Day: October 27, 2023

Divya Kala Mela 2023 to be inaugurated in Bengaluru

 The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) regularly organizes Divya Kala Mela unique event showcasing the products and craftsmanship of Divyang entrepreneurs/artisans from across the country. To continue the efforts of empowering Divyang Entrepreneurs Divya Kala Mela will be organized from 27thOctober -5thNovember, 2023 at HMT Ground Jalahalli Main Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka.  The Minister of Stateof Social Justice & Empowerment, Shri A. Narayanaswamy and Minister of State of Social Justice & EmpowermentKm. Pratima Bhoumikwill inaugurate the Mela on 27th October at 6.00 PM.Various other dignitaries will also grace the occasion.

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 will be seen together.Around 100 Divyang artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from about 20 states/UTs will be showcasing their products and skills in Bengaluru. There would be Products in the following broad categories: Home Décor and lifestyle, Clothing, Stationery and eco-friendly products, packaged food and organic products, Toys and gifts, Personal Accessories – Jewellery, Clutch Bags Paintings etc. 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’, Bengaluru, Karnataka will be open from 10.00 AM to 10.00 PM and witness a series of cultural activities, including performances by Divyangjan artists and well-known professionals. Visitors can also enjoy their favourite foods from various regions of the country at the event.

This is a unique initiative of DEPwD towards the 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, Bengaluru is the ninth one in series starting from 2022 (i) Delhi, December 2022, (ii) Mumbai, February 2023, (iii) Bhopal, March 2023, (iv) Guwahati, May 2023 (V) Indore, June 2023 (Vi) Jaipur 29th– June to 5th July 2023 (vii) Varanasi, 15thto 24thSeptember,2023(viii) Secunderabad, Hyderabad 6thto15th October 2023(ix) Bengaluru, Karnataka 27th October -5th November, 2023.

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


8th Convocation Ceremony of Indian Maritime University, Chennai

 President Smt. Droupadi Murmu and Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri Ravindra Narayan Ravi will attend 8th Convocation Ceremony of Indian Maritime University (IMU), Chennai tomorrow. The event will begin at the university campus. IMU – headquartered in Chennai. IMU was established on 14th November, 2008 as a Central University by merging seven legacy institutes to provide quality maritime education, training, and research.

During this event 10 gold and 10 silver medals will be conferred to the meritorious students. Apart from this 1,944 students of the four Schools from the six campuses of IMU as well as from the affiliated institutes of IMU qualified will receive their degrees. A total of 245 candidates will receive the degrees in person. This includes two Ph.D. Scholars and one Scholar of M.S. (By Research).

The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Minister of AYUSH, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal will grace the event as the Guest of Honour. During this event Shri Sonowal will lay the foundation stone of Innovation Lab worth Rs. 6.8 crores and Admin Block ‘C’ worth Rs. 21.25 crores.

The other dignitaries of the event are Dr. T. Sumathy Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Member of Parliament, South Chennai, Shri. Shripad Naik, the Minister of State, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ministry of Tourism, Shri Shantanu Thakur, the Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways’, Dr. K. Ponmudy, Minister of Higher Education, Government. of Tamilnadu, Shri P. Shankar, IAS (Retd), Chancellor of the Indian Maritime University at Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

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Launch of Reference Fuels fosters vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat

 by: Shashikant Nishant Sharma

“The Launch of Reference Fuels produced by IndianOil’s Paradip & Panipat Refineries, utilizing the intellectual talent available at IndianOil’s Research & Development Centre, is a dynamic achievement”, said Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Housing & Urban Affairs. He was speaking at the historic occasion marking the launch of ‘Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels’ produced by IndianOil for the first time in India. Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Shri S.M. Vaidya, Chairperson, Indian Oil were also present at the event here today.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri said that this step stamps our indigenous technical prowess which gives impetus to the Make in India mission of the Government of India. It is yet another initiative to foster the AtmaNirbhar Bharat vision of our Hon’ble Prime Minister, he noted.

The Minister said that this is the first time that India is venturing into the production of Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels. He said, the home-grown development of these products in-line with international benchmarks testifies to the brilliance and relentless hard work of IndianOil. This achievement not only reduces India’s dependence on imports but also catapults India’s energy industry to the select global players armed with exclusive competencies, he stressed.

The Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister spoke about the four-pronged energy security strategy adopted by the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. He said  that the strategy guided by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming India into an ‘energy-independent’ nation by 2047, includes, (i) Diversification of energy supplies (ii) Increasing India’s exploration and Production footprint (iii) Alternate energy sources and meeting energy transition through Gas based economy and (iv) Green Hydrogen and EVs.

Shri Puri lauded the efforts of Oil Companies that are making major strides toward fulfilling national goals & commitments under the guidance of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas. He also mentioned about the Ministry’s efforts in the direction of clean energy especially Bio-fuels section, transition to BS-VI fuels and introduction of EV charging stations, CBG, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Ethanol blending, and Hydrogen fuels are to be mentioned.

Calling Panipat Refinery & Petrochemicals Complex as the flagbearer of path-breaking initiatives for enhancing IndianOil’s green agenda by commissioning India’s first 2G & 3G ethanol plants, the Minister said that the upcoming 10 KTA green hydrogen plant at Panipat will further augment IndianOil’s green energy transition. The Unit is on the cusp of a major expansion and it heralds a promising future for the nation’s energy industry, he added.

Referring to the Paradip Refinery as the most modern and complex refinery of India that can process 100% high sulphur crude oil, he said that the refinery marked a major milestone when it handled its 1000th vessel at the south oil jetty in the recent past.

The Minister complimented IndianOil’s Research & Development Centre for crossing the milestone of filing 1500 patents and winning recognition for decades of its pioneering work. “I uphold the contribution of IndianOil R&D Centre along with Paradip & Panipat refineries in the successful production of the reference fuel”, he said.

Shri Hardeep Singh Puri acknowledged the significant strides made by India towards fulfilling its aspirations for a more sustainable future. He noted the steps undertaken for reducing emissions such as expedited implementation of fuel blending, moving the ambitious target of achieving 20% blending from 2030 to 2025, the sale of E20 blended fuel at over 5,000 petrol retail outlets.

Recalling the introduction of green hydrogen fuel cell buses in Delhi recently, he said that this confirms our dedication to eco-friendly alternatives

Given the status as the 5th largest economy in the world, while maintaining equilibrium in crude oil prices; the Minister said, we are optimally harnessing our potential as a coveted player in the global energy market.

Highlighting the importance of innovation in gas & energy sector, the Minister congratulated the oil companies for consistently sustaining innovation in their processes and technologies to improve product line for the customers.

About Reference Fuels: 

IndianOil has successfully commenced the production of Reference Gasoline and Diesel Fuels for the first time in India. These fuels are used for calibration and testing of vehicle by Automobile manufacturers and testing agencies like ICAT (International Centre for Automotive Technology) and ARAI (Automotive Research Association of India). The indigenous development of this product is in-line with Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.

IndianOil’s teams of Refineries and R&D have strived hard to achieve this feat in the shortest possible time. To meet the International standards, these products had passed through three layer of certification viz., Refinery lab, IOCL R&D Centre and an internationally reputed third party lab.   

India is dependent on imports to cater to the demand for this specialized fuel. These indigenously developed products will lead to import substitution at better price and minimum lead time for the Vehicle manufacturers. Reference Gasoline fuels will be available in E0, E5, E10, E20, E85, E100 from Flagship Paradip Refinery. Reference diesel fuel shall be available in B7 grade from Panipat Refinery.

Reference fuels (Gasoline and Diesel) are premium high-value products, used for calibration and testing of vehicles by Auto OEMs and organizations involved in testing and certification in the automotive field. 

Specification requirements of Reference Fuels are more stringent than commercial gasoline and diesel. The demand of Reference Fuels in India is currently met by importing from other countries. 

The indigenously developed product by IndianOil meets Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) specifications, substitutes imports, and is available at better price with reduced lead time.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited has established facilities for production of Reference Gasoline Fuels (E-5, E-10 and E-20) at its Paradip Refinery and Reference Diesel Fuel (B-7) at its Panipat Refinery.

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Capacity building at every level

 Addressing the 9-week long Foundation Training Program (FTP) of 846 Direct Recruited Assistant Section Officers (ASOs) of Combined Graduate Level Exam 2022 (Phase – I) being conducted at the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) in New Delhi today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised the importance of Capacity Building at every level and said that the Government headed by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has institutionalized Capacity Building programmes for employees across the sections.

Specific training modules have been launched on the Mission Karmayogi platform for new recruits to various categories of employees, he said.

The present training programme is being held at besides four other centres across the country who joined through video conference.

195 trainees were present at the IIPA and the rest joined online undergoing training at ISTM, BIPARD, MC Reddy Institute, Hyderabad and Academy of Administration, Bhopal.

Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also the Chairman, IIPA, said, Capacity Building is a continuous exercise and the decision to have a CBC in the Government by itself is a step in the direction of Capacity Building process. This is in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for building a Viksit Bharat, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said PM Modi has streamlined processes with the resultant ‘Whole of Government’ approach.

“We have a very synergized approach to work, in all spheres of life including office; so no longer you work in isolation regardless of whichever department,” he said.

Appreciating the fact that the current batch of ASO trainees has a very impressive educationally qualified profile, Dr Jitendra Singh this is a result of the pathbreaking reforms initiated by PM Modi including abolishing interviews for Group C posts in Government. 

Besides recruitment, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Prime Minister also streamlined the process of promotions and started a trend of mass promotions thus clearing off the large backlog of stalled promotions accumulated over several decades.

The Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) had last month approved the mass promotion of 1,592 officials working in the capacity of ASOs to the post of SOs on adhoc basis with immediate effect. Last year alone about 9,000 mass promotions were made and prior to that the DoPT granted 4,000 promotions in the preceding three years.

Dr Jitendra Singh said the last quarter of the century of Independent India, the Amritkaal as envisioned by PM Modi, is turning out to be the “Best of Times” for the youth to fulfil their aspirations.

“The level of aspiration in the third generation of youth today has gone up with the democratization of the education system, easy accessibility of knowledge-information and the preparation material and the erosion of feudal class differentiation between one section and the other,” he said.

On the occasion, an MoU was signed between IIPA and National Telecommunications Institute (NTIPRIT), Ghaziabad (Apex Institute of Indian Telecom Service) for academic collaboration. Shri SN Tripathi, DG IIPA and Shri Deb Kumar Chakrabarty, DG NTIPRIT exchanged the MoU in the presence of the Union Minister.

Dr Jitendra Singh also handed over Promotion Certificates to 21 Staff members who got promoted or placed in the next higher pay level.  

Meeting of the National Level Steering Committee of Atal Bhujal Yojana

 The Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee chaired the fifth meeting of the National Level Steering Committee (NLSC) of Atal Bhujal Yojana and the Wrap up of the World Bank Mission in New Delhi today. The committee reviewed the overall progress of the scheme and directed the States to expedite all the activities including procurement as well as convergence for the implementation of the interventions proposed under Water Security Plans (WSPs). Atal Bhujal Yojana aims to demonstrate community-led sustainable ground water management which can be taken to scale. Objective of the Scheme is to improve the management of groundwater resources in select water stressed areas in identified states viz. Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.

State-wise presentations, enumerating impacts with evidence on “Emerging Impacts of the Program” were presented by all States. The highlights included improvement in ground water level and storages; involvement of local people, particularly women in utilization of equipment for monitoring of both water level and quality; creating sense of ownership and community-led ground water management, etc. The findings of the World Bank review mission conducted in all the Seven States were presented by the Task Team Leader from the World Bank. The gaps in the areas of scheme implementation and related concerns were discussed for improvement and effective implementation of the scheme in all the participating States. The senior officers from the participating States, members of NLSC, representatives from various Ministries/Departments, officers of the World Bank and NPMU attended the meeting.

 

 

The Secretary, DoWR, RD & GR, Ms. Debashree Mukherjee stated that there are several projects in our country for water security and management, however, Atal Bhujal Yojana is the only program targeting demand side groundwater management, focusing on behavioral change of the community. She emphasized on the importance of various equipment installed under Atal Bhujal Yojana which are being utilized to make the communities aware of the ground water situation. This will help the community manage their ground water resources, improve demand side measures and start preparing water budgets in the gram panchayats. The Secretary highlighted the fact that allocation under Atal Bhujal Yojana is fungible and better performing States will get more share of incentive. She also emphasized that since Atal Bhujal Yojana is a convergence-oriented program, the Chief Secretaries should regularly monitor the progress of the schemes in their States for effective implementation. 

 

 

Ms. Mukherjee asserted that strengthening of Institutions, partner agencies and capacity building of the civil society should also be given due importance. Since communities are at the forefront in this scheme, importance of capacity building of the communities was emphasized upon. The Secretary underscored the importance of assessment of quality of the trainings being provided at the Gram Panchayat level. She also requested all participating States to integrate WSPs in the Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDPs). This integration will provide sustainability to the approach followed by the scheme even after completion of time period. She also directed the States to document the best practices being implemented under the scheme.

 

 

The Joint Secretary and National Project Coordinator for Atal Bhujal Yojana, Shri Subodh Yadav, in his opening remarks earlier, highlighted that the scheme is in the fourth year of implementation and the remaining one and a half years shall be optimally utilized for improvement in performance of the participating States. He also emphasized that the community participation is the fundamental aspect of the scheme which shall be prioritized.

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Forest fire prevention, post-fire restoration and forest certification as a tool for sustainable forest management

 Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav emphasized the importance of forest fire prevention, post-fire restoration and forest certification as a tool for sustainable forest management.

In his video message at the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) at Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun Shri Yadav stressed that forest fires not only cause irreparable damage to flora and fauna but also affect the livelihoods of communities living at forest peripheries. He emphasized that an important tool for promotion of sustainability of forests is forest certification, which nonetheless, presents numerous challenges notably for small-scale producers in developing countries. The Union Minister said India has embarked on its national forest certification scheme to address these challenges. He called on all participants to work together to create a sustainable future that is equitable, just, and resilient.

Minister of Forests, Languages & Technical Education, Government of Uttarakhand Shri Subodh Uniyal in his address today welcomed all distinguished delegates to “Dev Bhoomi”, the state of Uttarakhand. In his remarks he dwelled into the states initiatives and programmes and stated to minimize forest fire incidences, empowering communities living in proximity to forests and incentivizing them to work in tandem with the forest departments has been a strategy that has found success. He affirmed that Forest Certification is an equally important area, being a mechanism for forest monitoring, and is the focus within Global Forest Goals. He emphasized that all will benefit from the exchange at the Forum of traditional knowledge, technology innovation, and community engagement practices.

Director, UNFF, Ms. Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo said that issue of forest fires has been escalated as a global concern, and their detrimental impact on ecosystems, and communities makes action imperative and the second theme for the CLI being forest certification has been a long-standing topic for discussion and actionable solutions are now need of the hour. She highlighted the impact of forest fires on ecosystem are more profound now and mentioned about the challenges of numerous stakeholders and upcoming regulations that need attention. She stressed that the outcome of this CLI is very important and the success will lie in all our collective ability to identify areas for action and recommendations to UNFF 19.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has taken the initiative for hosting a United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), from 26-28 October 2023, at Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun. More than 80 delegates are participating from 40 countries and 20 International Organisations, both in person and online, are attending the programme, including Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), along with delegates and organisations from India. The programme has adopted a hybrid, physical and online formats for enabling participation across the globe.

This Country Led Initiative (CLI) focuses on two thematic areas: forest fires/wildfires and best practices on its prevention and restoration in fire-affected areas, and forest certification and sustainable forest management.

Forest fires/wildfires profoundly impact biodiversity, ecosystem services, human well-being, livelihoods, and national economies. In recent years, forest fires/wildfires have increased in scale and duration. Accordingly, there is a need to enhance collaboration and action at local, regional and international level on its prevention, reduction of its impacts and restoration of impacted land.

Forest certification has received growing global attention in recent years. Between 2020 and 2021, the certified forest area increased by 27 million hectares, led mainly by Europe and Northern America. However, developing countries and marginal forest managers continue to face challenges with the certification process. The Forum aims to provide a platform to discuss these aspects and the aspect of aligning certification systems with trade rules.

The Forum is planned over two days of exchange on the thematic areas and will host sessions on how to live with fire in a warming world, policies needed for implementing integrated fire management, how to make best use of the newly developed Global Fire Management Hub, and Forest Certification and Sustainable Forest Management. The discussions will be followed by cultural programmes at the end of each day, and field trip to Rajaji National Park on the third day.

The Director-General, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change shared with the delegates the importance of CLI and deliberations in these meetings in enhancing international cooperation on global forestry related issues. He highlighted the issues that accompany these forest fires/wildfires and its negative impact on public health, economic activity and forest biodiversity. He also spoke about the current scenario in India where more than 62% of Indian states are prone to high-intensity forest fires and how India has significantly improved its forest fire monitoring systems and fire forecast models. He shared with the participants the country’s proposed global collaboration i.e. Gandhinagar Implementation Roadmap and Gandhinagar Information Platform, that emanated from G20 deliberations, to tackle restoration of forest fire and mining degraded lands.

The forum’s meeting witnessed today varied panel discussions on forest fires, policies enhancing prevention of forest fires and on the global forest management hub. Various countries and International Organisations participated as panelists including New Zealand, Madagascar, Colombia, Morocco, India, Portugal, Malawi, Botswana, Russia, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, FAO, UNEP, ITTO and IUFRO. Subsequently many other countries and organizations expressed their views and suggestions on prevention and effective management including the role of community participation.

The forum on Thursday, the 27th October, 2023 will cover a round of interaction on Forest Certification and Sustainable Forest Management with country presentations from South Africa, Russia and India.

The outcome of the Forum will be a summary by the Co-chairs on the discussions held, which will be submitted to the 19th session of UNFF for consideration. UNFF19 will be held in May 2024 at United Nations headquarters.

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Western Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference on Implementation of NEP-2020

 Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan addressed the Western Zone Vice Chancellors’ Conference on implementation of National Education Policy-2020, as a chief guest. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel; Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education, and Higher and Technical Education, Law, Justice, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Gujarat, Shri Rushikesh Patel; Minister of State, Parliamentary Affairs, Primary, Secondary and Adult Education, Higher Education, Government of Gujarat, Shri Praful Pansheriya; Chairman graced the occasion.

Addressing the event Shri Pradhan commended the Government of Gujarat and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for organising this 1st zonal-level conference to accelerate the ground implementation of NEP 2020. He said that the journey of articulating the approaches, roadmap and strategies for implementation of NEP 2020 that began in 2022 at the Shiksha Samagam in Kashi on the banks of Ganga to today’s zonal conference being organised at the plateau of Narmada will play a defining role in carving a brighter future for India.

Bharatiya Bhasha, Bharatiya Gyan Parampara, Skilling, Employment and entrepreneurship education are priority areas of NEP. He expressed his confidence this zonal conference will pave the way for development of a new culture and best practices of multidisciplinary education, multiple entry-exit and equitable opportunities for all through effective NEP implementation.

He expressed his happiness that the zonal conference is deliberating on several priority areas of NEP, particularly on Quality of education, Skilling ecosystem in education, Research, innovation & entrepreneurship in education, Bharatiya Gyan Parampara & Internationalisation. He hoped that the approaches, thoughts and roadmap germinated from here will be converted into a compendium of best practices & case study and passed on at the college-level for paving the way for a uniform approach to NEP implementation.

Several Technical sessions were held during the Conference including Panel Discussions on Access to Quality Education and Governance– Higher Education; Equitable and Inclusive Education Issues of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs); Creating Synergy between Education and Skilling Future Workforce; Holistic Education through integration of Skilling, Industry Connect and Employability; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; Research and Development; Internationalization of Education; and Indian Knowledge System. 

UGC, Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar; Chairman, AICTE, Prof. T.G. Sitharam; Vice-chancellor of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Prof. Vijay Kumar Srivastava; Dr. Hasmukh Adhia; other dignitaries, Vice Chancellors, and eminent educationists were present at the event. 

 

 

Later in the day, Shri Pradhan visited the iconic Statue of Unity in Kevadia and called it as a symbol of pride, unity, peace and gratitude. A tribute to the ‘Iron Man of India’ and his statesmanship, the Statue of Unity—the world’s tallest monument is a must-visit for all travel enthusiasts, he added.

 

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e-Commerce platforms

 The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with IIT (BHU), launched Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023 here today. The deliverables of the Hackathon will be to design & prototype innovative app or software based solutions such as;

  •  browser extensions,
  •  plugins,
  •  add-ons,
  •  mobile applications etc. that can detect the use, type and scale of dark patterns for e-Commerce platforms. 

   The launch event was attended by law Institutes, Higher Educational Institutes, experts from national and International Academia, students, various companies and e-commerce platforms in both physical and online mode. 

  While preparing the deliverable the participants are expected to focus on key areas such as; pattern detection accuracy, User-Friendly Extension, Pattern Versioning, Generative AI,  Repository Management, Data Collection with Privacy Protection, Crowd sourced Pattern Identification, Cross-Browser Compatibility, and Artificial Intelligence for Detection and Performance Optimization. The participants will be evaluated on following few of the many criteria; Innovation, Demonstration of the solution as a turn-key solution, User Interface & User Experience, Accuracy & Reliability, Adherence to Functionalities & Features, Privacy & Compliance etc.

    The Hackathon is divided into following four stages/rounds:

  • Round 1- Registration of participant Teams and Host Institutes
  • Round 2- Intra Institute DPBH 2023 to be organized
  • Round 3- Inter Institute DPBH 2023 to be organized and
  • Round 4- Distribution of awards and prizes on World Consumer Rights Day
  • The winners will be rewarded with a Certificate of Achievement and the Prize money in the following order; 1st prize of INR 10 lacs, 2nd prize of INR 5 lacs, 3rdprize of INR 3 lacs, 4th prize of INR 2 lacs and 5th price of INR 1 lac respectively. 

  The objective of the initiative is to provide protection to consumers from all types of unfair trade practices.

  In line with the above initiative, Department had published draft Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns on 07.09.2023 seeking public comments/feedback/suggestions. A time of 30 days (until 5th October 2023) was given for submitting the suggestions.

   Department received comments/suggestions from various individuals, law firms, National Law Universities, Government Organizations, Voluntary Consumer Organizations, and Trade Associations like NASSCOM, FICCI and E-Commerce Platforms. 

  The initiative taken by the Department towards drafting of guidelines and identification of dark patterns was appreciated in general by the industry stakeholders. Besides there were various suggestions for including certain new dark patterns, few more illustrations and modification of definitions of few existing dark patterns in the guidelines.

 Few of the comments/suggestions being considered for inclusion in the revised guidelines are provided below:

  1. Wadhwani Institute of Technology and few individuals (Smt. Kosha Doshi, Sh. Sanju Ahuja, Sh. Ratul Aich, Smt. Paneri Ankit etc.) have suggested to include “Trick Question” as a dark pattern, which briefly can be understood as: 

“Trick Question” is a dark pattern, which means the deliberate use of confusing or vague language; in order to misguide or misdirect a user.

Illustration:

While giving a choice to opt, “Do you wish to opt out of receiving updates on our collection and discounts forever?” using phrases like, “Yes. I would like to receive updates” and “Not Now”, instead of the option, “Yes.”

  1. Flipkart and few individuals (Sh. Ashwin Irudayarajan, Sh. Vaibhav Verma, Sh. Adwit Bhosale) have suggested including “Saas Billing” as a new dark pattern, which temporarily can be defined as: 

“Saas Billing” is a process of generating and collecting payments from consumers on a recurring basis in a software as a service (SaaS) business model by exploiting positive acquisition loops in recurring subscriptions to get money from users.

Illustration:

No notification is given to the user when free trial is converted to paid

  1. Indian Music Industry has recommended including “Rogue Malwares” as a new dark pattern.

“Rogue Malwares” is a dark pattern using a ransomware or scareware to mislead/trick user into believing there is a virus on their computer and aims to convince them to pay for a fake malware removal tool that actually installs malware on their computer.

Illustration:

When a pirating website/app promises the consumer to provide free content (audio/audio-visual/others) but actually leads to an imbedded malware when the link is accessed

  1. Nasscom, Asia Internet Coalition, Indiatech.org, Nalsar University of Hyderabad, Koan Advisory Group, have suggested modifying definitions of some existing dark patterns like “nagging”, “confirm shaming” etc. 
  1. Koan Advisory Group, IBHA, IAMAI, Asia Internet Coalition, student from MNLU Mumbai have suggested deleting/modifying definition of “disguised advertisement” which is being considered to be modified to a certain extent by the Department.
  2. Law firm such as Panag & Babu, Pranava Institute, Smt. Radhika Jhalani @ SFLC, Advocate Zyfern Joseph, Smt. Paneri Ankit have suggested adding a new dark pattern to deal with issues of privacy suckering/forced personal data sharing, which is proposed to be incorporated in the revised guidelines as illustrations in “Forced Action”. 

Illustrations: 

  1. forcing a user to share personal information linked with Aadhar or credit card bureau records, even when it is not a credit product 
  2. forcing a user to share details of his contacts or social networks in order to access products or services purchased or intended to be purchased by the user.
  3. Making it difficult for consumers to understand and alter their privacy settings, thereby encouraging them to give more personal information than they mean to while making the intended purchase
  1. FICCI has recommended adding the statement, “These Illustrations are providing guidance and any illustration provided herein should neither be regarded as an interpretation of law nor be treated as a binding opinion/decision. Different facts or conditions may entail different interpretations” on top of the Annexure 1 i.e. list of Specified Dark Patterns. 
  1. Few other suggestions received by the Department which are under consideration to be included in the final guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns are:
  • Addition of few more illustrations in subsisting dark patterns like “Bait & Switch” as:

Illustration:

    1. A toy-car is unavailable but is falsely shown as available to lure the consumer to move it to the shopping cart. Once the consumer moves it to the shopping cart, it is revealed that the toy-car is ‘out of stock’ and instead, a higher-priced toy-car is now available.
  • Modification of definition of “Forced Action” to the extent as provided under:

Forced action” shall mean forcing a user into taking an action that would require the user to buy any additional good(s) or subscribe or sign up for an unrelated service or share personal information, in order to buy or subscribe to the product/service originally intended by the user.

  • Using “Commercial Gains” as part of definition of few Dark Patterns such as “Confirm shaming” and “Nagging” to justify including it under definitions clause 2 (1) (d) and also make the definitions of “Confirm Shaming” and “Nagging” more comprehensive. The proposed amendment is provided as under:

“Confirm shaming” means using a phrase, video, audio or any other means to create a sense of fear or shame or ridicule or guilt in the mind of the user, so as to nudge the user to act in a certain way that results in the user purchasing a product or service from the platform or continuing a subscription of a service, where, primarily, the purpose of the platform is to make commercial gains by subverting consumer choice.

“Nagging” shall mean a dark pattern due to which a user is worn down by repeated and persistent interactions, in the form of requests, information, options, or interruptions, to effectuate a transaction and make some commercial gains, unless specifically permitted by the user.’

            Department is in the process of examining the suggestions/comments received and final Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns will be notified soon.   

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National Symposium on Production of Improved and Traditional Seed through Cooperative Sector

 Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah addressed the “National Symposium on Production of Improved and Traditional Seed through Cooperative Sector” organized by Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), in New Delhi today.

Shri Amit Shah unveiled the Logo, Website and Brochure of BBSSL and distributed the membership certificates to the members of BBSSL. On this occasion, many dignitaries including Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Shri BL Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation and Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare were also present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that today is very important from the point of view of new beginnings in the field of cooperative movement, farmers’ welfare and food production in the country. He said that BBSSL will have a huge contribution in making India self-reliant in the field of seed conservation, promotion and research in the coming days. Scientifically designed and prepared seeds are not available to every farmer in the country today, that is why it is our responsibility to ensure that certified and scientifically prepared seeds reach every farmer of our country and this work will also be done by this cooperative society. Shri Shah said that India is one of the few countries in the world where agriculture was systematically introduced and that is why our traditional seeds are most suitable for quality and physical nutrition. He said that the traditional Indian seeds have to be conserved and passed on to the coming generations, so that the production of healthy grains, fruits and vegetables continues and this work will be done by BBSSL. He said that the seeds produced here are mainly prepared by R&D through foreign methods, but if our agricultural scientists get a good platform then they can make the maximum production yielding seeds in the world. The R&D for this objective will be done by BBSSL. Shri Shah said that there is a huge market for export of seeds in the world and India’s share in it is less than one percent, a time-bound target should be set for a vast and agriculture-oriented country like India to gain a larger share in the global seed market. He added that the Modi government has established Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited with these five objectives and in a few years this society will get recognition across the world and will make immense contribution in providing certified seeds to the farmers of the country.

Union Minister of Cooperation said that as per directions of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on January 11, 2023, the Union Cabinet approved the formation of Indian Seed Cooperative Society Limited, it was registered on January 25, 2023, and its notification was issued on March 21, 2023. The training program has also been completed in a very short span of time. He added that BBSSL will also connect Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) with seed production like all other types of cooperative societies including agriculture, horticulture, dairy, fisheries. Through PACS, every farmer will be able to produce seeds in his field, the seeds will also be certified and after branding, BBSSL will contribute in delivering these seed not only to the entire country but also to the whole world. He said that the entire profit of this seed cooperative society will go directly into the bank accounts of the seed producing farmers and this is the basic mantra of the cooperative. Through BBSSL, the high genetic and physical purity of the seeds will be maintained without any compromise and the health of the consumer will also be taken care of. Keeping these three things together, our main aim is to increase the production. He said that the objective of BBSSL is not only to earn profits but through this we want to match India’s production with the world’s average production. Along with this, instead of unskilled production of high quality seeds, we will work on linking the farmers with scientific production of seeds by training them. Today, the requirement of seeds in India itself is about 465 lakh quintals, out of which 165 lakh quintals are produced through government system and the production through cooperatives is less than 1 percent, we have to change this ratio.

Shri Amit Shah said that the farmers who will come together in seed production through cooperatives will directly get the profit from the seeds. He said that the share of India’s domestic seed market in the global market is only 4.5 percent, it needs to be increased and a lot of work will have to be done for this. Shri Shah said that we will have to decide the goals for the next 5 years for BBSSL. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, this seed cooperative society has not only been established to set targets of profit and production, but it will also do R&D work, which will increase production. Shri Shah said that Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), 3 Central Agricultural Universities, 48 State Agricultural Universities, more than 726 Agricultural Science Centres and 72 government agencies of the Centre and States are connected to the Seed Network. He said that we have no competition with anyone, rather our aim is to ensure that profits should reach the farmers, production of certified seeds increase and India’s share in seed exports also increase. He said that by taking all these institutions together, we will take forward the work of this seed cooperative and move towards achieving our targeted seed replacement rate.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NAFED, NDDB and NCDC have been added to the core of this institution, which in a way have access to the farmers’ fields. Multiplication will be stopped through these institutions and all the cooperative organizations will work in the same direction with the same goals on the same road map. He said that when all the institutions move on a single road map, the speed naturally increases and multi state cooperatives, state level cooperative institutions, district level cooperative institutions and PACS will also be able to join them. In this way, a blueprint has been prepared in which every type of cooperative can become a part of it and BBSSL will be able to get their support. Shri Shah said that we will be able to do production, testing, certification, purchase, processing, storage, branding, labelling, packaging and export through the cooperative network because if the seeds are not tested after production, then the quality will be affected. Similarly, if there is no certification after testing, then there will be no credibility; if there is no processing, branding and labelling after certification, then it will not get fair prices. Its entire arrangement from storage to marketing and then exporting it to the world market in a proper scientific manner will be done through the cooperative sector only. He added that this entire system will be world class and modern and our cooperatives have demonstrated it.

Shri Amit Shah said that we will move forward in the field of seed production, R&D and export through the successful experience of these institutions in the field of production, quality, branding, and marketing. Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited will help in giving impetus to the rural economy of the country as well as making the country self-reliant in seed production and increasing its share in the global market of seeds. The biggest beneficiaries of this will be small farmers, women and youth. He said that production of good quality seeds is very important to change the crop pattern in the country and when we will connect lakhs of farmers of the country with seed production, then the farmer will automatically work as marketing manager in the village. Shri Shah said that Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) will fulfil many objectives.

Union Minister of Cooperation said that one of our biggest objectives is to conserve traditional seeds, because we have millions of varieties of seeds, but even the government departments do not have complete information about them. He said that traditional seeds are available to every farmer in lakhs of villages, collecting its data, enhancing it, scientifically analysing it and preparing a data bank of its positive aspects is a huge task, which the Government of India will do. He said that we have also put forward the climate change concern in this. Shri Shah said that due to the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the huge market of Shree Anna (millets) has emerged in the world today and very few countries other than India have its seeds. If our seed cooperative pays attention to this then we can have a monopoly on Ragi, Bajra, Jowar and many other millets.

The three major cooperative societies of the country – Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and two major statutory bodies of the Government of India – National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) have jointly promoted BBSSL.

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G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Osaka, Japan

 Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Osaka, Japan from 28-29 October, 2023. The Minister will also have bilateral meetings with a few G7 countries, invitee countries and a few International organisations such as WTO, on the sidelines of the outreach programs.

Trade Ministers of G7 Member States hold an annual meeting with the aim to meet the current global challenges related to Trade and Investment and to set the course for a better future. Under its Presidency this year for the G7 Trade Ministers meeting to be held during 28-29 October 2023, Japan has invited India along with a very few other invitee countries (Australia, Chile, Indonesia, and Kenya) to participate in the outreach program to be held on 28 October. Apart from them, International organisations such as WTO, ERIA and OECD have also been invited.

This year, Japan has selected contemporary topics for the outreach program namely, “How to enhance Supply Chain Resilience” and “Promote Trade and Sustainability- environment, Development and digital, including prospects for WTO MC13”.

The G7 is an intergovernmental political forum consisting of the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Italy, France, Canada and Germany. Additionally, the European Union (EU) is a “non-enumerated member”. G7 meetings are organized around shared values of pluralism, liberal democracy, and representative governments. G7 Members constitute 10% of the world’s population but cater to around 40% of World GDP.

 


499 UDAN routes operationalized

 The Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) – UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik), a government-backed initiative to improve infrastructure and connectivity in India, especially in remote and underserved regions, completes six years. It is a vital component of India’s National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) 2016, launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on October 21, 2016, with a 10-year vision.

The first RCS-UDAN flight was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on April 27, 2017, connecting Shimla to Delhi. The scheme focuses on improving unserved air routes in underserved regions of the country and fulfilling the aspirations of the common citizens.

So far, RCS-UDAN has facilitated travel of more than 130 lakh passengers, demonstrating its success in enhancing air travel accessibility. 

Over the period of 6 years, various versions of UDAN Scheme were launched, as follows:

  • UDAN 1.0: 5 airlines companies were awarded 128 flight routes to 70 airports (including 36 newly made operational airports)
  • UDAN 2.0: 73 underserved and unserved airports were announced and for the first time, helipads were also connected.
  • UDAN 3.0: In coordination with the Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Routes were included. In addition to Seaplanes for connecting Water Aerodromes, several routes in the North-East Region came under the ambit of the scheme.
  • UDAN 4.0: Gave impetus to North-Eastern Regions, Hilly States, and Islands. The operation of helicopters and seaplanes incorporated.

UDAN Version 5 – 5.0, 5.1 and 5.2

Following the four successful rounds of bidding, the Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the 5th version of RCS-UDAN with numerous improvements based on stakeholder feedback.

UDAN 5.0 where the focus is on Category-2 (20-80 seats) and Category-3 (>80 seats) aircraft. Similarly, the cap of 600 km has been removed and there is no restriction on the distance between the origin and destination of the flight. This round prioritizes the routes that will connect the airports that are ready for operations or will be ready soon, which will lead to quicker operationalization of awarded routes. Consequently, Airlines would now be required to commence operations within 4 months of the award of the route, and they are welcoming this change as this helps them to better plan their operations. Additionally, if the average quarterly PLF of the route, for four continuous quarters, is higher than 85%, the exclusivity for that route would be withdrawn, allowing for other airlines to also provide connectivity on the route.

This was soon followed by UDAN 5.1, This round of RCS-UDAN is designed specifically for helicopter routes by increasing the scope of operations for helicopter operators, enhancing VGF and reducing Airfare Caps. The Scheme will now allow operations on routes provided that at least one origin or destination is in a priority area and at least one origin or destination is a heliport, thereby enhancing the potential range of connectivity. VGF caps have been enhanced to improve viability for operators and airfare caps have been reduced to make flying more affordable for passengers respectively.

Currently, bidding for UDAN 5.2 is underway to further enhance the connectivity to remote and regional areas of the country, achieve last-mile connectivity, and provide impetus to the tourism sector through small aircraft (<20 seats). The Scheme will provide greater operational flexibility to the small aircraft operators, by allowing them to operate a maximum of 40% of annually quoted RCS seats and a minimum of 10% of annually quoted RCS seats in any given quarter.

Fueling Growth in the Aviation Industry

RCS-UDAN is contributing to the growth of the civil aviation industry as four new & successful airlines have come up in the last 6 years. The scheme has helped airline operators to start up and develop a sustainable business model. Additionally, it’s providing opportunities to small regional airlines FlyBig, Star Air, and IndiaOne Air to scale up their businesses and their successful run is evidence of the fact that the scheme is creating an amiable ecosystem conducive to airline business.

Demand for new aircraft of all sizes

The scheme’s incremental expansion has generated an escalating demand for new aircraft, concurrently broadening the spectrum of aircraft deployed. This augmentation encompasses a comprehensive range of aircraft and encompasses helicopters, seaplanes, 3-seat propeller planes, and jet planes. Presently, a diversified fleet, including Airbus 320/321, Boeing 737, ATR 42 and 72, DHC Q400 and Twin Otter, Embraer 145 and 175, and Tecnam P2006T, is actively serving on the RCS routes. The heightened demand for aircraft is substantiated by Indian carriers’ orders, which exceed 1,000 aircraft slated for delivery over the next 10-15 years, representing a significant augmentation of India’s existing fleet, which currently comprises approximately 700 planes operated by various airlines.

Promoting tourism

RCS-UDAN is not solely dedicated to offering last-mile connectivity to tier-2 and tier-3 cities; it also stands as a prominent contributor to the burgeoning tourism sector. UDAN 3.0 introduced tourism routes connecting several destinations in the Northeast region, while UDAN 5.1 is dedicated to expanding helicopter services in hilly regions to stimulate tourism, hospitality, and local economic growth.

This initiative has successfully connected destinations such as Khajuraho, Deoghar, Amritsar, and Kishangarh (Ajmer), which have substantial relevance in religious tourism. The entire Northeast region’s tourism industry is experiencing a considerable upsurge due to the introduction of Pasighat, Ziro, Hollongi, and Tezu airports, fostering greater accessibility.

Boosting air connectivity

From Mundra (Gujarat) to Tezu in Arunachal Pradesh to Hubli in Karnataka, RCS-UDAN is connecting 30 States/ UTs across the length and breadth of the country. A total of 75 airports have been operationalized under UDAN. Eight airports have been operationalized in the Northeast region. Many airports that were operationalized under UDAN such as Darbhanga, Hubli, Kannur, Mysuru, etc. have become sustainable with many non-RCS commercial flights operating from these airports. 

Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said that, “Completion of 6 successful years of UDAN is an incredible milestone for the aviation sector. This remarkable achievement is a testament to our commitment towards democratising the aviation sector and ensuring accessible air travel for all. Over the past six years, UDAN has unlocked the true potential of our country by promoting tourism, boosting trade, and empowering local economies. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the stakeholders, airlines, airport authorities, for their unwavering dedication in making UDAN a grand success. Their collective efforts have bolstered connectivity, improved infrastructure, created countless job opportunities, transformed lives and uplifted communities. I am certain that this scheme will lead to a more connected, prosperous, and inclusive India.

National Icon for Voter Awareness

 Renowned actor Rajkummar Rao today took on a new role – that of ‘National Icon’ for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India. An MoU was signed with the “Newton” star for a period of 3 years at an event organized at New Delhi in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Shri Anup Chandra Pandey and Shri Arun Goel.

Sh. Rajkummar Rao, known for his commitment to meaningful cinema and social causes, shared his appreciation for the election officials who in spite of various challenges conduct elections and ensure that no voter is left behind. While expressing concern on the apathy of youth and urban voters towards the electors process, he said that “Our collective voice, expressed through our votes, has the power to form a participative democracy’’. Youth is one the biggest stakeholder in this democratic process and urged them to become agents of positive transformation through their vote.

CEC Shri Kumar said “From dazzling audiences on the big screen in various movies, Rajkummar Rao is now taking his star power off-screen to promote an even bigger production: Voter awareness in Elections. His role as Newton, the election officer, truly hit home with the essence of democratic challenges in a Naxal-affected state, making him the perfect choice for the Election Commission. This collaboration aims to harness the influence and popularity of Mr. Rajkummar Rao to encourage citizens, especially youth across the nation to actively participate in the electoral process.” 

While urging youth to actively participate in elections CEC Shri Kumar said “Once you associate with the electioneering process, you will understand the intrinsic power of democracy and value of your vote”. He appealed to influencers from all walks of life including the media to promote the importance of voting and in pushing up the voter turnout in forthcoming elections.

Election Commissioner, Shri Anup Chandra Pandey said that it has always been the endeavour of ECI and it keeps experimenting with new initiatives to enhance voter turnout in the elections. He said Shri Rajkummar Rao is an apt choice for a national icon who has acted in a movie based on conducting elections in tough and challenging conditions.  

Election Commissioner Shri Arun Goel while highlighting the issue of urban and youth apathy towards elections said that collaboration with Shri Rajkummar Rao would be fruitful in bringing about behavioral and attitudinal change and nudging urban youth to actively participate in the elections.

The signing of the MoU with Rao signifies a shared commitment to empower and educate citizens about the importance of exercising their voting rights. The collaboration will encompass a range of activities, including Shri Rao promoting voter awareness in various TV talk shows/ programs and digital campaigns etc, all aimed at raising awareness about the importance of voting and strengthening the roots of democracy by fostering a more engaged and informed electorate.

On the occasion, the Commission also launched a promotional video and poster for the ongoing Special Summary Revision for updation of Electoral Rolls across the country except five poll going states. 

Background:

ECI associates itself with renowned Indians from various fields and designates them as ECI’s National Icons to motivate voters for participation in the festival of democracy. Last year, the Commission recognised famous actor Mr. Pankaj Tripathi as the National Icon. Just last month, the Commission recognised cricket legend and Bharat Ratna awardee Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar as the National Icon. Earlier, during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, stalwarts like M.S. Dhoni, Aamir Khan and Mary Kom had been the ECI National Icons.

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'Ayurveda for one Health’ campaign

 

  • Farmers across the country are being continuously linked with the ‘Ayurveda for One Health’ campaign of ‘Ayurveda Day’.
  • Organisations like RCFCs (Regional Cum Facilitation Centres), SMPBs (State Medicinal Plant Board) are creating awareness among farmers about the medicinal and economic value of plants.
  • A nationwide campaign is being run to connect farmers with ‘Ayurveda Day’ through NMPB (National Medicinal Plants Board).

Farmers will be the major participants in the ‘Ayurveda Day’ event on 10th November 2023. A major theme of the event is ‘Ayurveda for Farmers’. Farmers can become self-reliant and empowered by making cultivation of Ayurvedic herbs and plants as part of their livelihood. Special care is being taken to make farmers aware of the economic importance of medicinal plants. Farmers are being sensitized about special techniques used in the cultivation of medicinal plants through, NMPB (National Medicinal Plants Board). By joining the ‘Ayurveda for One Health’ campaign of ‘Ayurveda Day’, the farmers of India will be able to understand the topic of ‘Ayurveda for Farmers’ in detail.

The main event of ‘Ayurveda Day’ is scheduled to be held on 10th November, 2023 at Panchkula, Chandigarh, Haryana. Farmers across the country can participate in the event and get information about the cultivation of medicinal plants. Under the ‘Ayurveda for One Health’ campaign, farmers across the country are being sensitized through meetings, interactions, events and using various means of communication. A micro website http://www.ayurvedaday.org.in has been developed by CCRAS (Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences), the nodal agency for organizing the Ayurveda Day. Visitors across the globe can visit the website to get information about ‘Ayurveda Day’ and become a part of various running activities related to the ‘Ayurveda for One Health’ campaign.

 

The Ministry of AYUSH is actively involved in making the ‘Ayurveda Day’ a success. Besides students and youth, efforts are being made to connect farmers across the country with the ‘Ayurveda Day’ campaign. Farmers are being linked to this campaign from all over the country through group meetings, individual interactions, lectures, and workshops. Seven RCFCs (Regional cum Facilitation Centres) and 37 SMPBs (State Medicinal Plant Boards) located across the country are working to link farmers with the ‘Ayurveda Day’ campaign. Collaborators associated with these centres are going door to door, distributing medicinal plants to the farmers, and encouraging the participation of farmers. All the institutes associated with the Ministry of Ayush and teams of various ministries are constantly preparing to celebrate ‘Ayurveda Day’ as a global event.

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India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2023

 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 7th Edition of the India Mobile Congress 2023 at 9:45 AM on 27th October, 2023 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. During the programme, the Prime Minister will award 100 ‘5G Use Case Labs’ to educational institutions across the country. These labs are being developed under the ‘100 5G labs initiative’. 

The ‘100 5G labs initiative’, is an endeavour to realise the opportunities associated with 5G technology by encouraging development of 5G applications which cater, both to India’s unique needs as well as the global demands. The unique initiative will foster innovation across various socioeconomic sectors like education, agriculture, health, power, transportation etc, and propel the country into the forefront of usage of 5G technology. The initiative is also a pivotal step for building a 6G-ready academic and start-up ecosystem in the country. More importantly, the initiative is a step towards development of indigenous telecom technology which is critical for national security.

India Mobile Congress (IMC) is the largest telecom, media, and technology forum in Asia and will be held from 27th to 29th October, 2023. The event will act as a platform to highlight India’s incredible advancements in telecommunications and technology, bring forth significant announcements and provide an opportunity to start-ups to display their innovative products and solutions.

With the theme ‘Global Digital Innovation,’ the IMC 2023 aims to strengthen India’s position as a developer, manufacturer, and exporter of key cutting-edge technologies.  The three day congress will highlight technologies such as 5G, 6G, Artificial intelligence (AI) and discuss issues pertaining to semiconductor industry, green technology, cybersecurity etc.

This year, IMC is introducing a startup program –  ‘Aspire’. It will foster connections between startups, investors, and established businesses with an aim to catalyse fresh entrepreneurial initiatives and collaborations.

IMC 2023 will be attended by over one lakh participants from about 22 countries including about 5000 CEO level delegates, 230 exhibitors, 400 startups, and other stakeholders.

 

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Shirdi, Maharashtra

 The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth about Rs 7500 crores in sectors like health, rail, road, oil and gas in Shirdi, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra today. The multiple development projects include Ayush Hospital at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital; Electrification of Kurduwadi-Latur Road railway section (186 Km); 3rd & 4th railway lines connecting Jalgaon to Bhusaval (24.46 km); four laning of Sangli to Borgaon section of NH-166 (Package-I); and additional facilities at Manmad Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. He laid the foundation stone of the Maternal & Child Health Wing at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital. Shri Modi also distributed Ayushman cards and Svamitva cards to beneficiaries.

Among other projects, Shri Modi inaugurated the new Darshan Queue complex at Shirdi, dedicated to the nation the left bank (85km) canal network of the Nilwande Dam, and launched the ‘Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana’ benefitting more than 86 lakh farmer-beneficiaries.

Earlier in the day, Shri Modi performed pooja and darshan at Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple, Shirdi and performed the Jal Pujan of Nilwande Dam. 

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that projects worth Rs 7500 crores are being inaugurated and foundation stones being laid with the blessings of Sai Baba. Referring to the work of Nilwande Dam which had been pending for 5 decades, the Prime Minister mentioned its inauguration today. He also expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to perform Jal Pujan at the site. Speaking about the Darshan Queue Complex at Shri Saibaba Samadhi Temple, Shri Modi informed about laying its foundation stone in October 2018 and said that it will further increase the convenience for pilgrims from India and abroad.

The Prime Minister mentioned the sad demise of  Baba Maharaj Satarkar of the Warkari community this morning. The Prime Minister paid tribute to the Baba Maharaj and recalled his work of social awareness by Kirtan and Pravachan which will keep on inspiring the generations to come. 

“The true meaning of social justice is when the nation is free from poverty and the poor get ample opportunities”, the Prime Minister underlined as he reiterated the Government’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’.  He underlined that the welfare of the poor is the highest priority of the double-engine government and informed about increasing the budget for the same as the country’s economy is expanding. He mentioned distributing 1 crore 10 lakh Ayushman Cards to beneficiaries in Maharashtra who will receive health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh where the Government is spending Rs 70,000 crores. He also informed about the government expenditure of more than Rs 4 lakh crores each for providing free ration to the poor and constructing pucca houses for them. The Prime Minister also pointed out that the said expenditure is six times more than what it was in the decade before 2014. To provide tapped water supply to the homes of the poor, the Prime Minister informed that the government has spent more than Rs 2 lakh crores. Under PM Svanidhi Scheme, he informed that street vendors are getting assistance up to thousands of rupees. Shri Modi also touched upon the newly launched PM Vishwakarma Scheme which aids lakhs of families of carpenters, goldsmiths, potters and sculptors with a government expenditure of more than Rs 13,000 crores.

Talking about the small farmers, the Prime Minister mentioned PM Kisan Samman Nidhi under which small farmers received 2 lakh 60 thousand crore rupees including 26 thousand crore rupees for the small farmers of Maharashtra. He expressed happiness that the Maharashtra Government has started ‘Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana’ under which Maharashtra Shetkari families will get an extra 6000 rupees, meaning local small farmers will get 12,000 rupees of Samman Nidhi, he said. 

Throwing light on the Nilwande project which was approved in 1970 and had been pending for 5 decades, the Prime Minister highlighted that it came to completion only after the present government came to power. “Those doing vote politics in the name of farmers have made you yearn for every drop of water”, he interjected, “Today Jal Pujan was performed here.” He mentioned that the Right Bank Canal will soon become operational. He also touched upon the Baliraja Jal Sanjeevani Yojana which is also proving to be a boon for the drought-affected areas of the state. He underlined that the central government is working towards completing 26 more irrigation projects in Maharashtra that have been pending for decades which will be of great benefit to the farmers in the region.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is committed to the empowerment of farmers. The Prime Minister informed that in the 7 years foodgrain worth 13.5 lakh crore rupees was procured under MSP while this figure was a mere 3.5 lakh crore during the tenure of a senior leader in the earlier government. Oilseed and pulses worth 1 lakh 15 thousand crore were procured after 2014 compared to 500-600 crore rupees worth MSP procurement earlier. Direct Benefit transfer has removed corruption and leakage, he said. 

Speaking about the recent Cabinet Decisions to increase the MSP for Rabi crops, Shri Modi informed that the MSP of gram has been increased by Rs 105 and that of wheat and safflower by Rs 150. He also mentioned that the MSP of sugarcane has been increased to Rs 315 per quintal. In the last 9 years, the Prime Minister informed that ethanol worth about Rs 70,000 crores has been purchased and the money has reached the sugarcane farmers. “To ensure timely payment to sugarcane farmers, assistance worth thousands of crores of rupees has been provided to sugar mills and cooperative societies”, he added. 

The Prime Minister said “Our government is working to strengthen the cooperative movement. More than 2 lakh cooperative societies are being formed across the country.” To ensure better storage and old storage facilities PACs and cooperatives are being provided facilities. Small farmers are being organized through FPOs as more than 7500 FPOs are already functional.  

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said “Maharashtra has been a center of immense potential and possibilities. The faster Maharashtra develops, the faster India will develop.” Prime Minister Modi also recalled flagging off the Vande Bharat train connecting Mumbai and Shirdi and highlighted that the network of railways is continuously expanding in Maharashtra. He noted that movement on the Mumbai-Howrah rail route will become easier with the commencement of the third and fourth railway lines between Jalgaon and Bhusaval. Similarly, the construction of four-lane road from Solapur to Borgaon will improve the connectivity of the entire Konkan region benefitting the industries as well as sugarcane, grape and turmeric farmers in the region. “This connectivity will create a new path not only for transport but also for progress and economic development”, he concluded. 

Governor of Maharashtra, Shri Ramesh Bais, Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis and Shri Ajit Pawar were present on the occasion among others.

Background

Inaugurated by the Prime Minister, the new Darshan Queue complex at Shirdi is a state-of-the-art modern mega building envisaged to provide comfortable waiting areas for the devotees. It is equipped with several waiting halls with a cumulative seating capacity of more than ten thousand devotees. It provides air-conditioned public amenities like cloakrooms, toilets, booking counters, prasad counters, information center etc. The foundation stone of this new Darshan Queue Complex was laid by the Prime Minister in October 2018.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation the left bank (85km) canal network of the Nilwande Dam. It will benefit 182 villages from 7 Tehsils (6 in Ahmednagar district and 1 from Nashik district) by facilitating pipe distribution networks of water.  The idea of Nilwande Dam was first conceived in 1970. It is being developed at a cost of about Rs 5177 crores.

The Prime Minister launched the ‘Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana’. The Yojna will benefit more than 86 lakh beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana in Maharashtra by providing an additional amount of Rs 6000 per year to them.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects including Ayush Hospital at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital; Electrification of Kurduwadi-Latur Road railway section (186 Km); 3rd & 4th railway line connecting Jalgaon to Bhusaval (24.46 km);  four laning of Sangli to Borgaon section of NH-166 (Package-I); and additional facilities at Manmad Terminal of Indian Oil Corporation Limited. He laid the foundation stone of the Maternal & Child Health Wing at Ahmednagar Civil Hospital. Shri Modi also distributed Ayushman cards and Svamitva cards to beneficiaries.