National Awards for outstanding work towards empowerment of persons with disabilities on International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December

The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu will be the Chief Guest at an esteemed ceremony to celebrate the ‘International Day of Persons with Disabilities’ to be organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Union Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, on December 3, 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. President Smt. Droupadi Murmu will confer the annual National Awards on individuals, institutions, organizations and state/district, etc., for their outstanding achievements and work towards the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar will preside over the function, while Union Ministers of State for Social Justice & Empowerment Shri Ramdas Athawale, Shri A. Narayanaswamy and Ms. Pratima Bhoumik will also grace the occasion.

On the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities i.e. 3rd December, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment confers National Awards on Individuals, Institutions, Organizations, State/District etc for their outstanding achievements and work done towards empowerment of Persons with Disabilities every year.

National Awards for the Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities for the year 2021 and 2022, are being given under following categories :-

Sarvshresth Divyangjan;

Shresth Divyangjan;

Shresth Divyang Bal/Balika;

Sarvshrestha Vyakti – Divyangjano Ke Sashaktikaran Ke Liye Karyarath;

Sarvshrestha Punarvas Peshevar (Rehabilitation Professional/worker) – Divyangatha Ke Kheshtra Mein Karyarath;
Sarvshrestha Anusandhan/Navpravartan /UtpadVikas –Divyangatha Ke Sashaktikaran Ke Kheshtra Mein;
Divyang Sashaktikaran Hetu Sarveshrestha Sansthan (Private organization, NGO);
Divyango Ke Liye Sarvshrestha Niyoktha (Govt. organisation/ PSEs/ Autonomous bodies/ Pvt.Sector);
Divyango Ke Liye Sarvshresth Placement Agency – excluding Govt./State Govt./Local Bodies;
Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan Ke Karyanvayan/Badhamukta varan Ke Srijan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya/UT/Zila;
Sarvshrestha Sugamya Yatayat ke Sadahan/Soochana Evem Sanchar Prodyogiki (Govt./Private organization);
Divyangjano Ke Adhikar Adhiniyam/UDID Evem Divyang Sashaktikaranki Anya Yojanaon ke Karyanvayan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya/UT/Zila;
Divyangjano Ke Adhikar Adhiniyam, 2016 Ke Apne Rajya Mein Karyanvayan Mein Sarvshrestha Rajya Aayukta Divayngjan.
Punarvasan Peshewaron Ke Vikas Mein Sanlangn Sarvshrestha Sangathan

Till 2017, the Award Scheme was governed under the National Awards Rules, 2013 which provided 7 categories of disabilities as per the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995. However, with the coming into force of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 w.e.f. 19th April 2017, the number of specified disabilities increased from 7 to 21 under the new Law. Accordingly, all the 21 disabilities have been included under the National Award Guidelines which have been notified in the Extraordinary Gazette of India dated 2nd August, 2018.

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) writes to the State Governments/Union Territory Administrators and Central Ministries/Departments calling nominations for National Awards in various categories. Advertisement is also published in the national/regional language daily newspapers to give wide publicity of the Awards. The detailed scheme of National Awards as also the advertisement issued for calling applications is displayed in the website of the Department (www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in) in a downloadable format.

An advertisement inviting applications for the year 2021 and 2022 from persons belonging to all the 21 specified disabilities as also individuals/intuition working for empowerment of persons with disabilities (Divyangjan) was published in the leading newspapers on 19th August, 2022 with the last date for submission of applications through online mode only on the centralized portal of Ministry of Home Affairs (www.awards.gov.in) as 15th July, 2022 to 28th August, 2022 which was subsequently extended to 04.09.2022. Copy of the advertisement was also uploaded on the website for the Department besides writing letters to States/Union Territories to give wide publicity. For the year 2021 total 844 and 1210 applications for the year 2022 were received. The selection process consisted of examination of documents and records submitted by the applicants. These applications were screened and shortlisted by the Screening Committees constituted by the Department.

MG/DK/RK/MPW

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&#39;Divya Kala Mela&#39; starts for the first time on Kartavya Path

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar inaugurates the Divya Kala Mela in Kartavya Path at India Gate, Delhi. Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Sushri Pratima Bhowmik was also present on the occasion. The Divya Kala Mela will be held from 2nd to 7th December and it’s aims to provide a great platform for the products and craftsmanship of Divyang artisans, craftsmen and artisans from across the country. On this occasion, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar said that the objective of the fair is to bring self-reliance in the lives of Divyangjan, he said that this type of event will provide a big platform to the Divyangjans as well as display and sale of their products and in future Will also provide an opportunity to connect with big businessmen. With this, he said that Divya Kala Mela will now be organized across the country. The four finance corporations under this ministry, NHFDC, NBCFDC, NSFDC and NSKDFC k provide financial assistance under term loan schemes and micro finance schemes to the artisans through various channel partners.

The ambitious plan of P M Modi, P.M. is Training in skill upgradation and skill development under Daksh is also important for our target group of corporates as the group is mostly engaged in traditional economic activities which require continuous improvement of their skills as per the market requirement. Therefore, to make the economic activities of the target groups compatible with market competition, emphasis is also being laid on skill up gradation. They just need to identify their needs and potential and training and match it with their access to government resources and soft loans. PM Rs 495 crore has been distributed to more than 5 lakh trainees under Daksh.

The event will provide an exciting experience to the visitors to see vibrant products, handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery work and packaged food items, etc. from different parts of the country including Jammu & Kashmir and North Eastern States. Around 200 Divyang artisans, artists and entrepreneurs from 22 states and union territories will showcase their products and skills in the fair. The fair showcased products from the categories of home decor & lifestyle, clothing, stationery & eco-friendly products, packaged food, organic products, toys & gifts, personal accessories-jewellery, clutch bags, a fair for all’ Vocal for Local’ and will provide an opportunity to see and buy products made by Divyang artisans through their additional resolution, the six-day Divya Kala Mela will open from 11.00 am to 8.00 pm. It will host a range of cultural activities including performances by differently-abled artists and eminent professionals. Visitors can also relish their favorite food from different regions of the country at the event.

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'Divya Kala Mela' starts for the first time on Kartavya Path

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Delhi celebrates Assam Day as eminent scholars light up role of the Ahom King Sukapha – the Great Unifier

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New Delhi, 2 December, 2022: On the pious occasion of Assam Day, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal participated in a thought provoking meeting organised at his official residence here today. Leading luminaries, thought leaders of Indian history, prominent academicians including renowned Historian & Senior Journalist, Hindol Sengupta; Vice Chancellor of JNU, Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandit; Eminent Academician, Authority of Indian Intellectual Tradition, Former Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha, Former Chairperson, Indian Studies of Advanced Studies, Shimla, Former Pro Vice Chancellor, JNU, Prof Kapil Kapoor; along with the Chairman, Special Centre for the Study of Northeast India, JNU, Prof Vinay Kumar Rao shared their views on Assam and its role in building the idea of India – from a historical as well as contemporary context.

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Setting the context to the top of the line discussion on the role of Assam and Northeast, the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Today on the pious occasion of Assam Day, we pay our sincere homage to the great unifier & the founder of the great Ahom dynasty in Assam, Swargadeo Saulung Sukapha. The priceless contribution of this great soul to unify the various communities to build the greater Assamese society remains the cornerstone of our identity. Swargadeo Sukapha is a symbol of unity, good governance, bravery for every Asomiya to draw inspiration from. The great king & founder of the Ahom dynasty displayed a rare combination of intellect, valour, visionary, unifier which helped him to become one of the greatest leaders of Assam ever. Under his stewardship, the Assamese society worked to become Atmanirbhar as it started manufacturing various weapons, tools, goods that made the society an invincible military power. This strategic genius empowered us to regularly thwart any foreign invasion including the multiple ones by the Mughals. The vision and value system that the great Swargadeo Sukapha ingrained while building the greater Assamese society still helps us – the Assamese society – to represent our society and Assam at the national as well as International stage with great pride.”

The Vice Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Prof. Shantishree Dhulipudi Pandithighlighted the forgotten dynasties of India that immensely contributed to protect and enrich the nation. She talked about the Ahoms, Cholas, Mauryas and others. JNU, as one of the leading universities of India, is always ready to welcome new ideas that would contribute to highlight the brave warriors and the history of Assam as well as the entire North East region, remarked Prof Pandit.

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Prof.Kapil Kapoorspoke about the great Ahoms& how it protected the entire the Northeast region from brutal invasions. Prof Kapoor also spoke about the ancient historical connections that the people of the Northeast shared with the central India. He gave references of Mahabharata and other important treaties that carries witnesses of the Pan-Indian approach of the Kings of North-East.

The Chairman of the Special Centre for the Study of Northeast India, Prof Vinay Kumar Raospoke about the journey of the Ahom kingdom. He touched upon the role of Ahom dynasty in giving the contemporary cultural as well as geographical shape of Assam. Prof Rao also stressed on the importance of preserving the monuments that represent the glorious years of Ahom kingdom.

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Leading intellectual & eminent historian Hindol Sengupta focused on the distortion of Indian History, from where many names of the brave warriors of India including the Ahoms were erased in order to colonise the Indian minds. To further elaborate on this, he said that such colonisation made people unaware about many notable historical occasions like the rise of Ahom dynasty and how Sukapha played a pivotal role in building a formidable foundation in Assam.His words emphasised on the importance of the resurrection of true Indian history, where the Indians will read about their victories, not about their defeats.

The thought provoking meet was attended by intellectuals and thought leaders from different streams including Professors, Head of Departments from different faculties of JNU as well as Delhi University; intellectuals from leading think tanks; academicians, technocrats as well as senior bureaucrats from the Assamese society based in Delhi NCR, representatives from Assam Association Delhi (AAD), Assam Association Gurgaon (AAG) and Assam Association NOIDA among other senior officials of various ministries were present on the occasion.

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MJPS

StartUp cum public outreach and incentivising the research as well as Inter and Intra collaboration among the frontier DBT institutes

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for incentivizing the research and public outreach as well as Inter and Intra collaboration among the frontier DBT institutes for cutting-edge and translation research for the overall benefit of society and the country.

Speaking after two-day comprehensive review of 14 Autonomous Institutions of the Department of Biotechnology at National Institute of Immunology, Dr Jitendra Singh gave the mantra of “Strive for Excellence & Innovate for the Future” to all the 14 institutes.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in era of rapid innovations and transformative changes, Biotech Institutes should focus on its core competency and strive hard to bring research and product development at par with global standards. He said, though National Institute of Immunology (NII) has been pioneering in deciphering the molecular basis and host response to infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and viral diseases including Dengue and COVID, but its recent breakthrough in evaluating the intranasal Covid-19 vaccine in phase 3 clinical trial for its immunological effectiveness is noted by all.

Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that DBT-National Agri Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali identifies priority cereal and fruit crops with focused traits to implement genome editing approaches. He said, these new initiatives will be co-developed along with industries to streamline its operations and thereby providing impetus to Indian agriculture.

Similarly, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad has a strong mother and child health research program. Its research on immediate Kangaroo mother care has resulted in a new recommendation by WHO for preterm babies. THSTI is developing therapeutic molecules against tuberculosis, dengue and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It has contributed to covid-19 vaccine and is currently developing a pan beta corona virus vaccine, the Minister added.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB)’s HPV vaccine efficacy studies of 10 years have resulted in establishing a single dose of HPV vaccine for 9 to 18 years children sufficient to prevent infection. RGCB is also doing vaccine efficacy studies for the first indigenously developed HPV vaccine and the above has now been adopted by WHO for immunization strategy.

The achievements of National institute of animal biotechnology, (NIAB) Hyderabad has been underlined for the development of LSDV vaccine candidates through immunoinformatic, first report on complete genome sequence of LSDV (Andhra isolate), Electrochemical based Lateral Flow Assay for Japanese Encephalitis Virus and Toxoplasma Gondai.

Dr Jitendra Singh was given presentation by Institute for Stem Cell Science and Regenerative Medicine (inStem) in Bengaluru as the institute is carrying out cutting edge research using stem cells to understand blood and cardiovascular diseases and brain disorders. Using human genetics and human stem cell technology from human clinical samples they have generated a large resource of stem cells under collaborative programs, to understand why some individuals might be prone to developing mental illness. inStem’s Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR) at CMC Vellore is leading efforts on musculoskeletal regeneration and gene therapy for blood disorders like hemophilia, beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Being India’s first stem cell institute inStem is also regularly carrying out extensive outreach, and highly sophisticated stem cell training for capacity building in stem cells and regenerative biology.

Director of the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) has informed the Minister that they have identified the genomic changes which mark transition from precancer to frank oral cancer. They have conducted the first genome wide study in the GARBH-Ini cohort to identify genomic and epigenomic markers of preterm birth and also spearheaded the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium, INSACOG, which provided valuable information on the emergence and spread of viral variants for public health management during the pandemic

Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar is working on several research programs in the areas of Infectious Disease Biology, Cancer Biology, and Plant and Microbial Biotechnology the research programme of ILS strategically plans to address issues on infectious disease biology in experimental as well as human models.

National Brain Research Centre (NBRC) Manesar is mandated to study brain function at different levels and apply the knowledge for societal benefit. We operate the MEG facility in collaboration with AIIMS to serve patients at a subsidized rate. In the past one year we developed a new method to estimate brain metabolites as an early indicator of dementia. We also showed that coordination between different brain centers remain invariant even though the peak alpha frequency is slowed with aging. In the next year they plan to expand our research in the areas of autism and epilepsy by utilizing the state-of-the-art MRI facilities on campus. They also aim to increase collaborations with clinicians through joint internship and MD programmes.

Heads and Directors of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Thiruvananthapuram, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting & Diagnostics, (CDFD), Hyderabad, Institute of Life Sciences (ILS), Bhubaneswar, National Institute for Plant Genome Research, (NIPGR), New Delhi, Institute of Bioresources& Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Mohali, Punjab, Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB), Mohali, Punjab, National Brain Research Centre (NBRC), Manesar, Haryana, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad. National Centre for Cell Science (NCCS), Pune, National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine (InStem), Bangalore, National Institute of Bio Medical Genomics (NIBMG), Kalyani took part in the review meeting.

New low cost ‘Powerless Heating System’ activated with water can heat food in remote areas

A new low-cost heating system which can be activated by plain water anytime anywhere and does not require any fuel or electricity to heat or power it, can act as a heating solution in any location.

Lack of heating sources at remote places with no access or uncertain access to power sources is an inconvenience faced by many, especially in remote areas like the North East.

Dr. Sumer Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Design, IIT Delhi along with his research team addressed this with a technology that works on chemical energy. It is called ‘Powerless Heating Technology’.

The active heating element consists of a mixture of eco friendly minerals and salts, which generates exothermic energy resulting in heat on contact with water. This provides enough energy to raise the temperature of any food or beverage by 60 to 70 degree Celsius. The weight of the heater is only 50 grams, and after every heating, the by-product (natural mineral rock) inside the heating pad can be disposed of. The rock helps in improving the fertility of the soil and is 100 % biodegradable.

With this technology, users can heat ready-to-eat food, make instant noodles, and any beverage like tea, coffee, etc. The by-product of the heating process is a natural mineral that easily integrates into the soil without any toxic effects.

North East Center for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR), an autonomous body under the Department of Science Technology, Govt. of India, supported Dr. Singh and his team to develop a food box and a liquid container that can be integrated with the Powerless Heating Technology. They have used it to develop containers which can heat food or & beverages on demand.

These products will be of great use to military personnel, tourists, and office-goers in the northeast. This Powerless Heating Technology eliminates the need for burning forest wood for heating purposes, thus also reducing forest fires, which is a major problem in the North Eastern parts of the country. The prototypes were successfully developed and tested. Several FMCG companies are keen to launch it in the market.

Anchiale Technologies, a Gurgaon-based spin-off start-up, is scaling up this technology and has started supplying it to the Indian Navy and some food manufacturing companies. A patent for the technology has been filed. A nondisclosure agreement (NDA) has been signed with the Indian Tobacco Company (ITC) for integration of this technology in their food products.

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Recruitment to Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) to be done through a specially designed examination (IRMS Examination)

Ministry of Railways, in consultation with UPSC and DoPT, has decided that recruitment to Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS) will be done through a specially designed examination (IRMS Examination) to be conducted by the UPSC from the year 2023 onwards.

The IRMSE will be a two-tier examination- a Preliminary Screening Examination, followed by a Main Written Examination and Interview.

For screening suitable number of candidates for the 2nd stage of the Examination, viz, IRMS (Main) Written Examination, all eligible candidates shall be required to appear in Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and suitable number of candidates will be screened for IRMS (Main) Examination.

The IRMS (Main) Examination will consist of 4 papers of conventional essay type in the subjects set out below:

Qualifying Papers

Paper A– One of the Indian Languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. – 300 marks

Paper B – English – 300 marks

Papers to be counted for merit

Optional Subject ‐ Paper 1 – 250 marks

Optional Subject ‐ Paper 2 – 250 marks

Personality Test – 100 marks

List of optional subjects from which a candidate is to choose only one optional subject

Civil Engineering,
Mechanical Engineering,
Electrical Engineering
Commerce and Accountancy.

The syllabi for the aforesaid qualifying papers and optional subjects will be same as those for the Civil Services Examination (CSE).

The common candidates of Civil Services (Main) Examination and IRMS (Main) Examination may opt for any of the aforesaid optional subjects for both these examinations or choose separate optional subjects for these Examinations (one for the CSE (Main) and one for the IRMSE (Main) as per the schemes of these two examinations).

The language medium and scripts for the qualifying papers and optional subjects (for question papers and writing answers) will be same as those for the CSE (Main) Examination.

The age limits and number of attempts for various categories will be same as those for the CSE.

Minimum Educational Qualification – Degree in Engineering / Degree in Commerce/ Chartered Accountancy, from a University incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other Educational Institutes established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as University under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

An indent for IRMSE (150 nos) is being placed on UPSC which will consist of following numbers from the four optionals; Civil (30) Mechanical (30) Electrical (60) and Commerce and Accountancy (30).

Declaration of Results – UPSC will draw and declare one list of finally recommended candidates from the four disciplines in order of merit.

Since the proposed examination scheme envisages utilizing the Civil Services (P) Examination for screening of candidates for the IRMS (Main) Exam and further envisages common qualifying language papers and some optional subjects papers of CSE for IRMSE, both the Preliminary part and the Main written part of both these examinations will be held simultaneously. The IRMSE will be notified simultaneously with the CSE.

As per the Annual Programme of the Examination of the UPSC for the year 2023, the Civil Services (P) Examination – 2023 is scheduled to be notified and held on 01.02.2023 and 28.05.2023 respectively. Since the CSP Exam – 2023 will be utilized for screening the candidates for IRMS (Main) Examination also, the IRMS Examination -2023 will be notified following the same schedule.

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Ministry of Power issues order for waiver of ISTS charges on transmission of electricity generated from new hydro-power

In a further step to realise the Government of India’s commitment to achieve its power requirement from renewable energy sources, Ministry of Power has issued an order for the waiver of Inter-State Transmission system (ISTS) charges on transmission of electricity generated from new hydro-power projects. The said waiver is already available to solar and wind power projects.

Government has set an ambitious plan to have 500 GW of generation capacity from non-fossil energy based sources by 2030. Hydro power projects, being clean, green and sustainable will be of paramount importance in our clean energy transition journey. They are also essential for the integration of solar and wind power, which are intermittent in nature.

In acknowledgement of the aforesaid inherent qualities of hydro-power, Government of India declared hydro power projects as the renewable source of power in March, 2019, However, waiver of inter-state transmission charges, provided to solar and wind projects had not been extended to hydro power projects.

In order to remove this discrepancy and to provide a level playing field to hydro projects, Ministry of Power in Government of India has now decided to extend the waiver of ISTS Charges on the transmission of power from new hydro power projects, for which construction work is awarded and PPA is signed on or before 30.06.2025.

ISTS charges shall be levied for transmission of power from Hydro Power Projects where construction work is awarded and PPA is signed after 30.06.2025 as per the following trajectory:

S. No.	Award of construction work + Signing of PPA	ISTS charges
1.	01.07.25 to 30.06.26	25% of applicable ISTS charges
2.	01.07.26 to 30.06.27	50% of applicable ISTS charges
3.	01.07.27 to 30.06.28	75% of applicable ISTS charges
4.	from 01.07.28	100% of applicable ISTS charges

The waiver/or concessional charges as shown in table above shall be applicable for a period of 18 years from the date of commissioning of the hydro power plants. The waiver shall be allowed for Inter-state transmission charges only and not losses. The waiver would be made applicable from prospective date.

This step is expected to provide a boost to the hydro sector, which will also help improve India’s water security and bring development benefits to hilly states namely North Eastern States, Uttrakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh etc. where most of the hydro potential is located.

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DARPG collaboration with Government of Maharashtra on Administrative Reforms and Good Governance

On the invitation of Chairman Committee for Good Governance, Government of Maharashtra Shri Suresh Kumar IAS (retd), a 6 member DARPG delegation led by Secretary DARPG V.Srinivas visited Mumbai on December 1, 2022 to firm up the roadmap for collaboration between DARPG and Government of Maharashtra on Administrative Reforms and Good Governance. The DARPG delegation held meeting the 3 meetings (i) Meeting with the Chairman and Members of the Committee for Good Governance (ii) Meeting with the Chief Secretary Shri Manu Kumar Srivastava and Additional Chief Secretary GAD Smt. Sujata Saunak, and Senior Officials of Government of Maharashtra and (iii) Meeting with the Divisional Commissioners, District Collectors, CEO’s of Zilla Parishad and Municipal Commissioners of all Districts of Maharashtra.

The following roadmap for collaboration was drawn up:

Draw up a roadmap for time bound saturation of e-Services, e-Office and for replication of the Government of India’s Initiative for Increasing Efficiency in Decision Making in State Secretariat comprising of Delayering, Delegation, adoption of Desk Officer System and Digitization of Central Registration Units.
Regional Conference on e-Governance at Mumbai proposed for January 2023
Documentation of best practices and administrative innovations of Maharashtra’s districts uploaded on the Good Governance Portal and the PM’s Awards
Rewriting the Manual of Office Procedure 2023 for enabling the March to a Digital Maharashtra State Secretariat

The DARPG delegation called on Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra and appraised him on the deliberations and proposed roadmap for collaboration.

The DARPG delegation comprised of Secretary Shri V.Srinivas, Joint Secretary Shri N.B.S.Rajput, Director Shri K.Sanjayan, Deputy Secretaries Shri Parthasarathy Bhaskar, Smt Sarita Taneja and Under Secretary Shri Santosh Kumar.

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All India Radio to broadcast its Annual Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture

All India Radio will broadcast the annual Edition of Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture on Saturday, December 3, 2022. Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla will deliver the address. It will be on air from 9.30pm onwards on Saturday, December 3, 2022 across the entire network of All India Radio. Listeners can tune into 100.1FM GOLD, 102.6 FM Rainbow, primary Channels of All India Radio, @airnewsalerts on Twitter, NewsOnAirOfficial YouTube Channel and NewsOnAir App to access the broadcast.

Doordarshan News will telecast Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture from 10.30pm onwards the same day.

The theme this year is “Amrit Kaal Mein Bhartiyata” to coincide with the 75 years of India’s independence.

About Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture:

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Memorial Le ture is organized by All lndia Radio in the memory of the first President of India, Dr. Rajendra Prasad who was an epitome of simplicity, a renowned scholar, President of the Constituent Assembly and a great visionary who had India and Indianness uppermost in his mind.

The lecture series by AIR in his memory has been an honoured tradition since 1969. Eminent personalities like the former President Dr. Shankardayal Sharma, former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, firmer Vice President M.Venkaiah Naidu, doyens of Indian literature like Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Mahadevi Verma, Harivansh Rai Bachchan are among those who have delivered this prestigious memorial lecture in the past on wide ranging subjects on India’s cultural ethos and its strides.

The recording of the lecture, is broadcast across the entire network of All lndia Radio on 3rd December every year to mark the birth anniversary of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The lecture series seeks to evaluate the nation’s political, cultural and social environment. The achievements and the future prospects of the country are also critically analysed through these lectures.

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Saurabh Singh

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses Valedictory Session of National Youth Conference on Vayu

Minister of State for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey addressed the valedictory session of National Youth Conference on Vayu: The Vital Life Force, in Odisha today.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Choubey laid emphasis on the role of panchmahabhoot, the five basic elements of creation in sustaining and nurturing life. Realizing the immense trove of knowledge left by ancient Indian civilizations, who lived in harmony with the planet and nature, he expressed that it is time India rediscovers the significance and relevance of Indian thought, and initiatives are taken to promote the Bharatiya world view at the global level.

He appreciated the dissemination of knowledge through technical sessions and paper presentations undertaken on various aspects of air quality management such as atmospheric sciences, thermal pollution, role of meteorology, composition of air, climate change, impact on agriculture, among others.

Sh. Choubey said that the Central Government has taken several measures for air quality management in the country such as developing National Clean Air Programme with air pollution reduction targets, augmenting air quality monitoring network (manual & real time), etc. This conference takes the efforts forward by bringing together all the important stakeholders and helping us broaden the discussion on air quality improvement. The conference strengthens the message that we need to adopt as per nature and treat nature and culture with respect.

Addressing a gathering of over 900 delegates, Sh. Choubey said that the youth of the country have an important role in building the future of India and such youth conferences provide further impetus to the government’s efforts to constructively engage the youth and give them a platform to present their innovative ideas to solve air quality challenges.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, along with Central Pollution Control Board, at Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha commemorated the union of modern and traditional knowledge, to tackle air pollution in the country at the youth conference.

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students at Thrissur under the initiative NewIndia for YoungIndia

The Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar will be leaving for Thrissur, Kerala tomorrow on a day-long visit.

The Minister will be reaching Kochi in the morning and proceed to Thrissur where he will be visiting St. Paul’s School and its Senior Secondary wing and interact with students there. The Minister had studied in this school when he was five years old. The school authorities and the students look forward to the visit of their special alumnus who went on to become a chip designer in an MNC – Intel in the USA, after being hand-picked by Shri Vinod Dham (who is known as the Father of Pentium Chips). Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar after few years returned to India to build its earliest and largest cellular network and later exited the sector to join public service.

After his school visit, the Minister will leave for Panjal Road, where he will be addressing students at the Jyothi Engineering College, Jyothi Hills. He will be speaking about New India and the Techade of opportunities it offers for employment and entrepreneurship. He will be also making a presentation on India emerging as one of the top economies of the world and its technological capabilities.

The Minister has been engaging with young Indians under the initiative – New India for Young India: Techade of Opportunities. His interactions have been very well received by the students, startups and entrepreneurs. A case in point is Gujarat, where venture funds of Rs 1500 Crore have been set up by industry & business leaders and HNIs to support startups in their state.

Later the Minister will be visiting Mullurkara, about 25 kms from Thrissur and hold an interaction with the local leaders. He will also be offering his prayers at Thiruvanikavu (Mata Durga Devi) Temple in Mullurkara.

Indian Navy &amp; Indian Coast Guard being equipped with latest ships &amp; weapons to protect country’s maritime borders

Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) are being equipped with indigenous state-of-the-art ships and weapons to protect the maritime borders of the country. This was stated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during the meeting of Consultative Committee for Ministry of Defence on ‘Defence Shipyards’ attended by a number of Members of Parliament in Mumbai on December 02, 2022. Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that all efforts are being to strengthen IN and ICG as ensuring national security is the Government’s top priority.

Commending the defence shipyards for playing a crucial role in this direction, the Raksha Mantri stated that they have ensured timely delivery and quality of products, which is pivotal for building a strong military, and are striving to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. He listed out a number of initiatives taken by the Government to encourage indigenous manufacturing of weapons/ products and minimise imports by DPSUs. The initiatives include notification of Positive Indigenisation Lists comprising Major Line Replacement Units/Sub-systems and SRIJAN portal.

“The SRIJAN portal was launched on August 14, 2020 to promote indigenisation. As on September 30, 2022, there are 783 items of shipyards on the portal. These items were earlier imported and their indigenous vendors were not available. The shipyards have, so far, been able to successfully indigenise 73 items from the list. Indigenisation efforts for the remaining items are in progress in collaboration with industry partners,” Shri Rajnath Singh said.

The Raksha Mantri also lauded the defence shipyards for strengthening the country’s economy. “During 2021-22, the Value of Production of these shipyards was Rs 8,925 crore and Profit After Tax was Rs 928 crore. Presently, the order book position of these shipyards is Rs 81,777 crore,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh also appreciated the fact that procurement through Government e Marketplace (GeM) is increasing in the shipyards, which has not only provided a boost to domestic products, but has ensured transparency in procurement. The shipyards have been asked to increase procurement through GeM and a target has been to make 25 percent of the total procurement from MSMEs, he added.

The Raksha Mantri exuded confidence that soon the shipyards will not only meet the domestic requirements, but also earn export orders on a competitive basis. He hoped that these shipyards will continue to adapt themselves to the changing environment and achieve the desired results. Friendly countries have appreciated the quality of the platforms manufactured by these shipyards, he added.

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Indian Navy & Indian Coast Guard being equipped with latest ships & weapons to protect country’s maritime borders

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INDIAN NAVY SHIPS SHIVALIK AND KAMORTA VISIT HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

Indian Naval Ships, Shivalik and Kamorta which are forward deployed in the South China Sea are in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The ships would be undertaking numerous professional interactions with the Vietnam People’s Navy during the visit.

The visit is part of the bilateral defence cooperation activities to further enhance the robust ties between the two navies as also to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Vietnam. Earlier this year, two Indian Naval Ships, Sahyadri and Kadmatt had also visited Ho Chi Minh City.

The visiting Indian Naval ships Shivalik and Kamorta form part of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam. The two ships, designed and constructed in India, are equipped with a versatile array of weapons and sensors, carry multi-role helicopters and symbolise India’s advanced warship building capabilities.

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VM/JSN

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