Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) signifies a higher level of priority and commitment to research and innovation at the highest level in the government, said Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Secretary of SERB and Advisor, DST at a talk on Anusandhan National Research Foundation hosted by the National Centre for Biological Sciences.
“The challenge of ANRF is to introduce changes so that research makes a tangible impact on society and prioritise quality and relevance over quantity, rather than the current focus on generating research output,” Dr Gupta said at the online talk titled Changing Landscape of Research Funding in India: Anusandhan National Research Foundation: India’s vision to Achieve Global Leadership.
He added that the foundation will encourage translation research in all universities beyond Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3, indicating a commitment to taking research outcomes from the lab to practical applications.
Dr Gupta pointed out that while the funds for NRF will be sourced from various avenues, including contributions from industry, philanthropic foundations, international organisations, and other stakeholders, a novel model has been proposed for the foundation which emphasises industry-led initiatives with government support. “The involvement of the industry is crucial in ensuring that research outcomes are aligned with real-world needs and can be effectively implemented,” he stressed.
He underlined that while Science and Engineering Research Board’s (SERB) transition to NRF represents a significant shift in priority of research funding in India, several significant initiatives like doubling private sector R&D investment, increasing the number of full-time researchers, promoting women’s participation, and National repository of STI Dataare under consideration to foster innovation and research in the country.
Professor LS Shashidhara, Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) as well as several scientists from NCBS and other scientific institutions all over the country participated in the interactive session.
The One Week One Lab programme ofCSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI), Kolkataconcluded with the 73rdInstitute Foundation Day celebration on 26.08.2023. This occasion was marked with the 20thAtma Ram Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr (Mrs) N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary DSIR and Director General, CSIR, who was the Chief Guest. She spoke on “SDGs and S&T Opportunities”, wherein she touched upon the alignment of CSIR themes with the SDGs vis-a-vis national mission programmes; the challenges in their implementation and the road ahead for achieving the same. The programme was also associated with felicitating institute staff members / divisions for their performance. Dr S.K. Mishra, Director CSIR-CGCRI welcomed the participants while Dr Debashis Bhattacharjee, Vice President (Technology and R&D) of Tata Steel was present as Guest of Honour besides other dignitaries. Dr Kalaiselvi also opened the Atma Ram Memorial Museum & Archives to public. The museum envisages tracing the technological evolution of ceramics from historic period; and the journey of CSIR and CSIR-CGCRI since inception.
Legends to photos (clockwise from left): lighting of the lamp during invocation; Dr Kalaiselvi delivering the Atma Ram Memorial Lecture; audience during the lecture; and opening the Atma Ram Memorial Museum & Archives to public by DG, CSIR.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation today released the report on the 6thcensus on minor irrigation schemes. As per the report, 23.14 million minor irrigation (MI) schemes have been reported in the country, out of which 21.93 million (94.8%) are Ground Water (GW) and 1.21 million (5.2%) are Surface Water (SW) schemes. Uttar Pradesh possesses the largest number of MI schemes in the country followed by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Leading States in GW schemes are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. In SW schemes Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Odisha and Jharkhand have the highest share. GW schemes comprise dugwells, shallow tube wells, medium tube wells and deep tube wells. The SW schemes comprise surface flow and surface lift schemes.
There has been increase of about 1.42 million in MI schemes during 6th MI census as compared to 5th Census. At the national level, both GW and SW schemes have increased by 6.9% and 1.2%, respectively. Dug-wells have highest share in MI schemes followed by shallow tube-wells, medium tube-wells and deep tube-wells. Maharashtra is the leading State in dug-wells, surface flow and surface lift schemes. Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Punjab are the leading States in shallow tube-wells, medium tube-wells and deep tube-wells, respectively. Out of all MI schemes, 97.0% are ‘in use’, 2.1% are ‘temporarily not in use’ whereas 0.9% are ‘permanently not in use’. Shallow tube-wells and medium tube-wells lead in the category of ‘in use’ schemes. A majority of MI schemes (96.6%) are under private ownership. In GW schemes, the share of private entities in the ownership is 98.3% whereas in SW schemes the respective share is 64.2%.
For the first time, the information about gender of the owner of MI scheme was also collected in case of individual ownership. Out of all the individually owned schemes, 18.1% are owned by women. Around 60.2% schemes have single source of finance whereas 39.8% schemes have more than one source of finance. In single source of finance, majority of schemes (79.5%) are being financed by own savings of individual farmer.
A sound and reliable data base for minor irrigation schemes is essential for effective planning and policy making in this sector. With this objective, Government of India has been conducting census of minor irrigation schemes. So far, five censuses have been conducted with reference year 1986-87, 1993-94, 2000-01, 2006-07 and 2013-14 respectively. The 6th minor irrigation census with reference year 2017-18 was completed in 32 States/ UTs. The 6th MI census work was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The census work has been successfully completed now and the All India and State-wise report on 6thMI census has been published.
The census was conducted under the centrally sponsored scheme “Irrigation Census”. Detailed information on various parameters like irrigation sources (dug well, shallow tube well, medium tube well, deep tube well, surface flow and surface lift schemes), irrigation potential created (IPC), potential utilized, ownership, holding size of land by owner, devices used for lifting water, sources of energy, energy conserving devices such as sprinkler and drip irrigation, use of non-conventional energy sources such as solar pumps, wind mills etc was collected.
This report will be useful for planners, policy makers, researcher scholars, agricultural and ground water scientists, administrators & all concerned with development of irrigation and agricultural economy of the country.
SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages Abadi and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) Scheme of Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been conferred with the prestigious National Award for e-Governance 2023 (Gold) for Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services at the 26thNational Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) organized by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India on 25thAugust 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The representatives of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Survey of India and NIC-GIS received the National e-Governance Gold Award conferred to SVAMITVA Scheme in the category of Application of Emerging Technologies for Providing Citizen Centric Services from Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Earth Sciences; Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office; Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions; Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy; and Minister of State in the Department of Space on 25th August, 2023 during the two-day National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG).
The two-day National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) was organised on the theme ‘Viksit Bharat, Empowering Citizens’ jointly by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Madhya Pradesh on 25th and 25th August, 2023 at Brilliant Convention Centre, Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh participated in the 26th National Conference on e-Governance (NCeG) along with other dignitaries and senior officers from Government of India and State Governments. The National e-Governance Awards were presented under 5 categories viz. Government process re-engineering for digital transformation, application of emerging technology for providing citizen-centric services, district-level initiative for e-Governance, research on citizen-centric services by academic and research institutions, and application of emerging technology in e-Governance by start-ups. The 26th NCeG provided an appropriate platform for effective and meaningful brainstorming on the latest technologies for promoting e-Governance and for sharing knowledge and insights on the theme identified for the National e-Governance Conference.
SVAMITVA Scheme of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj provides ownership to property owners in village-inhabited area by using latest drone and GIS technology. The Property Cards facilitate monetization of rural residential assets for bank loan and other financial benefits and help in the settlement of land-related disputes through the preparation of 5cm accuracy maps. The Scheme is implemented with the collaborative efforts of Survey of India being the technology implementation partner, State Revenue and Panchayati Raj Departments, and NIC–GIS.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur and Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the two-volume book ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ compiled from the speeches and addresses given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his successful second term from June 2020 to May 2021 and June 2021 to May 2022 at Kushabhav Thakre International Convention Centre in Bhopal today. These books have been compiled by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
In his address on the occasion, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s addresses have consistently served as a source of inspiration.
Each of his speeches contains valuable lessons to be learned. It has been challenging to select speeches from among them to compose the book due to the abundance of insightful content.
The Minister said that 86 inspirational speeches have been included in one section of this book and 80 inspirational speeches in the other section. Selected speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been compiled on many important topics. The speeches included the Prime Minister’s address to the common citizens on topics like Startup India, Good Governance, Women Empowerment, Nation Power, Self-reliant India, Jai Vigyan, Jai Kisan etc.
The Minister further urged the youth and researchers that they must read this book. There is a lot to know and learn in these. Shri Thakur also commended the remarkable achievement of the successful landing of the Vikram Lander on the Moon’s South Pole for the first time, marking India’s endeavor in this significant feat.
Referring to apps like UPI and BHIM app, the Union Minister said that in the world of digital payments, now 46 percent of the maximum transactions take place in India.
He noted that compared to earlier, over 45 crore bank accounts have been opened, with amounts now efficiently reaching beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Highlighting the pivotal role of youth, Shri Thakur said that the youth of India have now become job givers. India has more than one lakh startups in comparison to the world.
Shri Thakur said that the cheapest data in the world is now available in India. The nation has made its own 5G technology and is going to make 6G technology in future. He said that in the 75th year of Amrit Mahotsav, India has become the fifth largest economy in the world.
Lauding the progress made by state Madhya Pradesh, Shri. Thakur expressed that earlier Madhya Pradesh was called Bimaru, but after the formation of the new government, the state has emerged as one of the leading and progressive states in the country.
He said that we have progressed a lot in education in our mother tongue and only in Madhya Pradesh the syllabus for medical studies has been prepared in Hindi. The Minister said that the Seekho Kamao Yojana is a unique scheme and more than 86 thousand registrations have been done so far and also Madhya Pradesh had successfully organized the Khelo India Youth Games.
In his address at the function, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the youth to read this book. This is a priceless treasure and pearls of wisdom will be found in it.
He noted that the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a voice of common citizens offering a platform to address pressing social issues. It is a wonderful initiative carrying within it the very essence of inspiration of the Prime Minister.
The Chief Minister appealed to definitely read this book describing the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as a visionary Prime Minister, and cherished his memories with him.
He said that Indore has been honored with the prestigious Best Smart City award, establishing its excellence in the realm of smart cities nationwide. At the same time, Madhya Pradesh has been bestowed with the distinguished Best State Award in the Indian Smart City category. It’s worth noting that Indore has consistently secured the top position in the cleanliness surveys.
The event commenced with a warm welcome address by Shri Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting followed by the screening of a short film based on the books. Khajuraho MP Shri VD Sharma also graced the occasion. The vote of thanks was given by Ms. Anupama Bhatnagar, Director General, Publications Division.
Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur inaugurated the multi-media exhibition organized by the Central Bureau of Communication on the theme ‘Naya Bharat: Sashakta Bharat’ along with ‘9 Years: Seva, Sushasan aur Garib Kalyan’ before the launch of the program along with the hon’ble Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
During this event, a stall was set up by the Publications Department showcasing an array of their published books, providing attendees to explore and purchase them.
Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur and Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan released the two-volume book ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ compiled from the speeches and addresses given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his successful second term from June 2020 to May 2021 and June 2021 to May 2022 at Kushabhav Thakre International Convention Centre in Bhopal today. These books have been compiled by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
In his address on the occasion, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Youth Affairs & Sports Shri Anurag Thakur highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s addresses have consistently served as a source of inspiration.
Each of his speeches contains valuable lessons to be learned. It has been challenging to select speeches from among them to compose the book due to the abundance of insightful content.
The Minister said that 86 inspirational speeches have been included in one section of this book and 80 inspirational speeches in the other section. Selected speeches of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have been compiled on many important topics. The speeches included the Prime Minister’s address to the common citizens on topics like Startup India, Good Governance, Women Empowerment, Nation Power, Self-reliant India, Jai Vigyan, Jai Kisan etc.
The Minister further urged the youth and researchers that they must read this book. There is a lot to know and learn in these. Shri Thakur also commended the remarkable achievement of the successful landing of the Vikram Lander on the Moon’s South Pole for the first time, marking India’s endeavor in this significant feat.
Referring to apps like UPI and BHIM app, the Union Minister said that in the world of digital payments, now 46 percent of the maximum transactions take place in India.
He noted that compared to earlier, over 45 crore bank accounts have been opened, with amounts now efficiently reaching beneficiaries through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
Highlighting the pivotal role of youth, Shri Thakur said that the youth of India have now become job givers. India has more than one lakh startups in comparison to the world.
Shri Thakur said that the cheapest data in the world is now available in India. The nation has made its own 5G technology and is going to make 6G technology in future. He said that in the 75th year of Amrit Mahotsav, India has become the fifth largest economy in the world.
Lauding the progress made by state Madhya Pradesh, Shri. Thakur expressed that earlier Madhya Pradesh was called Bimaru, but after the formation of the new government, the state has emerged as one of the leading and progressive states in the country.
He said that we have progressed a lot in education in our mother tongue and only in Madhya Pradesh the syllabus for medical studies has been prepared in Hindi. The Minister said that the Seekho Kamao Yojana is a unique scheme and more than 86 thousand registrations have been done so far and also Madhya Pradesh had successfully organized the Khelo India Youth Games.
In his address at the function, Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the youth to read this book. This is a priceless treasure and pearls of wisdom will be found in it.
He noted that the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a voice of common citizens offering a platform to address pressing social issues. It is a wonderful initiative carrying within it the very essence of inspiration of the Prime Minister.
The Chief Minister appealed to definitely read this book describing the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as a visionary Prime Minister, and cherished his memories with him.
He said that Indore has been honored with the prestigious Best Smart City award, establishing its excellence in the realm of smart cities nationwide. At the same time, Madhya Pradesh has been bestowed with the distinguished Best State Award in the Indian Smart City category. It’s worth noting that Indore has consistently secured the top position in the cleanliness surveys.
The event commenced with a warm welcome address by Shri Vikram Sahay, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting followed by the screening of a short film based on the books. Khajuraho MP Shri VD Sharma also graced the occasion. The vote of thanks was given by Ms. Anupama Bhatnagar, Director General, Publications Division.
Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur inaugurated the multi-media exhibition organized by the Central Bureau of Communication on the theme ‘Naya Bharat: Sashakta Bharat’ along with ‘9 Years: Seva, Sushasan aur Garib Kalyan’ before the launch of the program along with the hon’ble Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.
During this event, a stall was set up by the Publications Department showcasing an array of their published books, providing attendees to explore and purchase them.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah has said that a true leader stands by his people through every circumstance. In a series of his post on X, Shri Amit Shah said, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji flew directly to Bengaluru from Greece this morning, to meet the ISRO scientists behind India’s successful moon mission, Chandrayaan 3. His inspiring address to the scientists in Bengaluru was an ode to India’s stupendous achievement that reached the skies.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the 23rd of August is a historic day for India, as it marks the accomplishment of its lunar mission Chandrayaan 3. Today, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji announced it as ‘National Space Day’, so that the story of India’s scientists’ success behind this mission reaches every future generation. This decision will continue to inspire Indian scientists to achieve newer heights in the realm of space exploration, holding the pride of the ‘Tiranga’ aloft.
Shri Amit Shah said that with the historic success of India’s lunar mission, our scientists have imprinted an indelible mark on the sands of time. To commemorate this achievement, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji named the landing spot of Chandrayaan-3 ‘Shivshakti,’ and the location where Chandrayaan-2 fell ‘Tiranga’, to remind us that ‘No failure is permanent.’
National Zoological Park joyously celebrated the first birthday of the adorable white tigress SITA’s twin cubs, Avni and Vyom,today. Shri Chandra Prakash Goyal, DG & SS, MoEFCC as the Chief Guestand Dr. S.K. Shukla Member Secretary, Central Zoo Authority as the Special Guest were present on the occasion.The highlight of the celebration was the cake-cutting ceremony, symbolizing the cubs’ significance to connect between the citizens and wildlife.
Students of 11th grade were invited to partake in the festivities. The event provided a unique educational opportunity for the students to learn about tigers and their vital role in biodiversity preservation.
National Zoological Park demonstrated its commitment to environmental sustainability by gifting each attending student a plant sapling. This gesture aimed not only to express gratitude for their participation but also to instill a sense of responsibility for the environment among the future generations.
The celebration of Avni and Vyom’s first birthday stands as a testament to the zoo’s dedication to fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
At present National Zoological Park have 12 numbers of tigers of 02 varieties, and among these there are 7 normal coloured Royal Bengal Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) and 5 White Tigers (Panthera tigris tigris color_mutation ).
The Missile Technology Conclave-cum-Symposium themed ‘Aatmanirbharta in Missile Repairs & Indigenisation Technologies (AMRIT-2023)’, was organised by INS Kalinga at Samudrika Auditorium, Naval Base, Visakhapatnam on 23 Aug 23. The event was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, AVSM, NM, Chief of Staff, Eastern Naval Command. Dr Y Srinivas Rao, DS, DG NS&M and Shri GA Srinivasa Murthy, DS, Director DRDL delivered special address during inaugural session. Papers were presented and technical talks were held by personnel from varied organisations leading to an effervescent exchange of ideas. Academia partners from Military Institute of Technology, Pune and National Research and Development Corporation (NRDC), also actively engaged in the discussions, drawing vital inputs for their work.
The Symposium received an overwhelming response from viz. DRDO, PSUs, DPSUs, Indian Private Defence industries, MSMEs/ Start-ups, representatives from State Government and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM). Exhibition stalls were also set-up during the event, wherein the DRDO labs, DPSUs and private defence firms showcased their expertise and capabilities in Missile Repairs and Indigenisation.
The seminar provided and fostered a symbiotic environment for all stakeholders viz. Indian Public & Private Industries, DRDO Labs, Academia and Indian Navy in line with the Government of India’s initiative – ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ mission. Going forward it is envisaged to benefit the Indian Navy in particular and the Armed Forces in general to minimise dependence on Foreign OEMs and also strengthen the core competencies of our Defence Industry and ultimately lead the nation towards Aatmanirbharta.
The Chief Guest congratulated all the participating agencies to have partnered in the journey towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and in making AMRIT-23 a grand success. Cmde CS Nayar, Commanding Officer, INS Kalinga delivered the vote of thanks. The exhibition stalls were also visited by naval personnel, Subject Matter Experts, local firms, technical institutes and engineering colleges.
Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is organizing an immersive two-day training programme inviting more than 200 chefs/cooks serving at various paramilitary and other government canteens, focusing on millet-based recipes. The training programme commencing today, aims at encouraging the participant chefs to include simple yet nutritious millet-based items in their respective menus and promote the consumption of millets across wider population. It will familiarize the participants to a variety of millet-based recipes, ranging from simple snacks to wholesome meals, and will encourage them to include it in respective canteens that they work with.
Additional Secretary, Shri Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Additional Secretary, Smt. Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, and JS (Crops) DA&FW, Smt. Shubha Thakur, along with the other officials attended the event and encouraged the participants to adopt millets in their daily diet and join the ‘millet movement’ of the nation for the benefit of consumer, cultivator and climate.
A culinary training session for more than 200 chefs and cooks working with the paramilitary forces, namely, Assam Rifles, Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police, National Security Guard, Sashastra Seema Bal, and various government canteens is being organized at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), PUSA, by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
Shri K.K. Pant, Principal, IHM welcomed dignitaries and participants in the auditorium and emphasized millets’ role in meeting holistic nutritional demands of the paramilitary forces. This training has been designed to cater to more than 100 participants each day. After the momentous decision taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) to introduce Millets (Shree Anna) in the meals of all the forces, the training session will further amplify the overall ‘millet movement’ of India. The decision by MHA to introduce 30% Millets in the meals was taken to champion Millets as an energy-dense food option for paramilitary personnel and aid their physically strenuous routine. Millets are collectively considered to be a ‘superfood’, packed with fibre, minerals, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients critical to human health. The participation of chefs/cooks from the paramilitary forces will ensure that millets become a regular, healthy and delicious component of their diet.
The participants learnt many interesting recipes, including Bajra Bisi belle Bhaat, Foxtail Millet Poori, Proso Millet Kofta Curry, Brown top Millet Pulao and Ragi Halwa. The training is also being attended by FPOs that displayed the samples of their various millet-based ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items. It will further expose those present to the versatility of millets as a kitchen ingredient and the ways in which they can be put to culinary use.
The training is a part of the ongoing series of events that align with the celebration of 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYM), undertaken by DA&FW. Millets thrive with minimal intervention, even in water scarce regions, making them a reliable ‘climate-friendly’ alternative to conventional crops. India is trying to encourage the consumption of millets in the country, integrating it with the regular diet of people.
“Chandrayaan-3 has proved India’s capability for cost-effective Space missions”.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, while speaking at an interactive meet of intellectuals, prominent citizens and media persons in Indore.
He said, India’s space missions are designed to be cost effective.
The Minister further elaborated saying, “The Russian moon mission, that was unsuccessful, cost Rs.16,000 crore, and our (Chandrayaan-3) mission cost just around Rs.600 crore. Consider, Hollywood films based on Moon & Space Missions cost over Rs.600 crore”.
We have learnt to compensate for cost through our skills, said Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, and Atomic Energy.
“Questions will arise, how? We made use of gravitational forces, the spacecraft made about 20 orbits of the earth, each rising in parabola, until it escaped and was captured in the Moon’s gravity and it made 70-80 revolutions of the moon before landing at the designated spot,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, in order to involve the private sector in R&D efforts, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi came out with the “Anusandhan National Research Foundation” Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session of Parliament, with a budget of Rs.50,000 crore over five years.
“When it is implemented fully, it will be a game-changer. We are planning a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) entity for which ₹36,000 Cr of the research funding is to come from the private sector, mostly industry whereas the Government will put ₹14,000 crore,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, under PM Modi India launched a unique initiative which even the US and other countries would envy.
“Two years ago, a provision was made that companies can earmark 10% of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) budget on R&D, earlier this was not so,” he said.
Calling for collective synergy, Dr Jitendra Singh said, we have to get rid of this mutual scepticism between the public and private sector. We can never emerge successful in the geopolitical race by working in silos, the minister said.
“We have to take this off our minds that the Government will and should do everything, those countries that stand developed did not achieve it by depending solely on their government. If today NASA sends rockets for the US, the maximum contribution to such missions is made by private agencies and industry, ” he said.
Stating that no government can provide a Sarkari Naukri to every individual, the Minister said, a responsible government creates job opportunities like PM Modi has done.
“From 350 Startups (in 2014), we now have over one lakh Startups, Startups have sprung up even in Governance technology, which nobody could have imagined earlier. Under Mudra scheme, easy loans of Rs.10-20 lakh are made available to the youth, without mortgage; so, a whole environment has been created to trigger innovation,” he said.
“Chandrayaan-3 has proved India’s capability for cost-effective Space missions”.
This was stated by Union Minister of State for Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, while speaking at an interactive meet of intellectuals, prominent citizens and media persons in Indore.
He said, India’s space missions are designed to be cost effective.
The Minister further elaborated saying, “The Russian moon mission, that was unsuccessful, cost Rs.16,000 crore, and our (Chandrayaan-3) mission cost just around Rs.600 crore. Consider, Hollywood films based on Moon & Space Missions cost over Rs.600 crore”.
We have learnt to compensate for cost through our skills, said Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, and Atomic Energy.
“Questions will arise, how? We made use of gravitational forces, the spacecraft made about 20 orbits of the earth, each rising in parabola, until it escaped and was captured in the Moon’s gravity and it made 70-80 revolutions of the moon before landing at the designated spot,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, in order to involve the private sector in R&D efforts, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi came out with the “Anusandhan National Research Foundation” Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha in the last session of Parliament, with a budget of Rs.50,000 crore over five years.
“When it is implemented fully, it will be a game-changer. We are planning a unique Public Private Partnership (PPP) entity for which ₹36,000 Cr of the research funding is to come from the private sector, mostly industry whereas the Government will put ₹14,000 crore,” he said.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, under PM Modi India launched a unique initiative which even the US and other countries would envy.
“Two years ago, a provision was made that companies can earmark 10% of their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) budget on R&D, earlier this was not so,” he said.
Calling for collective synergy, Dr Jitendra Singh said, we have to get rid of this mutual scepticism between the public and private sector. We can never emerge successful in the geopolitical race by working in silos, the minister said.
“We have to take this off our minds that the Government will and should do everything, those countries that stand developed did not achieve it by depending solely on their government. If today NASA sends rockets for the US, the maximum contribution to such missions is made by private agencies and industry, ” he said.
Stating that no government can provide a Sarkari Naukri to every individual, the Minister said, a responsible government creates job opportunities like PM Modi has done.
“From 350 Startups (in 2014), we now have over one lakh Startups, Startups have sprung up even in Governance technology, which nobody could have imagined earlier. Under Mudra scheme, easy loans of Rs.10-20 lakh are made available to the youth, without mortgage; so, a whole environment has been created to trigger innovation,” he said.
The Regional Review Meeting of NERern states of India was ceremonially inaugurated by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal along with Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma here today. The ceremony was also attended by health ministers of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura along with senior officials from Meghalaya, Nagaland as well as other states of the region. The Union Minister of State for Ayush and Women & Child Development, Dr. Mahendrabhai Munjapara along with Secretary of Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha and other senior officials from the ministry, state governments were also present.
The Union Ayush Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal chaired the Regional Review Meeting of NERern states here today. During the meeting, all the participating states – Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim & Tripura presented detailed presentations on the state of Ayush and progress of leading Ayush programmes under implementation. The Health Ministers of the states who physically attended and deliberated in the brainstorming session were Alo Libang of Arunachal Pradesh; Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh of Manipur; Dr R Lalthangliana of Mizoram; Kunga Nima Lepcha of Sikkim and Finance Minister of Tripura, Pranajit Singha Roy.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Today, we had a very fruitful discussion on the promotion and propagation of Ayush system of medicine in the country. Along with the rest of the world, the importance and popularity of traditional system of medicine has risen significantly in our beautiful Himalayan region. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, India has made significant progress in reinventing the age old and proven benefits of traditional system of medicine to enrich the quality of lives of the people. Modi ji has not only encouraged the use of traditional medicine in India but has also led a global movement to invest, innovate and integrate traditional medicine with modern medicine to develop a holistic line of healthcare solutions. In this spirit, I would like to call all the states of NER India to explore the possibility of setting up an Integrated Ayush Department in all its leading state hospitals, in line with the setting up of similar departments in all 19 AIIMS, under the guidance of Modi ji. Today, we are presented with this unique opportunity to kick start a movement to set up integrated medicine departments in all our leading state hospitals, thereby popularising and implementing the concept of Integrated medicine to be emulated by the whole country. We can realise the vision of Modi ji by further boosting traditional medicine practices and become hub of an Ayush led economic growth, promoting employment & trade, especially in the Himalayan region of our country.”
During the deliberations, the Health Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Alo Libang said that the state is planning to set up a full fledged Directorate of Ayush Healthcare Services to promote traditional medicine in the Himalayan state. A Special Panchakarma Centre in the middle of Loktak lake was proposed to be set up, as confirmed by the Health Minister of Manipur, Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh. The Mizoram Health Minister, Dr R Lalthangliana also applauded the benefit of traditional medicine and how Ayush gram initiative and Jan Arogya Samiti is popularising the Ayush system of medicine in the state.
Ministry of Ayush is supporting the efforts of State/UT Governments for implementation of different activities as proposed by the States through their respective State Annual Action Plans (SAAPs) through Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of National Ayush Mission (NAM). NAM is the flagship scheme of Ministry of Ayush, Govt of India.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi visited the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru after his arrival from Greece and addressed Team ISRO on the success of Chandrayaan-3. The Prime Minister met and interacted with ISRO scientists involved in the Chandrayaan-3 mission where he was also briefed about the findings and progress in the Chandrayaan-3 Mission.
Addressing the scientists, the Prime Minister expressed great delight in being present at the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bengaluru and said that such an occasion is extremely rare when the body and mind get filled with such happiness. Referring to the few special moments in everyone’s lives when impatience starts to dominate, the Prime Minister noted that he experienced the exact same emotions during his tour to South Africa and Greece and said that his mind was focussed on the Chandrayaan 3 Mission at all times. Observing the inconvenience caused to the scientists at ISRO due to his impromptu plans to visit the ISTRAC, a visibly emotional Prime Minister said that he was eager to visit and salute the scientists for their diligence, dedication, courage, devotion and passion.
The Prime Minister said that this is not a simple success. He said this achievement heralds India’s scientific power in infinite space. An elated Prime Minister exclaimed, “India is on the Moon, We have our national pride placed on the Moon”. Highlighting this unprecedented achievement, the Prime Minister said “This is today’s India that is fearless and relentless. This is an India that thinks new and in a novel way, the one that goes to the dark zone and spreads light in the world. This India will provide solutions to the big problems of the world in the 21st century.”
The Prime Minister said that the moment of the touchdown has become immortal in the consciousness of the nation. “The moment of touchdown is one of the most inspiring moments of this century. Every Indian took it as his or her own victory ”, he said. The Prime Minister credited the scientists for this grand success.
The Prime Minister, describing the photographs of the strong footings of the Moon lander said, “Our ‘Moon Lander’ has firmly set its foot on the Moon like ‘Angad… On the one side is the valor of Vikram then there is bravery of Pragyan on the other”. He said these are pictures of the never seen parts of the moon and this has been done by India. “Entire world recognizes India’s scientific spirit, technology and temperament,” said Shri Modi.
“The success of Chandrayaan 3 is not just India’s alone but it belongs to all of humanity”, the Prime Minister remarked and underlined that the explorations of the mission will open new doors of possibilities for moon missions of every country. He stated that the mission would not only unravel the secrets of the moon but also contribute to overcoming the challenges on Earth. The Prime Minister once again congratulated every scientist, technician, engineer and all members associated with Chandrayaan 3 Mission.
The Prime Minister announced, “The point where the moon lander of Chandrayaan-3 landed will now be known as ‘Shiv Shakti’”. “In Shiv, there is resolution for the welfare of humanity and Shakti gives us strength to fulfil those resolutions. This Shiv Shakti Point of the moon also gives a sense of connection with Himalaya to Kanyakumari”, he added.
Emphasizing the welfare core of the pursuit of science, the Prime Minister said that these pious resolutions need the blessings of Shakti and that Shakti is our Nari Shakti. In the success of Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission, our women scientists, the country’s Nari Shakti have played a big role, he emphasized. Shri Modi remarked. “Shiv Shakti Point of the Moon will bear witness to this scientific and philosophical thinking of India”, he added.
The Prime Minister stated that the point where Chandrayaan 2 left its footprints will now be called ‘Tiranga’. This point, the Prime Minister said, will serve as an inspiration for every effort that India makes and remind us that failure is not the end. “Success is a guarantee where there is strong will power”, he said.
Emphasizing that India has become only the 4th nation to have a successful touchdown on the surface of the Moon, the Prime Minister said that the feat becomes more immense when we consider the humble beginnings of India’s space program. He recalled the times when India was considered a third-world country and did not have the required technology and support. Today, the Prime Minister said, India has become the 5th largest economy in the world and it is now among the first-world countries be it trees or technology. “In the journey from ‘third row’ to ‘first row’, institutions like our ‘ISRO’ have played a huge role”, the Prime Minister exclaimed as he highlighted its contributions and said that they have taken Make In India to the Moon today.
The Prime Minister took the occasion to convey the hard work of ISRO to the countrymen. “From Southern India to the South of the Moon, this was not an easy journey,” the Prime Minister said and informed that ISRO even created an artificial moon in its research facility. The Prime Minister credited the zeal for innovation and science among the youth of India to the successes of such space missions. “Successes of Mangalyaan and Chandrayaan and preparation for Gaganyaan have given a new attitude to the young generation of the country. Your big achievement is awakening a generation of Indians and energizing that”, Shri Modi said. Today, the name of Chandrayaan is resonating among children of India. Every child is seeing his or her future in the scientists, he said.
The Prime Minister declared that 23rd August, the day of the soft landing of Chandrayaan 3 on the Moon will be commemorated as ‘National Space Day’. He said that National Space Day will celebrate the spirit of Science, Technology and Innovation, and inspire us for an eternity.
The Prime Minister noted that the capabilities of the space sector are not limited to launching satellites and space explorations, and its strength can be seen in Ease of Living and Ease of Governance. He recalled the workshop that was organized for the Joint Secretary level officers in the central government with ISRO during the initial years of his Prime Ministership. He mentioned the tremendous progress made to link the space applications with Governance. He mentioned the role of Space technology in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan; education, communication and health services to far flung areas; tele-medicine and tele-education. He also talked about the role of the NAVIC system and support during natural calamities. “Space technology is also the basis of our PM Gatishakti National Master Plan. This is helping a lot in the planning, execution and monitoring of projects. This scope of space application, which is increasing with time, is also increasing opportunities for our youth”, the Prime Minister added.
The Prime Minister requested ISRO to organize national hackathons on ‘Space Technology in Governance’ in collaboration with various departments of center and state governments. “I am confident that this National Hackathon will make our governance more effective and provide modern solutions to the countrymen”, he said.
The Prime Minister also gave a task to the young generation of the country. He said “I want the new generation to come forward to scientifically prove the astronomical formulas in the scriptures of India, to study them anew. It is also important for our heritage and also important for science. In a way, this is a double responsibility for the students of schools, colleges and universities today. The treasure of scientific knowledge that India has, has been buried, hidden during the long period of slavery. In this Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, we have to explore this treasure too, do research on it and also tell the world about it.”
The Prime Minister referred to the estimates of the experts that India’s space industry will reach 16 billion dollars from 8 billion dollars in the next few years. While the government is working relentlessly for space sector reforms, the youth of the country is also making efforts as, during the last 4 years, the number of space-related startups has gone up from 4 to about 150. The Prime Minister also urged students across the country to take part in a huge quiz competition on Chandrayaan mission organized by MyGov from 1st September.
Emphasizing the importance of taking the lead in science and technology in this period of the 21st century, the Prime Minister said that India has become the youngest talent factory in the world. “From the depths of the ocean to the heights of the sky, to the depths of space, there’s a lot for the young generations to do”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted opportunities ranging from ‘Deep Earth’ to ‘DeepSea’, and the next generation computer to genetic engineering. “New opportunities are constantly opening up for you in India”, he added.
The Prime Minister underlined that guidance for future generations is a necessity and it is them who will further the important missions of today. He said that scientists are their role models and their research and years of hard work have proved that anything can be accomplished if you set your mind to it. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said that the people of the country have faith in the scientists, and when the blessings of the people are bestowed, India will become a global leader in science and technology with the dedication shown towards the country. “Our same spirit of innovation will make the dream of a developed India come true in 2047”, Shri Modi said.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting held in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh via video link today.
The Prime Minister welcomed the dignitaries to Varanasi, also known as Kashi, and expressed delight that the G20 Culture Ministers’ Meeting is taking place here as the city is his parliamentary constituency. Referring to Kashi as one of the oldest living cities, the Prime Minister mentioned the nearing town of Sarnath where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon. “Kashi is known to be a treasure chest of knowledge, duty and truth and it is indeed the cultural and spiritual capital of India”, the Prime Minister remarked and suggested the guests witness the the Ganga Aarti program, pay a visit to Sarnath and try out the delicacies of Kashi.
Highlighting the inherent potential of culture to unite and enable us to understand diverse backgrounds and perspectives, the Prime Minister said that the work of the G20 Culture Ministers Group holds immense significance for entire humanity. “We in India are very proud of our eternal and diverse culture. We also attach great value to our intangible cultural heritage”, Shri Modi said as he underlined that India has been working hard to preserve and revitalize its heritage sites. He mentioned mapping the country’s cultural assets and artists at the national level as well as village level. He also mentioned building several centers to celebrate India’s culture and gave the example of the tribal museums located in different parts of the country which showcase the vibrant culture of India’s tribal communities. Referring to the Prime Ministers’ Museum in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that it is a one-of-a-kind effort to showcase India’s democratic heritage. He also mentioned developing the ‘Yuge Yugeen Bharat’ National Museum, which upon completion will stand as the world’s largest museum showcasing India’s history and culture spanning over 5,000 years.
Speaking about the important issue of restitution of cultural property, the Prime Minister welcomed the efforts of the working group and said that tangible heritage is not only of material value but it is also the history and identity of a nation. Shri Modi remarked, “Everyone has the right to access and enjoy their cultural heritage.” Since 2014, the Prime Minister informed that India has brought back hundreds of such artifacts that showcase the glory of its ancient civilisation. He also commended the efforts towards living heritage as well as contributions to ‘Culture for LiFE’. After all, the Prime Minister said, cultural heritage is not just what is cast in stone, it is also the traditions, customs and festivals that are handed down the generations. The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the efforts of the working group will foster sustainable practices and lifestyles.
The Prime Minister underlined that heritage is a vital asset for economic growth and diversification, and it is echoed in India’s mantra of ‘Vikas Bhi Virasat Bhi’ which means development as well as heritage. “India takes pride in its 2,000-year-old craft heritage, with nearly 3,000 unique arts and crafts”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the ‘One District, One Product’ initiative which showcases the uniqueness of Indian crafts while fostering self-reliance at the same time. He emphasized that the efforts of G20 nations towards promoting cultural and creative industries hold profound significance as they will facilitate inclusive economic development and support creativity and innovation. In the coming month, the Prime Minister informed that India is going to roll out the PM Vishwakarma Yojana with an initial outlay of 1.8 billion dollars. He stated that it would create an ecosystem of support for traditional artisans and enable them to flourish in their crafts and contribute to the preservation of India’s rich cultural heritage.
Noting that technology is an important ally in celebrating culture, the Prime Minister mentioned India’s National Digital District Repository which is helping rediscover the stories of freedom struggle. He emphasized India’s usage of technology to ensure better preservation of its cultural landmarks while also making places of cultural importance more tourist-friendly.
Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed delight that the G20 Culture Ministers’ working group has launched the ‘Culture Unites All’ campaign which encapsulates the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – One Earth, One Family, One Future. He also commended their pivotal role in shaping a G20 Action Plan with tangible outcomes. “Your work reflects the importance of the four Cs – Culture, Creativity, Commerce and Collaboration. It will enable us to harness the power of culture to build a compassionate, inclusive and peaceful future”, the Prime Minister concluded.
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