National
PM lays foundation stone and dedicates to nation development projects in Jabalpur
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation development projects in sectors like road, rail, gas pipeline, housing and clean drinking water worth more than Rs 12,600 crore in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh on 05 October 2023.
‘Bhoomi poojan’ of ‘Veerangana Rani Durgavati Smarak aur Udyaan’:
» The 500th birth anniversary of Rani Durgavati was celebrated with great fervour by the Government of India.
The announcement regarding the celebration was made by the Prime Minister, during his visit to Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh in July 2023.
In line with these celebrations, the Prime Minister performed bhoomi poojan of ‘Veerangana Rani Durgavati Smarak aur Udyaan‘.
- To be built at a cost of about Rs 100 crore in Jabalpur, the ‘Veerangana Rani Durgavati Smarak aur Udyaan’ will be spread over an area of about 21 acres.
- It will showcase an impressive 52-foot-high bronze statue of Rani Durgavati.
- It will have a magnificent museum highlighting the history of the Gondwana region including the valour and courage of Rani Durgavati.
- It will also highlight the cuisine, art, culture, way of living etc. of Gond people and other tribal communities.
- The premises of ‘Veerangana Rani Durgavati Smarak aur Udyaan will also have multiple parks and gardens including a garden for medicinal plants, a Cactus Garden and Rock Garden among others.
- Rani Durgavati was the ruling queen of Gondwana in the mid-16th century. She is remembered as a brave, fearless and courageous warrior who fought for freedom against the Mughals.
Houses constructed under the Light House Project:
The Prime Minister’s vision to provide ‘housing for all’ was strengthened with the inauguration of the Light House Project at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
- Built at a cost of about Rs 128 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban, the project will benefit more than 1000 beneficiary families.
- It employs innovative technology ‘Prefabricated Sandwich Panel System with Pre-engineered Steel Structural System’ to build quality homes with all basic facilities but in considerably reduced construction time.
Multiple Jal Jeevan Mission projects:
- In a step towards realising the Prime Minister’s vision of providing safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections, the foundation stone of multiple Jal Jeevan Mission projects in Mandla, Jabalpur and Dindori districts worth over Rs 2350 crores were laid.
- The Prime Minister dedicated the Jal Jeevan Mission project in Seoni district worth over Rs 100 crore to the nation. These projects in four districts of the state will benefit about 1575 villages of Madhya Pradesh.
» The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple projects worth more than Rs 4800 crore for improving the road infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh.
- The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of projects including the upgradation of road connecting Jharkheda- Berasia – Dholkhedi of NH 346; four laning of Balaghat – Gondia Section of NH 543; four Laning of Khandwa Bypass connecting Rudhi and Deshgaon; four Laning of Temagaon to Chicholi section of NH 47; four laning of road connecting Boregaon to Shahpur; and four laning of road connecting Shahpur to Muktainagar.
- The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, the upgradation of the road connecting Khalghat to Sarwardewla of NH 347C.
Rail projects:
The Prime Minister dedicated rail projects worth more than Rs 1850 crore to the nation. These include doubling the rail line connecting Katni – Vijaysota (102 km) and Marwasgram – Singrauli (78.50 km).
- Both these projects are part of the project for doubling the rail line connecting Katni – Singrauli Section. These projects will improve rail infrastructure in Madhya Pradesh benefiting the trade and tourism in the state.
Pipeline Project:
The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation Vijaipur – Auraiyan- Phulpur Pipeline Project. The 352 km long pipeline has been built at a cost of more than Rs 1750 crore.
The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Nagpur Jabalpur section (317 KMs) of Mumbai Nagpur Jharsuguda Pipeline Project. The project will be built at a cost of more than Rs 1100 crore.
- The gas pipeline projects will provide clean and affordable Natural Gas to industries and homes and will be a step towards reducing emissions in the environment.
» The Prime Minister also dedicated a new bottling plant at Jabalpur which has been built at a cost of about Rs 147 crore.
Divya Kala Mela at Secunderabad
⇒ Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) organizes unique event showcasing the products and craftsmanship regular Divyang entrepreneurs/artisans from across the country.
» To continue the efforts, ‘Divya Kala Mela’ was organized from 6-15 October 2023 at Secunderabad, Hyderabad.
This is a unique initiative of DEPwD towards economic empowerment of PwD/Divyangjan. The Divya Kala Mela presents a bigger platform for marketing and showcasing the products and skills of Divyangjan (PwD).
Key Points:
- The Divya Kala Mela, Secunderabad was the eighth one in series starting from 2022 (i) Delhi, December 2022, (ii) Mumbai, February 2023, (iii) Bhopal, March 2023, (iv) Guvahati, May 2023 (V) Indore June 2023 (Vi) Jaipur 29th june-5th july 2023 (vii) Varanasi, 15-24 September, 2023(viii) Secunderabad, Hyderabad 6-15 October, 2023.
- The event presented an enthralling experience to the visitors as vibrant products from various parts of the country including Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern states, handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery works and packaged food etc were seen together.
International
RuPay Domestic Card Scheme Agreement between India and the UAE
⇒ NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Al Etihad Payments (AEP) for Domestic Card Scheme (DCS) Implementation in UAE.
- The agreement was signed during the 11th meeting of the UAE-India High Level Joint Task Force on Investments (‘the Joint Task Force’) was held in Abu Dhabi on 05 October 2023.
As per the agreement, NIPL and AEP will work together to build, implement, and operationalize UAE’s national domestic card scheme.
- The DCS will aim to facilitate the growth of e-commerce and digital transactions in the UAE, bolster financial inclusion, support the UAE’s digitization agenda, increase alternate payment options, reduce the cost of payments, and enhance the UAE’s competitiveness and position as a global payments’ leader.
- The partnership aligns perfectly with NIPL’s mission to offer its knowledge and expertise to assist other countries in establishing their own cost-efficient, and secure payment systems.
- The DCS solution is based on the principles of sovereignty, speed to market, innovation, digitization, and strategic independence. The DCS solution provided by NIPL consists of a RuPay stack and value-added services like fraud monitoring services and analytics. NIPL will also assist AEP in formulating the operating regulations for their domestic card scheme.
» RuPay is an indigenous, highly secure, and widely accepted card payment network in India.
» AEP is an indirect subsidiary of the Central Bank of UAE (CBUAE).
Important Day
55th Foundation Day of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI)
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu graced the 55th foundation day celebrations of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) in New Delhi on 03 October 2023.
About ICSI:
- The Institute of Company Secretaries of India is a premier professional body, established under an act of Parliament (The Company Secretaries Act, 1980), to regulate and develop the profession of Company Secretaries.
- ICSI functions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
- The Institute provides top-quality education to the students of Company Secretaries (CS) Course and best quality set standards to CS Members.
World Animal Day 2023
⇒ World Animal Day celebrated globally on 4th October each year.
World Animal Day provides an opportunity to recognize the remarkable diversity of life on Earth and the critical role that animals play in our ecosystems.
Theme:
The theme of World Animal Day 2023 was “Great or Small, Love Them All”.
History:
- The idea of World Animal Day was at first brought by Heinrich Zimmerman, a writer and publisher of the German magazine “Mensch und Hund” (Man and Dog). At the Sports Palace in Berlin, Germany; he coordinated the first World Animal Day on March 24, 1925. Shockingly, over 5,000 individuals went to this event.
- Zimmerman was committed to advancing World Animal Day. In May 1931, his proposal to formally mark October 4 as World Creature Day got consistent endorsement and was taken on as a resolution during the International Animal Protection Congress in Florence, Italy.
- To additionally extend the range of this occasion, in 2003, the UK-based animal welfare charity, Naturewatch Foundation, launched the World Animal Day site.
World Animal Day in India:
The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), a statutory body of Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India celebrated the World Animal Day 2023 at New Delhi on 04 October 2023.
The Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Shri Parshottam Rupala and the Minister of State of Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Dr. Sanjeev Balyan graced the occasion.
- The Union Minister also gave away Prani Mitra and JeevDaya awards on the occasion.
- The event acknowledged the tireless efforts of individuals, organizations, and communities in the field of animal welfare.
The details of the Awardees who were conferred the awards in various categories are as given below:
- Prani Mitra Award – Individual: Shri G. Ramakrishnan, Tiruchy, Tamilnadu
- Prani Mitra Award – Innovative Idea (Individual): Dr. Smita N. Solanki, Maharashtra
- Prani Mitra Award – Shaurya / Bravery (Individual): Shri Pradeep Kumar Patra, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- Prani Mitra Award – Life Time Animal Service (Individual): Dr. Bathula Sanjeeva Rayudu, Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh
- Prani Mitra Award – Animal Welfare Organization: Shri Nashik Panchavati Panjarapole, Nashik, Maharashtra
- Jeev Daya Award – Individual: Shri Peeraram Dayal, Jalore, Rajasthan
- Jeev Daya Award – Animal Welfare Organization: Shree Dadu Paryavaran Sanasthan, Tonk, Rajasthan
- Jeev Daya Award – Children (Individual – below the age of 18 years): Shri Hitesh Chandrajeet Yadav, Mumbai, Maharashtra