Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog launched its new edition of Atal Tinkering Lab, ATL handbook yesterday. It reinforces detailed establishment and operational processes of the Atal Tinkering Labs and its journey towards an innovative ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
 
The handbook named ‘The Atal Tinkering Lab Handbook 2.0’ outlines a practical guidance on structural, selection, establishment and celebration aspects of the Atal Innovation Mission-  AIM’s flagship ATL programme. The handbook, which is available online on AIM’s official website, also provides a detailed guidance for schools across the country on building a technically robust mechanism of grass root innovations through ATLs.
 
Gracing the occasion through a special video message, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar said, the second version of the ATL Handbook encompasses 3 years of on-the-ground work done by the AIM team in a framework using four key pillars of the ATL initiative – Selection, Establishment, Enablement, and Celebration.
 
An Atal Tinkering Lab provides a maker space where young minds can give shape to their ideas through hands on do-it-yourself mode and learn innovation skills. To foster entrepreneurship and innovation, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog has established over 7000 ATLs across the country.

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has said that COVID-19 has further aggravated the terrorism concerns for the world.

Speaking at the United Nations Security Council open debate on the topic of Threats to International Peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Dr Jaishankar said the economic uncertainty caused due to the pandemic has made the radical extremist ideologies more susceptible towards terrorist activities.

External Affairs Minister proposed an eight point action plan in order to combat the menace of terrorism. He said, the council should not countenance double standards in their battle against terrorism.

Dr. Jaishankar added that there are no good and bad terrorists. He asserted, those who propagate such distinctions have an agenda and those who cover up for terrorists are equally culpable. He urged the council members to stand united in the fight against terrorism. Dr. Jaishankar exhorted that linkages between terrorism and transnational organized crime must be fully recognized and addressed vigorously. He said, India has seen crime syndicate responsible for the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts not just given State protection but enjoying 5-star hospitality in that country.

External Affairs Minister gave a call to all the member nations to fulfill the obligations enshrined in the international counter-terrorism instruments. He said, enlisting and delisting individuals and entities under the UN sanctions regimes must be done objectively and not for political or religious considerations.

Dr. Jaishankar also pointed out that some nations lack legal and operational frameworks and technical expertise to detect, investigate and prosecute terrorist financing cases. He said, on the other hand, there are nations that are guilty of aiding and supporting terrorism and provide financial assistance, safe havens to them.

Dr. Jaishankar said, in recent years, the terrorist groups and lone-wolf attackers have enhanced their capabilities by gaining access to emerging technologies, including drones, virtual currencies and encrypted communications. He said, social media networks have contributed to radicalization and recruitment of youth.

The External Affairs Minister called for enhanced United Nations coordination with FATF for checking the financial aid to terrorist organisations. He called for a relook at the functioning of the various committees in this regard and asked for greater transparency, accountability and effectiveness.

The Centre has urged the farming community to take advantage of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), which has completed 5 years yesterday, in order to become “self-reliant farmers”. In a statement, the Union agriculture ministry said claims worth 90,000 crore rupees have so far been disbursed to farmers since the launch of the scheme on 13th January 2016.
 
The Central Government’s flagship crop insurance scheme – the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has successfully completed 5 years of its operation.
 
The government took a historic step towards strengthening risk coverage of crops for farmers and approved the scheme on 13th January, 2016. The scheme was conceived as a milestone initiative to provide a comprehensive risk solution at the lowest uniform premium across the country for farmers. In the scheme, premium cost over and above the farmer share is equally subsidized by the Centre and States. Ministry of Agriculture has said that the average sum insured per hectare has increased from 15 thousnad 100 during the pre-PMFBY Schemes to 40 thousand 700 under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
 
The Ministry said, as an end to end risk mitigation mechanism for farmers, the scheme extends coverage for the entire cropping cycle from pre-sowing to post-harvest including coverage for losses arising out of prevented sowing and mid-season adversities. Individual farm level losses arising out of localized calamities and post-harvest losses are also covered due to perils such as inundation, cloudburst and natural fire. It also said that integration of land records with the PMFBY portal, Crop Insurance mobile-app for easy enrollment and usage of technology such as satellite imagery and machine learning to assess crop losses are some of the key features of the scheme. The scheme makes it easier for the farmer to report crop loss within 72 hours of occurrence of any event through the Crop Insurance App, CSC Centre or the nearest agriculture officer.
 
With an aim to  constantly bring about improvements, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was made voluntary for all farmers, post its revamp in February 2020. Besides, the States have also been provided flexibility to rationalize the sum insured so that adequate benefit can be availed by the farmers. The Scheme covers over 5.5 crore farmers’ applications year on year and till date, claims worth 90 thousand crore rupees have already been paid out under the Scheme. Aadhar seeding has helped in speedy claim settlement directly into the farmer accounts. Even during COVID-19 lock down period nearly 70 lakh farmers benefitted and claims worth  over  8 thousand 741 crore rupees were transferred to the beneficiaries. The government has urged the farmers to take advantage of the scheme by associating themselves to become self-sufficient in times of crisis and support the creation of an Aatmanirbhar Kisan.

As a part of the Republic Day Celebrations-2021, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with National Film Development Corporation, NFDC is organizing and hosting an Online Short Film Competition on MyGoV open forum to create a patriotic mood surrounding this years’ Republic Day. The theme for the entries will be ‘Emergence of a New India with a can do, will do attitude’.
 
People can upload their films on online streaming sites like Youtube or Vimeo only and paste the link to the film in the comment box as their entry. Films uploaded through Google drive or wetransfer links will not be accepted. Storyboards, s as Word or PDF documents or pictures will not be accepted as entries.
 
The selected top entries will be awarded cash prizes. First Prize is one lakh rupees, Second Prize is 50 thousand rupees and Third Prize is 25 thousand rupees.
 
Submission of the entries for Short Film Contest has commenced on 8th of January and it will continue till 20th of this month.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the New National Education Policy focuses on development of better individuals and from better individuals to a better country. Addressing the valedictory function of the Second National Youth Parliament Festival yesterday through video conferencing, Mr Modi said, this policy gives priority to our youth’s understanding, their decisions and beliefs.

The Prime Minister said, the new National Education Policy is a step towards nation-building and the Government is building an eco-system which will give better opportunities to the youth. Mr Modi said that our youth should come forward and write the destiny of our country. He exhorted the Youth to contribute selflessly and constructively in politics. 

The Prime Minister has lauded the winners and final panelists of the second National Youth Parliament Festival. Mr Modi said, as he  was hearing them speak, a thought came to him and he decided that he will tweet their presentations from his twitter handle, not just of the  three winners but, if recorded material is available, he  will tweet the speeches of all those who were on the final panel. Later, he tweeted the speeches of the winners and final panelists of the second National Youth Parliament Festival from his twitter handle. 

What Is Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

At the end of 2019, a new type of coronavirus began making people sick with flu-like symptoms. The illness is called coronavirus disease-19 — COVID-19, for short. The virus spreads easily and has affected people all over the world.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

COVID-19 can cause a fever ,cough, and trouble breathing. Some people might have:

• symptoms of a cold such as a sore throat, congestion, or a runny nose
• chills
• muscle pain
• headache
• a loss of taste or smell
• nausea or vomiting
• diarrhea
• tiredness

The virus can be more serious in some people. And some people have no symptoms at all.

Some kids are having symptoms caused by inflammation  throughout the body, sometimes several weeks after they were infected with the virus. This is called multilevel inflammatory (MIS-C). Doctors are trying to find out how these symptoms are related to coronavirus infection.

Symptoms seen in kids have included:

• fever
• belly pain
• vomiting  or diarrhea
• a rash
• neck pain
• red eyes
• red, cracked lips
• swollen hands or feet

How Does Coronavirus (COVID-19) Spread?

People can catch coronavirus from others who are infected even if they don’t have any symptoms. This happens when an infected person breathes, talks, sneezes, or coughs, sending tiny droplets into the air. These can land in the nose, mouth, or eyes of someone nearby, or be breathed in. Some of the tiniest droplets, called aerosols, can linger in the air for minutes to hours and travel on air currents. But it seems that the risk of spread is highest when people are less than 6 feet apart.

People also might get infected if they touch an infected droplet on a surface and then touch their own nose, mouth, or eyes.

Experts are looking at whether the virus can spread through stool (poop).

Is Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dangerous to Children?

Experts are still learning about COVID-19. Far fewer cases have been reported in children. Usually, the virus seems to cause a milder infection in children than in adults or older people.

But in some cases of the inflammatory syndrome called MIS-C, kids developed more serious symptoms, sometimes several weeks after being infected with the virus. Most kids with MIS-C get better after they get special care in the hospital, sometimes in the ICU (intensive care unit).

Call your doctor if your child has symptoms of COVID-19 or MIS-C, or just isn’t feeling well. Tell the doctor if your child has been near someone with COVID-19, or lived in or traveled to an area where lots of people have the coronavirus.

Get care right away if your child:

• has trouble breathing
• has severe belly pain
• has pain or pressure in the chest
• is confused or not making sense
• is having trouble staying awake
• looks bluish in the lips or face

These symptoms can be warning signs of serious illness.

How Is Coronavirus (COVID-19) Treated?

Doctors and researchers are working on medicines and a vaccine for coronavirus. Most people with the illness, including children, get better with rest, fluids, and fever-reducing medicine. Some people get very ill and need treatment in the hospital.

How Can I Protect Myself From Coronavirus (COVID-19)?

To protect yourself and your family:

• Avoid large crowds and busy places.
• Stay atleast 6 feet away  from people you don’t live with. COVID-19 can spread before a person has symptoms and even when someone has no symptoms.
• When you go out, adults and kids over 2 years old should wear a mask or cloth face covering to help slow the spread of the virus. To see how to put on and remove masks, clean them , or make your own cloth mask, check the CDC’s guide.
• Wash your hands  well and often. Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Teach your kids to do the same.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Use a household cleaner or wipe to clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that people touch a lot (like doorknobs, cellphones, and counters).
• Keep informed about the spread of coronavirus in your community. You can find this on your local department of health website.
• Follow recommendations from your local health authority, especially if many people have coronavirus in your area.
• Make sure your children have all their vaccinations. Protect them against illnesses like measles and the flu . Kids who have another infection may have a harder time getting better if they do get COVID-19.

Indian Navy will coordinate second edition of largest coastal defence exercise Sea Vigil-21 starting today. The inaugural edition of the exercise was conducted in January 2019. The two-day biennial pan-India coastal defence exercise, will be undertaken along the entire 7,516-kilometre long coastline. The exercise will also include Exclusive Economic Zone of the country and will involve all the 13 coastal States and Union Territories along with other maritime stakeholders. It will also include the fishing and coastal communities. The entire coastal security set up was reorganised after the 26/11 Terror attack at Mumbai which was launched via the sea route.

The scale and conceptual expanse of the exercise is unprecedented in terms of the geographical extent, the number of stakeholders involved. The exercise is a build up towards the major Theatre-level exercise TROPEX [Theatre-level Readiness Operational Exercise] which Indian Navy conducts every two years. SEA VIGIL and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum of maritime security challenges, including transition from peace to conflict. Assets of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs and other maritime agencies will participate in SEA VIGIL. The exercise is also being facilitated by the Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, Shipping, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Fisheries, Customs, State Governments and other agencies of Centre and State.

AIR correspondent reports, the Exercise SEA VIGIL-21 will provide a realistic assessment of our strengths and weaknesses and thus will help in further strengthening maritime and national security.

Talking about the prevailing situation of Bird Flu in different parts of the country, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the government has formalized a roadmap, which needs to be followed at an earliest. He said, District Magistrates will also have a major role to play to check the spread of the disease. Mr Modi said, those states, where no case of Bird Flu has been reported, should be on a constant vigil.

Union Government has said that Avian Influenza has so far been confirmed in 10 states of the country. The ten states include Kerala, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Giriraj Singh said that even after writing to the states three times, they did not taken proactive measures to contain the spread of the disease. He said, if the states had taken timely action, the spread of Avian Influenza could have been contained.

The country’s COVID-19 recovery rate has reached to 96.49 per cent. More than 18 thousand COVID patients recovered during the last 24 hours. The total number of recoveries has gone up to over one crore one lakh. Health Ministry said, the COVID-19 recovery rate of India is amongst highest in the world. The actual caseload currently comprises only 2.07 per cent of the total positive cases. Presently, the total number of active cases in the country is around two lakh 16 thousand.
 
During the past 24 hours, 12 thousand 584 new cases were reported taking the total number of positive cases in the country to over one crore four lakh. The Ministry said, currently, India’s Case Fatality Rate is at 1.44 per cent, which is one of the lowest globally. During the last 24 hours, 167 deaths were reported taking the toll to one lakh 51 thousand 327.
 
According to Indian Council of Medical Research, more than eight lakh 97 thousand tests were conducted during the last 24 hours. The total number of samples tested so far has reached 18 crore 26 lakh.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the New National Education Policy focuses on development of better individuals and from better individuals to a better country. He said, this policy gives priority to our youth’s understanding, their decisions and beliefs. Addressing the valedictory function of the Second National Youth Parliament Festival today through video conferencing, Mr Modi said, the new National Education Policy is a step towards nation-building and the Government is building an eco-system which will give better opportunities to the youth.
 
Speaking about Swami Vivekananda, Mr Modi said, Swami Ji always stressed equally on physical and mental strength and spoke about muscles of iron and nerves of steel. He said, inspired from the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, government is specially focusing on the mental and physical fitness of Indian youth.
 
The Prime Minister said, it was Swami ji who said that the fearless, frank, clean-hearted, courageous and aspirational youth is the foundation on which the future of the nation is built. He believed so much on youth and on the youth power.
 
Mr Modi said, time passed, the country became independent, but we still see Swamiji’s influence today. What Swami ji spoke about spirituality, nationalism and nation building, his thoughts about serving people and serving the world flow within people with the same intensity.
 
The Prime Minister said, Swami Vivekananda has given us another precious gift and it is a gift to build individuals, to build institutions. He said, people come under the influence of Swami ji and build institutions. He said, people then come out from these institutions, follow Swami ji’s path and add new people too.
 
The Prime Minister said, our freedom fighters were influenced by Swami Vivekananda and his works have always been effective in instilling nationalism in the youth.
 
Mr Modi said, earlier there was a perception in the country that if a young man turned to politics, people used to say that the child is getting spoiled. He said, people believed that everything can change but politics cannot. The Prime Minister said, but today honest people are also getting a chance in politics. Honesty and performance is becoming the first mandatory condition of today’s politics.
 
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also addressed on the occasion.
 
Three national winners of the Festival also expressed their views during the event.