Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated 5 different development works worth Rs.52 crore in Nagaland, today. These include Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories in 42 government higher secondary schools at a cost of about Rs 8 crore, Atal Tinkering Labs built at a cost of Rs 1 crore 80 lakh in 9 government higher secondary schools, 12.5 megawatt (MV) sub-station at Chiephobozou at a cost of Rs 14 crore, trekking and base camp at Mount Saramati, Thanamir village and Kiphire and two Lane bridge on Doyang River at a cost of Rs 28 crore near to the Governor’s Camp Lifayan. Several dignitaries including Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, were present on the occasion.

In his address, the Union Home Minister said that Nagaland is a land of meeting of cultures of different types of tribes. Nagaland is one of the world’s 25 famous biodiversity areas which endows it with immense tourism potential. Nagaland is also famous all over the world for its citizens, culture and the equal status given to women here.

Shri Amit Shah said that today 5 different development works worth Rs 52 crore have been inaugurated here. He said that due to the development approach of the Narendra Modi government towards the entire Northeast, all the states of the North East are today on the path of development. Shri Shah said that once upon a time the entire North East was facing unrest due to extremist groups, but today Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only given the physical connectivity to the entire region but has also connected hearts and bridged the mental distance between the rest of the country and the North East.

The Union Home Minister said that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved success in its goal of establishing the three P’s of Peace, Progress and Prosperity in Nagaland. He said that Shri Modi himself has taken several initiatives to make North East the mainstream region of India. He said that Shri Modi has visited the different states of Northeast more than 51 times in the last 8 years and has also made a very successful effort to connect this region with the mainstream of India by giving big projects of infrastructure to Northeast which has brought the results as well.

Shri Amit Shah said that there has been a four-fold increase in the funds allocated to Nagaland during the eight years from 2014 to 2022 by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as compared to the period of 2004-2014, under the previous central government. He said that the 15th Finance Commission has made a provision of Rs. 4,773-crore for Nagaland in 2022-23, while only Rs. 1,283-crore was allocated in 2009-10 and additionally, a special assistance of Rs. 219-crore has been given to Nagaland in 2021-22. Shri Shah said that the incidents of militancy have come down by 74 per cent in 2021 as compared to 2014 in Nagaland, while the number of deaths of security personnel and civilians has reduced by 60 and 84 per cent, respectively, which shows that law and order is being maintained in the state. He said that the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated the process to gradually remove AFSPA from the state of Nagaland.

The Union Home Minister said that along with the development of infrastructure, the Government of India has also focused on strengthening public facilities. Fifteen national highway projects, covering a length of over 266-km at the tune of Rs. 4,127-crore have been inaugurated. He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, tap water has been provided to 2.18 lakh families in the inaccessible areas of the state. Apart from this, the Government of India is providing health expenses of up to Rs. 5 lakh to over three lakh people under the Ayushman Yojana. Shri Shah said that houses are being provided to 54,636 families under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and of these houses, 15,000 have already been completed.

Shri Amit Shah said that along with the entire nation, the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided the two COVID vaccines free of cost to every citizen across difficult areas in the hills and forests of Nagaland. Additionally, the Government of India has also provided five kilogram of rice per month to every poor person of Nagaland free of cost, for two and a half years.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 21 development projects worth about Rs 1,311 crore today at Moirang, Manipur. These include Churachandpur Medical College built at a cost of Rs 46 crore, Marjing Polo Statue built at a cost of Rs 39 crore, Manipur Olympian Park at Sangaithel, Manipur Exhibition Center in Imphal-East, District Youth Skilling and Employment Centres, Fruit Preservation Factory, Neelakuthi in five districts of the state. Shri Amit Shah also unveiled the 165-feet tall tricolor at the historic ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ Headquarters at Moirang, which is the tallest national flag in the entire North East region. On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh and many other dignitaries were present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Manipur is marching ahead on the path of development, peace and prosperity and is now completely free from terrorism, bandh and blockade and as a result, the foundation stone of 29 projects worth Rs. 2450 crore was laid on 6^th January, last year and today, 21 projects worth over Rs 1,300 crore have been inaugurated and foundation stone laid.

The Union Home Minister paid homage to the highly knowledgeable and talented King Shri Bhagya Chandra, Queen Mother, Maharaja Kulachandra and Pukhotinthang and said that Manipur has a glorious history of over 3000 years. He said that the people of Manipur helped Maharaja Kulachandra to free Manipur from the clutches of the British by giving full cooperation against the British. To make the country aware of this glorious history of Manipur, the government has renamed Mount Harriet, where Maharaja Kulachandra’s general secretary, the crown prince and 22 freedom fighters were imprisoned, to Mount Manipur. Shri Shah said that the tallest flag of the Northeast was hoisted today at Moirang in Manipur, the first place on India’s mainland to gain independence.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that under the leadership of great freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose, ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ fought against the British and freed Manipur from the clutches of the British. He said that the Manipur government has built a memorial for the martyrs of ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ by doing the restoration work of the houses destroyed during the shelling by British, and this memorial will not only inspire the youth of Manipur to devote their lives for the nation, but also help to develop this place into a big tourist spot.

Shri Amit Shah said, over 100 children are studying medical science in the Churachandpur Medical College built at a cost of about Rs. 46 crores. He added that earlier children from Northeast had to go to bigger cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad to study, but now children from various states of India are studying in Moirang, which is a great achievement. He said, a 122-feet tall Marjing Polo statue has been inaugurated in Manipur and Manipur Central University and Manipur University, should do research to tell the whole world that it is Manipur which has gifted the sports of Polo to the world. Shri Shah said that this place will become a centre of attraction for Polo enthusiasts from across the world.

The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the region of Northeast 51 times in the past 8 years and his sensitive approach and hard work has made the Northeast realize that the whole of India is proud of them. He said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, North East’s connectivity with the rest of the country has been improved by enhancing road, rail and air connectivity. He added that in the last 8 years, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has invested more than Rs 3.45 lakh crore to take North East away from militancy, infiltration, bandh, drugs, arms trafficking, corruption and caste conflicts towards development, connectivity, infrastructure, sports, investment and making it into a hub of organic agriculture. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not only connected the North East region with railways and air routes has connected the Northeast but also with the heart of the whole country. Shri Shah said that in 2019, the government signed the Bodo Accord, NLFT Accord, Karbi-Anglong Accord, Bru Accord and freed the entire Northeast from militancy. At the same time, the government ended militancy and removed the AFSPA from 6 districts of Manipur, as a result of this, Manipur which was earlier suffering from blockades, is now marching forward towards development and self-reliance.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that instead of Look-East policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted Act-East policy, due to which Manipur has become a symbol of hope and stability. He said that the country’s first Sports University, spread over 325 acres at a tune of Rs 816 crore is being built in Manipur to help it emerge as a sports hub. The Olympian Park built by the Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh will also be a source of inspiration for the youth.

Shri Amit Shah said that 31 tribal museums are being developed in hill districts and health expenses up to Rs. 5 lakh have been made free of cost for about 3.63 lakh beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme for health development. He said that Ima Market, which works for the empowerment of women, is being set-up at 17 places at a cost of Rs 130 crore. Shri Shah said that 68,000 houses have been provided to people in Manipur under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, while the state government has promoted thousands of startups at a cost of Rs 110 crore. Door-to-door screening of 13 major diseases has been ensured under the Chief Minister’s Health for All scheme. He said that poppy cultivation on about 1,780 acres of land has been destroyed by the Manipur government by identifying it with drones. Shri Shah said that in the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has taken a pledge of a drugs-free India, so that in the centenary year of independence, India will be completely free from the problem of drugs. He said that the government is determined to make Manipur a drugs-free state by ending opium cultivation in the state and will continue to work towards making Manipur a developed and prosperous state by working in the fields of education, sports and start-ups.

On the final day of his two-day visit to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, on January 06, 2023. He was accompanied by Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh. Shri Rajnath Singh took stock of the defence preparedness and encouraged the troops to continue protecting the national interests in the region.

Indira Point is along the Great Channel, popularly referred to as the ‘Six Degree Channel’, which is a major shipping lane for international traffic. A strong presence of the Armed Forces equips India to better discharge its responsibility of being a net security provider in the region.

En-route, the Raksha Mantri halted at the Car Nicobar Island and Campbell Bay where he was apprised about the ground conditions. He also interacted with the joint services troops of Andaman and Nicobar Command there, lauding them for serving the country with unmatched bravery and commitment.

The Raksha Mantri was familiarised with the terrain of Southern Group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also paid a visit to INS Baaz and interacted with troops.

On January 05, 2023, the Raksha Mantri visited the Headquarters of Andaman & Nicobar Command in Port Blair where he reviewed the operational preparedness of the Command and infrastructure development at operational areas.

This is the first visit of the Raksha Mantri to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the Strategic Signalling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, the visit of Raksha Mantri to A&N Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. It is pertinent to mention that A&N Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level.

Key Highlights:

• The Y20(Youth-20) Summit is a unique opportunity to allow the youth to provide constructive policy inputs and to utilise the platform to voice their opinions for the world audience: Union Minister of Youth Affairs ad Sports
• For the next 8 months, there will be Pre summits on the five Y20(Youth 20) themes along with various discussions and seminars at different Universities across states in India in a run up to the final Youth-20 Summit

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launched the themes of Y20 summit, logo and website in the Curtain raiser event of Y20 Summit India today in New Delhi. Secretary Department of Youth Affairs, GoI Smt. Meeta R. Lochan, Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, Mentor, Y20 Secretariat, India, Anmol Sovit, Chair for the Youth 20 Engagement Group and senior officers of the Ministry also graced the event. India is hosting the Y20 summit for the first time. Panel Discussion on “How India can harness its youth population to be a superpower” was also held in the second session of today’s event.

During his address Shri Anurag Singh Thakur said, “The G20 Summit in India will bring together, 43 Heads of Delegations – the largest ever in G20 who will be participating in the final Summit in New Delhi in September this year. The G20 consists of two parallel tracks: the Finance Track and the Sherpa Track. The Sherpa Track oversees inputs from 13 Working Groups, 2 Initiatives – Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) and G20 Empower, and various Engagement Groups. The Engagement Groups of which Youth 20 or Y20 is a part, brings together civil societies, parliamentarians, think tanks, women, youth, labour, businesses and researchers of the G20 countries.”

Shri Thakur added, “the future of the world economy and humanity rests in the hands of the Gen Z, today’s youth are born into a digital, globalized and constantly evolving world filled with uncertainty, immense pace, potential and limitless possibilities! Young people are stakeholders in the present and builders of tomorrow. We have progressed across sectors with the spirit of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. There is a start-up revolution in the country. It is important to remember that the Youth will inherit the future they build”.

Giving more details, the Minister said, “The Y20 Summit is a unique opportunity to allow the youth to provide constructive policy inputs and to utilise the platform to voice their opinions for the world audience. The Youth 20 India Summit brings together the trustees of our future generations from across the G20 countries to deliberate, discuss and deduce innovative, sustainable and actionable solutions especially in the realm of social development. At the Y20 Summit, India will not only speak; but also provide an audience to youth from across the world, to be heard in the world’s largest democracy amongst those young leaders geared up with the baton to the future.”

Shri Anurag Thakur also talked about the Themes of Y20 ie i) Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation & 21st Century skills, ii) Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a way of life, iii) Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an era of No War, iv) Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance and Health, Wellbeing &Sports: Agenda for Youth. These priorities areas of the Y20 Summit point to the urgency with which the world has to reconcile with the reality of the changing times in our quest to survive and thrive, the Minister added.

Shri Thakur further said, “This summit provides an excellent opportunity for the youth and the world alike to shape the way we evolve. I hope you will use the Y20 opportunity to also educate us and own the responsibility of ensuring that the declaration you finally present to the G20 Leaders is one that fulfils the hopes and dreams of all the youth – rural and urban, in the developed and developing world. The Youth 20 is a brilliant way to amplify the voices of young people. The world will be listening to you very carefully. I firmly believe you are the TRUSTEES of the FUTURE who will uphold peace, ensure gender equity, mitigate climate change, spread intercultural diversity, innovate with passion and a heal as you grow.”

Shri Thakur highlighted that the youth are the AGENTs of CHANGE the world needs, Where A stands for: Advocate for a cause you believe in, G stands for: Go-green and embrace a sustainable lifestyle, E stands for: Equality and inclusivity – ensure that the spaces you are in are diverse, intergenerational, inclusive, N stand for: Nurture your physical and mental health, T stands for: Tech-Innovation – leverage technology for social good and betterment of humanity to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit.

Addressing at the event, Secretary Youth Affairs Smt. Meeta R. Lochan said that the activities to be undertaken by Y20 during our presidency will focus on global youth leadership and partnership. For the next 8 months, there will be Pre summits on the five Y20 themes along with various discussions and seminars at different Universities across states in India in a run up to the final Youth-20 Summit.

For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence, towards a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core. India is playing a significant role in finding workable solutions at the international level to ensure holistic well-being embodying the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the 1st All India Annual State Ministers’ Conference on Water via video message today. The theme of the conference is ‘Water Vision @ 2047’ and the objective of the forum is to bring together key policymakers for discussions on ways to harness water resources for sustainable development and human development.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the first All India Conference of Water Ministers of the country by shining the light on the unprecedented work done by India in areas of water security.  The Prime Minister pointed out that in our constitutional system, the subject of water comes under the control of the states and it is the states’ efforts for water conservation that will go a long way in achieving the collective goals of the country. “Water Vision @ 2047 is an important dimension of the journey of Amrit Kaal for the next 25 years”, the Prime Minister remarked.

Reiterating his vision of ‘whole of government’ and ‘whole of country’ the Prime Minister emphasised that all governments should work like a system wherein there should be constant interaction and dialogue between different ministries of state governments, such as the Ministry of Water, Ministry of Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Rural and Urban Development and disaster management. He further added that planning will get help if these departments have information and data related to each other.

Noting that success does not come from the efforts of the government alone, the Prime Minister drew attention to the role of public and social organisations and civil societies and asked for their maximum participation in the campaigns related to water conservation. The Prime Minister went on to explain that promoting public participation does not reduce the accountability of the government and it does not mean putting all the responsibility on the people. He further added that the biggest advantage of public participation is the awareness that is created among the public about the efforts being put into the campaign and the money being spent. “When the public is associated with a campaign, they also get to know the seriousness of the work. Due to this, a sense of ownership also comes in the public towards any scheme or campaign”, he added.

The Prime Minister gave the example of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and said, “When people joined the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a consciousness was awakened in the public as well.” Crediting the people of India for their efforts, the Prime Minister mentioned that the government took up many initiatives, be it collecting resources to remove filth, building various water treatment plants or constructing toilets, but the success of this campaign was ensured when the public decided that there should be no dirt at all. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to inculcate this idea of public participation towards water conservation and highlighted the impact that awareness can create.

The Prime Minister suggested, “We can organise ‘Water Awareness Festivals’ or an event related to water awareness can be added to the fairs held at the local level.” He stressed the need to make the younger generations aware of this subject through innovative ways from curriculum to activities in schools. The Prime Minister informed that the country is constructing 75 Amrit Sarovar in every district wherein 25 thousand Amrit Sarovars have already been built so far. He emphasised the need to connect technology, industry, and startups to identify problems and find solutions and mentioned technologies like geo-sensing and geo-mapping that can be of great help. He also stressed the need to come up with government policies and bureaucratic procedures to tackle water-related issues at the policy levels.

Highlighting the success of ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ as a major development parameter for a state to provide water to every household, the Prime Minister remarked that many states have done a good job while many states are moving forward in this direction. He recommended that once this system is in place we should ensure its maintenance in the same way in the future. He proposed that Gram Panchayats should lead the Jal Jeevan Mission, and after the work is completed, they should also certify that sufficient and clean water has been made available. “Every Gram Panchayat can also submit a monthly or quarterly report online stating the number of houses that are getting tap water in the village.”  He also added that a system of periodic water testing should also be developed to ensure the quality of water.

The Prime Minister noted the water requirements in both the industry and agriculture sectors and recommended that special campaigns be run to make them aware of water security. He gave examples of techniques like crop diversification and natural farming that create a positive effect on water conservation. He also highlighted the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ campaign that began under the Prime Minister Agricultural Irrigation Scheme and informed that more than 70 lakh hectares of land in the country have been brought under micro-irrigation so far. “Micro-irrigation should be promoted continuously by all the states”, he added. He also gave the example of the Atal Bhujal Sanrakshan Yojana where water-shed work is necessary on a large scale in all the districts for groundwater recharge and also stressed the need to pace up development works to revive the spring shed in hilly areas.

Throwing light on the need to increase forest cover in the state for water conservation, the Prime Minister called for coordinated efforts by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Water. He also called for attention to the conservation of all local sources of water and reiterated that Gram Panchayats should prepare an action plan for the next 5 years where a roadmap ranging from water supply to cleanliness and waste management should be considered. The Prime Minister also asked states to adopt ways where the water budget is prepared at the Panchayat level based on how much water is required in which village and what work can be done for it. Highlighting the success of the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, the Prime Minister reiterated that such campaigns should become an essential part of the State Government where they should be evaluated annually. “Instead of waiting for the rains, all the planning needs to be done before the rains”, he added.

Highlighting the importance of the circular economy in the field of water conservation, the Prime Minister informed that the government has laid a lot of emphasis on circular economy in this budget. “When treated water is reused, fresh water is conserved, it benefits the entire ecosystem. That’s why water treatment, water recycling is essential”, he said. He reiterated that states have to find ways to increase the use of ‘treated water’ for various purposes. “Our rivers, our water bodies are the most important part of the entire water ecosystem”, the Prime Minister said as he emphasised creating a network of waste management and sewage treatment in every state. “By making the Namami Gange Mission a template, other states can also start similar campaigns for the conservation of rivers. It is the responsibility of every state to make water a subject of cooperation and coordination”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Ministers of Water Resources from all states attended the 1st All India Annual State Ministers’ Conference on Water.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the operational preparedness of Andaman & Nicobar Command and infrastructure development at operational areas during his visit to the Headquarters of the only operational joint services command of the country in Port Blair on January 05, 2023. Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh briefed the Raksha Mantri about the geo-strategic potential of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the role they can play towards enhancing India’s influence and support to military operations in the area.

The CINCAN briefed the Raksha Mantri about the achievements, future plan and challenges of A&N Command. He highlighted the significant role played by A&N Command in carrying forward Government’s Act East Policy and in realising the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) by building ‘Bridges of Friendship’ with the country’s maritime neighbours. Shri Rajnath Singh also visited the ANC Joint Operations Centre (JOC) which is the nerve centre for integrated planning for surveillance, conduct of operations and logistic support.

Interacting with officers & jawans, the Raksha Mantri commended the Andaman and Nicobar Command for strengthening national security and keeping the maritime domain safe and secure, while playing a significant role in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. He lauded their bravery and enthusiasm for being alert & ready 24X7 for the security of the islands and the Exclusive Economic Zone. He added that since its inception in 2001, the Andaman and Nicobar Command has significantly enhanced its operational capabilities, which reflects its indomitable spirit and commitment.

Shri Rajnath Singh exuded confidence that the courage & dedication of the Armed Forces will create a golden future for the country. He assured the soldiers that the way they are always ready for the security of the country, the government too is always ready for their welfare. He added that the Government is making all efforts to increase the efficiency and strength of the Armed Forces. “Under the guidance of our Prime Minister, we have taken a firm step forward towards self-reliance. We have made giant strides towards realising ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision. Our Armed Forces will soon be among the strongest militaries of the world. This is our vision as well as our mission,” he said. The Raksha Mantri also made special mention of the bravery and promptness with which the Armed Forces dealt with the recent situations in the northern sector.

Earlier, the Raksha Mantri reviewed a Quad-Service Guard of Honour and visited Sankalp Smarak, the location of Netaji’s historic arrival on December 29, 1943. At the Sankalp Smarak, he paid solemn homage to honour the sacrifices of soldiers of the Indian National Army. Upon his arrival in Port Blair, he was received by Lieutenant Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands Admiral DK Joshi (Retd), CINCAN and senior government officials.

This is the first visit of the Raksha Mantri to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the Strategic Signalling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, the visit of Raksha Mantri to A&N Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. It is pertinent to mention that A&N Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya interacted with around 150 representatives of private medical colleges in the presence of Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, at Vigyan Bhawan today.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mandaviya said that “the aspiration and vision of Govt for medical education reform can be fulfilled only when the Medical Colleges are active partners. To create this atmosphere, consultation and samvaad is very important. He stated that there is a need to create an eco-system & environment where NMC and Medical Colleges share a goal for superior quality medical education.

Highlighting the need to transform and regulate medical education, the Union Health Minister sought the partnership of NMC and Medical Colleges for strong medical education and cautioned those who do not share the vision of providing superior medical education. He also suggested for reforms like biometrics attendance in medical institutions.

He gave a strong message that the Govt is committed to ensuring best medical colleges and medical education. He informed that the government has increased the number of medical colleges to 648 from 387 medical colleges in 2014.

Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar noted that image of Indian doctors abroad has strengthened the recognition of medical education sector of India. She stated that “India’s remarkable growth story has raised expectation from various sectors of India of which health forms a crucial component”. “As Hon’ble Prime Minister has always stressed the country can grow strong with “sabka prayaas”. The role of private medical colleges is crucial for bringing a paradigm shift in medical education. We should move strongly for “India Brand” of medical doctors and education which epitomizes quality and credibility”, she further stated.

Various initiatives taken by NMC for reforming medical education at UG level were presented to the participants. This included steps for equal distribution of colleges following Prime Minister ‘s vision of “One District, One Medical College”; introduction of yoga module; village outreach through Family Adoption Program; medical education in bilingual languages; anti-raging cells; academic calendar for 2022-23 batch.

The issues discussed regarding Medical Assessment Rating Board covered themes such as recognition of backlogs and clearing renewals; friction free assessments; assessment in a window period or timeframe; reduction in mismatch between assessor and specialty; availability of teachers in pre and para- clinical courses; face recognition and Aadhar Enabled Biometric System (AEBMS); feasibility of skill labs to compensate fewer clinical load; concerns regarding crowding by medical colleges in some areas; reduction in repeated assessments of medical colleges; increase in validity period of recognition etc. Dr Mandaviya encouraged the Academy and researchers to collaborate with the private sector in research and innovation. He also welcomed any suggestion from the audience for improving the health sector in India.

The representatives from the private medical colleges thanked the Union Health Minister for interacting with them and for providing this opportunity to share their feedback, insights and suggestions on crucial aspects of medical education.

During the ‘Samvaad’ which lasted for nearly two hours, representatives from private medical colleges raised issues and proffered suggestions related to NEET PG, NEXTT, admissions, retirement age of faculty, journal publications, bond for rural posting, district residency program, super specialty courses, internship in community medicine, less faculty in some streams such as forensics, etc.

Dr Manohar Agnani, Addl, Secretary, MoHFW, Dr B N Gangadhar, President NMC, Dr Aruna Vanikar, President UGMEB (UG Medical Education Board), Dr Vijay Oza, President PGMEB (PG Medical Education Board), and other members of NMC were present at the interaction, along with senior officers of MoHFW.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved National Green Hydrogen Mission.  The initial outlay for the Mission will be  Rs.19,744 crore, including an outlay of Rs.17,490 crore for the SIGHT  programme, Rs.1,466 crore for pilot projects, Rs.400 crore for R&D, and Rs. 388 crore towards other Mission components.  MNRE will formulate the scheme guidelines for implementation of the respective components.

The Mission will result in the following likely outcomes by 2030:

• Development of green  hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonne) per annum with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country
• Over Rs. Eight lakh crore in total investments
• Creation of over Six lakh jobs
• Cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports over Rs. One lakh crore
• Abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions

The Mission will have wide ranging benefits- creation of export opportunities for Green Hydrogen and its derivatives; Decarbonisation of industrial, mobility and energy sectors; reduction in dependence on imported fossil fuels and feedstock; development of indigenous manufacturing capabilities; creation of employment opportunities; and development of cutting-edge technologies.  India’s Green Hydrogen production capacity is likely to reach at least 5 MMT per annum, with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW.  The targets by 2030 are likely to bring in over Rs. 8 lakh crore investments and create over 6 lakh jobs.  Nearly 50 MMT per annum of CO2 emissions are expected to be averted by 2030.

The Mission will facilitate demand creation, production, utilization and export of Green Hydrogen.  Under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition Programme (SIGHT), two distinct financial incentive mechanisms – targeting domestic manufacturing of electrolysers and production of Green Hydrogen – will be provided under the Mission.  The Mission will also support pilot projects in emerging end-use sectors and production pathways.  Regions capable of supporting large scale production and/or utilization of Hydrogen will be identified and developed as Green Hydrogen Hubs.

An enabling policy framework will be developed to support establishment of Green Hydrogen ecosystem.   A robust Standards and Regulations framework will be also developed.  Further, a public-private partnership framework for R&D (Strategic Hydrogen Innovation Partnership – SHIP) will be facilitated under the Mission; R&D projects will be goal-oriented, time bound, and suitably scaled up to develop globally competitive technologies.  A coordinated skill development programme will also be undertaken under the Mission.

All concerned Ministries, Departments, agencies and institutions of the Central and State Governments will undertake focussed and coordinated  steps to ensure successful achievement of the Mission objectives.  Ministry of New & Renewable Energy will be responsible for overall coordination and implementation of the Mission.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the investment for 382 MW Sunni Dam Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh by SJVN Limited, for an estimated cost of Rs. 2614.51 crore including Rs. 13.80 crore as budgetary support from Government of India for cost of enabling infrastructure. Ex-post facto approval is given for cumulative expenditure incurred amounting to Rs.246 crore till January, 2022.

Project cost of Rs.2614 crore included hard cost amounting to Rs.2246.40 crore, Interest During Construction (IDC) and Financing Charges (FC) of Rs. 358.96 crore & 9.15 crore respectively. The revised cost sanctions for cost variations due to quantity changes (including additions/ alterations/ extra items) and time overruns due to the developer shall be capped at 10% of sanctioned cost.

Keeping in view the aims and objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the present proposal for setting up of 382 MW Sunni Dam HEP by SJVN shall provide various benefits to local suppliers/ local enterprises/ MSMEs and shall encourage entrepreneurship opportunities within the country besides promoting employment and socio-economic development of the region. The implementation of the project shall generate direct & indirect employment to about 4000 persons during peak construction of the project.

A five-member delegation led by Ms. Jenista Joakim Mhagama, Minister of State in the President’s Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance of the United Republic of Tanzania called on Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh at North Block today.

Lauding India’s governance practices, Joakim Mhagama said, she was accompanied by a high level Tanzanian delegation which looked forward to learning from India’s vast and varied experience in governance.

While extending a warm welcome to the Tanzanian Delegation, Dr Jitendra Singh observed that many of India’s best practices in governance are being emulated by other countries of the world. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a number of best practices like Mission Karmayogi and CP-GRAMS have evolved in the last 7-8 years.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that India and Tanzania share multifaceted relations which in the recent years have evolved into a modern and pragmatic relationship with sound political understanding, diversified economic engagement, and people to people contacts in the field of education and healthcare and development partnership in capacity building training, concessional credit lines and grant projects.

Dr. Jitendra Singh assured Tanzanian Minister that India would be happy to support Tanzania to design and develop “Performance Management Information System and Public Employee Performance Management Information System” in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness of public services in the East African country.

The Union Minister said that India and Tanzania enjoy traditionally close and friendly relations in all spheres. He noted that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tanzania in July 2016 was a great success. He also highlighted strong economic ties between the two countries and said that the bilateral trade has witnessed an impressive growth and it stands at USD 4.5 billion for 2021-22. He stated that with Indian exports at USD 2.3 billion and Tanzania’s export at USD 2.2 billion, the two nations are having a balanced trade. Dr. Singh also highlighted the fact that India is one of top 5 investment sources in Tanzania with investment of USD 3.68 billion.

Dr Jitendra Singh noted that Tanzania is India’s biggest development partner in Africa with USD 1.1 billion of Lines of Credit (LOC)s , 450 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) annual scholarships and 70 annual long-term Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarships. Contracts for USD 500 million for water sector projects under LOCs were signed on 6 June 2022 in the presence of H.E Samia Suluhu, the President of Tanzania. He further said that IIT Madras has been tasked to set up an IIT campus in Tanzania, which is a landmark development and once completed, IIT Tanzania can be the best engineering college in the whole continent.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the defence ties between the two countries are very strong and that India is ready to export state of art defence equipments to Tanzania along with help in enhancing capacity building and training programmes for TPDF.

The Union Minister recalled that during the visit of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tanzania in 2016, India donated radiation therapy machine, ‘Bhabhatron II” to Bugando Medical Centre and grant of essential medicines worth USD 2 million were handed over to the Government of Tanzania in 2018 and 2020. Under India for Humanity programme, an artificial limbs fitment camp was organised in 2019 which benefitted 520 Tanzanians.It is worthy to note that Tanzania has about 50,000 people of Indian origin and about 10,000 NRI’s working in Tanzania. The purpose of the visit of Ms. Jenista Joakim Mhagama is that Purpose of the visit: Tanzania wants to understand the management of Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), Implementation of biometric system of attendance in central government offices in India, Mechanism of implementation of Aadhaar, E-office system implemented in government offices in India. They are also keen to learn about the reforms being upgraded in the bureaucracy and the training of the bureaucracy aimed at good governance and bureaucratic accountability.