention to the 'date of manufacture' and 'use-by date' to ensure food safety.

  • Serving size information on labels is crucial for understanding nutritional values accurately.

  • Checking the net weight of packets helps assess the actual quantity of product contained.

Scientific Review:

  • The Dietary Guidelines for Indians (DGIs) have undergone rigorous scientific reviews led by a multi-disciplinary committee of experts.

  • Dr. Hemalatha R, Director of ICMR-NIN, has spearheaded the drafting process.

Zeta Unveils UPI Credit Line Software Stack:

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Launch Announcement:

  • Zeta, backed by Softbank, introduces a software stack for managing credit lines on the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.

  • Anticipates the UPI credit market to reach a trillion dollars by 2030, aiming to capture 50% of the market share.

Product Overview:

  • The solution facilitates origination, distribution, and digital collection of credit, serving bank customers.

  • Pre-architected to handle population-scale banking infrastructure and process millions of credit accounts.

Market Dynamics:

  • UPI witnessed over 13 billion transactions in April, exerting pressure on banks' core banking solutions (CBS).

  • Introduction of credit lines on UPI expected to drive further transaction volumes.

Zeta's Offerings:

  • Provides cloud-based banking software solutions, including core banking solutions, debit/credit processing, and digital solutions for financial institutions.

  • Operates HDFC's Payzapp and collaborates with banks like RBL, IDFC First, and Kotak Mahindra.

UPI's Significance:

  • UPI's popularity in trade and business, facilitated by QR code payments, surpasses traditional card terminals.

  • Real-time nature of UPI poses challenges for managing credit lines at scale.

Opportunity for Banks:

  • Banks exploring pre-sanctioned credit offers linked to savings or current accounts to cater to evolving customer needs.

  • UPI credit line presents a transformative opportunity for enhancing credit inclusion in India.

Financial Performance:

  • Zeta reported a net profit of Rs 22 crore and revenue of Rs 816 crore in FY23.

  • Founded in 2015 by Ramki Gaddipati and Bhavin Turakhia

    , the company has raised $340 million from investors like Softbank and Mastercard.

Briefs, You Can’t Miss:

  • Anand Mahindra reveals India's inaugural electric flying taxi prototype, lauding the innovation from IIT Madras.

  • FMCG firms anticipate volume growth in FY25 along with revenue improvement.

  • SBI plans to hire 85% engineering graduates in FY25.

  • ISRO Chief highlights significant opportunities for private players in the Indian space industry.

  • Next round of discussions for the India-Asean trade pact review scheduled for July.

  • Gold loan market flourishing in Indian states; Unimoni aims for a Rs 1,000 crore loan book by FY25.

  • IOC, BPCL, HPCL collectively reported a record profit of Rs 81,000 crore in FY24.

  • 100,000 individuals to be trained for the rooftop solar scheme to install solar panels in homes.

  • iVoomi JeetX ZE electric scooter launched, priced at Rs 80,000, offering a range of 170 km.

  • E-tailing sector in India forecasted to grow at 18% by 2028-29, according to a report.

  • SAIL-Bhilai to establish Chhattisgarh's first 15-MW floating solar plant.

  • Zomato and Swiggy Instamart witnessed record orders on Mother's Day, surpassing New Year's Eve numbers.

World Briefs

  • India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) commemorates two years marked by strong growth in bilateral trade.

  • Dubai announces plans to relocate its bustling international airport to a new $35 billion facility within the next decade.

  • Over 200,000 Ford vehicles come under scrutiny by US regulators amid concerns of fuel leakage.

  • ADB Chief Economist emphasises the need for India to prioritise factor market reforms to propel growth to double digits.

  • In the era of electric vehicles (EVs), Thailand, known as the ‘Detroit of Asia,’ could serve as a significant hedge against China for automakers.

  • The United States emerges as Germany’s largest trading partner, surpassing China in trade volume.

AI Briefs

  • South Korea readies a support package exceeding $7 billion for the chip industry, aiming to bolster its competitiveness.

  • Arm Holdings, owned by SoftBank Group, reportedly intends to introduce AI chips by 2025, according to a report.

  • Hanooman, a Gen AI platform, launches with support for 98 languages, asserting itself as the largest multilingual platform available.

  • TikTok announces plans to automatically label videos and images created using artificial intelligence within its app.

Company Of The Day

Company Name: Maruti Udyog Limited

  • Founder: Kenichi Ayukawa

  • Year Of Foundation: 1982

  • Headquarter: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

  • Industry:

    Maruti Suzuki is a car manufacturing company.

  • Why Is It in the News?

    Maruti Suzuki is gearing up to introduce an affordable hybrid vehicle lineup. The 2024 Maruti Suzuki Swift has been launched in India at a starting price of ₹6.49 lakh.