ATF price cut by 4 pc; commercial LPG rate reduced marginally by Rs 1.5 per cylinder
New Delhi (PTI): Jet fuel or ATF price on Monday was cut by 4 per cent, the third straight monthly reduction, and commercial cooking gas (LPG) rates were marginally lowered by Rs 1.50 per 19-kg cylinder in line with international benchmarks.
However, the price of domestic LPG -- used in household kitchens for cooking purposes -- remained unchanged at Rs 903 per 14.2-kg cylinder.
Aviation turbine fuel (ATF) price was cut by Rs 4,162.5, or 3.9 per cent, in the national capital to Rs 101,993.17 per kl, according to price notifications of state-owned fuel retailers.
This is the third straight monthly reduction in jet fuel prices. ATF price was cut by almost 6 per cent (Rs 6,854.25 per kl) in November and by Rs 5,189.25, or 4.6 per cent, in December.
The three rounds of reduction have wiped away almost 45 per cent of the Rs 29,391.08 per kl increase in rates effected in four monthly tranches starting July 1.
The reduction in the price of jet fuel, which makes up for 40 per cent of an airline's operating cost, will ease the burden on already financially strained airlines.
Alongside, oil firms also reduced the price of commercial LPG - used in various establishments such as hotels and restaurants - by Rs 1.50.
A 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 1,755.50 in the national capital and Rs 1,708.50 in Mumbai.
The price hike follows a Rs 39.5 per cylinder reduction in rates effected on December 22.
State-owned Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) revise cooking gas and ATF prices on the 1st of every month, based on the average international price in the previous month. The revision on December 22 was an outlier.
Petrol and diesel prices continued to remain on freeze for a record 21st month in a row. Petrol costs Rs 96.72 per litre in the national capital, and diesel costs Rs 89.62 per litre.
State-owned fuel retailers are supposed to revise petrol and diesel prices daily, based on a 15-day rolling average of benchmark international fuel prices, but they haven't done that since April 6, 2022.
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AI chatbot 'MahaChatur' to offer skills, jobs, entrepreneurship support on 1 platform: Fadnavis
Mumbai (PTI): An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot developed by a Maharashtra government department will provide skill training, employment avenues, entrepreneurship support and guidance to youth on a single platform, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.
He called the AI chatbot, 'MahaChatur', a "transformative initiative" and noted it will make the transition from education to employment easier for young people while helping industries access skilled manpower quickly.
The chatbot, developed by the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, is the first such initiative by any state government in the country, the CM said.
Fadnavis was speaking at the launch of the chatbot and the signing of multiple MoUs here.
Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, senior officials, diplomats and representatives from industry and academic institutions were present at the event, an official release said.
Highlighting India's demographic advantage, Fadnavis said nearly 65 per cent of the population is below 35 years of age, and equipping this workforce with relevant skills is critical to economic growth.
He said the MahaChatur chatbot, a digital assistant built to converse with users, will act as a bridge between job-seeking youth and industry requirements.
The AI-based platform will function as a one-stop solution, offering information on skill training, job opportunities, entrepreneurship guidance, application processes, assessments and market linkages. It will be easily accessible through WhatsApp, enabling wider outreach, he stated.
The chief minister emphasised the initiative will be particularly useful for employment-oriented youth seeking guidance.
He said efforts such as setting up centres of excellence, modernisation of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes), increased participation of women in skill programmes and global partnerships will help strengthen the skill ecosystem.
Speaking on the occasion, Lodha said the state government aims to bring together the unorganised skill sector on a single platform to strengthen Maharashtra's growth.
He noted that while AI may disrupt some jobs, it will also create new employment opportunities, and the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department is working to connect youth from the state to global job markets.
The department has also launched the chatbot to streamline apprenticeship processes under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (MAPS). The platform enables registration in about 15 minutes, significantly reducing the earlier time of two to three days, Lodha maintained.
Developed in partnership with the Right Walk Foundation, 'MahaChatur' operates on government servers using open-source AI and ensures data security. It will provide end-to-end information -- from training to placement -- for both rural and urban youth, officials said.
In the CM's presence, MoUs were signed with several organisations, including IPE Global Ltd, National Skill Training Institute, Mumbai, Shrimad Rajchandra Educational Trust, Shri Shri Rural Development Programme Trust and UN Women for collaboration in areas such as women's skill training, data security, prison skill development and youth employment initiatives, the release said.
Representatives of several industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and others, were felicitated for their contribution to skill development.
Six ITI students selected for apprenticeships in Germany were also honoured and presented offer letters at the event.
Panel discussions on "Industry Leadership Dialogue" and "AI for Public Service Delivery" were held, focusing on emerging opportunities in skill development and AI-driven services.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve transparency, grievance redressal and access to employment-linked services, the release said.
