IYOM & Mega Food Event 2023

Secretary, FPI chaired a roundtable interaction with Resident Commissioners on Thursday 8th December 2022 at 11:00 AM. The agenda of the roundtable was to apprise the Ministry’s plan of action for the proposed Mega Food Event to States / UTs and discuss possible areas of collaborations.

During the keynote address, Secretary, FPI informed the RCs that the mega event would be organized in October 2023 and is being envisaged on a much larger scale than the event earlier organised by the Ministry. This event would be providing a platform for the States and UTs to showcase State / UT-specific opportunities, interact with global and domestic business leaders, suppliers, purchasers, and technology providers for collaborations, and generate investment & sourcing interests across the value chain of food processing and food retail sectors.

All States / UTs were requested to share feedback / suggestions to make the event a grand success. They were also requested to participate actively in the event, as well as support the Ministry in creating awareness, ensuring participation of senior policy makers, agri-food companies, FPOs / SHGs and all relevant stakeholders in the mega food event.

The participants were also informed that as part of ‘International Year of Millets’, a series of activities are being planned by the Ministry to create awareness about the many benefits of millets and millet based value-added products.

All participating RCs assured support to MoFPI in activities planned throughout the year 2023 and during the Mega Food Event 2023. Some of the suggestions / feedback included requirements of focused campaigning of the mega food event as well as benefits of millets domestically & in international expos, organising district level summits in addition to planned summits and expos in State Capitals which would help in onboarding micro entrepreneurs, FPOs, SHGs; showcasing of traditional aspects, possible association with tourism industry for promotion of the mega event etc.

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The Investment Facilitation Cell (Invest India) was advised to coordinate with the States and UTs for implementing the identified plan of action and ensuring necessary support to enable active participation of States / UTs.

Secretary, FPI urged all States and UTs to engage with the Ministry for showcasing the strength of Indian food processing sector as well as actively participate in to avail the maximum benefits of the mega event.

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Ministry of Culture organises ‘Story Telling’ as part of Kalanjali campaign

Main Highlights:

On 10th December, 2022, Shri Rajiv Tambe and Kshama Sharma presented story in an interactive manner.
The 2 day event will be organized on 11th of December 2022 also.

Under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, organized Storytelling at the India Gate Lawns in New Delhi as a part of campaign named Kalanjali, a unique culture spectacle, under which cultural programmes are being organised at Amphitheatre Central Vista, India Gate every week.

On 10th December, 2022 ,Shri Rajiv Tambe and Kshama Sharma presented story in an interactive manner which held the interest of both children and adults. Shri Rajiv Tambe is a writer of children’s stories and a Sahitya Akademi Awardee for Children’s Literature. His style is unique and immersive. Besides being a writer, he also works with few select non-government organizations (NGOs) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. He has to his credit 80 published books in Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati and English.

Kshama Sharma has received the Sahitya Akademi Award for her contribution to Children’s Literature. An eminent writer in Hindi, she has to her credit over 50 published works. She has also been associated with the editing of several children’s magazines. She will be presenting her story with interesting dialogues.

The 2 day event will be organized on 11th of December 2022 also. On 11th December Kamaljit Neelon and Devendra Mewari,will present their stories.

Oral traditions have always been popular in India. It is a way of preserving the culture and beliefs of a tribe or community and passing them down to the next generation. That is the real significance of oral traditions. However, storytelling does not need to be limited to oral recitation. It can take form through drawings, paintings, dance or even puppet shows. India’s storytelling traditions are as diverse as the culture of the country,

Narrating stories is a means used to teach lessons, morals and to entertain people, particularly in rural areas. Before TV, the internet and smartphones, people were coming together to hear stories about their history, folklore and current events. India being a land of diverse cultures, every state follows its own style of storytelling. While some narrate, others employ props like puppets, masks and even musical instruments. There are some that are told through the medium of dance and music.

Katha is an Indian style of religious storytelling, performances of which are a ritualistic event in Hinduism. It often involves professional storytellers who recite Hindu religious texts such as Puranas, The Ramayana or Bhagavata Purana, followed by an explanatory commentary. South India has a long tradition of storytelling and religious discourse. Religious scholars were knowledgeable in the scriptures used for discourse in temples and monasteries. Purana-Pravachana is a lecture about scriptures in which the pauranika is a spiritual interpreter of the scriptures. These stories generally have a religious theme, usually the life of a saint or a story from an Indian epic.

Wall paintings in temples and shrines across India also serve the purpose of interpreting and storytelling with a religious theme.

Kamaljit Neelon is the recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for Children’s Literature. A well-known name in Punjabi children’s literature, her writings incorporate cultural and social values, which motivates both children and adults to move towards a positive direction. Nine albums of Punjabi songs written by her continue to be aired by Doordarshan and other television channels. She will be presenting her stories with the musical accompaniment of the Dhapli and Harmonium.

Devendra Mewari is a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award for Children’s Literature. A distinguished writer in Hindi, he has 25 published books to his credit. He has also worked on a rare genre of audio plays in Hindi on Science and Technology. His presentation will be innovative and interesting.

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Human Rights Day Celebration Organised by the National Human Rights Commission

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the Human Rights Day celebration, organised by the National Human Rights Commission, in New Delhi today (December 10, 2022).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that it is an important occasion for the whole of humankind, as it was on this day in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (HDHR). She noted that the text of the UDHR has been translated into more than 500 languages, which makes it the most translated document in history. She said that still, when we consider the sad developments that keep taking place in many parts of the world, we wonder if the declaration has been read at all in some of those languages. The fact remains that human rights are a work in progress around the world.

The President said that in India, we can take solace in the fact that the National Human Rights Commission has been making the best possible efforts to spread awareness about them. Now in its 30th year, the NHRC has done a commendable job of protecting as well as promoting human rights. It also participates in various global forums for human rights. India is proud of the fact that its work has been appreciated internationally.

The President said that developing sensitivity and sympathy is the key to promoting human rights. It is essentially an exercise of the faculty of imagination. If we can imagine ourselves in the place of those who are treated as less than human, it would open our eyes and compel us to do the needful. There is a so-called ‘golden rule’, which says “Treat others as you would like them to treat you”. That sums up the human rights discourse beautifully.

The President noted that today is the beginning of the worldwide, year-long celebrations of the 75 years of the UDHR. And the United Nations has chosen ‘Dignity, Freedom and Justice for All’ as the theme of the year 2022. She said that over the past few years, the world has suffered from a high number of natural disasters caused by unusual weather patterns. Climate change is knocking on the doors. People in the poorer nations are going to pay a heavier price for the degradation of our environment. We must consider the environmental dimension of justice now.

The President said that the challenge of climate change is so enormous that it forces us to redefine ‘rights’. Five years ago, the High Court of Uttarakhand held that the Ganga and Yamuna rivers have the same legal rights as human beings. India is a land of sacred geography, with countless holy lakes, rivers and mountains. To these landscapes, the flora and fauna add rich biodiversity. In old times, our sages and seers saw them all as part of a universal whole, along with us. So, just as the concept of human rights exhorts us to consider every human being as no different from us, we should treat the whole living world and its habitat with respect.

The President shared that she wonders what the animals and trees around us would tell us if they could speak, what would our rivers say about human history and what would our cattle say on the topic of human rights. She said that we have trampled on their rights for long, and now the results are before us. We must learn – rather re-learn – to treat nature with dignity. This is not only a moral duty; it is necessary for our own survival too.

Please click here to see the President’s Speech –

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5th European Union-India Competition Week 2022 Inaugurated

The European Union-India Competition Week, 5th edition, was inaugurated today at the Competition Commission of India (CCI) HQ by Dr. Sangeeta Verma, acting Chairperson, CCI, and Mr Seppo Nurmi, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU to India & Bhutan. The Competition Week is scheduled to be held during 5-7 December 2022.

In her opening remarks, Chairperson, CCI appreciated the relevance of the Competition Week for capacity building of CCI officers. Dr. Verma also highlighted the ongoing cooperation between CCI and Directorate General for Competition of the European Commission under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two authorities in November 2013. Further, she pointed out that this technical cooperation program has provided a platform for dialogue and exchange of good practices between competition authority officials and experts from the EU and India. She remarked that the topics on the agenda are not only of great contemporary relevance and significance but also quite futuristic.

In the backdrop of the rapidly changing and evolving digital landscape that is posing new challenges for competition law enforcers and questioning the traditional parameters of competition regulation, she highlighted the need for competition agencies to develop innovative perspectives on how to apply the existing instruments suitably and devise new tools, where necessary.

The practical insights shared by experts from the EU in designing and implementing their digital regulations will lead to very engaging discussions, she added.

The Deputy Head of the EU delegation, Mr Nurmi, highlighted the India-EU relations that date back to the early-1960s. In reference to the agenda items to be covered in the ongoing India-EU Competition Week, he stated that topics such as experiences in applying antitrust laws to the digital economy/markets, introduction of the EU’s Digital Markets Act, investigating hub-and-spoke agreements & other atypical cartels and competition law & sustainable co-operation; are timely for sharing the views of EU experts. He further stated that the 5th India-EU Competition Week provides a platform to share views from two key economies on antitrust action in digital and technology markets as we attempt to find answers to these challenges and provides an opportunity to discuss how regulation can supplement competition enforcement, as the EU has set the Digital Markets Act in motion.

A short meeting on the sidelines of the competition week was also held between the Deputy Head of the EU delegation and Chairperson, CCI along-with the Secretary and other officials.

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Conference on “Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India

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 will inaugurate a conference titled, “Women Leading Change in Health and Science in India” in New Delhi tomorrow.

Dr. Bharti Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ms. Melinda French Gates, Co-chair and Trustee Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Ms. Amie Batson, Executive Director, WomenLift Health will also address the conference.

The conference being organized by Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a PSU of DBT, in collaboration with WomenLift Health and Grand Challenges India will highlight and promote the importance of women’s leadership in health and science and seek to identify attainable pathways and goals to strengthen the representation of women in leadership positions in India and Global health ecosystem.

This conference honours and celebrates Indian women’s accomplishments in overcoming unprecedented challenges over the past few years and advancing STEM innovation and healthcare with their indefatigable resilience and unwavering perseverance.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Dr Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology& Chairperson, BIRAC said “Women’s leadership throughout centuries has been transformative. I congratulate all women, and I believe that this is the time we need to empower more women in leadership positions so that India becomes the superpower that our Prime Minister dreams of.”

Dr Alka Sharma, Senior Adviser, DBT & Managing Director, BIRAC, said, “Women’s leadership is now recognized at the highest level and is steadily on the rise. Through various schemes and programs of BIRAC, the researchers and entrepreneurs are being promoted and supported across the country”. She further added that “this conference is certainly going to help in building a national focus on women’s leadership”.

The global healthcare workforce is predominantly women and yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and decision-making positions, especially at the higher executive or board levels. Under-representation in STEM is also one of the major concerns. In India, even though the healthcare workforce participation is somewhat similar between men and women, there are fewer women in leadership roles.

Recognizing the importance of this issue, BIRAC has been working to advance scientific and technological research to alleviate India’s most critical health and development issues.

Initiatives in agriculture, food, and nutrition are centered on improving health outcomes for women by mitigating maternal and child health issues. Initiatives like BIRACTiE Women in Entrepreneurial Research focus on Women in Entrepreneurial Research- strongly promote and recognize women in science and entrepreneurship.

Co-host WomenLift Health works to accelerate the advancement of talented women into senior leadership by investing in mid-career women and influencing the environments in which they live and work.

The esteemed panel of speakers at this conference includes Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist World Health Organization, Dr Renu Swarup, former Secretary, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr Vinod Kumar Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, and Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, and Secretary, Department of Health Research, Dr. Tessy Thomas, Director General of Aeronautical Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and many other prominent names working in health and science.

About DBT

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, boosts and augments the development of biotechnology ecosystem in India, through its expansion and application in agriculture, healthcare, animal sciences, environment, and industry.

About BIRAC

Set up by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), is a not-for-profit Section 8, Schedule B, Public Sector Enterprise, which acts as an Interface Agency to improve and encourage the evolving biotechnology industry to execute strategic research and development activities in context to Nation’s product development needs

About WomenLift Health

The WomenLift Health conference is an initiative of Stanford University and is organized since 2017 to provide a forum for established and emerging leaders across the global health community to meet and work together to advance gender equity in health leadership, contribute to the growing momentum to advance diversity and women’s leadership in global health and expand understanding of the opportunities and challenges across countries, sectors, and disciplines for women’s leadership.

Marked Reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses of DISCOMs in FY22

Aggregate Technical and Commercial Loss (AT&C Loss) and ACS-ARR Gap are key indicators of DISCOM performance. In the last 2 years, the AT&C loss of the DISCOMs of the country was hovering at 21-22%. Ministry of Power instituted a number of measures to improve the performance of utilities. Preliminary analysis of data for FY2022 of 56 DISCOMs contributing to more than 96% of input energy, indicates that the AT&C losses of DISCOMs have declined significantly to ~17% in FY2022 from ~22% in FY2021.

Reduction in AT&C losses improves the finances of the utilities, which will enable them to better maintain the system and buy power as per requirements; benefitting the consumers. The reduction in AT&C losses has resulted in reduction in the Gap between Average Cost of Supply (ACS) and Average Realizable Revenue (ARR). The ACS-ARR Gap (on subsidy received basis, excluding Regulatory Income & UDAY Grant) has declined from Rs. 0.69/kWh in FY2021 to Rs. 0.22/kWh in FY2022.

The decline of 5% in AT&C losses and 47 paise in the ACS-ARR Gap in one year is the result of a number of initiatives taken by the Ministry of Power. On 04th September 2021, the Ministry of Power revised the prudential norms of PFC and REC, the lending agencies for the power sector to provide that loss making DISCOMs will not be able to avail financing from PFC and REC until and unless they draw up an action plan for reducing the losses within a specific timeframe and get their State Government’s commitment to it. The Ministry of Power also decided that any future assistance under any scheme for strengthening of the distribution system by the DISCOMs will be available to a DISCOM which is making losses only if it undertakes to bring its AT&C losses / ACS-ARR Gap down to specified levels within a specific timeframe and gets their State Government’s commitment to it. The Revamped Distribution Sector scheme lays down that funding under the scheme will be available only if the DISCOM commits to an agreed loss reduction trajectory. The Ministry of Power made a series of presentations before the 15th Finance Commission as a result of which 15th Finance Commission provided for an additional borrowing window to States contingent on their taking steps to reduce to their DISCOMs losses. The Ministry of Power issued Regulations on 07th October 2021 providing for mandatory energy accounting and energy auditing for all DISCOMs. On 03rd June 2022, the Ministry of Power issued Late Payment Surcharge Rules which provide that unless the Distribution companies promptly pay for the power drawn from the ISTS, their access to the power exchange will be cut off. While putting all these in place; the Ministry of Power also worked with the distribution companies to provide the necessary finances under the RDSS for undertaking the loss reduction measures.

The above improvement is a result of the concerted efforts of the Ministry of Power, the State Governments as well as Distribution companies to implement the reforms and adoption of best practices. As a result – the viability of the power system has improved. This was necessary because the demand for power has been growing and further investments will be necessary for the power sector to expand to meet the growing demand; and the investments will only come if the power sector remains viable.

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National Conference on Soil Health Management for Sustainable Farming

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar today inaugurated the National Conference on Soil Health Management for Sustainable Farming. On this occasion, Shri. Tomar said that due to chemical farming and other reasons, soil fertility is getting eroded and climate change is going to be a big concern for the country as well as the world. He said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has concerns about climate change and from time to time prepares plans and keeps working on these plans. He said Prime Minister Shri Modi is committed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and World Soil Day, NITI Aayog in collaboration with GIZ affiliated to the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany, Chief Guest Shri Tomar said that the lack of organic carbon in the soil is a serious concern for us. To meet this serious challenge and for better soil health, we have to promote natural farming, which is beneficial for the environment. He said that to promote natural farming, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi is working with the States. The Government has re-adopted the Indian Natural Farming System for Agriculture. Natural Farming System is an ancient technique used by farmers for farming and at that time people also knew how to live in harmony with the nature, he added. States like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu etc. have made many innovations to promote natural farming. During the last year, an additional area of 4.78 lakh hectares has been brought under natural farming in 17 States. To promote natural farming, the Central Government has approved the National Mission on Natural Farming as a separate scheme with an expenditure of Rs. 1,584 crores, Shri Tomar said. Under the Namami Gange programme, the project of natural farming is going on along the banks of the Ganges, while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Central and State Agricultural Universities and Colleges are making all-round efforts to promote natural farming.

Shri Tomar said that the Government of India is also working through Soil Health Card. In two phases, more than 22 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to farmers across the country. Infrastructure development is also being done by the Government under the Soil Health Management Scheme, in which there is a provision to set up different types of Soil Testing Laboratories. So far, 499 permanent Soil Testing Laboratories, 113 Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories, 8,811 Mini Soil Testing Laboratories and 2,395 Village-level Soil Testing Laboratories have been established. He said that there was a time when the policies were production-oriented, due to chemical farming, agricultural yield increased, but now the situation has changed, and with climate change, keeping soil health intact is a big challenge. He said that if an attempt is made to exploit the earth contrary to the principles of nature, the consequences can be dangerous. Today, due to chemical farming, the soil’s fertility is being eroded, the country and the world should avoid this and fulfill our environmental responsibility.

In the conference, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, Shri Suman Berry, Member Prof. Ramesh Chand, CEO Shri Parameswaran Iyer, Senior Advisor Ms. Neelam Patel, Central Agricultural University Vice Chancellor of Jhansi, Dr. A.K. Singh and Mr. Drik Steffis, along with several scientists, policymakers and other stakeholders were present. Various technical sessions were addressed by experts at the conference.

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India as a key Global Player in the Space sector

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 described India as a key Global Player in the Space sector and reiterated that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is keen to take its Space cooperation with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to newer heights.

Addressing the Opening Ceremony of the UAE summit, “Abu Dhabi Space Debate”, Dr Jitendra Singh acknowledged the presence of the UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed at the Opening Ceremony and conveyed PM Modi’s warm greetings to him and the people of UAE.

Dr Jitendra Singh is leading the official Indian delegation to United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the “Abu Dhabi Space Debate”, a 2-day international meet. Apart from Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and Diplomats from several countries attended the opening ceremony.

Dr Jitendra Singh greeted the people of the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the celebration of 51 years of the formation of this great country on behalf of the people of India. He said, another laudable achievement for the UAE this year is completion of the silver jubilee of its space odyssey with several golden milestones.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, development of the Space sector is one of the priority areas for the leaders of both India and the UAE and added that India started its space journey seven decades back from a scratch and is today acknowledged to be a leading space power. He said, the highlight of India’s journey has been its thrust on indigenous development through dedication and hard work of its scientists guided by the commitment of the leaders.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the indigenously developed Space sector of India and the fast-growing Space sector of the UAE have a lot of complementariness that can be harnessed. He said, if we want to ensure that the Space remains a sector to serve our shared humanity, it is important to bring all the stakeholders together to discuss and deliberate about the Space and in this regard, this platform has the potential to shape the future of the Space sector.

The Minister said, the Indian space industry today is renowned across the globe for two things – reliability and economy. India is proud to have the maximum success ratio in the world for its flagship space launching vehicle – Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV. Just a few weeks back, India’s PSLV launched 36 satellites including for countries from both the developed and developing world.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the list of achievements of India’s Space industries is quite long and informed that Indian Space Research Organization or ISRO has launched more than 100 satellites so far and has immense in-house satellite building capabilities for GSAT, Earth Observation Satellites and Space based Satellite Navigation Systems. He proudly stated that India has also developed its own GPS, which we call the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System or IRNSS. Besides the successful launch of India’s Mars orbiter mission in 2013, India has twice attempted to send its Mission to the moon known as Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2. The third satellite mission to the moon, the Chandrayaan 3 will be launched next year, thr Minister informed.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, India’s other flagship space programmes also include Human Space Flight Centre or what we call in India as Gaganyaan project under which we are planning to send our first crewed flight in space in 2024.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in the light of the Indian philosophy of Vasudeva Kutumbakam which means – the World is one family, India wants to share the fruits of space development to reach all countries and bring closer cooperation between governments and private entities in the space sector. He said, with this idea, India has recently brought landmark reforms leading to policy initiatives to tap the best of our research potential as well as participation of the private sector.

The Minister said, India is also keenly promoting development of start-ups in the space sector to facilitate entry of foreign government and private sector entities. In this regard, India has established a dedicated organisation called Indian Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre or IN-SPACe which is tasked with the objective of hand-holding our nascent private entities in the Space sector, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that among the several pioneering initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed is the Abu Dhabi Space Debate which reflects his commitment and vision for the Space sector. He said that much of this vision has already become a reality with the UAE sending a space mission to Mars orbit, thereby becoming the sixth such country demonstrating its prowess in the space sector and on top of that, the UAE became the only second country, other than India, to successfully launch a Mars orbiter in its very first attempt.

The Minister also congratulated the UAE for planning its second human space mission next year by sending four astronauts in space for six months. The launch of Rashid Rover, UAE’s Moon Mission in the near future, and creation of the Space fund are milestones which reflect the commitments and determination of the UAE to excel in the Space sector. He shared that India’s active space partnership with the UAE dates back to 2017, when our PSLV launched UAE’s first nanosatellite – ‘Nayif-1’ meant for collecting environmental space data.

Dr Jitendra Singh appreciated the thrust of the Abu Dhabi Space Debate for building the role of Governments in empowering space business and technology. He said, the list of discussions in ADSD on the role of the space sector to solve the climate issues, bringing accountability to environmental commitments, threats to and from space to the political discourse and making the presence of private sector and space innovation people driven that serve humankind; are very relevant to our time and are eye-opening topics, setting apart this initiative from any other such gathering in Space sector in the past.

Dr Jitendra Singh concluded by saying that he is confident that the Abu Dhabi Space Debate will grow in stature in the coming years and become a pre-eminent platform for discussions in space related matters and take India-UAE space cooperation into an entirely different and much higher spatial orbit. Lastly, as India assumed the chairmanship of G-20 on Dec 1, the Minister once again welcomed the UAE to the G-20 Summit and G-20 meetings in the period of India’s chairmanship.

Investors reward well-governed corporates: NFRA Chairperson

Speaking at the conference on “Financial Reporting and Corporate Governance in the Corporate Sector”, Dr Ajay Bhushan Prasad Pandey, Chairperson, NFRA, said here today that Sound Corporate Governance is bedrock of corporate sector that contributes to the sustainable growth and development of the Nation as whole. He further said that investors reward the well-governed corporates.

Dr Pandey mentioned about a number of path breaking reforms initiated by Indian Policy Makers during last few years, both for enabling growth and development of business sector and society such as Digital Reforms like Aadhar, UPI, GST and Tax Reforms. He also mentioned about several institutional building reforms like NFRA, IBC, NCLT etc.

Dr Pandey said need of the hour for the Finance Community and Directors is to take measures to prevent frauds and failure of internal financial controls such as developing Case Study of Register of Frauds. Perhaps it is time to go Back to Basics of Internal Financial Controls as not all the corporate frauds were committed by very sophisticated designs but by age old methods of fictitious sales and loans and advances, over invoicing of purchases, related party transactions and due to failure of basic internal controls.

In relation to building trust and meeting stakeholders expectations, Dr Pandey mooted idea of crowdsourcing of risk related matters and matters of emphasis for auditor consideration. He also suggested consideration of UK Brydon report recommendation of publication of Directors Risk Report before the audit scope is decided by The Audit Committee which can evaluate stakeholders inputs on that Risk Report.

On the Sustainability Reporting Standards, he said it is better to align with those of International Sustainability Standards Board of IFRS Foundation.

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National Anti-Doping Agency of India is developing App to assist athletes verify medicines

Key highlights:

Inclusion Conclave was attended by participants from India and 20 countries
Tokyo2020 Paralympics High Jump medal winner Sharad Kumar shared his experience of serving a two-year ban for an inadvertent anti-doping violation

“All aspects of the anti-doping programme are important even as India is making rapid strides towards excellence in sport. NADA would make all attempts to spread awareness towards making Indian sport, including sport for Athletes with Disabilities, dope-free.” Secretary (Sports), Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi said this while delivering the keynote address at the Inclusion Conclave conducted by the National Anti-Doping Agency India (NADA) today in New Delhi. Inclusion Conclave was attended by participants from India and 20 countries.

Speaking on the occasion Secretary Sports Smt. Sujata Chaturvedi said that it is a good time to be in Indian sport, where under the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, initiatives like Khelo India have given sport a fillip. “We cannot ignore anti-doping while striving for excellence in sport. The National Anti-Doping Act is a step in that direction”, she said.

Mr. Shombi Sharp, United Nations Resident Coordinator, India also addressed the gathering. “The inclusion of persons with disabilities is a central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – to leave no one behind,” he said. He further added “Indian athletes with disabilities have not only shown incredible grit and determination by beating all the odds – they have also brought – and continue to bring – great pride to the nation.”

NADA Director-General and CEO Ritu Sain said the Conclave was a step towards ensuring that anti doping program is inclusive and athletes with disabilities remain at core and are not left behind.

“We have to reach out to the Athletes with Disabilities keeping their needs in mind. Engaging them with content in print, audio, Braille and sign language in keeping with Universal Design of Learning (UDL) principles is a priority,” she said.

Ms Sain said NADA India is in process of sensitising 20 Dope Control Officers to specialise in collecting samples of Athletes with Disabilities in keeping with the different needs. She also said NADA would equip itself with assistive devices in Doping control process to facilitate athletes with disabilities in lines with the World Anti-Doping Code and Standards.

She said NADA India is developing Apps to spread awareness and address queries of athletes and support personnel as well as to help them recognise if any medicine they were being prescribed contains prohibited substances. “We are developing credible content that will overcome geographical, language and disability barriers,” she said.

Tokyo2020 Paralympics High Jump medal winner Sharad Kumar shared his experience of serving a two-year ban for an inadvertent anti-doping violation. He said the levels of education of Athletes with Disabilities prevented many from taking short cuts. “The anti-doping lessons are best learnt from the experience of those who tested positive,” he said.

Sharad Kumar also said that athletes who dope must realise that it leaves an impact on their bodies and minds. “Those who dope and have not tested positive cannot think they have escaped. They are guilty in their own minds and caught in their own trap,” he said, exhorting athletes not to chase popularity and rewards at the risk of their own health.

Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO) CEO Jorge Leyva, Asian Paralympic Committee Anti-Doping Sub-Committee Chairman Dr. Badrul Rashid, University of Birmingham’s Prof. Ian Bradley and International Inclusion and Para Sports expert Dr. Halim Jebali headline the panelists from overseas also joined an array of Indian experts.

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1866802

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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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'Divya Kala Mela' 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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&#39;Divya Kala Mela&#39; 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.

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