Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao (D67), second warship of the P15B class of stealth guided-missile destroyers, was commissioned in the august presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on December 18, 2022. The event marked the formal induction of the second of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.

“Shining example of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence”

In his address, the Raksha Mantri described INS Mormugao as one of the most powerful indigenously-built warships which will significantly enhance the country’s maritime capabilities and secure national interests. “INS Mormugao is one of the world’s most technologically-advanced missile carriers. With over 75% indigenous content, it is a testimony to India’s excellence in design and development of warships and a shining example of our growing indigenous defence production capabilities. The warship will meet the present and future needs of our country as well as of our friendly countries across the globe,” he said.

“Navy securing maritime interests & contributing to socio-economic progress”

Shri Rajnath Singh commended the Indian Navy and MDL for the commissioning of INS Mormugao, describing it as the result of the hard work, dedication and aspirations of the engineers, technicians, designers and scientists. It is a matter of great pride for India, he said. The Raksha Mantri extended congratulations to the Indian Navy on behalf of the entire nation for not only safeguarding maritime interests, but also contributing significantly to the socio-economic progress.

The Raksha Mantri described safeguarding India’s interests in the Indian Ocean Region as the prime responsibility of the Navy. “Our growing economy is directly connected to the increasing trade, most of which is through sea routes. Our interest is directly linked to the Indian Ocean. Being an important country in this region, the role of Indian Navy becomes more important in its security. It is heartening to see that they are discharging their duties successfully,” he said.

“Armed Forces – backbone of India’s unprecedented growth”

Shri Rajnath Singh lauded the Armed Forces for protecting the borders and coasts with unmatched courage and dedication, terming them as the backbone of India’s unprecedented growth. “India is touching newer heights of success every day. We are now among the top five economies of the world. According to a report by investment firm Morgan Stanley, we will be among the top three economies in the next five years. India’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been appreciated by the world. Our G-20 presidency is another landmark achievement. This has been successful due to the aspirations, hard work and determination of every Indian. But, the most important reason behind our success is our secure borders and coasts. It is due to the readiness and promptness of our Armed Forces that we have a fool-proof security apparatus,” he said.

“Bolstering security apparatus is our top priority”

The Raksha Mantri reiterated the Government’s resolve to prepare the nation to deal with any situation arising due to the rapidly changing global scenario. He said, it is the Government’s top priority to continue strengthening the security infrastructure by equipping the military with state-of-the-art indigenous weapons/equipment.

“Economic, political and trade relations between countries are constantly evolving. The Covid-19 pandemic, situation in the middle east, Afghanistan and now Ukraine. It directly or indirectly impacts every country in one way or another. In this era of globalisation, almost all nations are dependent on each other in the field of trade. Hence, rule-based freedom of navigation, security of sea lanes etc. have become more important than ever for stability and economic progress of the world,” he stated.

“Aim is to make India an indigenous shipbuilding hub”

Shri Rajnath Singh also praised MDL for growing in stature by continuously building new ships with state-of-the-art technologies. He urged them and other shipbuilding companies to enhance their capabilities by taking advantage of the Government’s initiatives and move forward towards making India an indigenous shipbuilding hub.

“Countries around the world are today moving towards modernising and strengthening their military power due to the global security scenario. The demand for military equipment is continuously increasing. We have introduced a number of policies which will help our public or private sector companies to become world class players. You all must take advantage of these policies and strive to cater to the needs of our Navy & Coast Guard, while meeting international requirements. We will extend all possible support to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’,” he said.

“INS Mormugao – India’s giant leap in warship building capabilities”

Speaking on the occasion, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the commissioning of INS Mormugao is indicative of the large strides India has taken in warship design and building capability over the last decade. He added that the warship is a true illustration of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiative and it reinforces the Navy’s commitment to supporting India’s transformation into a global ship-building hub. The warship, with her multi-dimensional combat capability, will form part of the Western Fleet – the sword arm of the Indian Navy, he said.

Admiral R Hari Kumar complimented the Commanding Officer and his team of officers and sailors for their sustained efforts and perseverance during the trials and acceptance of the warship. He urged them to move forward with the same momentum and prepare for future operational deployments. He also commended MDL for playing a significant role in the transition from a ‘Buyers Navy to a Builders Navy’.

About Ins Mormugao

Stealth, fire power & manoeuvrability with indigenous content

Measuring 163m in length and 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes, INS Mormugao is packed with sophisticated state-of-the-art weapons and sensors such as Surface-to-Surface Missile and Surface-to-Air Missiles. The ship is fitted with a modern Surveillance Radar which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems. Its Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities are provided by the indigenously-developed Rocket Launchers, Torpedo Launchers and the ASW helicopters.

Named after the historic port city of Goa on the west coast, the ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical warfare conditions. It is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas configuration, capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section. INS Mormugao has a complement of about 300 personnel.

With over 75% indigenous content, all her major weapons and sensors have been developed and manufactured in India either directly through design and development by Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or through strategic tie-ups and Transfer of Technology with reputed foreign OEMs.

P15B destroyers

P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, seakeeping and manoeuvrability. Enhanced stealth has also been achieved, making the ships difficult to detect. With a significantly increased indigenous content, P15B destroyers are a hallmark of self-reliance in warship design and building and a shining example of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.

Vision & aim

With power dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region constantly changing, the ship’s all-domain capability will augment the Indian Navy’s mobility, reach and flexibility to accomplish any mission or task. Induction of the ship into the Navy also reflects India’s growing ability to remain First Responder and Preferred Security Partner in the region.

History

The ship was launched on September 17, 2016 and commenced sea trials on December 19, 2021, coinciding with 60 years of Goa Liberation. The commissioning on 18 December is significant as it was the same date in 1961 when Operation Vijay was launched to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule. Shri Rajnath Singh, in his address, paid glowing tributes to former Raksha Mantri late Manohar Parrikar, who hailed from Goa and had launched INS Mormugao in 2016.

Commissioning Ceremony at a glance

During the ceremony, Shri Rajnath Singh was presented with a guard of honour upon his arrival. The Commanding Officer Captain Kapil Bhatia then read out the Ship’s Commissioning Warrant. Subsequently, the Naval Ensign was hoisted onboard for the first time and the Commissioning Pennant broken (unfurled) on the main mast to the time of the national anthem played by the Naval Band. Before his address, the Raksha Mantri unveiled the Commissioning Plaque, dedicating the ship to the service of the nation.

Governor of Goa Shri PS Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh and CMD, MDL Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad (Retd) also attended the event.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed the Stock taking Plenary at UN Biodiversity  Conference, COP15  at Montreal, Canada. Addressing the Plenary Shri Yadav said,

Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I acknowledge the contribution of the parties for their valuable contribution and hope that this conference reaches a consensus on putting in place the Post 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Reversing ecosystem degradation and halting global biodiversity loss are essential for socioeconomic development, human wellbeing, and for advancing global sustainability. The goals and targets set in the Global Biodiversity Framework should be ambitious; yet realistic and practical. Conservation of biodiversity must also be based on Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective capabilities as the climate change processes affect biodiversity.

Excellencies,

For the developing nations, agriculture is a paramount economic driver for rural communities, and the critical support provided to these sectors cannot be redirected.When food security is of paramount importance for developing countries, prescribing numerical targets in pesticide reductions is unnecessary and must be left to countries to decide, based on national circumstances, priorities and capabilities. Biodiversity conservation requires ecosystems to be conserved and restored holistically and in an integrated manner. It is in this context that Ecosystem Approaches for conservation of biodiversity need to be adopted rather than nature based solutions.

Excellencies

The successful implementation of the framework will squarely depend on the ways and means we put in place for an equally ambitious Resource Mobilization Mechanism. Hence there is a need to create a new and dedicated mechanism for the provision of financial resources to developing-country Parties. India is fully committed to working closely with all parties so that we are all able to bring out an ambitious and realistic Global Biodiversity Framework in COP 15.

Thank you very much.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Meghalaya and Tripura on 18th December. In Shillong, Prime Minister will participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council. At around 10:30 AM, Prime Minister will attend the meeting of the North Eastern Council at the State Convention Centre, Shillong. Thereafter, at around 11:30 AM, he will inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects in a public function in Shillong. He will then travel to Agartala and in a public function at around 2:45 PM, he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various key projects.

PM in Meghalaya

Prime Minister will attend and address the meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC). The Council was formally inaugurated on 7th November, 1972. NEC has played a key role in the socio-economic development of the North Eastern region and has lent support to various infrastructure projects and other development initiatives across all states of the region. It has helped create valuable capital and social infrastructure, especially in critical gap areas of sectors including education, health, sports, water resources, agriculture, tourism, industry, among others.

In a public function, Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth over Rs. 2450 crores.

In a step which will further boost telecom connectivity in the region, Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation 4G mobile towers, of which more than 320 have been completed and around 890 are under construction. He will inaugurate the New Campus of IIM Shillong at Umsawli. He will inaugurate Shillong – Diengpasoh Road, which will provide better connectivity to new Shillong satellite township and decongest Shillong. He will also inaugurate four other road projects across three states viz. Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

He will inaugurate the Spawn Laboratory at Mushroom Development Center in Meghalaya to enhance mushroom spawn production and also provide skill training for farmers and entrepreneurs. He will also inaugurate the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre in Meghalaya to improve the livelihood of beekeeping farmers through capacity building and technology upgradation. Further, he will inaugurate 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Assam.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. He will also lay the foundation stone of the Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre at Tura and Shillong Technology Park Phase -II. The Technology Park Phase -II will have a built-up area of about 1.5 lakh square feet. It will provide new opportunities for professionals and is expected to create more than 3000 jobs. The Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre will have a convention hub, guest rooms, food court etc. It will provide the necessary infrastructure for promoting tourism and showcasing cultural heritage in the region.

PM in Tripura

Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate and lay the foundation stone of various key initiatives worth over Rs. 4350 crores.

A significant focus of the Prime Minister has been towards ensuring that everyone has a house of their own. In a key step towards ensuring the same in the region, Prime Minister will launch the Grih Pravesh programme for beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural. These houses, developed at a cost of over Rs 3400 crores, will cover over 2 lakh beneficiaries.

With a focus on improving road connectivity, Prime Minister will inaugurate the project for widening of the Agartala bypass (Khayerpur – Amtali) NH-08, which will help ease traffic congestion in Agartala city. He will also lay the foundation stones for 32 roads of more than 230 Km length under PMGSY III (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) and for improvement of 112 roads covering a distance of over 540 Km.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the State Institute of Hotel Management at Anandnagar and Agartala Government Dental College.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh today commended the Indian Army for showing unmatched bravery during the Galwan and Tawang incidents. Addressing the 95^th Annual Convention of Federation of Indian Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in New Delhi, Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that India has no intention to capture the land of other countries, but will always be ready if anyone tries to cast an evil eye. India aims to become a superpower which works for the welfare of the world, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh stated that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, is touching newer heights of success and has entered the category of ‘fabulous five’ from ‘fragile five’, coined by investment firm Morgan Stanley, in 2014. “India is now among the top five economies of the world. It took us 31 years from 1991 to become a $US three trillion economy. I am confident that the next three trillion dollars are going to be added in the next seven years,” he said.

The Raksha Manti added that India has now become an agenda setter on the world stage due to the Prime Minister’s credibility and decision making. He said, India’s G-20 presidency is proof of India’s growing stature. “The theme of G-20 is ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ through which an inclusive and decisive road map of development will be decided. Inspired by the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam and world welfare, our Prime Minister has decided to share India’s resolve for economic and human development with countries that have not yet recovered from COVID-19,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the procedural and structural reforms made by the Government which has prepared ground for a big leap towards a strong, prosperous & a self-reliant ‘New India”. He made special mention of the creation of a digital financial infrastructure, Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Direct Benefit Transfer & Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, which have proved to be a boon for the people, especially the poor.

The Raksha Mantri listed out a number of reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Defence to strengthen the Indian defence sector, including simplifying FDI norms and increasing the limit to 74% under automatic route and 100% under government route. He added that 68% of the capital procurement budget has been earmarked for domestic industry in 2022-23 to promote the participation of the private sector. He exhorted the captains of domestic industry and foreign OEMs to invest in the defence sector and become integrated in the global supply chain.

Shri Rajnath Singh pointed out that the reforms have delivered desired results and defence exports have registered a seven-fold increase in the last six years. He said, all efforts are being made to increase defence production from $US 12 billion to $US 22 billion by 2025. “It is a golden period for the defence sector as it has demonstrated its capabilities by manufacturing fighter aircraft, aircraft carriers, Main Battle Tanks and attack helicopters. Indian defence industry is growing by leaps and bounds and is making its global presence felt. It is attracting not only big corporates, but also start-ups and MSMEs. Many start-ups have emerged in recent years. In 2014, there were hardly 400-500 start-ups in the country. Today, the number has touched 80,000. The defence industry has immense potential for growth. It is going to be the sunrise sector of the Indian economy,” he said.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah presided over the 25th Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Kolkata today. The meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of West Bengal and Jharkhand, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar and Ministers from Odisha and other senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the States under the Council.

In his inaugural address, the Union Home Minister said that in the last 8 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than 1,000 issues were discussed in the meetings of the Zonal Councils and 93 percent of them were resolved, which is a huge achievement. He said that in the 8 years from 2006 to 2013, a total of 6 meetings of the Zonal Councils were held (an average of less than one meeting per year), but in the 8 years since 2014, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 23 meetings (including today’s meeting) have been held (an average of 3 meetings per year). Shri Shah said that there has been a significant increase in the frequency of meetings of the Zonal Council and these results are visible, which has been possible with the cooperation of all the State Governments, Central Ministries and Departments and in this the Inter-State Council Secretariat is playing an active role.

Shri Amit Shah said that the Union government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot of work in the past years in the direction of developing infrastructure in the States of the Eastern region. He said that States of the Eastern region have a major share in the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Gati Shakti Scheme, as Shri Modi has always given thrust on the development of this region. Shri Shah said that in the next 25 years, during the Azadi ka Amrit Kaal, the Eastern region of the country will play an important role in the development of India. Shri Shah said, the 25th Eastern Zonal Council meeting was held in a good and positive atmosphere, consensus was reached on many issues, while pending issues will also be resolved through consultations.

The Union Home Minister said that Left Wing Extremism has almost been eliminated from the Eastern region of the country and efforts should be made to sustain this decisive dominance over Left Wing Extremism. He stressed that efforts should be sustained as extremism should not re-emerge in LWE-free States and that these States should develop at par with other parts of the country. The Union Home Minister urged the Chief Minister to ensure the creation of a district-level structure of the NCORD mechanism and its regular meetings for the prevention of narcotics. He said the fight against drugs in the country is now at a crucial stage and there is a need to accelerate the campaign against drugs with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

The Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav delivered India’s National Statement at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at Montreal, Canada. Delivering the statement Shri Yadav said,

“Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We all acknowledge that credible action is the source of strength and optimism in facing all global challenges including biodiversity. Despite India having 17 per cent of the global population, but only 2.4 per cent of the land area and only 4 per cent of its water resources, we are forging ahead in our efforts.

Our forest and tree cover is steadily rising, together with our wildlife population. Definitive steps are being taken to return the iconic cheetah to Indian habitats. India has taken a quantum jump in the number of declared Ramsar sites to the current figure of seventy-five. As a large developing country, our forest policy is challenging to implement but our forest surveys are testimony to its success.

India’s balance sheet in implementing the Aichi targets is pro-active and forward looking and India is on track to meeting its commitments.

Similarly, our agriculture, as for other developing countries, is the source of life, livelihoods and culture for hundreds of millions. Such essential support to vulnerable sections cannot be called subsidies and targeted for elimination, while they may be rationalized. Biodiversity must be promoted through positive investment. Similarly, a numerical global target for pesticide reduction is unnecessary and must be left to countries to decide.

India has taken numerous steps to keep Invasive Alien Species at bay. But a numerical target is not feasible without the necessary baseline and relevant scientific evidence.

Excellencies,

The Global Biodiversity Framework must be framed in the light of science and equity, and the sovereign right of nations over their resources, as provided for in the Convention on Biodiversity. If climate is profoundly linked to biodiversity, then the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities must equally apply to biodiversity.

When nature itself is under stress because of the historical disproportionate and iniquitous GHG emissions of the developed countries, Nature-based solutions to global warming and other environmental challenges are not an answer without resolute action by developed countries to measure up to their historical and current responsibilities. Nature cannot protect if it is not itself protected. Nature is the victim of global warming, and its protective features can do little against unchecked temperature rise.

We cannot only conserve, preserve and restore. We must also promote sustainable use and it is in this context that Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi’s clarion call for a people’s movement centred on LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment launched on 20^th October 2022 at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat in the presence of UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres assumes significance.

Excellencies,

The provision of the means of implementation must match our ambition. The MDGs had 8 goals, the SDGs have 17 goals, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets were 20 and the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) may have 23 targets. The increased expectations through these targets call for matching means of implementation, especially through public finance. Our only source of funding remains the Global Environment Facility that caters to multiple Conventions.

The value of biodiversity to humankind also lies in its economic dimension alongside the cultural and social. Sustainable use and access and benefit sharing are key to promoting biodiversity, alongside the efforts to conserve, protect and restore.

Modern technologies, especially information technology, can assist our goals. Hence the Digital Sequencing Information must be linked to access and benefit sharing in a just and fair manner.

Excellencies,

India looks forward to fruitful deliberations that will preserve and enhance our natural heritage that our ancestors and traditions have provided us. We are but merely custodian of Planet Earth and our bounden duty is to further enrich the rich biodiversity of Mother Earth, restore its pristine glory and hand it over to the next generation for the benefit of one and all – mankind, nature and all life forms.

I re-iterate that what is needed today is Mindful and Deliberate Utilization, instead of Mindless and Destructive Consumption. It is in this context that our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched the Mission LiFE which is a mass movement towards an environmentally conscious lifestyle. Embracing it, let us move forward towards an equitable and sustainable world by implementing the foundational principles of CBD, both in letter and spirit. It is this spirit which has been captured so truly in the logo of India’s G20 Presidency which calls for One World, One Family or ॥वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्॥॥

Jai Hind !!”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with His Excellency Mr Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation.

Following up on their meeting in Samarkand on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, the two leaders reviewed several aspects of the bilateral relationship, including energy cooperation, trade and investments, defence & security cooperation, and other key areas.

In the context of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Prime Minister reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way forward.

Prime Minister briefed President Putin on India’s ongoing Presidency of the G-20, highlighting its key priorities.  He also looked forward to both countries working together during India’s Chairship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

The leaders agreed to remain in regular touch with each other.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said, India must meet global benchmarks to stand out globally. As a part of global world, we are faced with global challenges and the solutions also have to be global, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, since May 2014, under Prime Minister Modi, there was a major paradigm shift in all areas of governance and revolutionary and far-reaching changes ushered in Economic Policies, Defence and Strategic matters, Infrastructure, Rural Regeneration and Social Upliftment of vulnerable sections have laid out a clear roadmap for India to emerge as a frontline nation in the comity of nations by 2047.

The Minister was delivering the valedictory address of Rajendra Prasad National Memorial Conventionat IIPA, New Delhi titled, “Repositioning India @2047: Revisiting Sustainable Development Goals for Nation Building”.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, in 2015, 193 countries came together to unanimously adopt the UN – 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. He said, most of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) like no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure are the main priority areas of Modi Model of Governance.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, India follows a holistic approach towards its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by launching various schemes. He said, the third edition of SDG India Index 2020–21 launched by NITI Aayog last year is more robust than the previous editions on account of wider coverage of targets and indicators with greater alignment with the National Indicator Framework, NIF.

Dr Jitendra Singh lauded the role of IIPA for discussing in detail the five technical sessions pertaining to 5 SDGs, namely Quality Education, Reducing Inequalities, Health and Well-being, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

The Minister said, we can only meet the Goals if we work together and underlined that international investments and support are needed to ensure innovative technological development, fair trade and market access, especially for developing countries. To build a better world, we need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all, cooperative, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has been leading discussions to develop SDG national indicators. He said, State governments are essential to India’s SDG progress as they ‘put people first and ensure that ‘no one is left behind the planet. The Sustainable Development Goals work towards a world of peace and prosperity, eradicating significant issues such as poverty and hunger, all while protecting the planet, added the Minister.

DG, IIPA, Shri S. N. Tripathi, Major General, Roopesh Mehta, Associate Professor Neetu Jain and Amitabh Ranjan, Registrar of IIPA also joined the Conference.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has called upon Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) to strengthen its internal legal system and gain expertise in state land revenue laws to effectively deal with unnecessary land related disputes. Addressing the Defence Estates Day function in New Delhi on December 16, 2022, Shri Rajnath Singh asserted that certain elements sometimes encroach upon the government land by forging land & property related documents and taking advantage of the legal loopholes, resulting in a litigation that goes on for years. He stressed that the time, money and energy wasted in the process must be avoided and DGDE must equip themselves to stay always ready to deal with such issues.

“There are many law universities and colleges in our country with which DGDE can collaborate to train and update its officers in land laws. The officers should remain updated on judgments of different courts on land issues. Focus should be on capacity building and making the processes simpler & better using new technologies. The department must continue to increase its competencies in the field of land management and local area administration, while striving to make its system more robust,” Shri Rajnath Singh said.

The Raksha Mantri described the maintenance and management of defence land as one of the tasks of national importance. He complimented DGDE for rolling out numerous steps in this direction, including the survey and digitisation of about 18 lakh acres of defence land and establishment of a Centre of Excellence to promote the use of latest technologies in land surveys.

Shri Rajnath Singh made special mention of the Artificial Intelligence-based software, developed by DGDE to detect unauthorised constructions and encroachments on defence land, which has been put to use in cantonments across the country. “Unauthorised constructions and encroachments were earlier detected on the basis of physical verification, which is time consuming and prone to errors. The software will increase surveillance by land holding & land using departments and prevent unauthorised constructions and encroachments,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri also appreciated the fact that the e-Chhawani software has been shortlisted for the Digital India Awards 2022 under the category of digital empowerment of citizens. He termed the achievement as proof that the software has played an important role in providing citizen centric services to the residents of cantonments. He urged DGDE to develop and expand this application for the benefit of general public as well.

Shri Rajnath Singh pointed out that Ministry of Home Affairs has requested DGDE to conduct a survey for Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI). It is the first survey of land and buildings by DGDE outside Ministry of Defence, which will be started by DEO Delhi in collaboration with revenue authorities from Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh. He urged DGDE to prepare updated maps and land details for CEPI using latest technology.

Terming DGDE as a bridge that connects civil society with the Armed Forces, the Raksha Mantri exhorted the Organisation to bolstering that link by working with the approach of participatory development and coming out with more people centric policies, keeping in mind the interests of both sides.

The event also witnessed the inauguration of SUVIDYA (Multilingual Cantt Board School Management Module) and BHOOMI RAKSHA (Encroachment Removal Module) by the Raksha Mantri.

SUVIDYA (Multilingual Cantt Board School Management Module)

Cantonment Boards operate and run various schools across 52 Cantonments in the country to impart quality education and various skills to students of the locality. There are 194 schools under Cantonment Boards with primary to Sr. Secondary level presently. There are presently 63,400 students enrolled in these schools. To enhance ‘Ease of living’ for the citizens in Cantonment areas, School Management System has been implemented in these 194 schools. The major online modules are:

• Online Admission
• Online Issuance of Transfer Certificate
• Online Homework and Assignments
• Online Grievance / Incident Reporting
• Online Notification
• Online Feedback and Suggestion

Keeping in view the requirements and suggestions of stakeholders, the functionalities of Suvidya has been enhanced by incorporating multilingual facility in six local languages other than English. These languages are Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi and Tamil. This is going to be one of the few applications in which students, teachers & parents will avail the facility in regional languages. The dashboard and reports for monitoring the performance of schools has also been incorporated in Suvidya.

BHOOMI RAKSHA (Land Encroachment Removal Module)

Ministry of Defence owns large tracts of land of approx. 18 lakh acres both inside and outside Cantonments. The Armed Forces require large areas of land for various activities. The management of defence land lies with different defence organisations including DGDE/DEOs who are responsible for the protection under their respective management. The protection measures, inter alia, includes removal of encroachment from defence land.

For efficient and effective monitoring of removal of encroachment from defence land, DGDE has developed an Encroachment module under Real Time Record Management project. This will facilitate DEOs/CEOs to report encroachment cases to Estate Officers appointed under Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 who will be able to issue different notices and orders as per the Act for eviction of unauthorised occupants. Since the case will be processed online, it will obviate the need for additional data entry.

The details about the encroachments and their removal status can easily be monitored by all the offices from that of DEOs/CEOs to the DGDE using the software. Also, various reports/statistics can be generated from the software to assess the number of encroachments year wise, number of notice/order issued etc. command wise and office wise and progress in removal of encroachment. This will greatly assist all levels in initiating timely action for removal of encroachment from defence land.

RAKSHA MANTRI EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Shri Rajnath Singh also gave away Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence for innovation and digital achievements in the fields of health, education and sanitation along with public service and land management. In 2020 and 2021, considering the COVID-19 situation, awards were not given to two categories namely Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence for Maintaining Centres for Divyang Children and for Improvement in the functioning of Cantt Boards Schools.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh laid a wreath at National War Memorial, New Delhi on the occasion of Vijay Diwas on December 16, 2022. The Raksha Mantri, along with Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral SN Ghormade, paid homage to the Armed Forces personnel who fought courageously in the 1971 war and laid down their lives in service to the nation.

In his message in the visitors’ book, the Raksha Mantri wrote: “The nation will remain indebted to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice while protecting the sovereignty of the nation. We will continue to move forward in the path of development with their ideals and values.”

Earlier, in a tweet, Shri Rajnath Singh described 1971 war as the triumph of humanity over inhumanity, virtue over misconduct and justice over injustice.

In his message, Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt wrote: “The defeat of Pakistan in the war and the liberation of Bangladesh is testimony to India’s commitment to upholding the values of freedom and democracy”.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan wrote: “May our Armed Forces continue to bring greater success and glory to our motherland and contribute indefatigably towards nation building”.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid homage to all those brave armed forces personnel who ensured India attained an exceptional win in the 1971 war on the occasion of Vijay Diwas.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“On Vijay Diwas, I pay homage to all those brave armed forces personnel who ensured India attained an exceptional win in the 1971 war. Our nation will always be indebted to the armed forces for their role in keeping the country safe and secure.”