National
4th National Youth Parliament Festival 2023
⇒ The 4th edition of National Youth Parliament Festival, 2023 was held on 01-02 march 2023 at the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi.
Theme:
The theme of the National Youth Parliament Festival 2023 was “Ideas for a Better tomorrow: India for the World”.
Inaugural day:
Minister of state for Youth and Sports Affairs Shri Nisith Pramanik addressed the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) finals on its inaugural day on 01 March 2023 in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi.
Competitive Session:
Continuation of Competitive Session was organized on the first day.
- District Youth Parliaments were conducted from 25th to 29th January 2023. More than 2.01 Lakh youth from 748 Districts of all States and UTs participated at 150 venues across the country.
- The 1st and 2nd position holder of District Youth Parliament (DYP) participated from 3rd to 7th February, 2023 at State Youth Parliament Festival.
- Twenty Nine (29) winners of State Youth Parliament (SYP) got an opportunity to speak before the National Jury comprising of Shri Anurag Sharma, Member of Parliament Lok Sabha; Shri Manoj Tiwari, Member of Parliament; Shri Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy; and Shri Kanchan Gupta, Sr Advisor, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 1st March, 2023.
Valedictory function:
Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla addressed the valedictory function of the 4th edition of National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) on 2nd March, 2023 in the Central Hall of Parliament, New Delhi.
- The first three winners got an opportunity on 2nd March, 2023 to speak before the Speaker, Lok Sabha who also interacted with the youth on the occasion.
- Three National Winners of the Festival expressed their views during the event.
Background:
- The objective of the National Youth Parliament Festival (NYPF) is to hear the voice of the youth, who will join various careers in coming years, including public services.
- NYPF is based on the idea given by the Prime Minister in his Mann Ki Baat Address on 31st December, 2017.
- Taking inspiration from the idea, the 1st edition of NYPF 2019 was organised with the theme “Be the Voice of New India and Find solutions and Contribute to Policy” with the participation of 88,000 youth in physical mode.
- The 2nd edition of National Youth Parliament Festival 2021 was organised with the theme “YUVAAH- Utsah Naye Bharat Ka” which was witnessed by more than 23 Lakh youth and stakeholders across the country in virtual mode.
- The 3rd edition of National Youth Parliament Festival, 2022 was organized with the theme “Be the Voice of New India and Find solutions and Contribute to Policy” with the participation of more than 2.44 Lakh Youth.
Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train for “Garvi Gujarat” tour
⇒ Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist Train was flagged off from Delhi Safdarjung Railway Station for “Garvi Gujarat” tour by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, and other Ministers on 28 February 2023.
- IRCTC Ltd, a public sector undertaking under Ministry of Railways, is running the train.
- Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train launch is in line with the Government of India initiative “Dekho Apna Desh” to promote domestic tourism.
Bharat Gaurav policy was launched on 23 November 2021 to realise the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world. Core strength of the professionals of the tourism sector are being leveraged to develop/identify tourist circuits and run theme- based trains to tap the vast tourism potential of India.
Key Points:
- Till date 16 Bharat Gaurav circuits have been established and this Garvi Gujarat Yatra is the 17th circuit on the lines of the “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” scheme of Govt of India to showcase the heritage of vibrant Gujarat. On this basis, 10 more circuits are in offing.
- This train tour package was designed on the lines of Govt of India Scheme of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” conceptualized on the life of Great Freedom Fighter Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.
- The first stoppage of this train tour package has been kept at Kevadiya wherein the Statue of Unity. The entire train covered a distance of 3500 KMs approx during the course of 8 days journey.
International
SCO’s First International Conference & Expo on Traditional Medicine
⇒ The first B2B Conference & Expo on Traditional Medicine under Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was held from 2nd to 5th March, 2023 at Guwahati, Assam.
Union Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the first B2B Global Conference & Expo on Traditional Medicine under SCO at Guwahati on 02 March 2023.
- More than 150 delegates from 17 SCO (4 virtually) countries and partners attended the inaugural ceremony.
Participation:
- More than 150 delegates from 17 countries including India participated in this event, which included high level delegates such as Health ministers, official delegates, and foreign buyers from SCO & partner countries.
- The total 75 foreign officials and business delegates from 13 countries participated in physical mode. Official delegates from China, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan joined virtually.
Discussion:
- The B2B conference witnessed detailed presentations and deliberations from SCO and partner Countries on ‘Regulatory Framework for Traditional Medicine’ Products and practices, including Pharmacopoeia, Quality assurance and Research.
- There was deliberation on how to promote Traditional medicine. Important sessions like ‘Know your buyer’ and ‘B2B meetings’ were also held to discuss on specific product-wise, export & import opportunities and for deeper economic partnerships with increased market access across SCO countries.
- The event aimed to unlock trade opportunities in traditional medicine amongst SCO & partner countries.
Expo on Traditional Medicine:
» The four days Expo on Traditional Medicine was also inaugurated by Shri Sonowal in the same premises.
- Ayush industry as well as foreign Traditional Medicine industries/exporters/importers also showcased their products and services in the Expo.
- This expo was aimed at opening up trade opportunities in traditional medicine.
Key Points:
- The first ‘SCO B2B Conference and Expo on Traditional Medicine’ came to a successful end as it created a platform for buyers and sellers from different countries to explore trade potential to serve the needs of the people. An incremental trade interest of over ₹590 crores was generated during the two days of intense meetings among the buyers and sellers at the conference.
- It further deepens the trade and friendship among each other in traditional medicine and allied field.
About SCO:
- The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), or Shanghai Pact, is an Eurasian political, economic, and security alliance of eight member multilateral organisation, established on 15 June 2001 in Shanghai, China.
- SCO includes 08 member states, 03 observers and 14 dialogue partner countries.
- India was granted Observer status at the July 2005 Astana Summit and the status of full member on 9th June, 2017 at the SCO Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The draft approved at expert level will now be subjected to other administrative procedures of respective country and will be finally adopted at the Head of the States Summit.
Important Day
Controller General of Accounts celebrated 47th Civil Accounts Day
⇒ The Civil Accounts Day was celebrated to mark the 47th foundation day of Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) on 01 March 2023.
- Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, Union Minister of State for Finance was the Chief Guest on the occasion.
About Civil Accounts Day:
- The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) was constituted in 1976, consequent to a historical reform in public financial administration when the maintenance of Accounts of the Union Government was separated from that of Audit.
- Consequently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India was divested with this responsibility. Two Ordinances i.e., the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Amendment Ordinance, 1976 and Departmentalisation of Union Accounts (Transfer of Personnel) Ordinance, 1976 were promulgated by the President of India on March 1, 1976 to initiate the process of separation of accounts from audit and paving the way for departmentalised accounts.
- Consequently, every year on 1st of March, organization celebrates its foundation day.