Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah launched the first MBBS course in Hindi in the country today, in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Many dignitaries including the Chief Minister  of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan were present on the occasion.

In his address, the Union Home Minister said  this day is very important for the Medical sector in the year of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, and will be written in golden letters in times to come. He said this is the day of renaissance and reconstruction of the Education sector of the country. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a very historic decision in the New Education Policy, by giving importance to the Mother Tongue of students in Primary, Technical and Medical education. He said  Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a call to provide Medical and Engineering education in  regional languages ​​such as Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bengali and the Government of Madhya Pradesh led by Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the first fulfil Shri Modi’s wish.

Shri Amit Shah said today Medical education is commencing in Hindi and soon Engineering studies will also begin in Hindi and translation of Engineering books has cimmenced in eight languages ​​across the country, and soon students across the Nation will be able to pursue Technical and Medical education in their Mother Tongue. He said that this day is important as from onwards,  students will not only receive instructions in Technical and Medical education in their Mother Tongue, but also will be able to conduct Research in their own language.

The Union Home Minister said  Madhya Pradesh is the  first State to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s New Education policy and is implementing it in a very good way. Shri Shah told  students that the thinking process  is done the best  in the Mother Tongue and words spoken in the Mother Tongue touch the Heart. He said the Mind processes  thinking, revision, Research, reasoning, analysis and arriving at a decision in ones Mother Tongue. He said if studies and Research are conducted in the Mother Tongue, then Indian students are no less competent than students from other countries, and they will bring laurels to India in Research.

Shri Amit Shah said in the 21st Century some forces adopted the Brain Drain Theory and today Prime Minister Modi is converting this theory into the Brain Gain Theory. He said today under the leadership of Shri Modi, the New Education Policy has begun to give importance to our languages. We have begun conducting the JEE, NEET and UGC examinations in 12 languages ​​of the country. Similarly, the Common University Entrance Test is being conducted in 13 languages and 10 States have commenced teaching Engineering courses by translating them into Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Bengali, Malayalam and Gujarati.

The Union Home Minister said studying in ones own language ​​will definitely enhance the abilities of students. He told students across the country that they should come out of their linguistic inferiority complex,as today there is a government led by Shri Narendra Modi and they can showcase their abilities in their

own language. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a message for the  world when he gives speeches in global forums in the Official Language Hindi. He said when Shri Modi speaks in Hindi on the global stage, the confidence of the youth across the country increases.

Shri Amit Shah said the Government led by Shri Narendra Modi  has made many changes in Technical and Medical education. Shri Shah said in 2014 there were 387 medical colleges and these have increased to 596, the number of MMBS seats have increased from 51,000 to 79,000. There were 16 IITs which are now 23, there were 13 IIMs which are now 20 and there were nine IIITs  which are now 25. In 2014, there were 723Universities in the country, which have been increased to 1,043 by the Government under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi. He said there is going to be an educational revolution due to the restoration in the pride of our languages ​​through the New Education Policy of Shri Modi and making arrangements for Technical, Medical and Legal studies in the country.Shri Shah said that those who spread the usage of English have associated language with intellectual ability, but there is no relation between language and intellectual ability. Language is only a medium of expression whereas intellectual ability is a natural gift which can be improved through education and if education is given in the Mother Tongue then it is very beneficial in improving intellectual ability. He said after today’s launch, India will go a long way in global research and the intellectual potential of our students will also be placed before  the world.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has urged the citizens to contribute to nation building by transcending sectarian barriers and imbibing the qualities of national pride and patriotism, found in abundance in every Indian soldier & freedom fighter. The Raksha Mantri was virtually addressing an event ‘Shaheedon ko Salaam’ organised by an NGO ‘Maruti Veer Jawan Trust’ on October 16, 2022. He stated that the Armed Forces personnel, rising above the barriers of region, religion, caste & language, serve the motherland selflessly and protect the people from different threats, the same way our revolutionary freedom fighters laid down their lives for India’s independence.

“It is the duty of every citizen to carry forward the ideals and resolutions of our freedom fighters & soldiers; protect the unity, integrity & sovereignty of our nation and play their part in building a strong, prosperous & self-reliant ‘New India’,” said Shri Rajnath Singh, while paying homage to the gallant freedom fighters and Armed Forces personnel who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the Nation.

Terming the support to the family members of the fallen heroes as a national responsibility, the Raksha Mantri asserted that the Government is committed to the welfare of the Next of Kin of the serving as well as retired personnel. He described family as the biggest strength and support system of a soldier and said that the Government is leaving no stone unturned to strengthen that support system. “During my stint as the Home Minister, ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ fund was one of the major decisions taken to support the families of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) jawans and officers. Recently, Ministry of Defence launched ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ website to enable people to contribute more to Armed Forces Battle Casualties Fund,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh stressed that bolstering the security apparatus of the country by equipping the Armed Forces with indigenous state-of-the-art weapons/equipment is the Government’s top priority and the induction of ‘Made in India’ ships and other equipment reflects the resolve of soon achieving complete ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. He emphasised that strict vigil is being maintained at the borders and the Nation is ready to deal with all challenges. He maintained that “India is a peace-loving nation which has never tried to hurt any country, but if any attempt is made to disrupt peace and harmony in the country, a befitting reply will be given.”

The event was organised to honour the valour and sacrifice of the Armed Forces personnel and freedom fighters. Representatives of the Maruti Veer Jawan Trust as well as families of the fallen heroes joined the event virtually.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today time has come for India to develop integrated models of medical teaching and added that Banaras Hindu University (BHU), founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in 1916, offers a unique model of integrated teaching, including integrated medical teaching within one single campus.

BHU, said the Minister, is today possibly the largest residential educational centre, with so many diverse academic streams within the same campus and at the same time also committed to focus on character building and mentoring. All disciplines including life sciences, Medicine, Engineering, Arts, Social Sciences, technology etc to mention a few, are there.

Presiding over the Annual Day celebrations as chief guest at BHU, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) in BHU is a unique medical centre in the University in the sense that it has faculty of Ayurveda as well as indigenous medical systems, Dental Science along with Allopathy and other modern or western systems medicine. It is also planning to introduce Yoga and Ayush studies in the same premises.

IMS ranks among India’s top five Medical Institutes, noted Dr Jitendra Singh and said, the Institute in BHU imbibes the spirit of integrated and holistic approach where the students can access all the medical streams in a single campus.

Elaborating further on the integral and unique nature of medical professionals, Dr Jitendra Singh said, India’s medical fraternity is being hailed across the world, particularly after the COVID pandemic. He said, at a time when the medical practitioners across the world were taken by surprise by an unusual catastrophic event in the form of COVID pandemic, it was India’s medical professionals who not only geared up overnight but also commendable reoriented themselves to defeat the challenge in a manner that it has set an example before the rest of the world to follow. Aided by an integrated ecosystem, it was India which not only came out with the first DNA vaccine but also provided it to the rest of the world, he added.

While in the beginning of the pandemic, said Dr Jitendra Singh, the world was apprehensive that a disaster outbreak in a populous country like India would pose threat to other countries as well, it was Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi’s focussed approach and day-to-day monitoring which helped India perform better compared to several European countries with less than half of India’s population.

Having himself been a teacher and Professor of Medicine for over quarter of a century, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he is highly appreciative of the young Resident Doctors who faced the entire brunt during the pandemic, more so because during the last two decades, the focus of clinical teaching had shifted to non-communicable diseases like Diabetes, hypertension, heart attacks etc and equal priority was not given to the teaching of communicable diseases. But still, the versatile and varied clinical teaching imparted to our medicos in India enabled them to instantly rise to the occasion, he said.

IMS in BHU has 2600 bedded Sir Sunder Lal hospital catering to the population of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and adjoining districts of Nepal. With the limited resources, the institution is serving best to patients and training medical graduates and post graduates. IMS BHU ranks in the top 5 medical Colleges in the country.

The Minister congratulated the faculty and students for their distinctive performance who are bagging awards in recognition of their work.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural session of All India Conference of Law Ministers and Law Secretaries today via video message.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that the critical meeting of law ministers and secretaries of all states in the country is taking place under the grandeur of the Statue of Unity, and it is the inspiration of Sardar Patel that will help us achieve our goals by pointing us in the right direction during this phase of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.

The Prime Minister pointed out the need for a dependable and speedy justice system for a healthy and confident society in a developing country like ours. He further added that the judicial system and various procedures and traditions in every society have been developing according to the needs of the time period. Shri Modi said, “When justice is seen to be delivered, then the faith of the countrymen in the constitutional institutions is strengthened. And when justice is delivered, the confidence of the common man goes up.” He further added that such events are very important for the continuous improvement of the law and order of the country.

The Prime Minister informed that the development journey of Indian society is thousands of years old and we have made steady progress despite facing critical challenges. “The biggest aspect of our society is the tendency to improve itself internally while moving forward on the path of progress”, Shri Modi added. Stressing the need for continuous improvement, the Prime Minister pointed out that it is an indispensable requirement for the smooth functioning of every system. “Our society keeps on weeding out irrelevant laws and wrong customs. Otherwise, when any tradition turns into orthodoxy, it turns out to be a burden on society”, he added, “The people of the country should feel neither the absence of government nor the pressure of the government.”

Throwing light on the special emphasis on removing the pressure of the government from the citizens of India, the Prime Minister informed that in the last 8 years, India has repealed more than one and a half thousand archaic laws and reduced more than 32 thousand compliances to put an end to the legal hurdles that obstruct the path of innovation and ease of living. “Many of these laws were continuing from the time of slavery”, he said. The Prime Minister further added that many old laws from the time of slavery are still in operation in the states and urged the dignitaries present on occasion to make way for the abolition of such laws at this conference. “In this Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal, new laws should be made by abolishing the laws which have been going on from the time of slavery”, Shri Modi added. The Prime Minister also pointed towards reviewing the existing laws of the states while focusing on Ease of Living and Ease of Justice for the people.

The Prime Minister noted that the delay in serving justice has come across as the biggest challenge and the judiciary is working with utmost seriousness in this direction. Throwing light on the mechanism of alternative dispute resolution, the Prime Minister suggested that it has been put to good use in the villages of India for a long time and can now be promoted to the state level. “We have to understand how to make it a part of the legal system at the local level in the states”, Shri Modi added.

Recalling the time when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that the then government had introduced the concept of evening courts. He further explained that cases which were less serious in terms of sections were taken up by the evening courts which resulted in the resolution of more than 9 lakh cases in Gujarat in recent years. The Prime Minister also highlighted the emergence of Lok Adalats that have led to the disposal of lakhs of cases in various states and reduced the burden of the courts. “People living in the rural areas have benefitted immensely from this”, he added.

Noting the responsibility of the ministers in formulating laws in the Parliament, the Prime Minister remarked that if there is confusion in the law itself, it is the common citizens who have to bear the brunt of it in future, no matter the intentions. He further added that ordinary citizens have to spend a lot of money and run around from post to pillar to get justice. He said, “When the law comes to the understanding of the common man, then its effect is something else.”

Drawing examples from other countries, the Prime Minister noted that when a law is made in the Parliament or Legislative Assembly, it is prepared to explain it in detail within the definition of law, and secondly to draft the law in a language that can be easily understood by the common man. The timeline of the execution of the law is also determined and the law is reviewed again in the new circumstances. “Local language plays a big role in the legal system for ease of justice. Academic ecosystem will also have to be created for the youth in the mother tongue. Law courses should be in mother tongue, our laws should be written in simple language, digital libraries of important cases of High Courts and Supreme Court should be in local language”, he added.

“When the judicial system grows along with society, it has a natural tendency to adopt modernity. As a result, the changes that take place in society are also visible through the justice system” Shri Modi said. Putting the spotlight on the integration of technology in the judicial system, the Prime Minister pointed out the emergence of e-courts and virtual hearings and the promotion of e-filings. Shri Modi further added that these systems will get a major boost with the arrival of 5G in the country. “Every state will have to update and upgrade its systems. It should also be an important goal of our legal education to prepare it according to technology”, he added.

Recalling the joint meeting of Chief Justices of High Courts where the Prime Minister had raised the issue of undertrial prisoners, he urged the dignitaries to work towards speedy trials for the disposal of such cases. The Prime Minister further added that state governments should work with a humane approach regarding undertrial prisoners so that the judicial system moves forward with human ideals. “A sensitive justice system is essential for a capable nation and a harmonious society”, Shri Modi added.

Underlining the supremacy of the Constitution, the Prime Minister said that the Constitution is the origin of the judiciary, legislature and executive. “Be it the government, Parliament, our courts, all three are, in a way, the children of the same mother. So even though the functions are different, if we look at the spirit of the constitution, there is no scope for argument or competition. Like the children of a mother, all three have to serve Maa Bharati, together they have to take India to new heights in the 21st century”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Union Minister of Law & Justice, Shri  Kiren Rijiju and Union Minister of State for Law & Justice, Shri S P Singh Baghel were those present on occasion among others.

Background

The two-day conference is being hosted by the Ministry of Law & Justice at Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. The objective of the Conference is to provide a common forum for policymakers to discuss issues relating to the Indian Legal and Judicial system. The States and UTs will be able to share their best practices, exchange new ideas, and improve their mutual cooperation through this Conference.

The conference will witness discussions revolving around topics like alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as arbitration and mediation for quick and affordable justice, upgrading overall legal infrastructure, removing obsolete laws, improving access to justice, reducing pendency of cases and ensuring speedy disposal, bringing uniformity in proposals relating to state bills for better centre-state coordination and strengthening of State Legal Systems, among others.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has reaffirmed India’s resolve for open, free and rule-based maritime borders in the Indo-Pacific region. He was delivering the inaugural address at 18th Heads of  Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) in New Delhi on October 15, 2022. The Raksha Mantri asserted that India, throughout history, has been a peace loving society which has never invaded a foreign land and has always respected universal human values & territorial integrity of other countries, while treating them as equal partners. He stressed that oceanic space should be respected as a global common for the benefit of all humanity in an environmentally sustainable way.

“We stand for open, free, rule-based maritime borders in Indo-pacific, in which no nation, how-so-ever big, may be allowed to appropriate the global common or exclude others from its fair use. We are always ready and forthcoming to work with all the like-minded partner countries across various forums towards this endeavor,” Shri Rajnath Singh said.

The Raksha Mantri stressed that India’s shared vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth of All in Region), Sustainable Development Goals and ‘Rule Based Order at Sea’ complement the focused Indian approach of inclusive growth and lasting collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region. He highlighted India‘s focus towards blue economy and strongly advocated the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs and preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.

Shri Rajnath Singh voiced India‘s commitment to implement international regulations; enact legislations for maritime safety and security; establish cooperative mechanism with nations and engage in capacity building of maritime law enforcement agencies. He emphasised that India is also encouraged by the effectiveness of agreements like Regional Cooperation Agreement for Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia and considers mutual cooperation alone as the most effective way for ensuring safety and security at sea. He called to spare no efforts while promoting such cooperative mechanisms.

The Raksha Mantri called for effective collaboration among maritime nations to deal with challenges to maritime safety. “With continued growth in marine traffic, the potential risk of marine pollution and requirement of Search and Rescue consequent to any unwanted maritime incidents have also grown manifolds. The recent oil spill incidents have raised concerns about maritime environmental and the attendant life hazards. Illegal Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to threaten long term ocean sustainability. Smuggling, drug trafficking and human trafficking through ocean routes has made maritime law enforcement more challenging. Successful response strategy against threats is the need of the hour, he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh appreciated the role of Coast Guard Agencies in ensuring maritime safety and security. He stated that as maritime policing and law enforcement agencies, Coast Guard Agencies bring a distinctive capability and functionality on the table. He called upon the agencies to complement the capacities of respective national navies and together ensure a safe and secure maritime environment. Asserting that greater synergy in operations, sharing of domain expertise and seamless operational integration will ensure continuous maritime law enforcement in the region, he hoped that together the maritime domain can be made conducive by ensuring safe and secure maritime environment and cleaner seas.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is hosting 18th HACGAM in coordination with HACGAM secretariat from October 14-18, 2022. A total of 55 representatives from 18 countries and two International Organisations – Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) & United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime- Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC-GMCP) – are participating in the meeting. During the four-day event, working-level discussions and high-level deliberations on issues of maritime prominence in the domain of marine environment protection, maritime search and rescue and maritime law enforcement will be held. Additionally, a joint statement encompassing the key outcomes of this congregation of Heads of Asian Coast Guard will be released which will act as roadmap for this multilateral forum to plan and conduct various collaborative initiatives till next HACGAM.

The HACGAM is a multilateral forum of 23 countries viz. Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, France,  India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, Vietnam and one Region i.e. Hong Kong (China). Additionally, two international organisations viz. The 1st HACGAM was hosted by Japan Coast Guard in 2004 at Tokyo. This is the only forum where all the heads of Asian CG agencies congregate.

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman participated in joint World Bank-International Monetary Fund (WB-IMF) Development Committee (DC) meeting during the Annual Meetings 2022 in Washington DC, today.

The Development Committee had specifically met to discuss two critical aspects that the world is facing:

• The food and energy crisis: Weathering the storm

• Achieving Climate and Development goals: The Financing Question

In her opening remarks, the Finance Minister stated that this is an excellent opportunity to put our heads together and think about how best we can negotiate the multiple challenges and bring back long-term growth. Despite this year’s projected growth rate of 7 percent for the Indian economy, we remain concerned about the global economic outlook and geopolitical environment, She added.

Smt. Sitharaman stated that the Food and Energy Crisis paper rightly identifies energy efficiency as the “first fuel of choice”. Similarly, reducing crop loss and food waste should also be the “first intervention of choice” to ensure food security.

The Finance Minister urged the World Bank to avoid a unidimensional view of subsidies and to differentiate between distortive subsidies and targeted support to the vulnerable households.

Giving India’s example as an illustration, Smt. Sitharaman said that by providing free LPG connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojna over the last six vears. India has ensured that access to Clean cooking methods has achieved near saturation for women in India. This has made a definitive  contribution in  improving  India’s performance  on SDGS 3, 5 and 7.

While the quest for energy and food security necessitates non exclusion of fossil fuels from our energy mix, the Finance Minister noted that India has set up its first pure hydrogen producing plant as well as its first 2G bioethanol refinery this year.

Going forward, Smt. Sitharman said that there are 3 clear opportunities for the World Bank Group:

• Promoting behaviour change to increase energy efficiency and to reduce food losses. Programmes like the Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) launched by the Prime Minister of India on the World Environment Day in June 2022, in which Mr. David Malpass, president, World Bank Group, delivered a wonderful keynote address, can mainstream responsible consumption behaviour.

• Helping all client countries in arranging concessional financing and technology transfer in areas like renewable and green energy.

• Supporting regional integration not only through International Development Association (IDA) but also through International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

On financing  climate and  development  goals, the Finance Minister said that the WBG is uniquely placed to bring together all stakeholders for developing an investment strategy for climate and development finance. Yet, thw world must never lose focus on the internationally agreed basic principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. This necessitates avoidance of a one-size fit-all approach.

Smt. Sitharaman stated that mitigation of risks is essential for crowding in private capital. While welcoming the launching of SCALE, the Finance Minister encouraged the World Bank to increase the share of grants from the current 5 % level and to work below the country level to support projects with huge climate impact beyond the national borders.

Smt. Sitharaman exhorted for prioritising consultations with key stakeholders throughout the formulation of CCDRS and following the “One Bank” approach are critical to their success.

While urging the World Bank to take the lead and also help build consensus across MDBS, the Finance Minister pushed for the recommendations of the Independent Review of the MDB Capital Adequacy Frameworks commissioned by the G20 hold the key for sustained financing.

About the WB-IMF Annual Meetings

The joint WB-IMF Development Committee meets every fall at the time of the Annual Meetings of the Boards of the Governors of the World Bank and the IMF, and every spring at the Spring Meetings, to discuss the progress of the work of the Bank and the Fund. Following the Annual Meetings tradition, the Development Committee meets in Washington two years out of three and, in order to reflect the international character of the two institutions, every third year in a different member country.

Today at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), Pusa, New Delhi, the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar and Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Chaudhary visited the paddy field of IARI, Pusa and the paddy being cultivated there. They reviewed the disease resistant varieties of Basmati rice being grown by DSR (Direct Sowing of Rice) method such as the Pusa Basmati 1979, made by improving the Pusa Basmati 1121, and Pusa Basmati 1985, derived by improving Pusa Basmati 1509.

These varieties will help in increasing the income of the farmers and saving water by reducing the cost of paddy cultivation by direct sowing. They also inspected an advanced line of coarse rice, an improved high yielding variety of Pusa 44, and commended the work being done by the Pusa Institute. Besides, they also observed three varieties, resistant to scorch and blight disease of Basmati rice, – the Pusa Basmati 1847 which is an improvement of Pusa Basmati 1509, Pusa Basmati 1885 which is an improvement of Pusa Basmati 1121 and Pusa Basmati 1886 which is an improved form of Pusa 1401.

There will be no need to spray pesticides in these varieties, which will reduce the cost as well as produce Basmati rice free from chemical residues, which will fetch good price in the international market and directly benefit farmers’ income.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated the Indian women cricket team for winning the 7th Women’s Asia Cup.

In response to a tweet by the International Cricket Council, the Prime Minister said;

“Our women cricket team makes us proud with their grit and dexterity! Congratulations to the team for winning the Women’s Asia Cup. They have shown outstanding skill and teamwork. Best wishes to the players for their upcoming endeavours.”

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched ‘Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot’ website (www.maabharatikesapoot.mod.gov.in) for contribution to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF) at a function organised at the National War Memorial Complex in New Delhi on October 14, 2022. The AFBCWF is a Tri-Service fund, which is utilised for grant of immediate financial assistance to the families of soldiers/sailors/airmen who lay down their lives or get grievously injured in active military operations.

While the Government has initiated a large number of welfare schemes for the soldiers killed or disabled during active combat operations, there has been a strong public sentiment and requests from citizens, corporate heads, banks and industry captains to contribute to the cause of welfare of the soldiers and their families. The website will enable people to contribute online directly into the fund. A certificate of online contribution can also be downloaded.

In his address, the Raksha Mantri paid glowing tributes to the valiant soldiers of the Armed Forces whose sacrifice and unwavering commitment keeps the country safe from those who try to cast an evil eye. “Names of great personalities like Maharana Pratap, Veer Shivaji, Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Rani Laxmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Ashfaqullah Khan will be etched in our hearts forever. Their sacrifices continue to be an inspiration for all. It is our Armed Forces who are at the fore preserving our freedom,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh commended the Armed Forces for always protecting the sovereignty, unity & integrity of the country by responding to threats such as wars and cross-border terror activities with courage and promptness. Therefore, it as the moral responsibility of the citizens to come forward and support the soldiers & their families in the same way they fulfil their duties of protecting the nation, he said.

Referring to the public support to the Armed Forces during 1962 & 1971 wars as also the ‘Bharat Ke Veer’ initiative he took for the welfare of Central Armed Police Forces personnel during his stint as the Home Minister, the Raksha Mantri asserted that it has always been the country’s tradition of extending all possible help to its soldiers. He described the AFBCWF as one of the major steps in that direction, urging the people to contribute generously to the fund.

Shri Rajnath Singh stated that through this contribution, citizens can contribute to the welfare of the Armed Forces & their families and Nation Building as a whole. “Everyone should play their part in the country’s journey of progress. One should become a responsible rider in this journey and not a free-rider. It is our duty to actively participate in nation-building,” he said.

In a video message, Shri Amitabh Bachchan, who is the ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ of the initiative, expressed his gratitude towards the families of the fallen heroes and exhorted people to come forward and contribute to the fund.

On the occasion, the Raksha Mantri also felicitated the Next of Kin of fallen heroes and disabled soldiers. Parents and relatives of many war-decorated soldiers graced the occasion. Various performances included rendering of a poem by Shri Manoj Muntashir Shukla, Army Symphony Band, Singer Mohit Chauhan, martial arts performance by Gatka & Kalarippayattu teams of the Army, duet by Dr L Subramaniam and Smt Kavita Krishnamurthy and sharing of views by actor Sidharth Malhotra.

The event was attended by 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, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Shri Vijoy Kumar Singh, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral SN Ghormade and other senior civil and military officials. Olympics Gold medalist Sudebar Neeraj Chopra was also present.

Indian Army, on behalf Ministry of Defence, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, is maintaining an account for the fund. Besides online donation, the conventional systems of donations will continue. Donations can be made through a Demand Draft drawn in favour of Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund payable at New Delhi which may be sent by post to the following address:

Accounts Section

Adjutant General’s Branch

Ceremonial & Welfare Directorate

Room No 281-B, South Block

IHQ of MoD (Army), New Delhi – 110011

Alternatively, contribution can be made directly in the account of Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund. Details of Bank Accounts are given below:

1st Account

Fund Name: Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund

Bank Name: Canara Bank, South Block, Defence Headquarters New Delhi – 110011

IFSC Code: CNRB0019055

Account No: 90552010165915

Type of A/c: Saving

2nd Account

Fund Name : Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund

Bank Name : State Bank of India, Parliament Street, New Delhi – 110011

IFSC Code : SBIN0000691

Account No : 40650628094

Type of A/c : Saving

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar has said that the Centre will continue to provide all possible assistance to the farmers in the coastal states to promote coconut cultivation in the country. The efforts made in the field of research and development in the last few years have resulted in the development of new technologies in the field of farming and processing and further improved the available technologies. With the increase in the number of coconut based industries in the country, new products and many employment opportunities are also increasing in the market. Shri Tomar was addressing the Coconut Community Farmers’ Conference in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu.

Shri Tomar further said that he is happy to be among the coconut farmers, he congratulated the Coconut Development Board and Sugarcane Breeding Institute for their initiatives towards the prosperity of the coconut growers community. He said that the agriculture sector is the backbone of the country’s economy, so it is the responsibility of the Central and State governments to strengthen it, promote it and ensure profitable farming for the farmers. The contribution of coconut cultivation in the agricultural economy is very important. India is a leader in coconut cultivation and amongst the world’s three largest producers. Tamil Nadu contributes 21 percent of the area under coconut in the country and 26 percent of the production. Tamil Nadu ranks first in coconut processing activities and Coimbatore is first in terms of area under coconut cultivation, with an area of ​​88,467 hectares under coconut cultivation. Shri Tomar said that the farmers are making significant contribution in the development of coconut sector and increasing the agricultural economy. Coconut Development Board is forming a three-tier farmer group by integrating small and marginal farmers. Presently there are 697 Coconut Growers Societies, 73 Coconut Growers Federations and 19 Coconut Producing Companies in the State. Support has been given to set up 537 new processing units in India with a processing capacity of 3,638 million coconuts per year. This success has been achieved through the Mission Programme implemented by the Coconut Development Board in the country. Out of these, 136 units are from Tamil Nadu, which are creating employment opportunities and also helping improve the financial condition of the farmers.

Shri Tomar said that even after everything is favourable in the field of agriculture, farmers have to face natural disasters, which causes them losses. It is compensated through the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the Tamil Nadu State Scheme. Agriculture contributes significantly to strengthen the economy, he said.  Agriculture is so fundamental that it has helped tide over adverse conditions like Covid-19.

Shri Tomar said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has taken many steps for the betterment of agriculture sector in the last 8 years. Through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan), more than Rs 2 lakh crore has been deposited in the accounts of about 11.50 crore farmers. In lieu of damage to crops due to natural calamity in last 6 years, claim amount of more than Rs.1.22 lakh crore has been deposited in the accounts of the farmers through the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Earlier, there was a provision of Rs 5,000 crore under the micro irrigation scheme, which has been increased to Rs 10,000 crores. 70 lakh hectare farming area has been brought under micro-irrigation. Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, earlier crop loans were given to farmers only up to five to six lakh crore rupees only, which has been increased by the Prime Minister to about Rs. 18-and-a-half lakh crores. To improve the infrastructure in each and every village, a provision of Rs. one lakh crore Agri Infra Fund has been made. Farmers, group of farmers, FPOs, PACS, Krishi Upaj Mandis all can use this to develop warehouse, cold storage or infrastructure as per requirement in villages. The government is trying to make farmers grow remunerative crops, setting up processing units through FPOs, for which arrangements for loans and subsidies have also been made.

Shri Tomar said that the schemes of the Central Government are for the prosperity of the farmers and to bring happiness in their lives. He assured that the farmers should submit the projects in collaboration with the State Government, the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Modi is standing with farmers and matching step by step for the development of the farmers.

During the programme, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of Tamil Nadu, Shri M.R.K. Paneer Selvam, Vice Chairman, Coconut Development Board, Shri K.R. Narayan, CEO and Joint Secretary of Union Agriculture Ministry Dr. Vijay Lakshmi, Central Horticulture Commissioner Shri Prabhat Kumar, Vice Chancellor Geeta Lakshmi, Director of Sugarcane Breeding Institute and local public representatives and Central-State Government officials and farmer were present.

Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Patron-in-Chief of IInvenTiv Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, today inaugurated IInvenTiv – the first-ever all-IITs R&D Showcase at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. The two-day event that would conclude on October 15^th brings academia and industry under one roof to showcase India’s global R&D strength. A brochure for IInvenTiv was also launched by the Minister, followed by a visit to the exhibition booths.

The inaugural session was also graced by Mr Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairperson Bharti Enterprises, as the Guest of Honour, accompanied by Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Steering Committee IInvenTiv; Dr. BVR Mohan Reddy, Co-Chairman, Steering Committee IInvenTiv; and Dr. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director IIT Bombay, and Convener, Steering Committee IInvenTiv.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his happiness to be part of this historic-first event that bears testimony to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Jai Anusandhan’ to build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The Minister said that IITs are no more just Indian Institutes of Technology, but today, they have become Instruments of Transformation. IITs are the repositories of knowledge & experience and bridge to the future, he added.

Shri Pradhan highlighted that the Covid pandemic has clearly shown us the impact of what happens when technology driven research commits itself to the service of human race. Whether, it is development of Indian vaccines within a short span of time that not only benefitted Indians but millions of people across the world. It has all been possible because of brilliant minds like yours, he added. He further said that these are the signs of an Atmanirbhar Bharat and we have to encourage the relationship of Academic R&D – new age technology – industry- Society even more to take research and innovation to the zenith so that no one is left behind.

The Minister said that our IITs have to move beyond being just engineering colleges. We have to stop benchmarking IITs on the basis of placement packages. IITs should redefine parameters and benchmark on number of innovations brought in the market, innovations monetised, and number of job creators created. He also said that technology will drive the next phase of growth and development with IT and communications technology among the front runners. The world today will invest more vigorously on India. India’s talent, digital-first attitude, market size, emerging purchasing power and growing aspirations is a heady mix to take India forward at an unprecedented speed and scale. Our IITs should seize this opportunity, he added.

Shri Pradhan stated that in the AmritKaal, the anusandhan-led Bharat would be propelled by innovations at the grass roots level and it would seek the participation of all, especially the rural sector. IInvenTiv shall be the start of such a revolution and emerge as a key forum which will provide solutions to complex global problems.

The R&D Fair is being organized in commemoration of the 75th year of India’s Independence in line with the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative. It has brought over 300 representatives from industry, including startups, along with government, and embassy officials, and global IIT-alumni. Apart from that, overall footfall of around 1500 attendees is expected throughout the event, which includes faculty, students, and research scholars from various institutions, among others.

There are 75 projects and 6 Showcase projects on diverse themes such as, Defence and aerospace, Healthcare (including devices and digital health), Environment and Sustainability (including air, water, rivers), Clean Energy & Renewables (including Hydrogen and EV), Manufacturing (including smart, advanced and industry 4.0), AI/ML/Blockchain technologies (including quantum computing), Smart Cities & Infrastructure (including smart mobility), Communication Technologies (including education and 5G), Robotics, Sensors & Actuators, and Semiconductors, Flexible electronics & Nanotechnology, being exhibited at the event. The projects are aligned with the vision of Make in India, Digital India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat, and are aimed at impacting the lives of all sections of society.

The two-day event would host representatives from Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), along with students, global IIT alumni, faculties of various CFTIs, scientists from DRDO, ISRO, CSIR and ICAR, and so on.

Government of India has navigated the global energy challenges very well, insulating the developing economy from the rising global crude and gas prices. At present, five million barrels of petroleum is being consumed in our country every day and it is also increasing by three percent, which is higher than global average of around one per cent. Union Petroleum and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep S. Puri shared this with the media at the three-day South Asian Geoscience Conference Geo India 2022, which began at JECC, Sitapura here on Friday.

Veteran Geologist Shyam Vyas Rao, former Director (Exploration), ONGC was also presented with the Life Time Achievement Award by the Minister in the inaugural session.

In the inaugural session, the Minister said that the ethanol-blend percentage in petrol has increased from 0.67 per cent in 2013 to 10 per cent in May 2022, i.e., 5 months ahead of schedule. It is reducing 2.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions which is good for the environment. As per the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates, India will contribute a quarter (25%) of the growth in global energy consumption in the coming two decades. BP estimates that India’s energy demand will double, while natural gas demand is expected to grow five-fold by 2050.

Petroleum Secretary Pankaj Jain said the geology experts should utilise this opportunity to elevate their contribution in the context of increasing demand and scarcity of energy sources. He asked geoscientific fraternity to develop tailored knowledge for deep water, ultra-deep water and onshore to enhance oil and gas production while doing it in environmental sustainable manner.

Earlier, welcoming the dignitaries and  participants, Rajesh Kumar Srivastava, CMD, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and Chief Patron of APG, said, “Geo India has been a major leader in the last 14 years under the aegis of Association of Petroleum Geologists (APG) India. The biennial South Asian Geology Conference and Exhibition has evolved in terms of size and international participation. The global market value of automation technology in the oil and gas sector is projected to nearly double and reach approximately $42 billion by 2030. It is high time that the oil and gas sector take advantage of the digital transformation.

On the first day of the conference, Plenary session witnessed intense by experts and Policy makers including  Pankaj Jain, Secretary, MoPNG, SCL Das, DG-DGH, ExxonMobil MD Justin Murphy, Equinor MD Desikan Sundararajan, Md. El-Toukhy, Invest India’s Ravneet Mann moderated by Energy affairs expert Narendra Taneja.

The Minister also inaugurated the Exhibition of Geo India 2022, where a number of Indian and global petroleum companies and service providers are showcasing their cutting edge services and tools for Exploration and production of oil and gas.