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INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

By: Vansh Aggarwal
About author: I’m a first-year B.Tech CSE student at Amity University, Mohali. Coding is my passion, and I enjoy listening to music. In 12th grade, I scored 91%.
Title of Article INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM
Article Content THE challenges faced by the educational system in develop ing countries like India are intimidating. Most parents spend a substan tial amount of their income to help their children to lead a quality life. Unfortunately their enthusiasm for education is not enough to overcome the barri es to progress posed by inac- säility and poor infrastruc fre Children are restricted from going to schools, there’s inconsistent teaching quality, little individualised learning and a poor emphasis on con ceptual mastery. ConveGenius was founded with the long-term objective of digitising education to solve for issues of accessibility of high-quality educational con- tent through its innovations in the fields of educational peda gogy artificial intelligence and cognition processes It is a platform that provides a self learning experience by pre senting quality content mapped to the NCERT curricu lum in the form of levels or stages of a game. It is support ed with real-time data to effec tively measure and improve learning levels, make learning fun, engaging and more mean ingful for a child Born in the twenty-first century, today’s kids have intuitive fluency in the digital language of computers, video games. and Intemet. The CG Slate leverages this immense oppor tunity to create meaningful learning experiences for the child. Through this platform and pre- sentation of interactive content accompanied by game dynam- ics of incentivisation, rules experiences-achievements approach of a game, we bring back the ‘play’ to learning Moreover, the CG Slate is a child-centric product enabling personalisation of learning In order to address different learning needs of each child. CG Slate is adaptive and its rec ommendation engine uses data of the child’s performance and choices to create an individualised leaming paths

Indian Economy

By: Krishna Balaji Muskawad
About author: I am currently a third year engineering IT student. Have experience of researching and creating the reports and presentation’s content for representing the different tech related topics. And the ease of learning has always been a priority. So, the novice learners will be able to get the clear-cut idea regarding any particular topic from scratch to a remarkable level. Have also conducted a seminar at college level by researching different journals to provide understandable information regarding a topic through presentation. And, very excited for this particular internship to get the experience and knowledge to excel.
Title of Article Indian Economy
Article Content Indian Economy – Turning savings to credit The Indian economy has changed a lot over time. People used to save a lot and not borrow much. But things have shifted. Now, borrowing money, or getting credit, has become more common. This change has affected how people invest their money. Compared to earlier times, people in India now prefer different ways to invest their money. Some like to put it in real estate, some in stocks or mutual funds, and some in things like gold. What influences these choices? Well, factors like how much risk someone is willing to take or what they think will give them the most profit play a big role. India is slowly becoming a place where borrowing money, or using credit, is more common. This affects how much people spend and how fast the economy grows. It’s like people are more comfortable buying things on credit, which means they’re spending more, and this helps the economy grow. So, overall, the Indian economy has shifted. People used to save a lot, but now they’re also comfortable borrowing money. This has changed how they invest and save, making the economy grow differently than before. Comparison with other countries’ economies When we look at how India’s economy works compared to other countries, we see some interesting stuff. Every country’s economy is a bit like its own recipe. Some use more spices, some use less, but they’re all trying to make things work. India’s economy, for example, used to be really focused on saving money. But now, it’s starting to lean more towards using credit, which means borrowing money. Other countries might have already gone through this change or might still be big on saving money. Each country’s economy also depends on different things. Some rely on things like oil or manufacturing a lot, while others might focus on technology or services. It’s like each country has its own special ingredients that make its economy unique. Savings and Credit: In the past, India was more inclined towards saving money compared to some other nations. Countries like China and Japan also had strong savings cultures. But lately, India has been shifting towards using more credit, similar to economies like the United States or some European nations. This shift means people are getting more comfortable with borrowing money for various needs. Economic Structure: India’s economy is diverse, with agriculture, services, and manufacturing playing significant roles. Comparatively, some countries might rely heavily on specific industries. For instance, countries in the Middle East might focus a lot on oil, while others like Germany might be big on manufacturing. Consumer Behavior: The way people spend and save in India might be quite different from countries like the United Kingdom or the UAE. Some nations have a higher spending culture, while others prioritize saving more. This affects how much money flows in the economy and how fast businesses grow. Government Involvement: India’s government plays a substantial role in the economy compared to places like the United States, where the private sector has more influence. Other countries might have different levels of government involvement, which impacts how policies are made and how businesses operate. Global Integration: India’s economy has become more interconnected with the world in recent years, similar to countries like China. However, some nations might be more self-reliant or have different levels of dependency on international trade and investments.

A mother of one planning to restart job

By: Shaloo Sharma
About author: I am a mother of one child .I have my dreams to fulfill but tied to responsibilities of wife and mother.I want to be financially independent.
Title of Article A mother of one planning to restart job
Article Content I am a mother of one child .I have my dreams to fulfill but tied to responsibilities of wife and mother.I want to be financially independent. I have worked with Infosys for almost three years.I have realised how important it is to be financially independent. I am looking forward to hear from you.If given chance I can put my whole self into this job.

Ram and Shyam

By: Ram and Shyam
About author: Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam
Title of Article Ram and Shyam
Article Content Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam Ram and Shyam

Benefits of Internship in Govt Organisations

By: Sumit Kumar

Interning at government organizations can offer a myriad of benefits that contribute to professional development, personal growth, and a deeper understanding of public service. Here are several advantages of undertaking an internship in government:

Practical Experience: Government internships provide hands-on experience in a structured environment. You can apply theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios, gaining insights into how policies are formulated, implemented, and assessed.

Networking Opportunities: Interning in a government setting exposes you to a diverse network of professionals, including policymakers, civil servants, and experts in various fields. Building these connections can be invaluable for future career prospects.

Learning Governance and Policy-making Processes: You’ll gain a deeper understanding of governance structures, regulatory frameworks, and the intricate process of policymaking. This exposure helps you comprehend the complexities of public administration.

Professional Development: Government internships often involve working on projects that contribute to the public good. This offers a chance to develop critical skills such as research, analysis, problem-solving, and project management.

Understanding Public Service: Internships in government organizations provide insight into the significance of public service and its impact on communities. It fosters a sense of civic responsibility and a deeper appreciation for the role of government in society.

Resume Building: Having a government internship on your resume can enhance your credibility and attractiveness to future employers, showcasing your ability to navigate complex environments and work within governmental structures.

Exposure to Diversity: Government agencies serve diverse populations. Interning in such environments exposes you to various perspectives, cultures, and challenges faced by different communities, enriching your understanding of societal needs.

Potential for Future Opportunities: A successful government internship can lead to future job offers or pave the way for other opportunities within the public sector, leveraging the experience and connections gained during the internship.

Contributing to Public Good: Internships in government enable you to contribute meaningfully to projects that directly impact society, whether it’s in healthcare, education, infrastructure, or policy development.

Understanding Regulatory Compliance: Exposure to government regulations, compliance standards, and administrative procedures equips you with a comprehensive understanding of legal and ethical considerations in decision-making processes.

Overall, interning in government organizations can be an enriching experience that not only shapes your professional path but also cultivates a sense of civic duty and responsibility towards serving the public interest.

Program Associate at NUIA

 

National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA):

Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is a premier institute of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, for research and capacity building for the urban sector in India. NIUA’s broad objective is to bridge the gap between research and practice on issues related to urbanization. For more than 40 years now, NIUA has been the vanguard for contributing to and building the urban narrative for a fast evolving urban India. The Institute has been actively working on bringing forth key areas of concern for urban India in order to build the urban discourse at various urban scales. It has utilized its competencies in research, knowledge management, policy advocacy and capacity building to address urban challenges and continuously striving to develop sustainable, inclusive and productive urban ecosystems in the country. It has emerged as a thought leader and knowledge hub for urban development in India and is sought after by both Indian and international organizations for collaborations and partnerships in India’s urban transforming journey. NIUA is committed towards aligning its efforts towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through all its initiatives and programmes.

About the Center for Digital Governance (CDG):

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has formulated the National Urban Innovation Stack (NUIS) strategy and approach with the vision to unlock urban innovation and promote collaboration across the entire urban ecosystem. The objective is to create an open digital public good which can enable co-creation and collaboration across the “quadruple helix” of government, industry, academia, and civil society and citizens’ groups in urban India.

With the goal to facilitate adoption and put technology as the core of operations for digital transformation across the ecosystem, the need for an anchor was felt to tie the strengths of all stakeholders together. Responding to this pressing necessity, Centre for Digital Governance (CDG) was institutionalised under the ambit of National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA). Envisioned to function as a trusted partner for distributed governance, CDG envisages establishing five practice areas on Research and Advocacy, Digital Advisory, Partnerships, Engagement Advisory and Digital Governance. The aspiration of CDG is to allow digital forces to enable the ease with which citizens, industry and government can connect, collaborate, transact, and share information; State and city administrators can increase productivity by automating routine tasks; and facilitate data-based decision making to drive governance and policy making.

The Urban Platform for deliverY of Online Governance (UPYOG), as one of the flagship programs of the CDG, will identify or create a number of the building blocks and governance mechanisms envisaged by NUIS.

Role & Responsibilities:

The Program Associate will support in the execution of in the operationalisation of the CDG and its programs. The Program Associate will provide input to the design, planning, and management of the Centre and NUDM.

Responsibilities:

  • Assist in implementing the programs and policies of the operationalising the CDG Program, coordinating with stakeholders at NIUA and MoHUA, in states, and across the urban ecosystem.
  • Manage strategy, implementation, and optimization of processes associated with the implementation of NUDM.
  • Follow up on performance indicators/ success criteria, targets and milestones, and the preparation of reports.
  • Analysis of the situation in the program, identification of operational and financial problems, and development of solutions.
  • Work with key stakeholders to create efficient practices and provide insights for the program.
  • Develop and maintain relationships with program partners at the Central, State and city levels.
  • Identify and communicate opportunities and plans for partners.
  • Travel to monitor program implementation at state and city levels on need basis.

Skills, Qualifications, and Experience:

  • Qualification: Bachelor’s in Urban Planning or Urban Management or equivalent degrees in public policy, law, commerce or others in a closely related field from a premier institute. 
  • Experience: 2-4 years in implementing programs related to technology / product management, public policy or government consulting
  • Excellent communication and Writing skills including the ability to communicate with and manage expectations of senior executives/experts and their staff.
  • Strong analytical, conceptualization and communication skills, good understanding of market research techniques and data analytics, outstanding attention to detail.
  • Skilled at stakeholder management, and coordinating teams and multi-party processes
  • Experience of working at Central/State/PSU/NGO level in the urban sector
  • Excellent verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with and manage expectations of senior executives/experts and their staff.
  • Experience in developing preliminary communications strategies and campaigns for government stakeholders
  • Entrepreneurial spirit, including ability to work independently and autonomously

Location: Based out of the office at NIUA, New Delhi, with travel to various Indian states as and when required.

Duration: 12 Months – extendable

Reporting Officer: Chief Program Officer, National Urban Digital Mission/Centre for Digital Governance, NIUA

Application process: Submit your application through the NIUA Job Portal

PDF icon Program Associate.pdf
No. of Positions: 

1

Last Date to Apply: 

Wednesday, 10 January 2024

Apply Now

Research Associate (Climate Adaptation) at NIUA Delhi

 About the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA):

Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is a premier institute of Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, for research and capacity building for urban sector in India. NIUA’s broad objective is to bridge the gap between research and practice on issues related to urbanisation. For more than 45 years now, NIUA has been the vanguard for contributing to and building the urban narrative for a fast-evolving urban India. The Institute has been actively working on bringing forth key areas of concern for urban India in order to build the urban discourse at various urban scales. It has utilised its competencies in research, knowledge management, policy advocacy and capacity building to address urban challenges and continuously striving to develop sustainable, inclusive and productive urban ecosystems in the country.

About the Research Project:

Funded by KfW, the research project/study aims at identifying the complex interrelationship between gender inequality and high climate vulnerability and to provide important and previously missing knowledge on the background and causes of the vulnerability of women and other marginalised groups in the urban context.

The three key objectives of the research project/study are:

  1. Analyse key exposure and vulnerability factors regarding the reduced ability or possibility of women and other marginalised groups in Indian cities to mitigate multiple climate risks against the backdrop of gender equality at the city level.
  2. Recommend concrete climate adaptation approaches for FC projects (GG2 and GG1) to be undertaken in the field of sustainable urban development.
  3. Propose output and outcome indicators to measure the direct impacts of FC measures on women, girls and other marginalised gender-groups in key FC intervention areas in the urban development sector in India.

The study comprises four work packages.

  • The work packages 1 and 2 address the key objective 1 (“key exposure and vulnerability factors regarding the reduced ability or possibility of women and other marginalised groups in Indian cities to mitigate multiple climate risks against the backdrop of gender equality at the city level are analysed”).
  • Work package 3 concentrates on the identification of effective climate adaptation measures to reduce the vulnerability of women and other marginalised population groups regarding the climate risks of flooding due to heavy rainfall events and river floods, heat, water scarcity, cyclones, and coastal erosion. It relates to objective 2 accordingly (“concrete climate adaptation approaches for FC projects (GG2 and GG1) to be undertaken in the field of sustainable urban development are recommended”).
  • Work package 4 is dedicated to the development of suitable outcome and output indicators to measure direct impacts. The specific tasks and deliverables are presented in further detail below and addresses the key objective 3 (“output and outcome indicators to measure the direct impacts of FC measures on women, girls and other marginalised gender-groups in key FC intervention areas in the urban development sector in India are proposed”).

Key Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities of the Research Associate (Climate Adaptation), under the overall guidance and supervision of the Program Director, CITIIS as well as the Research Manager will include, but not be limited to:

  • Undertake literature reviews related to climate change; gendered nature of vulnerabilities; gendered adaptations to climate change in urban slums in India;
  • Stakeholder mapping to identify all relevant stakeholders for the study (e.g. experts, think tanks, municipal, state, and national actors, women representative and or associations, NGOs, other IFIs, scientists to be interviewed and/or involved further etc.);
  • Support in the planning and coordination (or conduct) of expert interviews; focus group discussions with women and/or women’s representatives in the case study areas; social mapping exercises’ and in -depth surveys in the case study areas;
  • Assist in the design and field-testing of survey instruments;
  • Data collection and analysis;
  • Spatial analysis/ GIS;
  • Contribute to analysis and drafting of reports;
  • Support the planning and conduct of workshops.

Qualification, Experience, and Competencies:

  • Master’s degree or higher in the field of urban planning, environmental sciences, social sciences, gender studies, and economics, or similar field of expertise.
  • International or national experts with at least 5 years’ work experience in the field of urban development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, as well as gender, both in research and practice.
  • Proven work experience in comparable project contexts
  • Proven qualitative and quantitative research skills in the urban context in India
  • Understanding of spatial analysis tools
  • Proven experience in the conduction of climate risk assessments and the conceptualization of climate adaptation projects
  • Excellent knowledge of urban development dynamic in India
  • Experience in the cooperation with KfW will be preferred

Location of the position: National Institute of Urban Affairs, New Delhi 

Duration: 12 months

Application Process: Submit CV and cover letter through NIUA portal

PDF icon JD_ Research Associate (Climate Adaptation).pdf
No. of Positions: 

1

Last Date to Apply: 

Friday, 12 January 2024

Vacancy for Project Associates at SPA Delhi

 

Positions: Project Associates
No. of Vacancies: 02 Nos.
Institution: SPA Delhi
Qualification ✔️  Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Planning.
Experience: ✔️ Min. 02 Years
Job Description: ✔️ Details Provided Below.
Type: Full Time / Contractual
Location: New Delhi
Salary: ✔️ Rs. 35K-40K Per Month.
Apply at: ✔️ Apply Link Provided Below
Last Date: 06 January 2024
Date of Interview: 10 January 2024 (Tentative) from 10AM to 1PM

You can apply using this LINK 

  1. Project Management:

    • Contribute to the planning, execution, and monitoring of research or academic projects within the department.

  2. Research Support:

    • Assist faculty members or researchers in conducting research activities related to architecture, planning, or related fields.
    • Contribute to literature reviews, data collection, and analysis.

  3. Documentation:

    • Prepare reports, presentations, and documentation of research findings.
    • Maintain accurate records of project-related activities.

  4. Collaboration:

    • Collaborate with other researchers, faculty, and project team members to achieve project objectives.
    • Engage in interdisciplinary collaboration if the project involves multiple departments.

  5. Data Analysis:

    • Utilize relevant tools and techniques to analyze data collected during research activities.
    • Provide support in generating insights and drawing conclusions from research data.

  6. Community Engagement:

    • Depending on the nature of the project, Project Associates may be involved in community engagement activities.
    • Facilitate communication between the academic institution and external stakeholders.

Vacancy for Research Associates at SPA Delhi

 

Positions: Research Associates
No. of Vacancies: 02 Nos.
Institution: SPA Delhi
Qualification ✔️ Master of Planning.
Experience: Nil
Job Description: ✔️ Details Provided Below.
Type: Full Time / Contractual
Location: New Delhi
Salary: ✔️ Rs. 50K Per Month.
Apply at: ✔️ drspsnrao@hotmail.com
Last Date: 01 January 2024

Research Associates in Architecture and Planning typically play a crucial role in conducting research, analysis, and providing support in various projects related to architecture and urban planning. Their duties may vary depending on the specific needs of the organization or project, but generally include the following:

  1. Literature Review:

    • Conduct literature reviews to gather information on relevant theories, methodologies, and best practices in architecture and planning.
    • Stay updated on current trends, emerging technologies, and advancements in the field.

  2. Data Collection and Analysis:

    • Collect, organize, and analyze data related to architectural and planning projects.
    • Utilize quantitative and qualitative research methods to draw meaningful conclusions.

  3. Project Support:

    • Provide support in the planning and execution of architectural and planning projects.
    • Collaborate with project teams to ensure research objectives align with project goals.

  4. Report and Documentation:

    • Prepare detailed reports, research papers, and documentation summarizing research findings.
    • Clearly communicate research results to both technical and non-technical audiences.

  5. Mapping and Visualization:

    • Use GIS (Geographic Information System) tools to create maps and visual representations of spatial data relevant to planning projects.

  6. Policy Analysis:

    • Analyze policies and regulations related to urban planning and architecture.
    • Provide insights into how policies may impact proposed projects.

  7. Community Engagement:

    • Engage with local communities and stakeholders to gather input and feedback on architectural and planning initiatives.
    • Facilitate meetings and workshops to involve the community in the decision-making process.

  8. Collaboration:

    • Collaborate with architects, urban designers, planners, and other professionals to integrate research findings into design and planning processes.

  9. Grant Writing:

    • Assist in the development of grant proposals to secure funding for research projects.
    • Work on fundraising efforts to support research initiatives.

  10. Continuous Learning:

    • Stay informed about the latest research methodologies, tools, and technologies in architecture and planning.
    • Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to network with professionals and stay updated on industry trends.

  11. Project Management:

    • Contribute to project management activities, including planning, scheduling, and monitoring progress.
    • Ensure that research activities are conducted within established timelines and budget constraints.

Research Associates in Architecture and Planning need to be versatile, possess strong analytical and communication skills, and have a solid understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of architecture and urban planning. They play a vital role in advancing knowledge within their field and contributing to the successful implementation of projects.

Global dissemination and acceptance of Indian traditional medicine culture

 The Ministry of Ayush has marked a significant milestone in the year 2023 by reaffirming the implementation of its vision and objectives on National and International levels. This year has witnessed the global dissemination and acceptance of Indian traditional medicine culture. Ayush has advanced to a new degree of international recognition and left several permanent footprints of success.

The visionary support and direction of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi translated well into Ayush’s efforts in the fields of healthcare infrastructure development, research collaborations, export promotion mechanisms, educational reforms, global expansion of the Indian traditional medicine system and more.

Chintan Shivir: The inaugural “Chintan Shivir” in February provided a roadmap for Ayush’s future, focusing on digital health, strategy, challenges, and collaboration, reinforcing its commitment to growth.

Inclusion of Traditional Medicine in G-20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration: India’s G20 presidency provided a golden chance to showcase this efficacy more intimately to world leaders and healthcare experts in a focused manner. The Ministry of Ayush actively participated in all relevant deliberations to communicate to the global community how traditional healthcare sciences of India have been performing to negotiate the ever-growing challenges of humanity and the environment while remaining focused to SDG 3 of “Good Health and Wellbeing.” The Ayush Ministry proactively participated in all the Health Working Group events during India’s presidency. This resulted in Para 28 (vii) of G-20 New Delhi leader declaration where it has been mentioned of “Recognize the potential role of evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicine in health, and take note of international efforts in this direction, including WHO’s global and collaborating centres, and clinical trial registries.”

First SCO Conference: The first Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Conference generated trade interest of ₹590 crores, highlighting Ayush’s growing significance in international markets. Under the aegis of the Ministry of Ayush, Invest India conducted B2B meetings at the event with the support of Ayushexcil (Ayush Export Promotion Council). More than 56 exhibitors and buyers from 19 countries discussed and expressed their interest in trade in traditional medicine. More than 50 one-to-one meetings between buyers and sellers were conducted during the conference. Over 75 meetings took place during the event, where participants from India, Tajikistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain & Sri Lanka engaged. The trade interest of ₹590 crores was received in the B2B meetings from companies like Damaira Pharma, AIMIL Global, Herbal Strategi Homecare, Almaty, Dindayal Industries, Fidalgo Healthcare and many more. Multiple meetings between buyers &and sellers as delegates from 19 countries interacted with exhibitors at the Expo with interest in multiple product categories Participating countries like India, Tajikistan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Bahrain, and Sri Lanka expressed their interest in traditional medicine trade.

Dedicated vertical for Ayush at BIS: Bureau of Indian Standards has also created a dedicated vertical for Ayush at BIS. In a short span of time, BIS has published 7 Ayush related Indian standards, and further 53 are in process of development and publication. BIS is also making stronger presence in ISO for Ayush and a dedicated Working Group (WG 10 – Traditional Medicine) has been created in ISO under ISO/TC 215 – Health Informatics to formulate International Standards on Ayush Informatics. This will help in more acceptance and will open the door of huge exports of Ayurveda products and services in more than 165 countries.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released the first ISO standard technical report titled “ISO/TR 4421:2023 Health informatics- Introduction to Ayurveda informatics”. This technical report aims to provide a foundational understanding of the Ayurvedic medicine system. It introduces numerous aspects and processes that are inherent and necessary in Ayurvedic diagnosis and treatment. An ISO TC 215 dedicated working group (WG 10) on Traditional Medicines was formed in response to a proposal presented by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for standardization in the field of Ayurveda Informatics. Ministry of Ayush and BIS has been working since 2019 to formulate Indian Standards and ISO deliverables for Ayush systems. Three more Indian applications are currently being considered for the WG 10 Traditional Medicine within the ISO TC 215 Health Informatics to produce international deliverables.

WHO-Global Summit on Traditional Medicine & Gujarat Declaration: First ever Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (17-18 August 2023) was organised by the World Health Organisation, and co-hosted by the Ministry of Ayush, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The main outcomes of the global summit were released by the World Health Organisation in the form of Gujarat declaration. In the summit, WHO also has shared the initial findings of the global survey on Traditional Medicine that indicates that the reach of Traditional Medicine is on the rise across the globe. “Gujarat Declaration” emphasised that the importance of Traditional Medicine is recognised for the attainment of universal health coverage and WHO’s commitment to work toward it through evidence generation and policy support to member states.

This event also saw “Health Ministers conclave of G20 Nations on Traditional Medicine”, on the side line of G20 Health Ministers meet, whereby the G20 nations talked about role and prospects of Traditional Medicine in their respective countries.  

Advanced R&D through Ayush based fundamentals: Under Centre of Excellence of Ministry of Ayush at Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) CSIR, relation of Ayurveda Prakriti is made with the Genome sequence, making it a landmark study toward personalized preventive and predictive medicine, they are also getting promising outcomes on Gut Microbiota and working on advance biology of metabolomics, Proteomics etc. to shape the future of healthcare sector.

International Day of Yoga: The 9th edition witnessed unprecedented outreach, setting two world records, including a Guinness record for participation at the UN Headquarters. The event witnessed an overwhelming response from thousands of Yoga enthusiasts from over 135 nationalities, setting a Guinness World Record for participation by maximum number of nationalities in a Yoga session. IDY 2023 also witnessed another feather in the cap of IDY whereas Surat (Gujarat, India) made a Guinness world record for the largest gathering of people for a yoga session in one place. More than one lakh people took part in the event.

The highlight of 9th International Day of Yoga was the unique concept of the creation of the Ocean Ring of Yoga, ‘Yoga for Arctic to Antarctic’, ‘Yoga at North and South poles’, ‘Yoga Bharatmala’ and ‘Yoga Sagarmala with a massive participation of around 23.14 Crore individuals.

Nearly 3500 naval personnel on board 19 Indian Naval ships travelled over 35,000 Km as ambassadors of Yoga in both national and international waters. This includes over 2400 personnel on 11 IN ships at foreign ports/international waters. Notably, IDY was celebrated on board ships of several foreign Navies in concert with our overseas Missions, involving over 1200 foreign Navy personnel.  

For engaging with rural communities Ministry of Ayush had elaborately planned to spread message of “Har Aangan Yoga”. Yoga demonstrations were organized at Panchayats, Anganwadi, Health and Wellness Centres, and schools, around 2 lakh Common Service Centres, Ayush Gram Unit and location on Amrit Sarovar.

Ayush Visa boosting Medical Value Travel: As announced by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji in GAIIS 2022, the Ministry of Home Affairs notified Ayush Visa (category AY) for foreign nationals for treatment under Ayush System/Indian System of Medicines. The introduction of Ayush Visa introduces a special visa scheme for foreigners visiting India seeking treatment under Indian system of Medicines like therapeutic care, wellness, yoga etc. Ayush Visa will boost medical value travel and is intended to promote India as a medical value travel destination. Ministry of Ayush and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare are working together to develop a one-stop ‘Heal in India’ portal to promote India as a Medical Tourism destination of the world.

Ministry of Ayush and India Tourism Development Corporation has signed an MoU in January 2023 to work together for the promotion of Medical Value Travel in Ayush sector in India.

Research Impact: The Prime Minister’s mention of ‘Ayush’ in “Mann Ki Baat” significantly contributed to the sector’s growth and it was compiled and published in a special issue of JRAS Journal of CCRAS. Ministry initiated many collaborative and integrative researches with Basic Science Ministries/departments and reputed scientific organizations at national and international levels.

Integrative Health: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Ministry of Ayush and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on 11th May 2023 to promote and collaborate on Integrative Health Research. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Hon’ble Minister of State for MOHFW, Dr. V. K. Paul, Hon’ble Member, NITI Aayog, Secretary, Ayush, Secretary (Health), Secretary and DG (ICMR) and other senior officers of both ministries were present during the MOU signing. Further, this cooperation will explore the possibility to work on public health research, take initiatives for addressing diseases of national importance and look at possibilities of conducting high-quality clinical trials jointly on identified areas/disease conditions of national importance with promising therapies of Ayush system to generate evidence for wider acceptance. The MoU will facilitate looking at the possibility of inclusion of research on Integrative Medicine in the “National ethical guidelines for biomedical and health research involving human participants” by ICMR-DHR. This MoU will also strengthen research capacity through training of Ayush researchers.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Ayush and Ports Shipping and Waterways and Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Hon’ble Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare jointly inaugurated the Department of Integrative Medicine at Safdarjung hospital, New Delhi on 7h February 2023. The Department of Integrative Medicine will offer services in specialty OPD, Panchakarma Therapy, and diet consultation for the patients.

The Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences and Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital signed a MoU on the 25th October 2023 for establishing and integrated medicine centre. The integrated centre will help for collecting research data for the impact of integrated treatment approach of allopathy as well as Ayurveda in disease management.

Ministry of Ayush and the Department of Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) has signed an MoU in March 2023 to integrate Ayurveda in 10 ECHS polyclinics across India. This MoU will further expand Ayush health services in defence sector. In addition, there are already operating Ayurveda Centres in 12 Military Hospitals of AFMC and 37 Cantonment Board Hospitals.

Effective Documentation of Research in Ayush: Huge repository of extensive research works by various stakeholders in Ayush is created online at a dedicated website: Ayush research portal, cataloguing 41743 research publications (as on 28.12.2023). The portal is actively managed by CCRAS, Ministry of Ayush and is made in a searchable format and includes publications in indexed journals. This provide a showcase of evidence based Ayush systems and a ready solution of researchers and academicians.

SMART Program: The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), for regulating medical education and conducting scientific research respectively, have launched ‘SMART’ (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching Professionals) program aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals.

National Ayush Mission: One of the initiatives is implementing a flagship scheme i.e., Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Ayush Mission (NAM), to support the UT / State Governments in developing infrastructure and improving access to the Ayush healthcare.

Ministry of Ayush organized a 2-day National Ayush Mission (NAM) Conclave- State/UT Ayush/Health Ministers’ Conference on 18th and 19th May 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping and Waterways inaugurated the Conclave. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare was the chief guest on this occasion. Dr. Mahendrabhai Munjpara, Hon’ble Minister of State for Ayush and Women & Child Development and 13 Health & Ayush Ministers from participating States/UTS attended this Conclave. A roundtable discussion with Ayush & Health Ministers of various states was held on the sidelines of the NAM Conclave. During the inaugural session of this Conclave, E-Learning Management System (eLMS) and comprehensive AHMIS, an upgraded EHR system, were launched.

 

Further, through National Ayush Mission, Ministry of Ayush completed the process for approval for upgradation of 12,500 Health facilities into Ayush Health and Wellness Centre under the Ayushman Bharat. As per the data received from States/UTs, 8.42 Crores beneficiaries benefitted through these facilities during 2022-23 and 6.91 crores from January 2023 to October 2023.

Ayurtech IIT Jodhpur: Ministry of Ayush under Centre of Excellence (CoE) scheme has sponsored the AyurTech center at the IIT Jodhpur in May 2023.  The CoE AyurTech is part of the Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (AI) based Precision Healthcare at the school of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (AIDE) at IIT Jodhpur. The aim of this centre is to establish an AI-driven integrative framework for population and individual risk stratification and early actionable precision health interventions. The Centre for AyurTech is being proposed as the first-of-its-kind initiative in the precision health and medicine space that would combine Electronics, Digital health and AI and multi-omics technologies for realising ‘Evidence-based Ayurveda’ solutions in a transdisciplinary framework.to establish AI-driven integrative framework for population and individual risk stratification and early health interventions

Focus on North-East development:    

Ministry of Ayush contributed significantly to accelerate the pace of socio-economic development of North-east region through its various schemes, infrastructure development, & various summits and conferences, Ayush Parv and Expo etc. To foster Ayush Infrastructure in the region in the year 2023 following measures were taken:

  • 819 Ayush Health & Wellness Centres have been constructed or sanctioned
  • Construction of more than 100 Ayush pharmacies has been approved
  • More than 50 Ayush hospitals have been sanctioned
  • Financial assistance was provided for the development of educational institutions

First B2B conference under the Shanghai Corporation Organization (SCO) on traditional medicine was organised in Guwahati, Assam. International Expo was organized on the sidelines of the main event, paving the way for International Collaborations and fostering trade ties.

Ayush in International Classification of Disease: Ministry of Ayush supported for inclusion of Ayush Morbidly and standardized codes for inclusion in 2nd Module of Traditional Medicine Chapter of ICD-11.

WHO Collaboration:  The Ministry signed a Project Collaboration Agreement with WHO, aiming to propel the formulation of a global strategy, focusing on elevating the standards, quality, safety, and effectiveness of traditional and complementary medicines over the next 5 years.

Leadership to India in AI Talking Group for Traditional Medicine at W.H.O/ITU–Focus Group on AI in Health: Talking Group (TG) for AI for traditional medicine has been formed under Focus Group on Artificial Intelligence for Health (FG-AI4H) at W.H.O/ITU-Focus Group on AI in Health. Ministry of Ayush would lead this work together with other traditional medicine partners.

In summary, 2023 marked a transformative year for the Ministry of Ayush, showcasing its global influence, commitment to traditional medicine, and efforts to enhance healthcare on a national and international scale.

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Achievements of National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)

 The year 2023 holds special significance for conservation community and for the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), a statutory body under Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, as several conservation milestones were achieved during the current year.

  • Project Tiger completes 50 years:- The Centrally Sponsored Scheme – Project Tiger that has put the endangered wild tigers of India on assured path of recovery has completed 50 years of successful implementation. A commemorative event “Commemoration of 50 years of Project Tiger” was inaugurated by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India in Mysuru, Karnataka on 9th April 2023. The Prime Minister also released the publications – ‘Amrit Kaal Ka Vision For Tiger Conservation’, a summary report of the 5th cycle of Management Effectiveness Evaluation of Tiger Reserves, summary report of All India Tiger Estimation (5th cycle) and declared tiger numbers. He also released a commemorative coin on the completion of 50 years of Project Tiger.
  • India is now home to more than 70% of world’s wild tigers:- As per the 5th cycle of All India Tiger Estimation 2022 summary report released by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India during Project Tiger’s commemorative event, India has a minimum of 3167 tigers and now is home to more than 70% of wild tiger population of the world. Further data analysis using latest statistical models for camera-trapped and non-camera-trapped tiger presence areas, the upper limit of the tiger population is estimated to be 3925 and the average number is 3682 tigers, reflecting a commendable annual growth rate of 6.1% per annum. This remarkable conservation feat has been achieved due to the pioneering initiatives undertaken by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Government of India in collaboration with State Governments.
  • Launch of International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA):- During the commemorative program, the Hon’ble Prime Minister launched the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) for conservation of seven big cats namely Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma that inhabit our planet. The alliance aims to reach out to range countries covering the natural habitats of Tiger, Lion, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah. IBCA would further strengthen global cooperation and efforts to conserve the wild denizens, especially the big cats.
  • Amrit Kaal Ka Vision For Tiger Conservation:- Released by the Prime Minister during the commemorative event, the vision plan aims to sustain tigers for posterity while preserving tangible and intangible gains derived from tiger reserves through landscape level planning, sectoral integration and convergence.
  • Successful reintroduction of cheetah :- Cheetah is the only large carnivore that has been extirpated in India over historical times. A project to bring back Cheetah by way of introduction has been launched. As part of the project, consultative bilateral meetings and negotiations were held with Republic of Namibia and Republic of South Africa. The bilateral negotiations culminated with signing of MoUs with Republic of Namibia and Republic of South Africa on 20th July 2022 and 17th January 2023 respectively. These MoUs facilitate biodiversity conservation with specific focus on conservation and restoration of cheetah in their former range areas from which they went extinct. Following the signing of MoU with Republic of Namibia, a first of batch eight cheetahs have been successfully translocated from Namibia to Kuno National Park and on 17th September 2022, the cheetahs were released into quarantine enclosure by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India. Under the provisions of the MoU signed with South Africa,12 Cheetahs (7 males, 5 females) were translocated from South Africa to Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India on 18th February 2023. As per the Action Plan, work is under progress at Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh for establishing the second home for cheetah meta population. At present there are 15 Cheetah in Kuno including a cub borne on the Indian soil. More cheetahs are to be imported soon for introduction in Gandhisagar Wildlife Sanctuary. Cheetah interpretation centre, training centre, museum, research centre and safari are being planned at Sesaipura near Kuno.

Further, a conservation breeding program of cheetahs in Banni grasslands of Gujarat has also been approved.

  • Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) of Tiger Reserves:- In order to assess the management effectiveness of tiger reserves, the NTCA has been undertaking “Management Effective Evaluation” (MEE) at an interval of 4 years. Adopted from the framework of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas, Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) has emerged as the most important tool to assist and improve the management perspectives of Tiger Reserves and their associated landscape connectivity. The 5th cycle of MEE was carried out during 2022 for 51 tiger reserves the report was released during the ‘Global Tiger Day Event 2023’ in Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand on 29th July 2023. A total of 12 Tiger Reserves have achieved ‘Excellent ’ category, followed by 21 Tiger Reserves in ‘Very Good’ category, 13 Tiger Reserves in ‘Good ’ category and 5 Tiger Reserves in ‘Fair ’ category.
  • Reintroduction of tigers :- As a part of active management to rebuild wild tiger population in tiger reserves where tigers became locally extinct recently, the initiative of tiger reintroduction has been undertaken. Under this active management initiative, tigers have been re-introduced in the western part of the Rajaji Tiger Reserve (Uttarakhand), Madhav National Park (Madhya Pradesh), Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve and Ramgarh Vishdhari (Rajasthan). Efforts are on to reintroduce tigers in the Buxa Tiger Reserve soon.
  • Declaration of new Tiger Reserves:- With declaration of new tiger reserve “Rani Durgavati” in Madhya Pradesh, the total number of tiger reserves in the county has gone up to 54 with more than 78,000 Square KM area and covers more than 2.30% of geographical area of India.
  • Conservation Assured’ Tiger Standards (CA|TS) accreditation of Tiger Reserves in India:- Conservation Assured) Tiger Standards (CA|TS) is a set of criteria which allows tiger sites to check if their management will lead to successful tiger conservation as per the international standards. In the current year, six tiger reserves namely Kali, Melghat, Navegaon – Nagzira, Pilibhit and Periyar have been awarded with CA|TS accreditation. So far a total of 23 tiger reserves of India have received CA|TS accreditation.
  • Bilateral co-operation with Tiger Range Countries: – For fostering transboundary conservation of tigers across India and Bangladesh in Sundarban landscape, a bilateral meeting was held on 14th February 2023 at Kolkata, West Bengal. For promoting tiger conservation in Cambodia, both India and Cambodia have signed a MoU on “Cooperation in biodiversity conservation and sustainable wildlife management recovery strategy of tiger and its habitat”. As part of bilateral initiative, the Indian delegation visited Cambodia for assessing the field situation and the capacity building requirements for tiger reintroduction initiative in Cambodia.
  • International award to tiger reserves:- During 2022-23, Pench Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) and Pench Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra) jointly and Satpura Tiger Reserve (Madhya Pradesh) have been awarded with Tx2 award, which is instituted  by a consortium of international organization namely GEF, UNDP, IUCN, WWF and GTF.
  • Tiger Mortality: There have been reports in the media highlighting the high number of tiger deaths in 2023 in India without considering the context of tiger ecology and the stringent diligence which is exercised by the Government of India in ascertaining the cause of this mortality. Unreliable and unauthentic data from third parties has been highlighted in the media sensationalizing the entire issue. The National Tiger Conservation Authority has a strict protocol to assign a cause to a tiger death, which is treated as unnatural unless the State in question can prove otherwise through submission of necropsy reports, histopathological and forensic assessments, along with photographs and circumstantial evidence. This protocol is outlined in a dedicated Standard Operating Procedure. The reason for these tigers’ deaths can only be determined after a thorough analysis of these documents. These findings are reflected in the website of the NTCA in order to ensure complete transparency and present a true picture of tiger deaths to all audience.

As of December 25, 2023, 177 tiger deaths have occurred in the country and not 202 as has been incorrectly reported. This is predominantly in States which have a robust tiger population and have habitats which are functioning at their carrying capacity. Maharashtra has registered the highest number of deaths at 45 followed by Madhya Pradesh at 40, Uttarakhand at 20, Tamil Nadu at 15 and Kerala at 14. In addition, 54 percent of these have taken place outside tiger reserves. While the average of a tiger in the wild is around 10-12 years, 40 percent of tiger deaths in 2023 are composed of cubs and subadults, age classes which have naturally high mortality rates due to tiger land tenurial dynamics. Of the cases where the cause has been confirmed, the trend is evident with more than 77% being due to natural causes or causes not attributable to poaching.

Wild tigers in India are growing at a healthy rate of 6% per year, which balances the loss of tigers due to various natural causes and maintains tiger population as per the carrying capacity of the habitat. It is important to recognize that natality and mortality are natural occurrences, and that the high annual recruitment, as seen by this robust growth rate, more than offsets the average number of tiger mortalities per year in the nation.

India’s Project Tiger has made tremendous progress in tiger conservation over the past five decades, but challenges like poaching, habitat fragmentation continue to pose threats to tiger conservation. However, NTCA is working relentlessly with Forest Departments of Tiger Range States in protecting the tiger habitats and corridors that are crucial for securing the future of India’s tigers and their ecosystems for generations to come.

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Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare

 Chintan Shivir under the auspice of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi

The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare organized a Chintan Shivir on February 17th and 18th, 2023, in New Delhi. Various discussion groups were formed, each focusing on different aspects of the department for meaningful contemplation. The first day commenced with sessions on yoga and meditation, leading into thoughtful discussions on various departmental topics.

On February 18th, 2023, the Prime Minister addressed an interactive session with employees from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Department of Administrative Reform & Public Grievances (DARPG) and the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW). PM directed department to focus on digital empowerment of pensioners and bringing Government closer to pensioners.

Pre-Retirement Counseling (PRC) Workshop

Under the initiative ‘Sankalp’, the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has been conducting Pre-Retirement Counselling workshops, throughout the country to facilitate officials who are about to retire, in the superannuation process.

The Workshop, held for the benefit of retiring employees of the Government of India, is a revolutionary step in direction of ‘Ease of Living’ of the pensioners. In the workshop, soon to be retiring employees, were provided relevant information related to the retirement benefits and pension sanction process. Department of Pension & Pensioners organized 3 PRCs in the year 2023. Till now, total 52 PRCs have been conducted which benefitted 8922 officials.

 

ANUBHAV Award 2023

On the directions of the Prime Minister, Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare had launched an online platform entitled ‘Anubhav’ in March 2015 for sharing experiences of retiring government employees while working with the Government. Under Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2023, in addition to Anubhav Awards, it was decided to confer ‘Jury Certificates’ also for the first time, to ensure wider publicity & enhanced participation of the retiring/retired employees. Due to outreach campaign, an all-time high of 1901 write-ups were published by 30 Ministries/Departments with 151 write-ups from the officers having pay level 13 and above. In the ceremony held on 23.10.2023, 04 Anubhav Awards and 09 Jury Certificates were conferred by Dr. Jitendra Singh, MoS (PP).

ANUBHAV Awardee Speak Webinar

A monthly webinar series featuring Anubhav awardees and prominent retired personalities was conducted to motivate the retiring employees and sharing their experiences while working in Government. The series completed its 13th edition in December, 2023 and total 24 speakers from 12 different Ministries/ Departments has participated the audiences. It has been well received by the audiences and retiring employees join the webinar series from more than 500 locations spread across the country.

Monthly Report on CPENGRAMS & BHAVISHYA

The department analyzes the data available on the CPENGRAMS portal on important parameters on monthly basis viz. grievances/appeals- received, redressed, redressal time and pendency. Accordingly, ranking is assigned to the Ministries/Departments. Similarly, the tracking of the PPOs on the Bhavishya portal is done and the data regarding delayed PPOs including the PPOs of the employees who are going to retire in next 15 months is incorporated in the report. This report is sent to all the Secretaries of Government of India for necessary action. 

Nationwide Digital Life Certificate Campaign 2.0

The Campaign was held from 1st to 30th November, 2023 at 602 locations of 105 cities across the country in collaboration with 16 Pension Disbursing Banks, Ministries/ Departments, 44 Pensioners’ Welfare Associations, UIDAI, MeitY, PIB and DD News. In November 2023, the campaign generated more than 1.15 Crore DLCs. Face Authentication Technology. launched in November 2021, allows pensioners to submit Digital Life Certificates using Android smartphones, reducing dependence on external devices.

The November 2023 campaign contributed over 1.15 Crore DLCs, with Face Authentication Technique used in more than 19.18 lakhs. Feedback indicates satisfaction and reduced time for DLC generation, enhancing pensioners’ ‘Ease of Living’.

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National DLC Portal

A National DLC portal was launched for monitoring of Nationwide DLC Campaign 2.0. 290 nodal officers of all Min/ Depts, Banks and PWAs are registered on this portal.

Out of 70 Lakh Central Government Pensioners, more than 38 lakhs have submitted DLCs, including 9.60 lakhs with Face Authentication. DLC submission is ongoing, with an expected total submission crossing 50 Lakh by March 2024. The campaigns serve as a significant means of spreading information about government initiatives, bringing government and pensioners closer.

 

CCS (Extra Ordinary Pension) Rules, 2023

Families of Central Government civilian employees who die on account of injury or disease attributable to Government services, are eligible for Extra-ordinary family pension under the CCS (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 2023. Similarly, employees who get disabled due to an injury or disease on account of causes attributable to or aggravated by Government Service are eligible for Disability pension under CCS (Extraordinary Pension) Rules, 2023. Department released new CCS EOP rules after 84 years.

All India Pension Adalats

The Department, with a focus on addressing pensioners’ grievances, initiated system of pension Adalats. The first Adalat took place on September 20, 2017, in New Delhi, and the most recent one occurred on October 23, 2023. These adalats offer an additional platform for addressing pension-related grievances, aiming to eliminate the need for recourse to the Court or Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). This approach is expected to save both time and resources for the government in handling legal matters. In 2023, two (2) Pension Adalats were held on 17th May, 2023 and 23rd October, 2023, 603 cases were taken up during the two Pension Adalats in which 440 cases were resolved on the spot.

 

Bankers’ Awareness Programs

The Department has commenced a series of Bankers’ Awareness Workshops for field functionaries handling pension business at CPPCs and Bank branches with the objective of providing information, about the latest pension Rules/procedure and initiatives taken by DoPPW. The Department organized 02 Bankers’ Awareness Programs with Pension Disbursing Banks in Srinagar with the coordination of State Bank of India on 10-11th July, 2023 and in Lucknow with the coordination of Punjab National Bank on 17-18th August, 2023.

 

Integrated Pensioners’ Portal (IPP)

The Pensioners’ Portal scheme was evolved to provide updated information on pension and to help bridge the communication gaps between the pensioners and the Government. As per the National e-Governance Service Delivery Assessment (NeSDA) 2021, the BHAVISHYA Portal has been awarded the 3rd Rank among all the Central Government e-Governance Service Delivery Portals. As directed by MoS (PP), the Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has developed an “Integrated Pensioners’ Portal” using Bhavishya platform as the base to provide a Common Single Window Portal for pensioners and elder citizens. State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank and Bank of Baroda had already integrated their Pension Portals with the Integrated Pensioners’ Portal. Presently, 4 facilities viz. Monthly Pension Slip, Status of Life Certificate, Submission Form16 of the Pensioner and Due & Drawn Statement of pension arrears paid, are being provided by these Banks.

 

Meetings with Pensioners’ Welfare Associations

The department has taken steps to reach out to all pensioners through various modes and spread awareness about its initiatives, thus enabling all pensioners to use the benefits designed for them. As part of the outreach program to pensioners, DoPPW has commenced a series of meetings with the registered Pensioners’ Associations, online as well as physically, at regular intervals. Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) conducted 5 meetings in 4 cities i.e., Delhi, Bangalore, Pune and Jammu with Pensioners Welfare Associations.

 

Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) visited Banks’ CPPCs

The Central Pension Processing Centres (CPPC) of banks are the back offices which handle pension processing, commencing with opening of a pension account on receipt of PPOs in physical or electronic form to disbursement of pension. State Bank of India has 18 CPPCs and Punjab National Bank has 10 CPPCs across the country. Department visited State Bank of India & Punjab National Bank CPPCs & review their functioning.

Central Government Pensioners’ Grievances

The Department received more than 78,000 grievances from the Central Government pensioners of 148 Ministries/Departments with a monthly average of 6,500 grievances. Out of these, more than 81% grievances have been filed online through Centralized Pension Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPENGRAMS), a digital initiative for quality and expeditious redressals of Pensioners’ Grievances. The remaining 19% grievances have been filed with the active assistance of Integrated Grievance Cell and Call Centre, operated by DoPPW. Out of these, 72,110 grievances were disposed in 01 year. Due to constant monitoring and follow up, the redressal time has decreased from 36 days in 2018 to 26 days in 2023 with only 0.32% grievances pending for more than 6 months. Also, more than 12,000 appeals have been filed on the portal and more than 11,000 appeals have been disposed of.

                 

Grievance Feedback Unit

The department has constituted Feedback Unit in the month of September, 2023 which has been assigned the task of examining and analyzing the grievances, disposed by various Ministries/Departments including the disposals graded as ‘Poor’ and ‘Average’ by the complainants. It has been given the mandate to re-register the cases in the suitable grievances. Till date 11,524 cases have been examined and re-registration in more than 400 cases has been done. This initiative has benefited numerous pensioners as they have received pensioner benefits.

 

PUBLICATION OF CIRCULARS

Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare had issued instructions vide OM No. 57/04/2019-P&PW(B) dated 17.02.2020 giving one time option to Central Government employees who were declared successful for recruitment in the results declared on or before 31.12.2003 against vacancies which occurred before 01.01.2004 and were covered under the National Pension System on joining service on or after 01.01.2004, to be covered under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021).

Thereafter, instructions have been issued vide OM No. 57/05/2021-P&PW(B) dated 03.03.2023 that in all cases where the Central Government civil employee has been appointed against a post or vacancy which was advertised/notified for recruitment/appointment, prior to the date of notification for National Pension System i.e. 22.12.2003 and are covered under the National Pension System on joining service on or after 01.01.2004, may be given a one-time option to be covered under the CCS(Pension) Rules, 1972 (now 2021).

Central Civil Services (Implementation of NPS) Rules, 2021- Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare had notified CCS (Implementation of NPS) Rules, 2021 to govern the service related matters of Central Government employees covered under NPS. These rules are being updated time to time for ease of implementation by Ministries / Departments.

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Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

 Significant Scientific & Technical Attainments during the year

  • CSIR’s HANSA-NG Aircraft Type Certified: India requires large number of pilot trainer aircraft to cater to the needs of the aviation sector. CSIR-NAL has indigenously designed and developed light aircraft Hansa-New Generation (NG) with advance features. Aircraft is Type Certified by the DGCA on 20th February 2023 for DAY-VFR & NIGHT-VFR operations under JAR-VLA. CSIR-NAL has received Letter of Intents (LoI) for procurement of nearly 110 aircrafts from Flying clubs across the country.

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  • CSIR-CIMAP research lowers Nicotine content in Tobacco plant: CSIR-CIMAP has successfully lowered Nicotine content in the Petit Havana Tobacco plant variety by using a genome editing tool and reduced 60-70 per cent Nicotine in it, compared to Nicotine content in wild-type plants. CSIR-CIMAP further plans to lower Nicotine in commercial varieties to help people quit the habit by working on tobacco plant varieties used in cigarettes, cigars, beedi.
  • First consignment of import substitute Hydrogen Hydrate dispatched: Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT), Hyderabad, have jointly received patents for the indigenous process to manufacture Hydrazine Hydrate (H6N2O). A commercial plant of 10,000 TPA 80% Hydrazine Hydrate was designed by CSIR-IICT and was established by GACL at their Dahej complex. The first batch of the product was flagged off and was attended by Director, CSIR-IICT, MD-GACL and other officials.
  • CSIR-NAL launches Q Plane and JALDOST Airboat: In a significant step towards advancing the capabilities of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in India, the CSIR-NAL unveiled the Q Plane – a lightweight all-electric hybrid UAV with vertical-take-off-and-landing capability during the curtain raiser of One Week, One Lab, on 2nd August 2023. Designed for autonomous flight, the UAV has a range of 30 kilometres and endurance of up to 70 minutes. CSIR-NAL’s JALDOST, an airboat that operates on water and removes excess aquatic weed & floating waste from water bodies, was also launched. The JALDOST has a closed airtight pontoon type hull to make it inherently unsinkable. It has a hybrid propulsion system, comprising air propulsion and paddle wheel propulsion. CSIR-NAL has developed two versions of the airboat — JALDOST Mark-1 and an upgraded version JALDOST Mark-2. The JALDOST Mark-2 has been designed on the specifications given by BBMP and can be used to clean lakes in Bengaluru. It was also launched on 2nd August 2023, during the curtain raiser of One Week, One Lab, of CSIR-NAL.
  • Launch of CSIR’s Indigenous E-Tractor, CSIR Prima ET11: The Minister of State (Independent Charge), Science and Technology and Vice-President, CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh, on August 21st, 2023, launched the compact E-Tractor CSIR PRIMA ET11, indigenously designed and developed by CSIR-CMERI to cater to small and marginal farmers of India.

  • Installation of 10 TPD Biogas plant at Bowenapally Vegetable Market, Hyderabad: With the financial support from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), GoI, CSIR-IICT has installed and operated a 10 ton per day biogas plant at Dr. BR Ambedkar Vegetable Market in Bowenpally where 10 tons of waste is converted to 500 – 600 m3/day of biogas everyday along with liquid digestate that can be used as organic fertilizer. The biogas is used to replace grid power (approx. 400 kWh/day) and LPG consumption (28 – 30 kg/day).
  • Launch of improved lotus variety ‘Namoh 108′: CSIR-NBRI launched an improved variety of the national flower Lotus with 108 petals called ‘Namoh 108’ on 14th August 2023 during the inaugural of the One Week, One Lab campaign of CSIR-NBRI. The Lotus variety is more weather resilient and can flower from March to December. This lotus was brought by NBRI scientists from Manipur to conduct research on it. This is the first Lotus variety whose genome is completely sequenced. CSIR-NBRI also released apparels made from lotus fibre and perfume ‘Frotus’ developed from Lotus plants in collaboration with FFDC, Kannauj.

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  • Approval for Clinical Trials of Oral Contraceptive Pill ‘Levormeloxifene’: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) approved the clinical trials of an oral contraceptive pill ‘Levormeloxifene’ jointly developed by CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) and the technology partner.
  • Technology to Produce Vegan Leather: CSIR-CLRI’s developed technology is used to produce eco-friendly vegan alternative to synthetic leather using mango fruits. India produces 20 million tons of mango a year, making it the world’s largest producer of mango. In India up to 40% of mangoes are abandoned in the fields because they do not meet regulatory and market standards, so they can be used to produce alternative material to leather. The new material is made of 50% mango and degrades faster than polyurethane leather.
  • CSIR-NGRI does a drone survey at Ladakh: CSIR-NGRI successfully conducted a drone based magnetic survey in the Ladakh region in September 2022 for the first time for an area of about 45 sq.km and the data is currently being analysed by the scientists at CSIR-NGRI. The institute has used a five kilo payload capacity drone carrying an important sensor to record the data for sub-surface level area.
  • CSIR’s first battery recycling pilot facility commissioned in Jamshedpur: The CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (NML) has commissioned the first Battery Recycling Pilot Facility of the CSIR at Jamshedpur to extract critical metals such as Lithium, Nickel, Manganese and Cobalt. It encompasses 1 Ton per day (TPD) battery dismantling and cathode material separation setup, apart from the integrated large-scale hydrometallurgical facility for extraction and separation of those critical metals.
  • CSIR-NIO discover active submarine volcano in Andaman Sea: CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has discovered an active submarine volcano (Crater Seamount) in the Andaman Sea, which has been at the epicentre of the seismic zone since it was first observed in 2007. Crater Seamount has the potential to erupt at any time leading to earthquakes and even tsunamis in the Java-Sumatra region. The timing of the eruption, however, cannot be ascertained.
  • Research on ongoing declines for the world’s amphibians: A groundbreaking paper published in Nature on 4th October 2023 reveals climate change as a major driver of amphibian decline. Climate change was the primary threat for 39% of species pushed toward extinction since 2004. Scientist from CSIR-CCMB was a part of this global study.
  • CSIR-NAL hands over AMCA’s carbon composite flaperon test box to ADA: The CSIR-NAL in collaboration with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), has successfully designed and developed a cutting-edge Flaperon Structural Assembly for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, India’s to-be 5th generation stealth fighter jet, achieving a breakthrough in composite technologies. CSIR-NAL handed over the jointly developed IM7 carbon composite based flaperons for the AMCA Project to ADA. This milestone was marked by the completion of the AMCA’s Flaperon Test Box Assembly on October 5, 2023, a significant day for the Indian aerospace industry. The assembly has been officially handed over, symbolising a milestone in this collaborative effort.
  • A new multi-component alloy-based catalyst designed for efficient production of Green Hydrogen: A newly designed catalyst consisting of an alloy of cobalt, manganese, and tin is more stable and can produce hydrogen through electrolysis of water more efficiently than the individual metals or binary (Co-Mn, Mn-Sn or Co-Sn) alloys. Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bangalore, and the National Chemical Laboratory (CSIR-NCL), Pune, have developed a promising catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a crucial step in water electrolysis for producing hydrogen. This newly designed catalyst, a mixture of Cobalt, Manganese, and Tin known as Co-Mn-Sn alloy, has shown better efficiency and stability in generating hydrogen as compared to the individual metals or binary (Co-Mn, Mn-Sn or Co-Sn) alloys. The presence of Manganese and Tin in the alloy played a synergistic role in boosting its performance. As the Co-Mn-Sn alloy does not contain any platinum group metal it offers exciting prospects.
  • Indian sign language brings hope for deaf students aspiring to learn STEM subjects: To give wings to the dreams of deaf science aspirants, the Central Government has got onboard scientists and deaf special education experts to train sign language interpreters and create signs on terms and concepts on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) for enabling higher education in the Indian Sign Language (ISL). Showing the way forward is the first of its kind project in the country ‘Indian Sign Language Enabled Virtual Laboratory’ (ISLEVL) under the CSIR’s ‘JIGYASA’ programme under which experts are creating specialised digital content to educate the deaf by ISL translated contents in STEM. 103 new signs and 200 content videos on scientific concepts have been developed by CSIR-IMTech team, with the assistance of deaf special education experts.

  • Tapping the underwater fish chorus symphony, with help of AI: CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, has, for the first time, recorded the captivating sounds of marine life with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Recent passive acoustic recordings by the CSIR-NIO have uncovered a veritable “symphony” of sounds produced by fish, shedding light on their complex underwater communication.

Major International and National Events

  • ‘One Week, One Lab’ campaign of CSIR: The ‘One Week, One Lab’ (OWOL)  campaign of CSIR was launched by the Minister of State (I/C) S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh, on January 6th, 2023, to showcase the diverse legacies, exclusive innovations and technological breakthroughs of the network of 37 CSIR labs situated across the Nation, working in diversified domains of S&T. Dr N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR & DG, CSIR, called the campaign, a celebration of Science & Technologies for CSIR labs and new initiative in the Amrit Kaal, to leverage the technologies of CSIR. CSIR-CBRI, Roorkee was the first lab to organise the OWOL campaign. Almost every week after that the campaign was organised by other CSIR laboratories and was concluded with CSIR-NAL, Bengaluru. The OWOL Campaign of CSIR culminated on 26th September 2023 during the Foundation Day Celebrations of CSIR.

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  • CSIR participates in 108th Indian Science Congress (ISC): CSIR and its laboratories participated in the ‘Pride of India Mega Expo’ in 108th Indian Science Congress – 2023 organised at RTMNU, Nagpur, Maharashtra, during January 3-7, 2023. The Expo was inaugurated by the Minister of State (I/C) S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh, along with Deputy CM, Maharashtra, Shri Devender Fadnavis. The Secretary DSIR & DG, CSIR, Dr N Kalaiselvi, visited CSIR Pavilion at the ‘Pride of India Mega Expo’ and interacted with delegates, students, start-ups and beneficiaries. CSIR bagged the ‘Best Exhibitor of the Year’ Award at ISC 2023.
  • CSIR commemorates the International Year of Millets: CSIR-CFTRI organised an exclusive event, “CSIR Innovations on Millets” commemorating the International Year of Millets on January 10th, 2023. The event was inaugurated by the Minister of State (I/C) S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh. He said that the United Nations declared 2023 as the “International Year of Millets” at the initiative of the Indian Government last year and was backed by 72 other countries. An exhibition on millet products and a Desktop Calendar 2023 on millets was also released as part of the celebrations of “International Year of Millets-2023”. The Exhibition had a display of products and technologies developed in CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapurm and CSIR-IHBT, Palampur, and showcased the capabilities of CSIR laboratories in Millets R&D and reach out to various stakeholders on the institute’s Millet-based Technologies at national Level.

  • CSIR participates in IISF 2022: CSIR and its laboratories participated in the ‘Mega Science & Technology Expo’ of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2022, held at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh during January 21-24, 2023. The Mega S&T Expo was inaugurated by the Minister of State (I/C) S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh, along with the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Minister S&T of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Om Prakash Saklecha. The Ministers along with Dr N Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR & DG, CSIR visited CSIR Pavilion at the ‘Mega S&T Expo’. CSIR Pavilion won the ‘Best Pavilion in the Expo’ Award at the Mega S&T Expo of IISF 2022. Other programs organised by CSIR Labs during IISF 2022 were “Vigyanika – Science Literature Festival” by CSIR-NIScPR, “Artisan’s Technology Village-Vocal for Local” by CSIR-AMPRI and “Science through the Games and Toys” by CSIR–4PI.
  • Young Start-Up Conclave organised by CSIR at Kathua, J&K: The Minister S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh on 28th January 2023, unveiled the Young Start-Up Conclave at Kathua, J&K organised by CSIR. The conclave witnessed the presence of renowned entrepreneurs, industry leaders, academicians, representatives of leading venture capital firms, incubators and accelerators. During the conclave, the local progressive farmers also shared their success stories and experience and expressed gratitude to CSIR for making it possible through proper hand holding and considerable support in their endeavours.
  • Kisan Mela organised in Lucknow: CSIR-CIMAP, as a part of the One Week, One Lab campaign, organised a Kisan Mela during 31st January 2023 till 4th February 2023. Shri Surya Pratap Shahi, Cabinet Minister, Govt of UP inaugurated the CIMAP Kissan Mela and addressed the farmers, entrepreneurs and staff of the institute. More than 3,000 farmers and entrepreneurs participated in the mela. During the Kisan Mela “Aus Gyanya”, UV protection herbal product ‘CIM-Kayakawach’, handbook of alternative cultivation of mentha and QR-code for information on MAPs varieties were released. A farmers meet and awareness programme was also conducted at CSIR-CIMAP Research Centres in Bengaluru and Hyderabad on 2nd February 2023.
  • CSIR organises G20 RIIG Conference on Materials for Sustainable Energy: CSIR organized the Research and Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) Conference on “Materials for Sustainable Energy” during 2-3 March, 2023 at Ranchi under India’s G20 Presidency. Various facets of ‘Materials for Sustainable Energy’ were discussed under three sessions, viz., (i) 21st Century Challenges Related to Energy Materials & Devices, (ii) Solar Energy Utilisation and Photovoltaic Technology, and (iii) Materials and Processes for Green Energy. Leading experts were drawn from institutions such as IITs, IISERs, CSIR Labs; industries; think tanks including NITI Aayog; and Indian Energy Storage Alliance. Twenty foreign delegates from ten G20 member countries, six invited guest countries and an international organisation joined the two-day conference. From India, 38 delegates and special invitees from scientific departments, research and academic institutions and industry participated in the RIIG Conference.

  • International Women’s Day celebrations at CSIR: The CSIR family celebrated International Women’s Day on March 9th, 2023, to honour the Pride of Women in CSIR contributing directly or indirectly in the progress of science & society. The celebration had Mrs Manju Singh, an educationist and Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (I/C) S&T, gracing the occasion as the Chief Guests. Ms Nivruti Rai, VP, Intel Foundry Services, Intel Corporation & Country Head, Intel India, joined as the Guest of Honour and delivered a special talk on “Breaking Barrier: Advancing Women in Science & Technology”. The celebration was also graced by the presence of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Govt. of India, Prof A. K. Sood and Dr M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES & Dr Rajesh Gokhale, Secretary, DBT, too joined together with their families. Directors of CSIR laboratories and Heads of CSIR Headquarter Directorates along with their spouses; and many CSIR staffs joined physically as well as online for the celebration.
  • CSIR YUVA Portal Launched: To contribute in the Digital India Initiative of the government of India, CSIR launched YUVA (Yuva Vaigyanik Anveshan) Portal for inviting online applications from young postgraduates and doctorates researchers on 17th April 2023. The YUVA portal will digitally empower the young researchers who will contribute in the scientific, technological development and knowledge economy of the country in the near future.
  • CSIR participated in the National Technology Week 2023 celebrations: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on 11th May 2023 inaugurated the five-day National Technology Week celebrations jointly observed by all Science Ministries and Departments in New Delhi. CSIR showcased its technologies and innovations in the exhibition. Expert talks by CSIR leaders were also organised during the event.
  • Lavender Festival in Bhaderwah, J&K: Union Minister of State (I/C) S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh on 4th June 2023 inaugurated the two-day Lavender festival organised at Bhaderwah in Jammu, as part of One Week, One Lab campaign of CSIR-IIIM, Jammu. The Lavender festival involved hundreds of farmers, agri-industrialists, entrepreneurs etc. The farmer -industry meet, Agri-startup expo and cultural programme were the significant highlights of the festival.

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  • Rashtriya Boudhik Sampada Mahotsav: Under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM), Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) & Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) along with the partners Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), O/o Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Protection of Plant Variety and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA), National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and Sanrachna Foundation launched a month-long celebrations of Rashtriya Boudhik Sampada Mahotshav (RBSM) – National Intellectual Property Festival from 1st July 2023 to 31st July 2023. The campaign was launched by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (I/C), S&T and Chairman, National Implementation Committee (NIC) at CSIR-NPL, New Delhi on 30th June 2023. CSIR through its 37 constituent laboratories, conducted 184 events all across the country with more than 1,25,000 participants during the campaign. CSIR-IMMT, Bhubaneshwar and CSIR-CECRI, Karaikudi flagged off “CSIR- IP Rath” for disseminating IP knowledge to greater masses.

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  • Pushp Krishi Mela organised under CSIR Floriculture Mission II: CSIR-IHBT organised “Pushp Krishi Mela” under CSIR Floriculture Mission II on 10th August, 2023 at DIHAR, DRDO, Leh. It was inaugurated by Lt. Governor Brig. (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd.). Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Leh, Advocate Tashi Gyalson, Member of Parliament, Ladakh, Shri Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, Shri Ravinder Kumar (IAS), Secretary Agriculture/Horticulture UT Ladakh and Dr. O.P Chaurasia, Director, DIHAR, DRDO, Leh, Ladakh were present as Guest of Honour.
  • Mega Exhibition on CSIR Decadal Achievements: On the occasion of the 82nd Foundation Day of CSIR, a two-day event to showcase the decadal achievements of CSIR was organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on 26 & 27 September 2023. The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh. All 37 CSIR laboratories participated in the exhibition and displayed their achievements through posters, exhibits, products, prototypes, etc. At the event’s backdrop, a CSIR-Industry Meet was organized and attended by the industry partners of various laboratories of CSIR.

  • Flag Off of “Recycling on Wheels Smart-ER” to Promote Cleanliness and Environmental Responsibility under Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign: In alignment with the Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) campaign, celebrated from September 15th to October 2nd 2023, Minister S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the “Recycling on Wheels Smart-ER” at CSIR Headquarters in New Delhi on October 2nd 2023. Dr Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR, addressing during the inauguration of the Special Campaign 3.0 for institutionalizing Swachhata said that all the 37 CSIR labs across the country are engaged with both physical cleaning and e-cleaning that is processing and weeding out of obsolete files.
  • Director General, WIPO visits CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library: Mr. Daren Tang, Director General, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and other distinguished delegates from the WIPO visited the CSIR-Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) facility on 12 October 2023 and participated in discussions on the CSIR Innovation System, TKDL, CSIR Technologies, and CSIR’s Current IP Strength & Strategy. The CSIR team was led by Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR and Director General, CSIR. The distinguished guests included Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trade Marks (CGPDTM), and representatives from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the office of the CGPDTM, and Ministry of AYUSH.
  • CSIR innovation showcase in World Food India 2023: The World Food India 2023 event, organised by the Ministry of Food Processing Industry, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from November 3-5, 2023, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The CSIR pavilion at World Food India-2023 expo was inaugurated by Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, the Director General, CSIR, and Secretary, DSIR, New Delhi in the presence of three CSIR constituent laboratories’ Directors, Dr. Sridevi Annapurna Singh, Director, CSIR-CFTRI, Mysuru; Dr. Sudesh Kumar Yadav, Director, CSIR-IHBT, Palampur (HP); and Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram, and scientists from the labs and the CSIR Headquarters. The CSIR labs, CFTRI, IHBT and NIIST participated in the World Food India event and showcased their scientific innovations in food sector.
  • Union S&T Minister addresses the 7th Convocation of AcSIR: From the educated unemployed of the past, we are now seeking to move on into an era of educated employable Science entrepreneurs with the introduction of i-PhD which would in other words be an Industry linked degree in PhD. Addressing the 7th Convocation of Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) in New Delhi on November 9th, 2023, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said, this Academy is a unique academic platform which awards a Degree in Science that is employable and includes a curriculum underlined by the nuances of entrepreneurship.
  • CSIR-CBRI organised Technology Transfer Mela: CSIR-Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, organized a Technology Transfer Mela on 24th November 2023 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The Mela was inaugurated by Minister S&T and VP, CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh. A Technology Compendium was also released on this occasion.
  • CSIR participates in Global Bio-India 2023: CSIR laboratories participated in the Global Bio-India 2023 organised by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), in collaboration Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), during 4-6 December 2023 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi and showcased their innovations and developments in the fields of bio-technologies and biosciences.
  • International Food Convention in Mysuru: The 9th International Food Convention (IFCoN-2023) got off to a start on 7th December 2023 with food scientists and technologists from across the country and also abroad attending the four-day mega event – organised once in five years by the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (India) with the collaboration of Central research institutions. This year’s theme of the convention is “TRIMSAFE – Technology Re-engineering for Innovation and Mitigating the risk for a Safe, sustainable, Affordable and secure Food Eco-system”. The CSIR-CFTRI, DRDO-DFRL, and CSIR-IITR supported the AFSTI in organising the convention.

MoUs signing and collaborations

  • MoU signing between CSIR, India and AMEXCID, Mexico on research, technology and innovation collaborations: In a landmark milestone in S&T Cooperation between India and Mexico, an MoU on Research, Technology & Innovation cooperation was signed between CSIR, India and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Mexican States on March 4th, 2023. The MoU shall facilitate cooperation in the areas of research, technological development/deployment, innovation and capacity building, with an objective to expand knowledge and strengthen Intuitional capacities in both the countries.
  • Multi-Sectoral Agreement signed between CSIR and DDR&D, Israel: A Multi-Sectoral Agreement was signed between CSIR and Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), Ministry of Defense of the State of Israel, in the august presence of Minister S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh at the CSIR-Science Centre on 2nd May 2023. The MoU has been signed on Industrial Research and Development Cooperation with focus on several key technology areas.

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  • Exchange of CSIR-DAAD Agreement of Cooperation: A German delegation headed by Dr. Michael Harms, Deputy Secretary General, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Federal Republic of Germany visited CSIR for exchange of CSIR-DAAD Agreement of Cooperation as for exploring collaboration discussions with AcSIR.
  • CSIR signs MoU with HQIDS: An MoU between the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQIDS) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was signed on 23rd November 2023 for technical collaboration and joint research and development in the field of Defence Technology. The MoU aims to provide an umbrella framework for initiating collaborative interaction between CSIR Labs, HQ IDS and Armed Forces, namely Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, for enhancing scientific understanding of technologies related to defence and undertaking joint research and development in dual use technologies.
  • CSIR-CDRI and pharma firm Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd tie-up for generic meds: CSIR- Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI), Lucknow and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd, a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Hyderabad, signed an agreement for the development of cost-effective generic medicine with an aim to develop cost-effective and industrially viable processes for selected generic drugs.

Awards and Accolades

  • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prizes presented: The Union Minister S&T, Dr Jitendra Singh on 26th September 2023, presented the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar National Awards to eminent Scientists below the age of 45, at a largely attended 82nd Foundation Day Celebrations Function of CSIR at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

  • CSIR-AMPRI Awarded with CII 3R Awards 2023: The CSIR-AMPRI won the Confederation of Indian Industry – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (CII 3R) Awards 2023. The Award has been conferred for the institute’s excellence in managing wastes through innovative solutions/technologies.
  • PETA India announces Vegan Fashion Awards 2023: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), India, announced the winners of its 2023 Vegan Fashion Awards. Best Vegan Fashion Moment awarded to CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI), Chennai, for developing technology to make vegan leather products using mango pulp. Best Innovation in Textiles awarded to CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, for developing vegan leather from agricultural waste, including mango and pineapple peels, cactus, rice straw, and vetiver grass.

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Development and Progress by Panchayati Raj

 Since 2014 the Government of India has intensified its efforts to support the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in the best manner possible to ensure that the basic objectives of the Panchayati Raj are achieved in true letter and spirit. The country has witnessed a quantum leap in the allocation of fiscal resources to Panchayati Raj Institutions to support various infrastructure requirements and developmental activities in rural areas. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has been taking several initiatives for strengthening and empowering Panchayati Raj Institutions, increasing the capacity of representatives of PRIs to fulfill their roles and responsibilities and improving the efficiency, transparency of functioning and accountability of PRIs to contribute towards inclusive development, economic growth and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The details of important activities carried out and progress made during the year 2023 are as follows:

1.      SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas)

1.1    SVAMITVA Scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on National Panchayati Raj Day, 24th April 2020 with a resolve to enable economic progress of Rural India by providing “Record of Rights” to every rural household owner. The scheme aims to demarcate inhabited (Abadi) land in rural areas through the latest surveying drone-technology, is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, State Revenue Departments, State Panchayati Raj Departments and Survey of India. The scheme covers multifarious aspects viz. facilitating monetisation of properties and enabling bank loan; reducing property related disputes; comprehensive village level planning, assuring the rural local government a good source of revenue would be the stepping-stone towards achieving Gram Swaraj in true sense and making rural India Atmanirbhar. The duration of implementation of the scheme is 2020-21 to 2024-25.

 

1.2 Achievements under the Scheme during the year 2023

  1. As on December 2023, drone flying has been completed in 2.89 lakh villages.
  2. Drone flying has been saturated in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, Delhi and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
  3. Scheme has been saturated in Haryana, Uttarakhand, Puducherry, Goa, Andaman, and Nicobar Islands.
  4. About 1.63 crore property cards have been prepared for 1.06 lakh villages. 
  5. As per Memorandum of Understanding between Survey of India and States/UTs, the scheme coverage is as below:

1.3 Only pilot villages covered in Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. The States where the scheme has not been implemented include Bihar, Jharkhand, Nagaland, Meghalaya, and West Bengal.  Assam and Odisha – Only unmapped villages to be covered.

 

1.4.A Round Table discussion on the Bankability of SVAMITVA property cards was held at Bankers Institute of Rural Development (BIRD), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in August 2023.

1.5 A training was held on 15 – 16th October 2023 at National Remote sensing Centre (ISRO) Training & Research Institute, Hyderabad, followed by the Geosmart India Conference on 17 – 19th October 2023 at HICC, Hyderabad with collaborative efforts of Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Geospatial World. The Agenda of the Conference focused on knowledge sharing, showcasing various technological interventions, impact assessment and possible solutions for land and property management.

1.6.   Awards and Recognition

National Awards for e-Governance 2023: SVAMITVA Scheme won Gold Prize in use of Emerging Technology for providing citizen centric services organized by DARPG at Indore, Madhya Pradesh in October 2023.

SVAMITVA Scheme also conferred with Gold award for Innovative Use of Technology in e-Governance for Digital Transformation at Digitech Conclave 2023 organized at Goa in August 2023.

1.7.   Endorsement by the Prime Minister

  • Prime Minister distributed 35 lakh property cards prepared under SVAMITVA Scheme on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2023 held at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.
  • Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the scheme during India Today conclave 2023

2.      Capacity Building & Training (CB&T)

2.1     The Capacity Building and Training (CB&T) of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) has been one of the major activities of MoPR. The Ministry has been providing programmatic, technical and institutional support for strengthening of PRIs.

2.2     The Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) of Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) was implemented during 2018-19 to 2021-22.  The scheme was revamped further for implementation during 2022-23 and 2025-26 at a total cost of Rs.5911 crore including Central Share of Rs.3700 crore and State share of Rs.2211 crore.

2.3     Achievements under the scheme of RGSA:

  • During 2018-19 to 2021-22, 1.43 crore participants comprising elected representatives of the PRIs and their functionaries and other stakeholders of Panchayats, provided trainings.
  • During 2022-23, 43,36,584 participants were trained.
  • During the current year as on 28.12.2023, 17,96,410 participants have been trained.

 

20th December, 2023 uploaded on Training Management portal

3.      Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (LSDGs) through Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs):

3.1     Ministry has adopted 9 thematic approach for LSDGs leveraging wide network of third tier of Government including Traditional Bodies of non-part IX areas. The goals on these themes to be attained by 2030 in graduated manner by embracing following approach:

  1. Convergence of all flagship developmental and welfare programmes at Panchayat level,
  2. Saturation of various activities in all villages in phased manner.
  3. Usage of digital technology for ensuring transparency and accountability of all concerned.

3.2    Progress on Localization of SDGs:

  1. Status of uploading thematic Gram Panchayat Development Plan (GPDP), Block Panchayat Development Plan (BPDP) and District Panchayat Development Plan (DPDP) for FY 2023-24:

GPDP uploaded on portal

BPDP uploaded on portal

DPDP uploaded on portal

250449

(93.06% of GP)

5705

(84.47% of BP)

492

(72.46 of DP)

Source: eGramSwaraj portal as on 20th December, 2023.

 

  1. People’s Plan Campaign (PPC)–2023: PPC–2023 was rolled out as ‘Sabki Yojana Sabka Vikas’ from 4th September, 2023 as a strategy for preparation of participatory GPDP in campaign mode with voluntary involvement of community, elected representatives, frontline workers, SHGs, and other stakeholders for preparing the thematic GPDP for the next financial year i.e. 2024-25.
  2. Project Driven District and Block Panchayat Development Plan:
  3. The report on formulation of project driven Block and District Panchayat Development Plan released in the workshop held during 4th – 5th September, 2023.
  4. Based on the recommendations of the report the States /UTs have been advised to prepare project driven Block and District Panchayat Development Plans.

 

  1. Thematic National Workshop: Around 1400 Participants from Central Ministries, 30 States (including ERs, Functionaries), UNICEF, UN women and other NGOs attended three-day national workshop on Theme 3-Child Friendly Village and Theme 9-Women Friendly Village of LSDGs held in Odisha during 17 – 19 February, 2023.

 

  1. Two-days National workshop on Quality/ISO Certification:
  1. Around 100 participants from 25 States / UTs attended two-days national workshop on Quality/ISO Certification held in Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), Kerala during 6th to 7th July, 2023 on “ISO Certification of Panchayats”. 
  2. The follow up on the same has resulted in efforts for quality/ISO certification of Panchayats in various States. With standardized procedures of services, it is expected to improve the quality of service delivery at Panchayat level.

 

  1. Three-day National Workshop on Theme 8-Panchayat with Good Governance of LSDGs held in Srinagar, Jammu &Kashmir during 21 – 23 August 2023. During the workshop following were released:
      1. Meri Panchayat App
      2. Operating Guidelines of National Capacity Building Framework 2022.
      3. Service Level Benchmark, Self -assessments and Model Contract prepared by the MoPR in coloration with the UNICEF.

 

  1. Panchayat Development Index (PDI):

To measure the progress on LSDGs and to carry out assessment to prepare evidence-based policy, MoPR constituted a Committee to prepare mechanisms for computation of PDI. 

  1. The report was released by Minister of State for Panchayati Raj in a National Workshop held in Delhi on 28th June, 2023. Report of the Committee can be accessed on the Ministry’s Website at the URL: https://panchayat.gov.in/pdi-committee-report-2023/.
  2. The Committee has laid a framework for computation of PDI, which will be useful tool for Union Ministries/Departments as well as the State Governments and PRIs to assess the outcome of their schemes and plan future developments based on evidence.
  3. Two-Day National Write-Shop has been organized on PDI Portal for preparation of Baseline Report and computation of PDI in Delhi during 10-11 August, 2023.
  4. A portal (www.pdi.gov.in) for preparation of PDI has been developed. Around 140 data points received from UDISE+, JJM, SBM, NSAP, PMAY, MGNREGS, Mission Antyodya and eGramSwaraj have been ported in PDI portal, rest will be entered by the Gram Panchayats and Line Departments at GP level.  
  5. Workshops have been held in most of the States to orient the concerned Line Departments and Panchayat officials on the mechanism of data collection and validation for the purpose of preparation of PDI.
  6. The thematic scores of Gram Panchayat across nine themes as well as the composite PDI score based on thematic score will be used for incentivization of Panchayats.

 

4.      Institutional mechanism for strengthening PRIs

  1. School of Excellence of Panchayati Raj (SoEPR) has been setup in NIRD&PR for strengthening of PRIs. It will strengthen the SIRD&PRs as well as support the research on the subjects of Panchayati Raj at the National Level.
  2. Meri Panchayat Application has been launched in August 2023 to facilitate easy access of the information to public about functioning of panchayats to enhance transparency and accountability. The downloading of the said application has crossed 13 lakh.
  3. The assessment module for the trainings has been made functional in the Training Management Portal (TMP). It will facilitate the assessment of learning outcomes of the participants of trainings. 

 

5.      Incentivisation of Panchayats

5.1     Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) confers the National Panchayat Awards annually to best performing Panchayats across the country which are a strong source of motivation for them to further improve upon their efforts in development at local level. These awards are usually conferred annually on 24thApril, celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day.

5.2     MoPR has subsumed 17 SDGs into 9 Localization of SDGs (LSDGs) themes. Accordingly, National Panchayat Awards have been revamped aligning with the LSDGs with effect from the year 2023. The NPA are conferred under the 9 LSDGs based themes namely, (i) Poverty free and enhanced livelihoods Panchayat (ii) Healthy Panchayat (iii) Child friendly Panchayat (iv) Water sufficient Panchayat (v) Clean and Green Panchayat (vi) Self-sufficient infrastructure in Panchayat (vii) Socially Secured Panchayat (viii) Panchayat with Good Governance and (ix) Women-friendly Panchayat

5.3     In addition to 9 themes, Ministry of Panchayati Raj also conferred special categories of awards to best performing Gram Panchayats (GPs) i.e. (1) Gram Urja Swaraj Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar for their performance regarding adoption and usage of renewable sources of energy and (2) Carbon Neutral Vishesh Panchayat Puraskar for exemplary work towards achieving Net-Zero carbon emissions.

5.4 A total 42 Panchayats were awarded in the year 2023 based on their performance.

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6.      Celebrations of National Panchayat Awards Week (17th – 21st April, 2023)

6.1     The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the National Panchayat Awards Week Celebrations and presented the National Panchayat Awards–2023 to the best performing Panchayats at the National Conference on Incentivization of Panchayats at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi on 17th April, 2023.

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6.2 On this occasion, Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Shri Giriraj Singh launched the GS NIRNAY, National Initiative for Rural India to Navigate, InnovAte and Resolve PanchaYat decisions, a mobile application of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj aimed at empowering rural communities.

7.      Commemoration of National Panchayati Raj Day – 24th April, 2023

7.1     Prime Minister participated in the celebration of this year’s National Panchayati Raj Day and addressed all the Gram Sabhas and Panchayati Raj

 Institutions across the country. Prime Minister addressed a large public gathering including Panchayat representatives on the occasion of the National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April, 2023 in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.

7.2     This year’s celebration of National Panchayati Raj Day at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh witnessed participation of more than one lakh participants, including representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, other stakeholders and local residents / rural masses from the District of Rewa and other neighboring Districts.

7.3     Addressing the gathering on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day, Prime Minister noted the virtual presence of more than 30 lakh Panchayat representatives from all over the country and said that it presents a bold picture of Indian democracy.

7.4     During the event, Prime Minister inaugurated an integrated eGramSwaraj and GeM portal for public procurement at Panchayat level. The objective of eGramSwaraj – Government eMarketplace integration is to enable the Panchayats to procure their goods and services through GeM, leveraging the eGramSwaraj platform.   

7.5     Prime Minister also handed over around 35 lakh SVAMITVA Property Cards to beneficiaries. Post this programme, around 1.25 crore property cards were distributed under SVAMITVA Scheme in the country, including those distributed in Madhya Pradesh.

8.      e-Gram Swaraj e-Financial Management System

8.1     eGramSwaraj, a Simplified Work Based Accounting Application for Panchayati Raj assists in enhancing the credibility of Panchayat through inducing greater devolution of funds to PRIs. Some of the salient features existing in eGramSwaraj Application are:

  • Workflow Enabled
  • Assets available on Gram Manchitra GIS
  • Supports multi-tenancy; multiple tenants in the same instance and
  • Strong Authentication Mechanism based on open-source technologies
  • eGS-PFMS integration – Automation of accounting done by the Panchayats under XV Finance Commission grants.

8.2    New feature launched this year (2023)

eGS-GeM interface – Facilitates the Panchayats in procurement of items/services through GeM at standardized rates and seamless payment through eGS-PFMS interface, thus establishing a transparent procurement system.

8.3    Current progress of the adoption of e-GramSwaraj (including eGramSwaraj-PFMS &eGS-GeM Interface):

Action Point

Status

Panchayat Planning

2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats have uploaded approved GPDP, more than 5 thousand Block Panchayats have uploaded approved BPDP and 492 DPDP have been uploaded by the District Panchayats.

Physical Progress

1.03 lakhs GPs have reported physical progress of activities under GPDP

LGD code compliant

100% GPs (including TLBs) in States receiving CFC Grants are LGD compliant.

eGramSwaraj – PFMS integration

2.52 Lakh GPs have been ported from PFMS to eGramSwaraj.

2.55 Lakh Gram Panchayats have onboarded eGramSwaraj PFMS for 2023-24

2.36 Lakh GPs have commenced online payments in 2023–2024. Nearly Rs.25,880 crores worth payments have been successfully transferred by the Panchayats to their respective beneficiaries/vendors.

Account closure for 2021-22

For 2021-22, 94% of Gram Panchayats have closed their year books.

Account Closure for 2022-23

For year 2022-23, 92% of Gram Panchayats have closed month books.

Registration on eGramSwaraj – GeM Interface

More than 72,000 Panchayats across 22 States have registered themselves on this interface (as of December 2023).

 

    1. Integration of Beneficiary details with eGramSwaraj:

As of December 2023, beneficiary details of sixteen scheme of six Union Ministries/ Departments are integrated with eGramSwaraj Application as mentioned below.

 

Ministry/Department

Scheme

Ministry of Rural Development

PM Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G)

Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)

Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS)

Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme (IGNDPS)

Indira Gandhi National Family Benefit Scheme (IGNFBS)

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)

National Family Benefit Scheme (NFBS)

National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM)

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

National Artificial Insemination Programme Project (NAIP)

National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP I & II)

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare

Pradhan Mantri KISAN Samman Nidhi (PMKSN)

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana

Ministry of Education

Samagra Shiksha

Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation

Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin)

Jal Jeevan Mission (Gramin)

Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas

Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

 

9.      Geo-tagging of assets:

Ministry of Panchayati Raj has developed “mActionSoft” – a mobile based solution to help in capturing photos with Geo-Tags (i.e. GPS Coordinates) for the works which have asset as an output. Geo-tagging of the assets is done in all three stages viz. (i) before start of the work, (ii) during the work and (iii) on completion of work. As of December 2023, 2.5 lakh photographs of the assets have been uploaded by the Gram Panchayats for the activities taken under Fifteen Finance Commission in the current year.

10.    Citizen Charter

As of December 2023, 215628 Gram Panchayats approved and uploaded their Citizen Charters promising to deliver 954 services to their people of which 261 are offered on online.

11.    Audit Online

As a part of the critical institutional reform, XV FC has stipulated that the audited reports of Panchayat accounts need to be made available in the public domain, as an eligibility criterion. “Audit Online” application facilitates carrying out online audit of Panchayat accounts pertaining to Central Finance Commission Grants.

Activity

2019-20

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

No. of Auditors enlisted

10,269

10,269

10,269

10,268

No. of Auditees enlisted

2,59,758

2,60,603

2,59,920

2,59,812

No. of GPs – Audit plans prepared

1,44,613

2,40,988

2,48,257

1,77,883

No. of Audit observations recorded

12,58,266

21,90,446

23,83,415

5,25,737

No. of Audit reports generated

1,30,222

2,18,086

2,40,515

51,815

 

12.    Central Finance Commission Grants to Rural Local Bodies

12.1   The Fifteenth Finance Commission (XV FC) submitted its interim report for the financial year 2020-21 and the final report for the period 2021-26.  The XV FC Grant-in-aid is allocated to all tiers of the Panchayati Raj including the Traditional Bodies of Non Part IX States and Fifth and Sixth Schedule areas in two parts, namely, (i) Basic (Untied) Grant (50 % for 2020-21 and 40 % for 2021-22 to 2025-26) and (ii) Tied Grants. (50 % for 2020-21 and 60 % for 2021-22 to 2025-26). 

12.2   The total size of the XV FC Grant to the Rural Local Bodies is Rs.60,750 Crore for the period FY 2020-21 and Rs.2,36,805 crores for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26. Rs.15,319 Crore in respect of the current Financial year 2023-24 have been released thus resulting into cumulative release so far of, Rs.1,63,850 Crores out of total allocation of Rs.2,97,555 Crores, i.e. 55.07 %. These grants are released to the States for development works in the Rural Local Bodies.

13.    Gram Urja Swaraj Abhiyaan

13.1   The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has collaborated with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to include the Gram Panchayats under all its schemes focusing on adoption of renewable energy. This will enable that in the upcoming years, Gram Panchayats would evolve as self-sufficient in terms of energy and become producers of energy instead of only being consumers. Moreover, widespread adoption of renewable energy applications in rural areas would enable the Gram Panchayats to develop Own Sources of Revenue (OSR) and employment opportunities for local youth of the villages.

13.2   Under the Gram Urja Swaraj Abhiyaan, GPs have developed their own implementation models with the support of Renewable energy development Agencies of the states. For example, Odanthurai Panchayat in Tamil Nadu has its own windmill, Thikekarwadi Gram Panchayat in Maharashtra has established Biogas plant in PPP mode and Meenvallam, Project of Palakkad district Panchayat in Kerala is the first initiative of a Panchayat under micro hydel. Many panchayats have taken up solar energy models such as solar roof top models, solar kitchens, solar street lighting and solar high mast light owned by the panchayats.

13.3   Under the Gram Urja Swaraj Abhiyaan, as on date, 2,080 Gram Panchayats have taken up and implemented Renewable Energy Projects. Close to 2020 Gram Panchayats have solar energy systems that are installed and are fully functional. Around 60 – 70 Gram Panchayats have hydel Energy systems and Wind Energy Systems that are installed and there are 106 GP’s with existing Biogas Energy Systems.

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