Day: September 15, 2023

Divya Kala Mela begins at Town Hall, Maidagin, Varanasi

 Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, Shri A Narayan Swamy, while assuring all possible assistance to the disabled, said that the role of the disabled is very important in building a self-reliant India. CMD NDFDC Naveen Shah ji said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji changed the thinking of people in the society by giving the word ‘Divyang’ to these people for the first time.

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Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri A. Narayan Swami ji said that the Central Government has prepared several schemes to promote entrepreneurship and craftsmanship especially among the disabled. He said that these schemes are implemented to provide training, skills and finance to the disabled brothers and sisters. The Central Government has increased the categories of disabled people from 7 to 21. Along with this, he said that reservation for disabled people in government jobs has been increased from 3% to 4% and reservation for disabled people in government educational institutions has been increased from 3% to 5%.

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The government is providing financial assistance to disabled people through various schemes at low interest rates to make them self-reliant. On this occasion, DDG Disabled Empowerment Department Shri Kishore Babu Rao Surwade ji said that we are organizing divine art fairs in every major city of the country. Till now, a total of six fairs have been successfully completed. This fair is the seventh fair. On this occasion, loan approval letters were distributed to the disabled beneficiaries by Gramin Bank. To encourage the disabled people, assistive devices were distributed in the form of tokens by ALIMCO, an organization of the Government of India, in the Divya Kala Mela.

Baroda UP Gramin Bank has sanctioned Rs 25.75 lakh for 29 disabled persons. During the program, loan sanction letters were distributed as tokens to 5 disabled people. ‘Divya Kala Mela’ has been organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at Town Hall, Maidagin, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh from 15 September to 24 September 2023 to showcase the products and craftsmanship of entrepreneurs/artisans with disabilities. In this fair, artisans from different parts of the country including Jammu & Kashmir, North Eastern States will showcase their wonderful and attractive products like handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery works and packaged foods etc. which will also be available for sale.

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This is a unique initiative towards the economic empowerment of disabled people. The Divya Kala Mela presents a great platform for marketing and showcasing the products and skills of persons with disabilities. Divya Kala Mela, Varanasi is the seventh fair in the series starting from 2022. Earlier this fair was organized in Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Indore, Guwahati and Jaipur. The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has selected National Disabled Finance and Development Corporation as the nodal agency for organizing this fair.

Around 100 disabled artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from around 20 States/Union Territories are showcasing their products and skills in the Divya Kala Mela. This fair is proving to be a powerful medium to spread the concept of ‘Vocal for Local’ to the masses in which the display and sale of products made by disabled artisans is encouraged by providing a suitable platform across the country.

This ten-day divine art fair can be enjoyed from 10.00 am to 10.00 pm. Apart from this, cultural programs by well-known artists of the country and famous food stalls from different states of the country are the special attractions of this fair. Many attractive selfie points have been made for the people at the fair.

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Swachhata Hi Seva 2023

 The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat today launched the pan-India Swachhata Pakhwada – Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2023 campaign virtually from Jaipur, Rajasthan today. The campaign has been launched in line with the vision of ‘Swachh Bharat’ or Clean India, as envisioned by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, whose clarion call for Swachhata has rallied the entire nation towards this noble cause. The campaign was launched jointly along with Union Minister of Panchayati Raj & Rural Development, Shri Giriraj Singh and the Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri through a virtual program.

The fortnight of activities will galvanize action around swachhata, focusing on mobilizing citizen action through ‘sharamdaan’ and strengthen commitment towards building a ‘Garbage Free India’ which is the theme of the campaign. The Union Ministers also presided over a Samvaad with Sarpanches, Block Pramukhs, Mayors, CEOs-ZP, DM/DCs and other officials of rural and urban local bodies. The Union Minister also launched a special SHS Portal for monitoring and documentation of the on ground SHS activities. For the first time, the actual man hours of ‘shramdaan’ will be calculated on the portal, while capturing the number of activities and number of people participating in the activities. The second edition of the Indian Swachhata League was also launched.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in his address urged everyone to work towards source segregation of waste, removing legacy waste and increase awareness about Swachhata. Shri Shekhawat said this pakhwada is an opportunity in this direction and to identify and replicate best Swachhata practices from various regions across the nation. He laid emphasis on quantifying and assessing legacy waste and to set up short and long term goals which can then be addressed in a time bound and result oriented manner. He also urged everyone to pledge to revive various water bodies that may have been choked due to legacy waste and to ensure that these water bodies are rejuvenated both in urban and rural areas. He further said that during the Pakhwada, targeted & result oriented activities should be undertaken and work allocation should be done properly to get the best results.

Shri Shekhawat further stated that the problems of waste management in urban and rural areas can be tackled simultaneously as cities have excess capacity but lack space while rural areas lack capacity but have ample space. Union Minister asked the secretary of the department of Drinking Water and Sanitation to work out a long-term plan in collaboration with the Secretary, MoHUA for ensuring maximum convergence and setting up a robust mechanism to accomplish this objective. He added that he looked forward to active participation and cooperation from all to make this campaign a grand success.

SBM-Grameen and SBM-Urban have both partnered with key Ministries and Departments to amplify participation and community mobilization in SHS 2023 themed Garbage Free India, with a focus on visible cleanliness and the welfare of SafaiMitras, the spirit being that of voluntarism i.e. shramdaan and actual cleaning drive/activities as in the previous years.  It is a massive community mobilization drive for cleaning up of legacy waste and activities for solid waste management. As part of this annual campaign, States will organise activities with the objectives of (i) ensuring community mobilization and participation, a “jan andolan” towards Open Defecation Free (ODF)Plus villages (ii) reinforcing the concept of “Sanitation as everyone’s business” and (iii) commemorating Swachh Bharat Diwas (2nd October) at the village level. This paves way for local bodies to conduct Swachhata drives at public places of high footfall such as bus stands, railway stations, beaches, tourist spots, zoos, national parks, Govt offices in both rural and urban areas of the States/UTs. The activities will include removal of garbage from locations, clearing of legacy waste, repairing, painting, cleaning, and branding of all sanitation assets such as litter bins, public toilets, garbage points, waste transportation vehicles etc.

The second edition of India Swachhata League is all set to take the nation by a storm. Led by the youth, the season 2 of ISL promises to be even more exciting and fun-filled cleanliness league. The ISL aims to mobilize youth groups at scale to take sustained ownership for swachhata across beaches, hills and tourist spots. The swachhata league will act as a catalyst for triggering action by the youth of the city towards the vision of garbage free cities under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

As part of the Swachhata Pakhwada fortnight of celebrations, SafaiMitra Suraksha Shivir will be organized by various cities across the nation 17th September, 2023 onwards. These Shivirs (camps) are aimed at saturating welfare schemes for sanitation workers and their dependents and to improve their well-being and quality of life. The objective of the shivir is to target all sanitation workers in Solid Waste Management (SWM) & Used Water Management (UWM). The key activities will focus on mass awareness, preventive health checkups, yoga shivirs and extending entitlement of various welfare benefits of central & State Schemes in convergence with various ministries.

In her welcome address, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ms. Vini Mahajan spoke about the objectives of SHS 2023 and urged the State & UT machinery of Swachh Bharat Mission, both Rural & Urban to make joint and concerted effort to make the fortnight a roaring success. She added, “SBMG having achieved nearly 75% ODF Plus villages, through the fortnight is aiming to achieve 90% ODF Plus villages. The SBM Mission Directors have been urged to focus on community mobilization and voluntary efforts for cleaning drives in villages, blocks and districts.

The fortnight of celebrations will culminate on 2nd October with Swachhata Diwas. As a part of the massive cleanliness drives, all Government of India Ministries, PSUs and State govt and local bodies will come together to conduct cleanliness at various locations. The planned inter-sectoral activities include cleaning high footfall tourist spots/ pilgrim sites under Tourism Ministry, Har Pathri Saaf Suthari activities by Railways, Dept of higher Education & School Education can involve universities, School students engaging them in SHS activities, Two bins & public toilet cleanliness under the Petroleum & Natural Gas Ministry, Prioritizing cleanliness of zoos/parks under MoEFCC and Cleanliness drives across highways & adjacent areas under MoRTH.

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Nation into global economy and renewable energy

 Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal said that India’s leadership is committed to integrating the nation into the global economy, and renewable energy plays a central role in this endeavour. While delivering the Keynote Address at the ‘MNRE- CII: 4th International Conference & Exhibition on Clean Energy’ in the Session on ‘Positioning Bharat as Partner in achieving Global Supply-Chain Resilience’ in New Delhi today, the Minister stressed upon implementing outcomes emphasizing clean, sustainable, just, affordable, and inclusive energy transition outlined in the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.


Shri Piyush Goyal expressed India’s commitment to global leadership, breaking boundaries, and bringing the world closer together through initiatives like the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor, green hydrogen and connectivity projects. He stressed that India is not just looking to participate in global supply chains but also to contribute significantly to making the world more sustainable, inclusive, and interconnected. He quoted the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and said, “Businesses have successfully gone beyond borders & boundaries, but it is now time to take businesses beyond the bottomline. It can be carried out by focusing on supply chain resilience & sustainability”.

Shri Goyal urged the attendees to focus on capturing more global markets by executing renewable energy projects. He said that from the theme of this Conference where we are looking at creating Global Champions for advancing clean energy, innovation, and manufacturing, innovation is the key word that really defines India’s forward looking and modern approach.

The Minister highlighted that India possesses the engineering expertise and potential to participate actively in renewable energy projects worldwide, be it through engineering, consultancy, or Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts. He emphasized that India has the opportunity to become a world leader in the renewable energy space and urged larger companies to collaborate and partner with other countries in achieving global energy transition goals.

Shri Goyal proudly spoke of India’s G20 Presidency under the leadership of the Prime Minister, which has allowed India to champion the cause of emerging markets and bring their issues to the forefront. He praised the nation’s efforts to create economic opportunities, generate jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions. The focus on clean energy in G20 decisions is essential for addressing climate change and natural disasters and ensuring a better future for all.

The Minister said that the Prime Minister has already got into action to work on the deliverables decided under India’s G20 Presidency which are unprecedented. He sought active participation and contribution from all the stakeholders for implementation of the deliverables. Shri Goyal said it is a matter of pride that the Prime Minister could bring African countries to the G20 and it is heartening to learn that Brazil is going to continue along this line. He said that G20 now has become a forum to impact the life of common man in India and in the developing countries.

The Minister also highlighted the significance of economic development banks providing low-cost financing for sustainability and renewable energy projects, which will lead to economic opportunities and job creation.

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Unified Portal www.upag.gov.in for Agricultural Statistics

 Member of NITI Aayog, Professor Ramesh Chand officially launched the Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAg Portal- http://www.upag.gov.in) today. It is a groundbreaking move to address the complex governance challenges India’s agriculture sector is facing. This innovative platform, designed to streamline and enhance data management in the agricultural domain, marks a significant step towards a more efficient and responsive agricultural policy framework.

In his address, Professor Ramesh Chand complimented the team for such an initiative and touted it as an investment and a “giant step” in the realm of agriculture data management. He also mentioned that such initiative was long overdue and it had a great potential to become a “great elephant” from a “small baby”. He also urged the audience to introduce a mindset shift in agriculture to being about milestone changes. Prof Chand stated that the portal empowers stakeholders with real-time, reliable, and standardized information, paving the way for more responsive and efficient agricultural policies. He also stated that higher the objectivity of data, lower is the scope of judgment in policy making, which translated into stable, transparent and informed decisions. He also mentioned that research suggests that a $1 invested in data generated $32 impact. Prof Chand advised that the portal should ensure data credibility.

Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Manoj Ahuja highlighted the other initiatives currently being undertaken by DA&FW like Krishi Decision Support System, farmer registry, crop survey. He stated that UPAg Portal was being envisaged as a public good wherein users will benefit by reduced search costs and frictions and access to credible, granular and objective data.

 

Sr. Economic and Statistical Adviser, Shri Arun Kumar apprised the audience of the major initiatives currently being undertaken at DA&FW to enhance data accuracy and improve digital data governance in agriculture. Adviser DA&FW, Ms. Ruchika Gupta shared the salient features of the UPAg Portal. It has been developed by Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in a bid to address data related governance challenges in agriculture such as lack of standardized and verified data, making it difficult for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders to make informed decisions. The UPAg Portal is set to change this landscape with its comprehensive approach to data integration and analysis.

Key Challenges Addressed by UPAg Portal:

1. Lack of Standardized Data: Currently, agricultural data is scattered across various sources and often presented in different formats and units. UPAg Portal aims to consolidate this data into a standardized format, making it easily accessible and understandable for users.

2. Lack of Verified Data: Reliable data is crucial for accurate policy decisions. UPAg Portal ensures that data from sources like Agmarknet is vetted and updated in a timely manner, providing policymakers with accurate information on agricultural prices.

3. Dispersed Data: To form a comprehensive view of any crop, multiple variables need to be considered, including production, trade, and prices. UPAg Portal brings together data from various sources, providing a holistic assessment of agricultural commodities.

4. Different Frequency Variables: Data updates at different times, causing delays and inefficiencies. UPAg Portal offers real-time connectivity with data sources, reducing the time and effort required for monitoring and analysis.

Key Features of UPAg Portal:

1. Data Standardization: The portal standardizes data on prices, production, area, yield, and trade, making it accessible in one location, eliminating the need to compile data from multiple sources.

2. Data Analysis: UPAg Portal will perform advanced analytics, offering insights such as production trends, trade correlations, and consumption patterns, aiding policymakers in making informed decisions.

3. Granular Production Estimates: The portal will generate granular production estimates with increased frequency, enhancing the government’s ability to respond to agricultural crises swiftly.

4. Commodity Profile Reports: Commodity profile reports will be produced using algorithms, minimizing subjectivity and providing users with comprehensive insights.

5. Plug and Play: Users will have the flexibility to use the portal’s data to prepare their own reports, promoting data-driven decision-making.

The UPAg Portal is a crucial component of the Digital Public Infrastructure for Agriculture, aimed at harnessing the diversity of the agriculture sector and using data as a catalyst for growth. It is a pioneering initiative by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, to streamline data management in the agriculture sector. It aims to provide real-time, standardized, and verified data on agricultural commodities, facilitating data-driven decision-making for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders. This initiative aligns with the principles of e-governance, bringing smartness, transparency, and agility to India’s agriculture sector.

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DIVYA KALAMELA will be organized from 15th -24th September 2023

 Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan)  organizes unique event showcasing the products and craftsmanship regular Divyang entrepreneurs/artisans from across the country, ‘Divya Kala Mela’ to continue the efforts divyakala mela will be organized from 15-24th September 2023 at Varanasi,  The event would present an enthralling experience to the visitors as vibrant products from various parts of the country including Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern states, handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery works and packaged food etc. will be seen together.

This is a unique initiative of DEPwD towards economic empowerment of PwD/Divyangjan. The Divya Kala Mela presents a bigger platform for marketing and showcasing the products and skills of Divyangjan (PwD). The Divya Kala Mela, Varanasi is the seventh one in series starting from 2022 [(i) Delhi, December 2022, (ii) Mumbai, February 2023, (iii) Bhopal, March 2023, (iv) Guwhati, May 2023] (V) Indore June 2023 (Vi) Jaipur 29th  june-5th july2023 (vii) Varanasi, 15-24 September, 2023.

Around 100 Divyang artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from about 20 states/UTs will be showcasing their products and skills. There would be Products in the following broad category: Home Décor & Lifestyle, Clothing, Stationery and eco-friendly products, packaged food and organic products, Toys & Gifts, Personal Accessories – Jewellery, Clutch Bags.It will be an opportunity for all to go ‘vocal for local’ and products made by Divyang craftsmen with their extra determination can be seen/purchased.

The 10 Days ‘Divya Kala Mela’, Varanasi will be open from 10.00 A.M. to 10.00 P.M. and witness a series of cultural activities, including performances by Divyang artists and well-known professionals alongside. Visitors can also enjoy their favorite foods from various regions of the country at the event.

The event is scheduled to be inaugurated on 15th September at 5.00 P.M. by A. Narayanaswamy, Union Minister of State, for Social Justice & Empowerment, GOI. The occasion will be graced by various other dignitaries.

Department has grandiose plans to promote the concept, as part of which ‘Divya Kala Mela’ is being organized across country. During 2023-2024 the event will be organized in 12 cities.

 

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Events on Grassroot Innovations, Science Communication Workshop and Student Science Connect Program organised

 CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) organized the day 3 of its One Week One Lab (OWOL) programme yesterday at CSIR-NPL Auditorium, Pusa, New Delhi. ‘Grassroot Innovations & Skill Development Conclave for Rural Development’ event was dedicated to our farmers. The event commenced with great enthusiasm with the inauguration of exhibition by the Chief Guest, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Former DG, CSIR and Guest of Honour, Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Chairman, Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board (ASRB).

Address by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande (Left) & Dr. Ranjana Aggarwal (Right)

In the welcome address, Dr. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director, CSIR-NIScPR said, “Today’s event for rural development is one of the links of the one week one lab week-long event, from 11th to 16th September 2023. This idea of sowing seed at the time of COVID-19 has been sown by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Former DG, CSIR.”

The Guest of Honour, Dr. Sanjay Kumar in his speech mentioned that the “cost of the production of technology must be acceptable and affordable to the stakeholders and the technology should make a country powerful.”

The Special Invitee Shri Praveen Ramadas, Secretary, Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA) addressed the audience, and talked about “Bharat Ke Liye Vigyaan,” and remembered former VIBHA National Organising Secretary, Late Shri Jayant Sahasrabuddhe. Shri Praveen Ramadas stated “Until our villages are not self-reliant, our farmers are not self-reliant; our India will not be self-reliant”. He also emphasised on the use of CSIR relevant technologies in villages.

Chief Guest Dr. Shekhar C Mande reiterated PM Shri Narendra Modi’s dream, “In 2047, we want to see India one of the most developed countries, development of rural people is most important for realizing this dream”.

During the Technical Session of the Scientist-Farmer Interaction, Dr. Yogesh Suman, the Coordinator of OWOL, served as the moderator for a panel discussion centered on CSIR technologies and laboratories. The esteemed panelists included Dr. Vivek Kumar, a Professor from CRDT at IIT Delhi, and Dr. Mahendra P. Darokar, the Chief Scientist from TMD at CSIR-HQ. Additionally, several other scientists from various CSIR labs participated in the discussion, emphasizing the crucial role of bridging the gap between laboratory experiments and society. They highlighted the significance of technology appropriateness, rather than solely focusing on technology readiness level. The scientists shared insights into their respective experiments conducted in their labs, and afterwards, the session was opened up to the general public for further discussions.

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Majumdar, Senior Manager, NRDC (New Delhi) shared his personal experience, revealing that even the pulses we consume, is a result of the research conducted in one of the CSIR laboratories. He emphasized that all the research carried out by CSIR scientists is ultimately aimed at serving the public interest.

In the Training Session on the Kisan Sabha App, Dr. Vinayak, Senior Scientist from CSIR-NIScPR, introduced the app and explained how it can greatly benefit farmers. Dr. Shiv Narayan Nishad, Senior Scientist from NIScPR and a co-developer of the app, expressed his gratitude towards NIScPR for their contribution in shaping the Kisan Sabha App. He further informed the audience that currently, around 10 lakh clients, including farmers and consumers, are actively using this app. The app provides access to real-time market information and various agricultural services. For instance, farmers can easily check Mandi prices through the app.

Dr. Shekhar Mande inaugurating the Graasroot innovation exhibition

An exhibition on CSIR technologies for rural livelihood was also organised in which more than 10 CSIR labs participated. This exhibition was inaugurated by Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Former DG, CSIR.

In the workshop on science communication, more than 50 teachers joined the event and received the training of various facets of science communication by the experts. In the workshop, Shri C B Singh, Head, Jigyasa, Training and HR Division of CSIR-NIScPR delivered welcome address. In her keynote address in the workshop addressing to the science teachers honourable Chief Guest Prof. Sharmishtha Banerjee, University of Hyderabad, emphasized on teaching interdisciplinary science to the students. She said that all the subjects of including biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics are inter-related and we have to tell this to our students in effective manner.

A glimpse of Science Communication for Teachers workshop

Explaining Science Communication and Citizen Responsibility at the workshop, Shri Hasan Jawaid Khan, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR and Editor of ‘Science Reporter’ magazine, said, “It’s a responsibility of every citizen of the country to create more awareness about misinformation and fake news about science.

Ms. Sonali Nagar, Associate Editor, Science Reporter magazine shown a presentation to the teachers training them in the nuances of Popular Science Writing. The workshop ended with the Popular Science Writing assignment given by Shri Hasan Jawaid Khan.

Student Science Connect Programme

Under the ‘Jigyasa’ initiative of CSIR, ‘Student-Science Connect’ programme  was organized in Vivekananda Hall of CSIR-NIScPR campus. In his welcome address, Shri C.B. Singh, Head, Jigyasa programme, CSIR-NIScPR said how NIScPR is reaching out to the common people through science communication.

On this occasion, Director of CSIR-NIScPR, Dr. Ranjana Aggarwal said that NIScPR is working like a bridge. Keeping in mind the vision of the Hon’ble Prime Minister on ‘International Year of Millets’, he gave information about millets. PM also told how CSIR- NIScPR initiative ‘SVASTIK’ is providing a scientific approach to traditional knowledge.

During this programme, Dr. Shekhar C. Mande, Former Director General, CSIR also graced the occasion. He said that questions like when, where, how, why should come in your mind. Science develops only when we think and discuss about it. Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Former Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, said that we need to adopt scientific thinking through stories how mathematics and science can be read and understood in an interesting manner.

Dr. Suman Ray, Principal Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR, gave information about millets. Dr. Charu Lata, Principal Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR and Coordinator of SVASTIK said that India has a rich heritage of science and technology. Traditional knowledge develops our three-dimensional personality.

The program received participation of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Vikaspuri and Sector-8, Dwarka, M.M. Public School, Shakurpur. During this programme, students participated in the quiz competition. On this occasion, a puppet show was performed by Dr. Vikas Mishra and his team.

About CSIR-NIScPR

CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) is one of the constituent laboratories of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. It specializes in the fields of science communication, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) focused on evidence-based policy research and studies. It publishes various journals, books, magazines, newsletters, and reports on science and technology. It also conducts research on science communication, science policy, innovation systems, science-society interface, and science diplomacy.

For more information, please visit https://niscpr.res.in/ or follow us at @CSIR-NIScPR.         

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CSIR – NIScPR and KAMP: Workshop on Science Communication

 In the Day 3 of One Week One Lab program of CSIR-NIScPR. A workshop on science communication was organised where more than 50 teachers joined the event and received the training of various facets of science communication by the experts. In the workshop, Shri C. B. Singh, Head, Jigyasa, Training and HR Division of CSIR-NIScPR delivered a welcome address. In her keynote address in the workshop addressing the science teachers Chief Guest Prof. Sharmishtha Banerjee, University of Hyderabad, emphasized teaching interdisciplinary science to the students. She said that all the subjects including biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics are inter-related and we have to tell this to our students in an effective manner.

 

Ms. Arika Mathur, Head – Operations and Assesments, KAMP captivated the audience with her in-depth presentation on the Knowledge and Awareness Mapping Platform (KAMP) – an initiative of CSIR-NIScPR and NCPL. KAMP aims to unearth the innate talents and skills in our students, and the teachers were visibly enthusiastic about this endeavor.

Explaining Science Communication and Citizen Responsibility at the workshop, Shri Hasan Jawaid Khan, Chief Scientist, CSIR-NIScPR and Editor of ‘Science Reporter’ magazine, said, “It’s a responsibility of every citizen of the country to create more awareness about misinformation and fake news about science.

Ms. Sonali Nagar, Associate Editor, Science Reporter magazine showed a presentation to the teachers training them in the nuances of Popular Science Writing. The workshop ended with the Popular Science Writing assignment given by Shri Hasan Jawaid Khan.

About CSIR-NIScPR and KAMP:

CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) is one of the constituent laboratories of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India. It specializes in the fields of science communication, Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) focused on evidence-based policy research and studies.

 

 

KAMP is an Initiative and Knowledge Alliance of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) – National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR) and industrial partner M/S Nysa Communications Pvt. Ltd. (NCPL), it intends to develop creativity, meaningful learning, critical reading and thinking skills that brings out the inherent abilities of the students.

 

Swachhata Special Campaign 3.0 Portal

 Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today launched the dedicated web-portal for Swachhata Special Campaign 3.0, https://scdpm.nic.in, at a function in New Delhi for monitoring of the Swachhata campaign.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said the Special Campaign is being launched at a time when the nation is in upbeat mood following the unprecedented success of G20 Summit under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and India’s Space feats of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya L1 solar mission.

Dr Jitendra Singh said the Swachhata campaign, the first mass awareness campaign launched by PM Modi on August 15, 2014 soon after taking over charge in May, 2014, has achieved four primary objectives, –

  • Change of Work Culture and that has been amply demonstrated by flawless execution of successful hosting of the G20 Summit.
  • Over 90% file work has been made online under eOffice portal; visualised by the Prime Minister and his Digital India Mission helped tide over the Covid crisis.
  • Use of Open Spaces for productive use as some of the Departments like Posts have converted junkyard to courtyard.
  • Archive Culture; the process of archiving files also gained momentum. 

The Union Minister said PM Modi transformed the Swachhata campaign into a mass movement within a few months.

“Same administration, same officials, only the leadership was lacking. Prime Minister turned the mission on hygiene cleanliness into a Jan-Andolan and it was imbibed by the people as a Social Reform Movement. This demonstrated the intent of the government that it will address the fundamental issues facing the common man in a mission mode,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh appealed to all citizens to join hands together, particularly the media in creating awareness. DARPG has launched a compendium of 300 Best Practices which will be implemented by all Government Ministries and Departments and published widely through media, highlighting ‘Whole of Government’ and ‘Whole of Science’ approach,” he said.

“Coming close on the heels of successful Chandrayaan-3 landing, the successful launch of Aditya L1 is also a testimony to the ‘whole of science and the whole of nation’ approach which we have sought to adopt in our world culture,” said Dr Jitendra Singh.

The Special Campaign 3.0 will be preceded by the Preparatory phase from 15th September to 30th September 2023. During this period, Ministries/Departments will identify the pendency in selected categories and finalize the campaign sites.

The Government of India has announced Special campaign 3.0 from 2nd October, 2023 to 31st October, 2023 with focus on Swachhata and Reducing Pendency in Government Offices with a saturation approach. The Cabinet Secretary has addressed all Secretaries of Government of India on 25th August, 2023 and DARPG guidelines for the same were issued on 1st September, 2023.

Special Campaign 3.0 will focus on field/outstation offices responsible for service delivery or having public interface, in addition to the Ministries/Departments and their attached/subordinate offices. Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) is the Nodal Department for implementation of Special Campaign 3.0.

Secretary, DARPG and Dept. of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare, Shri V. Srinivas; Secretary, Posts, Shri Vineet Pandey; Secretary, Railway Board, Shri Milind K Deuoskar and Shri Arun Singhal, DG, National Archives of India also addressed the function. The launch ceremony was attended by Nodal Officers of Public Grievances and Appellate Authorities in all the 84 Ministries/Departments of Government of India. 

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Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances

 -Shashikant Nishant Sharma

Ministry of Panchayati Raj, encouraged by the resounding success and transformative outcomes of the previous editions of Special Campaign, is all set to act as an active partner during Preparatory Phase (15–30 September, 2023) and Implementation Phase (2–31 October, 2023) of Special Campaign 3.0 steered by Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG).The Special Campaign conducted in Ministry of Panchayati Raj primarily focuses upon encouraging clean and pro-environment workplaces for its officials and staff–members and welcoming reception areas for visitors. The major outcomes of perpetual Best Practices adopted by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj under the Special Campaign for a conducive work environment are as follows:

✅Execution of 100% file work through e-Office

✅ Efficient management of office spaces

✅ Enhancement and productive use of office spaces

✅ Environmental friendly Practices

✅ Maintaining a clean and hygienic workplace at all times

✅ Ensuring 100 % electronic scrape disposal

✅ Zero Pendency of Public Grievances

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar chaired a meeting with Divisional Heads on 11th September, 2023 to discuss the Work Plan/ Action Plan for the Special Campaign 3.0 to be organized from 2ndOctober, 2023 to 31st October, 2023 under the aegis of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Government of India. Emphasizing the importance of institutionalizing Swachhata and minimizing pendency in Government offices, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar advised all the Divisions to work in a concerted and collaborative manner for the best results as per the parameters identified by DARPG for Special Campaign 3.0, which is a campaign having an overarching goal to promote Good Governance through Swachhata.

In view of the importance of the Special Campaign 3.0, Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar suggested that senior officers in the Ministry may provide leadership in implementing Special Campaign 3.0 activities effectively. The meeting was attended by Joint Secretary, Smt. Mamta Varma, Joint Secretary, Shri Alok Prem Nagar,Economic Adviser, Dr. Bijaya Kumar Behera, Director,Shri Ramit Maurya, Director, Dr. Sriramappa V. and representatives of other Divisions/ Sections in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj.

Dr. Bijaya Kumar Behera apprised that efforts are on to raise awareness, mobilize officials and ensure their active participation in making Special Campaign 3.0 a grand success by the way of making Swachhata “everyone’s business” and “a way of life”. Citing some remarkable results in respect of cleanliness campaigns, space freed, files weeded out, revenue earned by scrap disposal and public grievances disposed of during the period from December 2022 to July 2023, Dr. Behera made a reference of 5541 public grievances spreading over all States and UTs redressed during December 2022 – July 2023, and stated that State-specific engagement of Nodal Officers and dedicated Public Grievances Redressal Cell helped in disposal of public grievances within a month’s time and thus there was no pendency.

The discussions during the meeting were focused on various activities and aspects of Special Campaign 3.0 and it was centered around conducting special cleanliness drives and mobilizing the government functionaries to streamlining processes and procedures to strengthen grievance redressal mechanism to ensure fast disposal of grievances at all levels. Special Campaign 3.0 in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj will focus on creating healthier workspaces, keeping workplace tools in working order, increasing efficiency / improving productivity i.e. speed and quality of work and boosting the morale of the employees / staff-members (regular, contractual and outsourced) through a clean, tidy and organized work environment. Clean Desk / Clean Office / Clean Corridor / Clean Workstation and other best practices will be promoted through social media on regular basis.

Ministry of Panchayati Raj will organize a mini-workshop with the record officers for their capacity building on record keeping and helping them for categorization of files for preservation, distribution and retention etc. as per Record Retention Schedule. Necessary action will be taken to give feel-good environment by placing flower pots, sapling pots etc. in both the office premises of Jeevan Bharati Building and Jeevan Prakash Building. Special emphasis will be given on behavioural / attitudinal changes towards cleanliness and sanitation for tackling workplace hygiene issues considerately along with disposal of pending matters such as references from Members of Parliament, Parliamentary Assurances, References received from State Governments, Inter-Ministerial Consultation, Public Representations/ Grievances, better record management, review and weeding out papers on regular basis as we move towards a more sustainable future for everyone.

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International Conference on Dam Safety at Jaipur, Rajasthan

 

The Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the International Dam Safety Conference themed “Safe & Secure Dams Ensure Nation’s Prosperity” in Jaipur today. Shri Dhankhar also flagged off the vinyl-wrapped Kamakhya Express from Varanasi station through video conferencing. Under the ‘Pani Ki Rail’ initiative of the National Water Mission, two trains, the Himsagar Express & Kamakhya Express have been vinyl wrapped in collaboration with Ministry of Railways, to amplify the message of water conservation, river rejuvenation, and the significance of clean drinking water and sanitation. As these trains traverse across the length and breadth of the nation, they will act as a moving billboard for promoting the vital message of water conservation and management. The VP also unveiled a National Register of Large Dams which is a compilation of the large dams in the country prepared in consultation with the concerned State Government/Authority.

Addressing the inaugural session, Vice-President elaborated on the importance of dams by referring to them as “silent sentinels that ensure our access to the lifeblood of our planet”. “Dams are monuments to human ingenuity, perseverance, and the spirit of cooperation”, he added. Highlighting the intrinsic connection of India with water management, the Vice-President expounded that the Indian civilization has thrived for thousands of years on the banks of rivers, deriving life and sustenance from their waters. Shri Dhankhar also noted that ancient texts, including the Vedas and Arthashastra, mention the systematic management of water resources through the construction of dams and reservoirs to combat water scarcity. Shri Dhankhar commended the enactment of the Dam Safety Act (DSA) 2021, which strengthens India’s commitment to safeguarding its dams. He also praised the successful completion of Phase I of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) and expressed hope that the recently launched Phase-II & III would further enhance dam safety across several states in India.

Vice President’s Secretariat Press Release: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1957410

Addressing the august gathering, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted the diverse benefits of the dams and how they have been instrumental in India’s water management, electricity generation, and flood control. Elucidating on the importance of dam safety, Shri Shekhawat spoke about the enactment of the Dam Safety Act in 2021 under the guidance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to ensure key regulatory institutional framework and set of unified protocols for all dam owners.

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The Union Minister further stated that in India there are about 280 dams which are almost 100 years old and out of them more than 80% are 25 years old. He expressed confidence that this conference will serve as a platform to deliberate and share knowledge on Dam safety measures among various stakeholders. He also thanked all the states for providing support to the ministry of Jal Shakti in Dam Safety management. The Union Minister also inaugurated the National Centre for Earthquake Safety of Dams at MNIT Jaipur, earlier today. The centre will enhance the Structural and Earthquake Safety of Dams in India.

The Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Shri Pankaj Kumar, explained the roles and functions of various organisations like National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA), National Committee on Dam Safety (NCDS), State Committee on Dam Safety (SCDS) and State Dam Safety Organisation (SDSO) involved in Dam Safety aspects. He also shared achievements of the Dam Rehabilitation & Improvement Project (DRIP -Phase I) and elaborated on the key features of ongoing Phase II and Phase III of DRIP. He spoke about establishment of Centre of Excellence at IIT Roorkee & IISc Bengaluru and launch of M- Tech courses for the Capacity Building of the concerned stakeholders in Dam Safety.

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The event started with the traditional ‘Jal Kalash’ ceremony.  A 1-minute silence was observed for the tragedy and destruction which has happened in Libya. An exhibition has been organised on the sidelines of the conference, where various government and private organisations displayed products, charts, banners and photographs showcasing the latest developments, technological interventions, innovations and solutions in various areas of dam safety. The exhibition was also inaugurated today.

Other dignitaries who graced the inaugural session were Shri Manik Saha, Chief Minister of Tripura; Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka; Shri Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya, Water Resources Minister of Rajasthan; Smt. Usha Sharma, Chief Secretary of Rajasthan; and Shri Pankaj Kumar, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, RD & GR, Ministry of Jal Shakti. Foreign and national delegates and senior officers from various concerned departments were also present on the occasion.

The conference is being attended by more than 800 delegates from the central and state governments, academicians, officials from the World Bank, representatives from foreign countries, public and private sectors, and other dam proprietors. Approximately 40 international delegates from 15 countries are also participating in the event.

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Hindi Diwas

 Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah has extended his best wishes to the countrymen on the occasion of Hindi Diwas. In his message, the Home Minister said that India has been a country of diverse languages. Hindi unites the diversity of languages in the world’s largest democracy. He said that Hindi has been a democratic language. It has honoured different Indian languages and dialects as well as many global languages and adopted their vocabularies, sentences and grammar rules.

Union Home Minister said that the Hindi language played an unprecedented role in uniting the country during the difficult days of independence movement. It instilled a feeling of unity in a country divided into many languages and dialects. Hindi, as a language of communication, played an important role in carrying forward the freedom struggle from East to West and North to South in the country. Shri Shah said that the movements for achieving ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Swabhasha’ were going on simultaneously in the country. Considering the important role of Hindi in the freedom movement and after independence, the architects of the Constitution had accepted Hindi as the official language on 14 September 1949.

Home Minister said that original and creative expression of any country is possible only through its own language. Mentioning the renowned litterateur Bharatendu Harishchandra’s famous poem “निज भाषा उन्नति अहै, सब उन्नति को मूल”, he emphasized that the progress of our language is the basis of all-round progress. Shri Shah said that all our Indian languages and dialects are our cultural heritage, which we have to carry with us. He added that Hindi neither ever has competed and nor will compete with any other Indian language. Only by strengthening all our languages, a strong nation will be created.Home Minister expressed his belief that Hindi will become a medium to empower all the local languages.

Shri Amit Shah said that Indian languages have received due recognition and respect at national and global forums, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He added that the Department of Official Language of the Ministry of Home Affairs is making continuous efforts, by leveraging modern technology, to enrich the Indian languages to establish them as language of publicadministration, education and scientific use. He said that under the guidance of the Prime Minister, public welfare schemes are being implemented effectively by establishing communication between the government and the public in Indian languages.

Union Home Minister said that the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language was constituted to periodically review the work done in the official language in the country. It was given the responsibility to review the progress made in the use of Hindi in government work across the country and prepare its report and present it to the President. Shri Shah added that he is happy to inform that the 12th volume of this report has been presented to the President. Only 9 volumes of the report were submitted till 2014, but we have submitted 3 volumes in the last 4 years only. Since 2019, Hindi Advisory Committees have been formed in all 59 ministries and their meetings are also being organized regularly. From the point of view of increasing the use of official language in various areas of the country, a total of 528 Town Official Language Implementation Committees (TOLIC) have been formed so far. Even in foreign countries, Town Official Language Implementation Committees have been formed in London, Singapore, Fiji, Dubai and Port-Louis. India has also taken initiatives to promote the use of Hindi language in the United Nations.

Union Home Minister said that a new tradition of organizing ‘All India Official Language Conference’ has also been started by the Department of Official Language. The first All India Official Language Conference was organized in Banaras on 13-14 November, 2021 and the second conference was organized in Surat on 14 September 2022. This year the third All India Official Language Conference is being organized in Pune. He said that in order to develop the official language according to technology, the Department of Official Language has created a memory-based translation system ‘Kanthastha’. Taking a new initiative, the Department of Official Language has also created the dictionary ‘Hindi Shabd Sindhu’. This dictionary is being continuously enriched by including words from Indian languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. The department has also made an ‘e-Mahashabdkosh’ mobile app comprising a total of 90,000 words and an ‘e-Saral’ dictionary of about 9,000 sentences.

Union Home Minister said that the principle of language change says “language moves from complexity to simplicity.” Shri Shah said that in his opinion, simple and clear words of Hindi should be used in office work. He expressed confidence that with these efforts of the Department of Official Language and by assimilating from all the mother tongues, Hindi, with people’s acceptance, will achieve scientific and technological acceptance and will emerge as rich official language. Once again, congratulations to all on the occasion of Hindi Diwas.

Second Edition of ICAR-CIBA’s Shrimp Farmers Conclave-2023 at Navsari, Gujarat

 Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala inaugurated Second Edition of ICAR-CIBA’s (ICAR-Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture) Shrimp Farmers Conclave-2023 at the Navsari Agricultural University Campus in Gujarat today. About 410 aqua farmers across the coastal districts of Gujarat participated in the conclave.

In his address, Shri Parshottam Rupala conveyed his gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, for approving the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampadan Yojana with the financial outlay of Rs. 20,050 crores for the sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture sector. This paved the way for developing a project implemented by ICAR-CIBA on “Genetic improvement program of Penaeus indicus (Indian white shrimp)-Phase-I” with an outlay of Rs.25 crores under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to establish a National Genetic Improvement Facility for shrimp breeding. Union Minister Shri Rupala congratulated CIBA scientists for developing a therapeutic EHP-Cura-I for the control of EHP disease in shrimp and asked them to make available the farmers at the earliest. The Minister also launched the Shrimp Crop Insurance scheme developed by the Agricultural Insurance Company (AIC) with the support of ICAR-CIBA during the occasion in the presence of the Chairman cum Managing Director of AIC, Smt. Grija Subramanian.

Two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) were signed between CIBA and National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB); CIBA and Fish Farmers Producer Organization (FFPO) of Gujarat respectively for implementing the crop insurance for aquaculture with premium subsidy offered by the NFDB and technology support for the FFPO. Shri Rupala also handed over a sum Rs.40.05 Lakhs income earned by the SC, ST and Cage Culture beneficiaries of Navsari region through adoption of CIBA technologies for the livelihood development supported by NGRC-CIBA scientists. Navsari-Gujarat Regional centre of CIBA is doing good services to the aqua farmers of Gujarat and other inland saline areas of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana and Shri Rupala advised the Department of Fisheries of Gujarat to extend all the facilities and support required for the centre to grow it as a full-fledged research facility for the entire west coast. Union minister Shri Rupala also visited the exhibition of live shrimps and finfish species, CIBA hatchery produced shrimp and fish seeds. He also handed over the CIBA produced Asian sea bass fish seeds to the farmers.

Member of Parliament, Navsari constituency, Shri C.R. Patil participated in the Conclave as Guest of Honour. He appreciated ICAR-CIBA for conducting this mega event in Navsari and assured the  Navsari-Gujarat Regional centre of CIBA for all the  support. Deputy Director General (Fisheries) of ICAR, Dr. J. K. Jena in his address highlighted that shrimp is the major item contributing about 70% Indian seafood exports in value terms worth Rs.35,000 crores. However, in the recent years due to the supply of more quantities of shrimp from the Ecuador, the import of Indian farmed shrimp in the international markets has been showing a declining trend which in turn reduced the market price at the local level. Therefore, innovative strategies are the need of the hour both at the market as well as in the farming sectors to overcome this issue. Similarly, diversification of brackish water aquaculture with other species like SPF tiger shrimp and genetically improved Indian white shrimp may give an advantage to the Indian shrimp farmers in the days to come.

The registration of shrimp farms with the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA), Govt. of India for availing any government schemes and reforms brought out in the registration were clearly articulated by Member Secretary, CAA, Dr. V. Kripa. She assured the farmers that CAA will work for consideration of aquaculture as a farming activity and inclusion of it as a farming sector in national disaster management list.

Director, ICAR-CIBA, Dr. Kuldeep K Lal in his welcome address set the stage for the conclave by articulating the importance of the shrimp farmers conclave, the present scenario of brackish water aquaculture in the country and specifically in the state of Gujarat, the efforts of CIBA in addressing the issues in shrimp farming, diseases monitoring, diversification of the systems and species, feed formulations with alternative protein sources and technical backstopping in developing regulatory guidelines, developmental policies and societal development.

During the technical session of the conclave the shrimp export present scenario and immediate prospects, disease prevention and management with special reference to Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM) caused by a microsporidian (Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), crop insurance for shrimp farming, development of Genetically Improved Indian White Shrimp (Penaeus indicus) and diversification of brackish water aquaculture with Mudcrab and Asian Seabass fish were discussed.

Director, ICAR-CIBA, Dr. Kuldeep K Lal said that the Govt. of India under the Prime Minister’s Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) funding the National Disease Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) for reporting of emerging disease pathogens in the country and a “Report Fish Disease APP” was developed for reporting of existing and emerging pathogens by the farmers was demonstrated to the farmers during the conclave. Subsequently, a vivid presentation was made on the Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM) caused by a microsporidian (Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP), its diagnosis and Management in shrimp farms was made by Scientist of ICAR-CIBA, Dr. T. Sathish Kumar. During his presentation, the promising results given by a therapeutic developed by CIBA to manage the EHP pathogen in shrimp farms was also detailed.

Subsequently, a special session on ‘Shrimp Crop Insurance’ was convened wherein the Agricultural Insurance of Corporation of India, United India Insurance Corporation of India and the mediator Alliance Insurance Brokers along with Principal Scientist, CIBA, Dr. T. Ravisankar, and the Chief Executive of the National Fisheries Development Board, Dr. L. Narashima Murthy participated and explained about the insurance product developed by the United India Insurance for shrimp farming and the premiums for basic and disease cover and the 20-30% subsidy component provided by the NFDB. The farmers were optimistic about the scheme and expressed their willingness to participate in that. 

Shrimp farmers expressed their issues, requirements especially on shrimp seed quality, shrimp price, electricity tariff etc. before an inter-departmental panel of officials and got appropriate advisories which was coordinated by the Coordinator of the Farmers Conclave Dr. M. Kumaran. Later, Dr. M. Kailasam and Heads of Departments, CIBA, Dr. C. P. Balasubramanian presented on diversification of brackish water Aquaculture respectively with Asia sea bass and Mud crab and their farming practices.

The conclave was conducted with the financial support of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Govt. of India under the PMMSY scheme, NABARD, SCAFi and Agricultural Insurance Corporation Ltd. The scientific team led by Dr. Akshaya Panigrahi, Mr. Pankaj A Patil and Mr. Jose Antony of the NGRC of CIBA coordinated the conclave. Various officials, technicians, faculty and students were also participated in the event in large number.

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Endorsement of G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through DPI and G20 FIAP 2023

 The Fourth G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) Meeting is being held in Mumbai from September 14-16, 2023. It will involve discussions on the remaining work of the on-going three year FIAP 2020 which is in its terminal year and is being implemented by the GPFI. Discussions will take place on the deliverables related to Digital Financial Inclusion and Small and Medium Enterprises. Ahead of the meeting a Symposium on Digital Public Infrastructure for energizing MSMEs was held on September 14, 2023. This is one of the series of side events on Digital Public Infrastructure and financial inclusion that have been organised by the G20 India Presidency under the GPFI working group. Shri Ajay Seth, Secretary (Economic Affairs), Ministry of Finance, Shri T. Rabi Sankar, Deputy Governor (RBI) and Mr. Mohamed Gouled, Vice President (International Finance Corporation) and Dr. Arjun Kumar Karki, Global Coordinator-LDC Watch and Former Ambassador of Nepal to USA addressed the Symposium. 

The Symposium saw panel discussions involving international experts around two key themes “Energizing MSMEs for Higher Economic Growth through Digital Public Infrastructure” and “Credit Guarantees and SME ecosystems”. The first panel discussion on energizing MSMEs through DPI was moderated by Mr. Matthew Gamser, CEO, SME Finance Forum and the panelists were Mr. Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman & Managing Director, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Mr. Ashwini Kumar Tewari, Managing Director, State Bank of India, Mr. B G Mahesh, Co-Founder & CEO, Sahamati, Mr. Michael Jongeneel, CEO, FMO, Ms. Jane Prokop, Executive Vice President, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mastercard. The enriching discussions provided valuable insights into the role of DPI in rapidly advancing the financial inclusion of MSMEs. 

The second panel discussion on credit guarantees and SME ecosystems was moderated by Ms. Nagla Bahr, Managing Director, Credit Guarantee Company (CGC) Egypt. The panelists were Ms. Katrin Sturm, Secretary General, AECM, Mr. Sandeep Varma, CEO, CGTSME, Mr. Homam Hashem, CEO, Kafalah and Mr. Wooinn Park, Deputy Director, KODIT. 

The World Bank also presented the G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through Digital Public Infrastructure developed under G20 India Presidency which were recently endorsed by the G20 Leaders in the G20 Summit held in New Delhi. 

Over the course of the next two days, the GPFI members will discuss GPFI work regarding implementation of G20 GPFI High Level Principles for Digital Financial Inclusion, Update of National Remittance Plans and SME best practices and innovative instruments to overcome common constraints in SME financing. A Symposium on “Advancing Financial Inclusion through Digital Public Infrastructure: Empowering Consumers through Digital and Financial Literacy and Consumer Protection” will also be held on September 16, 2023 as part of the GPFI Meeting.

In a pre-event Press Conference, Economic Advisor, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Chanchal Sarkar, stated that it is  a remarkable achievement for the GPFI working group as recently, at the G20 Leader’s Summit held in New Delhi, the leaders endorsed two significant documents produced by GPFI under the India Presidency, namely the G20 Policy Recommendations for Advancing Financial Inclusion and Productivity Gains through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the G20 Financial Inclusion Action Plan (FIAP) 2023. 

 

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Finalisation of the G20 Sustainable Finance Report, 2023

 The 4th and the last meeting of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) held under India’s G20 presidency, successfully concluded in Varanasi today. The two-day meeting witnessed proactive engagement from over 80 delegates from G20 member countries, invitee countries and International Organisations including World Bank, New Development Bank, among others. Many other organisations joined the meeting virtually.

The G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) aims to mobilise sustainable finance to help ensure global growth and stability, and promote the transition towards greener, more resilient and inclusive societies and economies. The main purpose of the Group is to advance international work to help scale up private and public sustainable finance and in doing so, accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement and 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap, as finalized in 2021, is the core around which the SFWG functions and takes up future work.

Towards this end, the SFWG in 2023 carried out work for enabling finance for SDGs along with the mobilisation of timely and adequate resources for climate finance as agenda priorities. The SFWG during India’s G20 presidency has made recommendations on the following six areas, viz, (1) Mechanisms for Mobilisation of Timely and Adequate Resources for Climate Finance; (2) Policy Measures and Financial Instruments for Catalysing the Rapid Development and Deployment of Green and Low-Carbon Technologies; (3) Scaling-up the adoption of social impact investment instruments; (4) Improving Nature-related Data and Reporting; (5) G20 Technical Assistance Action Plan; (6) Overcoming data-related barriers to climate investments. In addition, the members have finalised the compendium of case studies on financing SDGs and the compendium on non-price policy levers to support sustainable investments.

The G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration 2023 which was adopted in the Leader’s Summit held recently, has welcomed the work undertaken by the SFWG under India’s G20 presidency. The four Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) meetings were held in Guwahati, Udaipur, Mahabalipuram and Varanasi. The two-day meeting in Varanasi aimed at jointly agreeing on the final G20 Sustainable Finance Report 2023 that assimilates the work carried out by the SFWG in the form of recommendations for the identified priority areas. The 4th meeting also discussed the progress made by G20 members and International Organizations (IOs) on the G20 Sustainable Finance Roadmap.

Achieving sustainable development requires collective efforts from all member countries. All through the SFWG meetings, both the Co-Chairs, US and China, members and invitee countries, as well as international organizations actively participated and contributed in the finalization of deliverables as key outcomes under the SFWG this year.

 

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Government e-Marketplace (GeM); Contributes 16 percent of the overall Gross Merchandise Value

 The Ministry of Defence has emerged as the leading Ministry amongst a total of 56 Ministries/Departments participating in the Government eMarketplace (GeM), holding the top position in both order value and order quantity. Since its inception, the Ministry has contributed significantly to the Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of GeM, which has reached an impressive Rs. 73,225.30 Cr as of 12 September 2023.

In the current financial year, the procurement through GeM has already reached an impressive Rs. 18,790.60 Cr as of 12 September 2023. The order value of the Ministry in fiscal year 2022-23 was Rs, 28,732.90 Cr, while it amounted to Rs 15,091.30 Cr in the fiscal year 2021-22. Under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production, the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) had sold Goods and Services worth Rs. 2,642.66 Cr on GeM in FY 2022-23.

The significant milestone of procuring goods and services worth over Rs. 18,000 Cr, underscores an outstanding average daily order value of Rs 109 Cr in the current financial year. The remarkable achievement in the current fiscal results from the active participation of more than 19,800 buyers across the country, collectively placing over 3 lakh orders.

The Ministry of Defence’s contribution to the overall GMV of GeM has consistently remained strong, standing at approximately 15% since its inception and increasing to 16% for the current financial year. Furthermore, since inception, out of the 17,026,945 orders placed on GeM, the MoD has played a significant role, accounting for nearly 28% of a total of 4,761,585 orders.

The GeM was started in August 2016 to revamp the old tender process and bring greater probity and transparency in government procurement through digitisation. In the last seven years since its inception, the MoD has been committed towards the digital drive.

The MoD’s impressive procurement through GeM underlines the platform’s effectiveness and efficiency in facilitating transparent and streamlined procurement operations. The widespread embrace of GeM by various defence entities further underscores its success in simplifying and enhancing the overall procurement landscape.

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