Month: June 2023

IIAS Annual Conference 2025

 India expressed its willingness to host the 2025 IIAS (International Institute of Administrative Sciences) Annual Conference at Kochi, Kerala, in February, 2025. The IIAS established in 1930, is a federation of member States, national sections and academic research centres jointly elaborating public administration solutions to the policy challenges of the day with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

The decision of the Government of India was conveyed in the meeting of the Council of Administration by V.Srinivas, Secretary Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in a virtual meeting today. The 2025 Annual Conference of IIAS would be attended by 30 Member Countries, 18 National Sections and over 50 IIAS Universities/ Institutes of Public Administration in Member Countries.

The Indian statement to the IIAS Council of Administration said the following:

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances is an institutional member of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences IIAS since 1998. As a nation deeply committed to Multilateralism, Democracy, Meritocracy and Good Governance, India has under Prime Minister Modi, pursued far-reaching administrative reforms under the policy maxim “Maximum Governance–Minimum Government”. As an institutional member of IIAS, India has contributed significantly to the deliberative democracy, research publications, fiscal processes of budget/ audit through the institutional mechanisms of the Council of Administration and the Finance Committee.

Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Governance landscape of India has radically changed in scale, scope and learning paradigms. India has succeeded in building modern-day digital institutions which benefit millions of Indians with e-services and digital public infrastructure. In its 75th year of independence, being celebrated as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Prime Minister Modi has given a clarion call for adoption of Next Generation Reforms by bridging the gap between government and citizens under the theme Viksit Bharat. This vision of Next Generation administrative reforms of Prime Minister Modi has been diligently translated into a reality by DARPG. Secretariat Reforms, Benchmarking of Governance, Redressal of Public Grievances & Improving Service Delivery, Recognizing Meritocracy and Replication of good governance practices form the core of India’s good governance model.

The organizational reforms coupled with significant reforms in Personnel Administration represent a paradigm shift in India’s governance models. New India’s strong institutions are best symbolized by adoption of e-governance practices. The best manifestation of “Maximum Governance – Minimum Government” policy is a “Digitally Empowered Citizen” and a “Digitally Transformed Institution”. In accordance with India’s governance model, the theme for 2025 IIAS Annual Conference at Kochi is proposed as “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Empowering the Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile”.

In 2023, India will be hosting the G-20 Leaders’ Summit and the SCO Leaders’ Summit. Over 200 meetings of G20 engagement groups/ working groups/ ministerial meetings are being conducted in 56 cities under the theme “Vasudhiava Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future”. As the world’s largest democracy and amongst the most digitally advanced Nations in the world, India brings forth its unique experience of hosting important bilateral/multilateral summits backed by decentralized/ functional governance models. India has always viewed the IIAS as an important institution for international relations in public administration. The IIAS 2025 Conference in Kochi would represent a significant milestone for India’s pursuit of next generation administrative reforms.

India extends a warm and hearty welcome to all the 2025 IIAS Annual Conference delegates to visit Kochi. The conference dates and agenda would be worked out in consultation with the IIAS Secretariat. The Director General Indian Institute of Public Administration and Member of the Research Advisory Committee of IIAS would support DARPG in formulating the research agenda for the 2025 IIAS Conference at Kochi. India looks forward to host an inclusive and successful conference and envisage cordial and constructive collaboration with the IIAS in the run up to 2025.

Parliamentary Goodwill Delegation

  by Shashikant Nishant Sharma 

As part of celebration of 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Brazil, and as a follow-up to the meeting between Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of Brazil, Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on the side-lines of the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Coal & Mines, Shri. Pralhad Joshi led a 10-member Parliament goodwill delegation to Brazil from June 11 to 13, 2023.

Shri G Srinivas, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs stated that this was the first Goodwill Delegation of Parliament and the visit underscores the high importance that India places on its relations with Brazil, a strategic partner since 2006.

 During their visit, the delegation paid homage to the busts of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, a symbol of the shared democratic values and peace between India and Brazil, situated at the heart of the city parks of Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.

On 13 June, the delegation held a meeting with Mr. Rodrigo Otavio Soares Pacheco, the President of the Federal Senate, Upper House of Brazilian Parliament. The exchange during the meeting was a testament to the growing strategic partnership between India and Brazil, underlined by mutual understanding and cooperation. Mr Pacheco also thanked and accepted the invitation from Hon’ble Minister to visit India leading a delegation of parliamentarians.

The delegation also met Senator Nelson Trad, President of the India-Brazil Friendship Front, and other prominent members of the Front. This interaction laid the foundation for a further deepening of the diplomatic ties between the two nations.

This was followed by a productive meeting with Mr Marcos Pereira, Dy. President of the Congress and Federal Deputy Vinicius Carvalho, President of the India-Brazil Parliamentary Friendship Group, and several of its distinguished members.

During the visit, both sides expressed their satisfaction over the significant increase in bilateral trade over the past two years. The total bilateral trade surged by an impressive 115% from US$7.05 billion in 2020 to US$15.20 billion in 2022. This emphasis on strategic trade expansion reflects the commitment of both nations to forging a mutually beneficial partnership, driving economic development, and bolstering diplomatic ties.

During the course of the visit in both Rio de Janeiro and Brasília, the Minister Shri Joshi met with members of the Indian community residing in Brazil. He updated them on India’s swift socio-economic development, highlighting the various policy initiatives by the government that have contributed to this progress. The meetings offered an opportunity for community members to better understand and connect with the ongoing growth story of India, further strengthening the bond between the Indian diaspora and their motherland.

Ambassador Suresh Reddy noted that this visit by the Goodwill Delegation from the Indian Parliament marks a significant step in the rich history of India-Brazil bilateral relations. He stated that while, reinforcing our shared commitment to democratic values and paving the way for enhanced collaboration in various fields, the visit is also expected to facilitate visits of Parliamentary delegations from the Senate and Congress to India.

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Law Commission of India solicits views & ideas of the public and recognized religious organizations about Uniform Civil Code

 The 22nd Law Commission of India is inter alia examining the Uniform Civil Code, a reference sent by the Ministry of Law & Justice.

Initially the 21st Law Commission of India had examined the subject on Uniform Civil Code and solicited the views of all the stakeholders through its appeal along with a questionnaire dated 07.10.2016 and further public appeals/notices dated 19.03.2018, 27.03.2018 and 10.4.2018. Pursuant to the same, overwhelming responses have been received by the Commission. The 21st Law Commission has issued the consultation paper on “Reforms of Family Law” on 31.08.2018. Since more than three years have been lapsed from the date of issuance of the said Consultation Paper, bearing in mind the relevance and importance of the subject and also the various Court orders on the subject, the 22nd Law Commission of India considered it expedient to deliberate afresh over the subject. 

Accordingly, the 22nd Law Commission of India decided again to solicit views and ideas of the public at large and recognized religious organizations about the Uniform Civil Code. Those who are interested and willing may present their views within a period of 30 days from the date of Notice through “click here” button or by Email at membersecretary-lci[at]gov[dot]in to the Law Commission of India.

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Uniform Civil Code (UCC)

 The question of whether India needs a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a complex and debated topic. Here are some reasons that I wish to share in favor of implementing a UCC in India:

  1. Equality: UCC will ensure equality and non-discrimination among citizens, irrespective of their religion. India is a diverse country with multiple personal laws governing matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption based on religious affiliation. Implementing a UCC would provide a common set of laws applicable to all citizens, regardless of their religion, promoting equality before the law.

  2. Women’s Rights: UCC will help address gender inequality prevalent in personal laws. Some religious laws in India, such as those governing marriage, divorce, and inheritance, have been criticized for being discriminatory against women. A UCC could potentially ensure equal rights and protections for women across all communities, safeguarding their fundamental rights and promoting gender justice.

  3. Social Cohesion: India is a secular and diverse nation with a multitude of religions and faiths. The existence of different personal laws based on religious affiliations may create divisions and hinder social cohesion. Implementing a UCC could foster a sense of national unity by providing a common legal framework that applies to all citizens, irrespective of their religious beliefs.

  4. Simplification and Efficiency: Currently, the existence of different personal laws can lead to complexity and confusion in legal matters, particularly in cases involving interfaith marriages or inheritance across different religious communities. A UCC could simplify the legal process, reducing administrative burden, and making it easier for citizens to navigate legal matters.

It’s important to note that the implementation of a UCC in India is a highly sensitive and debated issue. The diverse religious and cultural fabric of India should be respected, but laws should be uniform for all citizen of the country. 

India's Creative Economy showcased at the Annecy International Animation Festival in France

 Annecy, June 14, 2023: India is participating at the The Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for the first time this year. An Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting, Shri. Apurva Chandra with eminent personalities of the animation industry have been showcasing India’s prowess in creating animation and VFX content for global audiences at the AIAF. 

India has lately emerged as a preferred destination of VFX and animation content for global production houses. The animation and VFX market in India was pegged to be valued at Rs 109 billion in 2021, with the VFX business alone amounting to Rs 50 billion. This figure is expected to grow to Rs 180 billion by 2024 according to a E&Y report. India’s participation at Annecy therefore assumes greater importance as the country showcases its abilities in the sector to international buyers. 

Speaking about India’s participation, Shri. Chandra said, “The Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects and Comics (AVGC) Sector in India is making progress with the adoption of world-class techniques and innovative technologies, coupled with a pool of immensely talented professionals. India is one of the few countries providing cash incentive to foreign companies for making AVGC content in India. The incentives are the same as for shooting films in India. This is a huge opportunity for companies to benefit from this. As a country, we are committed to providing incentives to the industry, as well as supporting pre and post-production activities in India.” 

At the festival, Shri. Chandra met Michael Marin, director of AIAF and discussed the possibilities of strengthening India’s engagement at Annecy and the potential of collaboration between India and France to host an animation film festival in India. Shri. Chandra inaugurated the India Pavilion, which has been designed on the theme of the Saraswati Yantra and also interacted with the Indian creative community who have won entries in the prestigious Annecy festival competition in 2023. Young creators Arvind Jeena, Nikita Prabhudesai Jeena, Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, Kalp Sanghvi along with industry seniors such as Saraswati Vani Balgum, Kireet Khurana, Biren Ghosh, Anil Wanvari and Anne Doshi, among others, were present at the festival. 

Besides, Shri. Chandra interacted with delegates from other countries and the discussions centred around the various initiatives of the Ministry with regards to the AVGC sector, the incentives given by the Indian Government for ease of business in the sector. 

World Blood Donor Day

 “Blood donation is a noble cause and deeply ingrained in our rich culture and tradition of Seva and Sahyog. I implore and call on all citizens to come forward and donate blood as part of the countrywide Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav. Donating blood is a significant service to society and mankind in addition to fulfilling the requirement for the country.” This was stated by Union Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare, Prof. S P Baghel while inaugurating blood donation camp at RML Hospital, New Delhi today.

The slogan for this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign is ‘Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often’. It focuses on patients requiring lifelong blood transfusion support and underlines the role every single person can play by giving the valuable gift of blood or plasma.

 

Accentuating the importance of blood donation and Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav, the Union Minister of State, Prof. S P Baghel said, “In India, the demand for blood transfusion arises for every 2 seconds. On an average, 14.6 million blood is needed every year and there is always a shortage of 1 million. Besides lack of understanding and awareness, several myths and facts are associated with a blood donation that could be discouraging healthy people from turning into blood donors. Patients like Cancer patients, Sickle cell anemia and Thalassemia patients, require blood frequently. In every two seconds, someone in India needs blood and one out of every three of us will need blood in our lifetime, he stated. “Despite the technological advancements, there remains no alternative to blood and 1 unit of blood can save as many as three lives’, Prof. S P Baghel noted. Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav aims to increase awareness regarding regular non-remunerated voluntary blood donations and ensure that blood or its components (whole blood/ packed red blood cells/plasma/platelets) are available, accessible, affordable and safe.”

Debunking myths surrounding blood donation, S P Baghel stated that “Blood donation doesn’t cause weakness, this is a misconception. A person has 5 – 6 litres of blood in their body and can donate blood every 90 days (3 months).” Body can recover blood very quickly; blood plasma volume within 24 – 48 hours, red blood cells in about 3 weeks and platelets & white blood cells within minutes. No weakness comes from this, on the contrary, people have to understand that before donating blood, a blood checkup is done before that, and you cannot donate blood before 3 months, blood donation is very important.

Emphasizing on the fact that we need to create awareness about blood donation, he said, “We should understand and teach our future generation about the importance of blood donation and organ donation. He also appealed to the people of the world to donate blood. He also mentioned that we need to spread awareness about debunking the blood donation myths in rural areas, as people in rural areas are still more surrounded by these myths.”

Prof. S P Baghel met the donors at the blood donation camp and appreciated their selfless act of donating blood. He also felicitated the blood donors who donated blood more than 100 times.

He also highlighted the nationwide drive that is supported by the centralised blood bank management information system called, E-Rakt Kosh portal, which acts as a national repository of blood donors. This also ensures a robust record of blood donors and will expedite blood availability when in need.

Link for E-Rakt Kosh Portal:

 https://www.eraktkosh.in/BLDAHIMS/bloodbank/transactions/bbpublicindex.html

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PPPININDIA and online portals for India Infrastructure Project Development Funding Scheme (IIPDF) and the Best Practices in Infrastructure

 The Infrastructure Finance Secretariat (IFS) in its endeavour to usher in private investment in infrastructure is constantly introducing interventions to setup an enabling ecosystem for infrastructure development and delivery.

As part of this endeavour, the IFS has revamped its website www.pppinindia.gov.in for its enhanced value to the stakeholders involved in PPP projects. PPPININDIA is a website dedicated to promoting and facilitating Public Private Partnerships in India and helps in bridging the gap between the public and private sectors. The website serves as a digital platform that brings together government entities, private companies, investors and entrepreneurs fostering collaboration and innovation for sustainable growth. Through this revamped website, the IFS aims to create a vibrant ecosystem that nurtures partnership, encourages investment, and facilitates the exchange of knowledge and resources.

The revamped website will act as a readily accessible repository of Policies, Guidelines, and Model Bidding Documents including Model Concession Agreements for various sectors, Guidance Materials, Reference Documents, etc., including the newly launched Reference Guide for Setting up of State PPP units helping States to create dedicated units for promoting PPP policy, program and projects and Reference Guide for PPP Project Appraisal helping Project Appraisal Authorities (PSAs) in quality appraisal of PPP projects. The website has over 200+ executed Concession Agreements of PPP projects in various sectors. The website also hosts PPP Toolkits which are web-based resources designed to improve decision-making for infrastructure PPPs.

To promote Digital India initiative of the Government of India, the IFS has launched the IIPDF Portal for submitting applications for consideration under IIPDF Scheme. The online portal will allow Sponsoring Authority to apply online under IIPDF scheme that will significantly reduce the processing time, involve less paperwork and help the PSAs to obtain speedy and time bound approvals for the submitted projects. The IFS is also in process of launching similar online portals on this website for submitting online applications for Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee and VGF Scheme.

Additionally, the revamped website hosts Best Practices Portal that contains the best practices in successful implementation of infrastructure projects by the states and central ministries. The best practices are identified inter-alia in terms project implementation, key challenges, success factors, outcomes, and impacts. It has started with a number of identified best practices and the states and central ministries can further upload and showcase their best practices for mutual knowledge exchange and wider implementation. The best practices portal can be accessed on https://www.pppinindia.gov.in/bestpractices.

The revamped website, with its enhanced ease of use and information content will serve as a one stop solution comprehensive website for PPP projects database, PPP knowledge hub, details of upcoming PPP events, workshops and forums where key stakeholders can come together, exchange ideas and forge partnerships.

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G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG)

 The third meeting of ‘G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG)’ concluded today at Pune. The three days’ agenda of the meeting included the Global DPI Summit and Global DPI Exhibition as the side events and closed-door meetings among the G20 delegates, invited countries and IOs on the priority areas. 

The Global DPI Summit (12-13 June 2023)

The Summit was attended by over 250 delegates in-person, out of which, there are around 150 foreign delegates from 50 countries. More than 2000 persons attended virtually. India signed MoU with four countries namely Armenia, Sierra Leone, Suriname and Antigua and Barbuda on sharing INDIA STACK i.e. successful digital solutions implemented at population scale.

The summit provided the global platform to discuss sector agnostic (foundational) and sectoral DPIs that inter-alia involved leadership, policy & practitioner level insightful, thought provoking and future shaping discussions among overall 60 Global Experts on DPIs, who participated in 10 important sessions viz. ‘Overview of Digital Public Infrastructure’, ‘Digital Identities for empowering people’, ‘Digital Payments and Financial Inclusion’, ‘DPI for Judicial Systems and Regulations’, ‘Digital Document Exchange for efficient service delivery’, ‘Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) for DPI’, ‘Digital Education and Skilling’, ‘DPI for Digital Health and Climate Action’, ‘Digital Agriculture Ecosystem’, and ‘Building the Global DPI Ecosystem’. By providing the global platform on DPI to digital decision makers from 50 Countries and multiple International Organisations, India took the lead and further strengthened its role of acting as a strong bridge between Global North (G20 members) and Global South (Developing and LMIC countries). The recording of the sessions, organised during the Global DPI summit, can be seen at  https://www.indiastack.global/global-dpi-summit/

The Global DPI Exhibition (12-14 June 2023)

The Exhibition showcased 14 experience zones comprising successfully implemented DPIs related to Digital Identity, Fast Payment, DigiLocker, Soil Health Card, E-National Agriculture Market, Unified Mobile App for New-Age Governance, Open Network for Digital Commerce, seamless travel experience at airport, language translation, learning solution, tele-medical consultation, and Digital India Journey. It was visited by the delegates attending the summit and G20 DEWG meeting. The people from the city of Pune comprising professionals, youth and senior citizens also visited the exhibition.

The Closed-Door Meeting of G20 DEWG (13-14 June 2023)

The closed-door meeting of G20 DEWG meeting began on 13 June 2023 with participation of 77 foreign delegates from G20 Members, 9 Guest Countries, 5 International Organizations and two Regional Organisations. The discussion under Indian Presidency was led by Shri Sushil Pal, Co-Chair G20 DEWG.  In the meeting, discussions were held on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the concept of “One Future Alliance & One Future Fund’ for DPI, enabling principles for good DPI, and recognition of the need for financing opportunities for DPI in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Thereafter, Digital skilling, upskilling and reskilling,  capacity building & awareness , building a mutual recognition framework for digital skills and information sharing  were discussed.

On the last day of the meeting i.e. 14 June 2023, the security for a safe, resilient and trusted digital economy and various aspects such as capacity building for children & youth, and countering potential security threats were deliberated.

Over the last three days, several cultural programmes were organised, and the delegated were treated with the experience of Indian culture, Indian cuisine, Indian arts, Yoga, and folk forms of India. Government of India acknowledges and thanks the state Government of Maharashtra for providing full support and coordination in organizing  this event.

As a next step, the fourth in-person meeting of Digital Economy Working Group and Digital Economy Minister’s Meeting is planned to be organised in the month of August, 2023 at Bengaluru, Karnataka.

 

LT GEN PS BHAGAT MEMORIAL LECTURE” ORGANISED BY THE INDIAN ARMY AT MANEKSHAW CENTRE

 The Indian Army has organised the first “Lieutenant General P S Bhagat Memorial Lecture” on “Legacy of Lt Gen Prem Bhagat- A Visionary and Strategic Leader”, under the aegis of United Service Institution of India (USI) at Manekshaw Centre on 14 June 2023. The lecture was conducted as part of “Lt Gen PS Bhagat Memorial Chair of Excellence instituted at USI, by General Manoj Pande, COAS on 14 October 2022.

General VP Malik (Retd), Former Army Chief delivered a keynote address during the lecture, in which he gave many anecdotes from the legacy of Lt Gen Bhagat from his early days as a Second Lieutenant to till his demise while working as Chairman of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC).

General Manoj Pande, the Chief of the Army Staff, Former Chiefs General VN Sharma (Retd) and General M M Naravane (Retd) attended the event along with senior veterans and serving officers and civilians to draw inspiration from the legacy of Lt Gen Bhagat, whose charisma has left an indelible mark on the history of the Indian Army.

Speaking on the occasion, the Army Chief mentioned that “Late Lt Gen PS Bhagat who served as the first General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the re-raised Northern Command was an outstanding professional and a prolific writer”. The Army Chief recounted that “as a young second lieutenant, Lt Gen Bhagat was the first Indian soldier to have been awarded the prestigious Victoria Cross in World War II, while clearing minefields, under enemy fire, with his vehicle encountering a mine explosion thrice, sustaining an ear drum puncture, yet going about his task relentlessly for 96 hours, without break.” He also fondly mentioned the tale in which Lt Gen Bhagat as Army Commander at Lucknow in September 1971, saved the Lucknow city by pushing the trucks loaded with stones and boulders to plug the flow

through the breach on the Gomti River, for which local newspapers captioned him as “the saviour of Lucknow”, in next day’s headlines.

The next edition of memorial lecture is scheduled to be conducted in April 2024, in which Lt Gen KT Parnaik (Retd), Hon’ble Governor of Arunachal Pradesh has kindly consented to deliver the keynote address.

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Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ Project

 Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan today flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project from New Delhi. The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as the technical and knowledge partner. In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering students from Gajapati district, which is an Aspirational district of Odisha, will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ which is being developed under this project.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. Today’s launch will add a new chapter in that relationship, he further added. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

Speaking about India-Africa relationship, he said that, in last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa. Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of ‘South-South’ cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent, he further added.

He also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.

Speaking about India’s G20 Presidency, he said that India’s G20 Presidency is very unique given India’s role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries, scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.

He said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program.

He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development.

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Maharaja’s Treasure: Select Works of Art from the Famed Air India Collection’ at NGMA Mumbai

 An art exhibition titled ‘Maharaja’s Treasure: Select Works of Art from the Famed Air India Collection’ hosted by the National Gallery of Modern Art, Mumbai, under the Union Ministry of Culture was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi on Tuesday (June 13, 2023) evening.  The inimitable exhibition has been curated to focus on the works that Air India used to redefine the air travel experience and showcasing paintings and sculptures by eminent artists like VS Gaitonde, GR Santosh, KH Ara, B Prabha, Pilloo Pochkhanwala, MF Husain and Raghav Kaneria et al. The in-house curated exhibition of NGMA consists of thematic display of around 200 artworks.  It will continue till the 13th of August, 2023 at the prestigious Nation Gallery of Modern Art in Fort, Mumbai.

Speaking on the occasion, MoS Meenakshi Lekhi said, “It’s truly a Maharaja’s collection as 80 years of the Air India story gets to be depicted through paintings and art-pieces. The Minister said, we are grateful to Air India for providing patronage to artists when they were looking for it. Artists always require patronage to look after themselves. Artists have an element of God in themselves because they are always competing with themselves to do better and better and upskill themselves, added the Minister. She said, we need to be proud of and understand our traditions, especially at a time when the country is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. “Only when we take pride in who we are, can we promote art and craft”, the Minister stated. Speaking about the exhibition, MoS (Culture) also said that a 80 years story of India which is truly Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav needs to be told multiple times at multiple places.

The MoS for Culture and External Affairs said that India always was a rich nation in arts, crafts and culture and continues to be so. She said that we see a ‘Vikas Ki Virasaat’ today because of infrastructural works going on in the country, but simultaneously the Government is putting equal emphasis on cultural heritage of the country. The Minister said that PM has been very focussed on his deliveries and plan of action related to promotion of all forms of art and culture, setting up a few museum, preservation and conservation of cultural heritage and also setting up of new heritage universities. 

The Director, NGMA Mumbai, Nazneen Banu said, consequent to the Government’s decision to disinvest its stake in the Air India, it was decided to handover the Air India collection of arts and artefacts to the Ministry of Culture which is to be housed at the National Gallery of Modern Art for posterity. The impressive diversity and broad spectrum of Air India collection today makes it unique which holds unparallel position in the history of any commercial airline.

MoS (Culture) Smt. Lekhi also ceremonially released the exhibition catalogue of ‘Maharaja’s Treasure – Select Works of Art from the Famed Air India Collection’ on the occasion. The evening was dotted with the presence of artists and art connoisseurs from the world-over. Seen at the do were artists Dr. Saryu Doshi, Pheroza Godrej, Brinda Miller, Nayanaa Kanodia, Vipta Kapadia, Nandita Desai, Paramesh Paul, Vishwa Sahni, Sonu Gupta, theatre personality Raell Padamsee among others. The evening also saw stunning Kathak and Lavani performances, specially curated for the exhibition.

Concept Note for the Art-Exhibition:

From its very inception Air India always collected and promoted art from various artistic traditions of India. After independence, traditional patronage for the arts was dwindling, and, in this scenario, Air India played a very important role in commissioning and collecting art. This zeal for art and crafts of India led to the creation of a very image for the airline which tried to capture the opulence and grandeur of the erstwhile era under the maharajas. To give a glimpse to the country’s rich artistic heritage, the company started displaying and decorating its booking houses, pavilions and lounges with its impressive art collection that has always captivated the minds of travellers throughout the globe.

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DoT organises webinar to bust myth of Electromagnetic Field (EMF) radiation through mobile towers

 Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Delhi LSA organised an Electromagnetic Field (EMF) awareness programme through Webinar today to commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

In this webinar, various aspects of EMF radiation was presented by DoT Delhi LSA and  health related queries and myth about harmful effect of EMF radiations from mobile towers was also clarified by a medical expert, Dr Vivek Tandon, Professor (Neurosurgery), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

The EMF radiation is a RF/Electromagnetic energy emitted from mobile tower antenna and mobile handset are non-ionizing having very low energy. Based on scientific evidence, studies and reports available, it is found that there is no conclusive evidence of the stated danger of EMF radiation from mobile tower. Further, the EMF emissions from a mobile tower, which are below the safe limits prescribed by International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) and recommended by World Health Organisation (WHO), have no convincing scientific evidence of causing adverse health effects.

Department of Telecommunication (DoT), through its field units has already taken necessary steps and adopted stricter norms for safety from EMF radiation that are emitted from mobile towers. DoT has adopted the radiation norms which are 10 times stricter than the norms prescribed by ICNIRP as recommended by WHO. All the information on Mobile tower radiation is available to the public on DoT’s website: https://dot.gov.in/journey-emf

DoT and Telecom. Service Providers (TSPs) take various measures to ensure the EMF  compliance of mobile towers/Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) to safe limits.

i. All telecom service providers ensure that radiation from mobile towers (BTSs) are within safe-limits prescribed by DoT and self-certification to this effect is submitted to respective DoT, field units on launch, whenever a change occurs and also on a biennial/triennial basis. All mobile towers start functioning commercially only after the submission of self-certification.

ii.  Testing of radiation of working mobile towers is regularly carried out by field unit of DoT Delhi on sample basis which is up to 5% of the total working mobile towers (BTS) annually.

iii.  Department of Telecom (DoT), Ministry of Communications has a web portal for Information sharing on Mobile Towers and EMF Emission Compliances. The portal can be accessed at www.tarangsanchar.gov.in. The EMF Portal provides a public interface where an easy map-based search feature has been provided for viewing the mobile towers in vicinity of any locality. By click of a button, information on EMF compliance status of mobile towers can be accessed. Additionally, any person can request for EMF emission measurement at his/her premises by paying a nominal fee of ₹ 4000/- online.

The Webinar was focussed to clear doubt among various stakeholders including Public Representatives, Government Departments/agencies, RWAs, CSOs, Urban Local Bodies/Municipalities and general public regarding misconception about EMF radiations and its effect on health and so that no hindrance is created for development of mobile towers and telecommunication infrastructure to ensure best quality of services and network coverage to one and all.

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India’s seafood exports touch an all-time high in FY 2022-23

 India achieved an all-time high exports of seafood both in terms of volume and value (both US$ and Rupee) by shipping 17,35,286 MT of seafood worth Rs. 63,969.14 crore (US$ 8.09 billion) during FY 2022-23 despite the several challenges in its major export markets like USA.

During the FY 2022-23, the export improved in quantity terms by 26.73%, in rupee terms by 11.08%, in US$ terms by 4.31%. In 2021-22, India had exported 13,69,264 MT of seafood worth Rs 57,586.48 crore (US$ 7,759.58 million).

Frozen shrimp remained the major export item in terms of both quantity and value while USA and China turned out to be the major importers of India’s seafood. Frozen shrimp, which earned Rs 43,135.58 crore (US$ 5481.63 million), retained its position as the most significant item in the basket of seafood exports, accounting for a share of 40.98% in quantity and 67.72% of the total US$ earnings. Shrimp exports during the period increased by 1.01 % in Rupee value.

The overall export of frozen shrimps during 2022-23 was pegged at 7,11,099 MT. USA, the largest market, imported (2,75,662 MT) of frozen shrimp, followed by China (1,45,743 MT), European Union (95,377 MT), South East Asia (65,466 MT), Japan (40,975 MT), and the Middle East (31,647 MT).

The export of black tiger (BT) shrimp increased by 74.06%, 68.64% and 55.41% in quantity, Rupee value and US$ terms respectively in 2022-23. BT shrimp exported to the tune of 31,213 MT worth Rs 2,564.71 Cr (US$ 321.23 million).  Japan turned out to be the major market for Black Tiger shrimp with a share of 25.38% in terms of US$ value, followed by the European Union (25.12%) and USA (14.90%).  The Vannamei shrimp exports declined in 2022-23 compared to 2021-22 by 8.11% from US$ 5234.36 million to US$ 4809.99 million.

 Frozen Fish, the second largest exported item, fetched Rs. 5,503.18 Cr. (US$ 687.05 million) accounting for 21.24% in quantity and 8.49% in US$ earnings. This year the export of Frozen fish has increased by 62.65%, 58.51% and 45.73% in Quantity, Rupee and US$ value terms respectively.

Under Other items, the third largest export basket worth US$ 658.84 million, Surimi fetched Rs. 2,013.66 crore (US$ 253.89 million), frozen Octopus fetched Rs. 725.71 crore (US$ 91.74 million), Surimi Analogue products fetched Rs. 558.51 crore (US$ 70.35 million), canned products fetched Rs. 326.48 crore (US$ 41.56 million), frozen lobster fetched Rs. 215.15 crore (US$ 27 million), along with other products.

Frozen Squid, the fourth  largest export item, fetched Rs 3593.75 crore (US$ 454.61 million), accounting for 4.83 per cent share in quantity and 5.62 per cent in US$ earnings. The export of frozen fish increased by 28.07%  in Rupee value and 18.58 % in US$ value.

 Export of Dried Items, pegged at 2,52,918 MT, showed a tremendous growth of 243.27% in quantity and 167.70 % in US$ terms, and earned Rs 3,080.92 crore (384.05 US$ millions). Under this basket, Dried fish and shrimp meal together contributed US$ 307.96 million and dried fish maws fetched US$ 24.88 million.

Export of frozen Cuttlefish, pegged at 54,919 MT, showed a growth of 14.09 % in rupee value and 5.50 % in US$ value, and earned Rs 2353.34 crore (295.49 US$ millions).

Export of chilled items, which is considered as a promising sector, also increased by 20.73 % in US$ terms and 12.63 % in Quantity terms. Export of live Items, pegged at 7,824 MT, showed a growth of 24.53% in Rupee, 15.61% in US$ value. Growth is observed in the unit values of frozen squid (7.13%), frozen cuttlefish (13.33%), chilled items (7.19%) and live items (3.90%).

 As for overseas markets, USA continued to be the major importer of Indian seafood in value terms with an import worth US$ 2,632.08 million, accounting for a share of 32.52 %  in terms of US$ value. Exports to the US declined by 21.94% in US$ terms due to sluggish demand. Frozen shrimp continued to be the principal item exported to the US with a share of 92.70% in US$ terms.  Exports of black tiger shrimp to the US increased by 4.06% in quantity terms and 0.26% in Rupee terms.

China emerged as the second largest seafood export destination from India in terms of Quantity and US$ both with an import of 4,05,547 MT worth US$ 1,508.43 million, accounting for 23.37% share in quantity and 18.64% in US$ terms. Exports to China market grew by 51.90% in quantity, 32.02% in Rupee value and 28.37% US$ value. Frozen shrimp, the major item of exports to China, had a share of 35.94% in quantity and 60.92% in US$ value while the frozen fish had a second most share of 34.88% in quantity and 18.56% in terms of US$ value out of the total exports to China. Frozen shrimp and frozen fish to China has shown positive growth by quantity and value both.

The European Union continued to be the third largest destination with an import of 2,07,976 MT worth US$ 1,263.71 million. In this market, frozen shrimp is the major item of exports, registering an increase of 15.12% and 7.20% in Rupee and US$ value, respectively. Unit value in this market shown a growth of 3.77%

South East Asia is the fourth largest market with an import of 4,31,774 MT worth US$ 1191.25 million. Frozen shrimp is the major item of exports, with 15.16% share by quantity and 35.17% by US$ value with growth of 46.08%. Frozen fish, the second major item of exports, with 36.02% share by quantity and 20.57% by US$ value with growth of 46.84%.

Japan continued to be the fifth largest importer with a share of 6.29% in quantity and 5.99% in US$ value terms with a growth of 9.99 %. Frozen shrimp continued to be the major item of exports to Japan with percentage share of 71.35% and growth of 5.26% in US$ value.

Exports to the Middle East by Quantity were 77,677 MT worth US$ 330.68 million. This market showed a growth of 32.95% in quantity, 17.33% in Rupee and 9.09% in US$ terms.

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Quality Control Orders (QCOs) are a game changer for the leather sector

 Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal has hailed the Quality Control Orders for the leather industry as a game changer for the sector. While interacting with the representatives from the Indian Footwear Industry today in New Delhi, the Minister said that the QCOs will establish the brand of India and enhance the value of Indian products. The Industry leaders from various Leather sector associations welcomed the Quality Control Orders (QCOs), saying that they will work towards adoption of QCOs.

Shri Goyal discussed the implementation of QCOs on 24 footwear products from 1st July 2023 with the stakeholders and deliberated upon ways to effectively implement the QCOs. The Minister emphasized that the QCOs will be implemented in letter and spirit with effect from 1st July 2023 for the 24 products.

However, for 5 standards which have been revised recently, the manufacturers making the products as per these revised specifications will be given an additional time of 6 months to comply with the QCOs  with effect from 1st January 2024. Further, the QCOs shall come into effect for small scale industries from 1st January 2024 and for micro scale industries from 1st July 2024.

Shri Piyush Goyal appealed to the Indian industry to work with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to formulate standards for products which are presently not covered under these standards, so that these can also be brought under QCOs after 6 months of the notification of these standards.

The Minister announced that BIS will reduce the Testing Charges for the footwear products under the QCOs by 80 percent for the Certified Start-ups and micro industrial units.

Shri Goyal also made an important announcement that from next Monday i.e. 19th June, 2023, BIS will dedicate one hour on every working day for interaction through video conference facility. Director General, BIS, Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari was asked to give wide publicity to this arrangement and ensure that queries or complaints are duly registered and promptly responded to.

The Minister appealed to the Indian  industry to effectively implement these Quality Control Orders and manufacture and supply good quality footwear as prescribed in Indian Standards to consumers. He emphasized that quality and consumers play an important role in driving economic growth of the country. He urged all stakeholders to work together towards strengthening the quality ecosystem in the country and meeting consumer needs.

Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, Director General, BIS and Shri Rajeev Singh Thakur, Additional Secretary (DPIIT) were also present in the meeting.

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Polypedates maculatus, the Indian Tree Frog as Guest in my Residence: A Few Facts

 While I was in service as an academician, I had the opportunity to visit rural areas of India and many countries. Thus, could see many flora and fauna including many varieties of frogs. But the frog which I observed on June 11, 2023, at my residence in Hyderabad with the scientific name Polypedates maculatus, locally known as the Indian tree frog first time seen in my life. This frog happily is living on the edge of the bucket (photograph inserted) in my residence of Libdom villas (Raj Reddy Valley). It is pertinent to mention that Libdom Villas (Raj Reddy Valley) is located at Bandlaguda Jagir, a gated community spread over to an area of 17 acres of land having all facilities like indoor and outdoor games, gym, park, swimming pool, function hall, cafeteria, saloon, etc. The villas are of different sizes and sizes below a minimum of 150 square yards of land and a maximum of 300 square yards. But 84 percent of villas are in the range of 150 to 200 square yards of land. Altogether, 190 villas are available in the gated community and the residents are from across the country representing mini-India and also belonging to different castes and religions, a unique case of national integration. Anyway, regarding the frogs a few lines I wish to highlight here, according to the website, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/blog/frog-fact-sheet/, “there are over 5,000 species of known frogs, and scientists continue to discover new species. Frog species come in a variety of sizes and colours. They can be found in a variety of habitats on every continent except Antarctica. Frogs are amphibians, which are cold-blooded vertebrates, meaning they have backbones, that don’t have scales. Amphibians live both on land and in water. Other amphibians include salamander, newt, and caecilian”. “The Polypedates maculatus, the Indian tree frog, is a common species of tree frog found in South Asia as described by John Edward Gray in 1830. These frogs measure about 7–8 cm in body length. They are mostly brownish, yellowish, greyish, or whitish above, with darker spots or markings, rarely with an hourglass-shaped figure on the back of the head and the front of the back. The loreal and temporal regions are dark; there is a light line on the upper lip. The hind side of the thighs has round, yellow spots, which are usually separated by a dark-brown or purplish network. The skin is smooth above, and granulated on the belly and under the thighs; a fold extends from the eye to the shoulder. Males have internal vocal sacs” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypedates_maculatus).  I as a senior citizen had the opportunity to see this frog first time in my life so for the benefit of readers sharing a few pieces of information with a photograph.  

(I wish to mention that Dr. Saibal Sen Gupta (former Principal of Arya Vidyapeeth College, Guwahati,  Assam, Ph.D. in Zoology and an erudite scholar helped me to generate the article).

Prof Shankar Chatterjee, Hyderabad