National
PM inaugurates & lays foundation stone of multiple development projects in Shivamogga
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth more than Rs 3,600 crore at Shivamogga, Karnataka on 27 February 2023.
- He also inaugurated the Shivamogga Airport and took a walk-through of the facilities.
Multiple development projects in Shivamogga:
» The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for two railway projects in Shivamogga.
- This includes Shivamogga – Shikaripura – Ranebennur new Railway line and Koteganguru Railway coaching depot.
- The Shivamogga – Shikaripura – Ranebennur new Railway line, will be developed at a cost of Rs 990 Crore and will provide enhanced connectivity of the Malnad region with the Bengaluru-Mumbai mainline.
- Koteganguru Railway coaching depot at Shivamogga city will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 100 crores to help start new trains from Shivamogga and decongest maintenance facilities at Bengaluru and Mysuru.
» The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for multiple road development projects.
- The projects, which will be developed at a cumulative cost of more than Rs 215 crore, include the construction of a new Bypass Road for Shikaripura Town on NH 766C connecting Byndur – Ranibennur; widening of NH-169A from Megaravalli to Agumbe; and construction of a new bridge at Bharathipura in Thirthahally Taluk on NH 169.
» The Prime Minister also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multi-village schemes worth more than Rs 950 crore under the Jal Jeevan Mission during the programme.
- This includes the inauguration of one multi-village scheme for Gowthamapura and 127 other villages and laying the foundation stone for three other multi-village schemes to be developed at a total cost of more than Rs 860 crore.
- The four schemes will provide functional household piped water connections and are expected to benefit a total of more than 4.4 lakh people.
» The Prime Minister also inaugurated 44 Smart City Projects worth more than Rs 895 Crores in Shivamogga city.
- The projects include 8 smart road packages of 110 km length; integrated command & control center and multi-level car parking; smart bus shelter projects; an intelligent solid waste management system; development of heritage projects like Shivappa Naik Palace into an interactive museum, 90 conservancy lanes, creation of parks and riverfront development projects, among others.
PM lays foundation stone and dedicates to the nation multiple development projects in Belagavi
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects worth more than Rs 2,700 crore in Belagavi, Karnataka on 27 February 2023.
Multiple development projects:
13th Installment under PM-KISAN:
» In a step that will showcase yet another example of the commitment of the Prime Minister towards the welfare of farmers, the 13th installment amount of about Rs 16,000 crores was released under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN).
- It was released through direct benefits transfer to more than 8 crore beneficiaries.
- Under the scheme, eligible farmer families are provided with a benefit of Rs 6000 per year in three equal installments of Rs 2000 each.
» During the Programme, the Prime Minister dedicated the redeveloped Belagavi Railway Station building to the nation.
- This Railway Station is redeveloped at an approximate cost of about Rs 190 Crore to provide world-class amenities to the passengers.
» Another railway project that will be dedicated to the nation by the Prime Minister is the rail line doubling project between Londa-Belagavi-Ghataprabha section at Belagavi.
- This project, developed at the cost of about Rs 930 Crores, will enhance line capacity along the busy Mumbai – Pune – Hubballi – Bengaluru railway line, promoting trade, commerce and economic activities in the region.
Six multi-village scheme projects under Jal Jeevan Mission:
» The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of six multi-village scheme projects under Jal Jeevan Mission in Belagavi, which will be developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 1585 crore and will benefit about 8.8 lakh population of more than 315 villages.
International
First G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) Meeting
⇒ The 1st meeting of the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) under India’s G20 Presidency was held from March 01-03, 2023, in Gurugram, Haryana.
Co-chair:
- The co-chair for the G20 ACWG 2023 is Italy.
Union Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of S&T and Ministry of Earth Sciences; MoS in the Prime Minister’s office, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the 1st G20 ACWG meeting on 01 March 2023.
- During the three-day event at Gurugram, over 90 delegates from 20 members countries, 10 Invitee countries and 9 International Organizations engaged in detailed deliberations on strengthening International Anti-corruption mechanisms.
- The G20 delegates joined hands against the menace of corruption. The 1st ACWG meeting in the glittering Technopolis of Gurugram focused on five broad themes to deepen G20 commitment towards countering corruption.
1st Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting: Themes
- International Cooperation for Action against Corruption and Related-Offences, and the Recovery of Stolen Assets
- Integrity in Specialised Authorities Involved in Preventing and Combating Corruption
- Role of Audit Institutions in Anti-Corruption
- Leveraging Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Combating Corruption in the Public Sector
- Gender and Corruption
Day 1: March 01
On day one of the 1st ACWG meeting, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh welcomed G20 delegates and underlined the significance of the forum in strengthening global anticorruption efforts and addressing the wider implications of corruption.
The agenda for the day was as follows:
- Strengthening Asset Recovery Mechanisms related to Corruption and Related Offences
- Improving Information-Sharing to Strengthen the Fight against Corruption and Related Offences
Side event:
On the first day of the ACWG, a Side Event was held on ‘Leveraging ICT to curb corruption in public sector’, an area in which India’s recent initiatives like the GEM Portal and DBT have been globally recognized.
- The 1st ACWG side event discussed the role of information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for eradicating corruption, showcasing India’s unique digital governance initiatives.
- During this event, leading experts from India showcased how India has adapted the power of ICT to curb corruption in public service delivery.
» Discussions on Day 1 centred on Asset Recovery mechanisms and information sharing.
Day 2: March 02
Aiming to counter the menace of corruption, G20 delegates discussed the issues of mutual legal assistance, effectiveness of public bodies and law enforcement cooperation.
Agenda for Day 2:
- Strengthening Law Enforcement Cooperation for Action against corruption and Related Economic Crimes
- Promoting Integrity and Effectiveness of Public Bodies responsible for Preventing and Combating Corruption
- Mutual Legal Assistance
Day 3: March 03
The deliberations of the 1st Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting will continue to strengthen G20 India’s commitments towards countering corruption globally.
The agenda for day 3 was:
- Good Practices on Enhancing the Role of Auditing in Preventing and Combating Corruption
- Discussion on Role of the Ministerial Meet in Lending the Necessary Political Thrust to Combat Corruption
- Partnership with Engagement Groups
» Delegates deliberated on ‘Good Practices on Enhancing the Role of Auditing in Preventing and Combating Corruption’.
» The G20 event further hosted a ‘Discussion on the Role of the Ministerial Meet in Lending the Necessary Political Thrust to Combat Corruption’, followed by exploring ‘Partnership with Engagement Groups’ as a way to strengthen mechanisms to tackle the global issue.
Important Day
37th Foundation day of Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
⇒ Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh addressed the 37th Foundation day of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as Chief Guest at National Institute of Immunology, NII, Delhi on 26 February 2023.
Dr Jitendra Singh called for equal stake with equal partnership and responsibility by Industry to sustain the Start-Ups boom. He said Government will promote Industry-driven Start-Ups to create wealth and jobs.
About DBT:
- The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) is an Indian government department under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
- The Department has contributed in strengthening all the diverse aspects of Biotechnology. It is responsible for administrating development and commercialisation in the field of modern biology and biotechnology in India.
- It was set up in 1986.