National
Naval Investiture Ceremony - 2022
⇒ The Naval Investiture Ceremony – 2022 to felicitate Naval personnel who have demonstrated gallant acts, leadership, professional achievements and distinguished service of high order was held at Naval Base, Kochi on 04 May 2022.
Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) on behalf of the President of India, conferred the Gallantry and Distinguished Service awards to the recipients during the investiture ceremony.
During the ceremony, a total of 31 medals including 06 Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry), 08 Nao Sena Medal (Devotion to Duty), 17 Vishisht Seva Medal were presented to the awardees.
In addition, the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak (posthumously) was also presented to the Father of Ramavtar Godara, COM I (EW).
He had made the supreme sacrifice while attempting to rescue an unknown individual drowning in a water reservoir in Nagaur district, Rajasthan on 10 August 2020.
» The CNS Trophy for Best Green Practice 2021 was awarded to INS Eksila and INS Hamla in the Industrial and non-industrial categories respectively.
List of Awardees
Book titled, ‘Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna: A Political Crusader’ (English)
⇒ The Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu released the biography of late freedom fighter and politician, Shri Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas on 04 May 2022.
The book titled, ‘Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna: A Political Crusader’ (English) and ‘Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna: Bhartiya Chetana KeSamwahak’ (Revised edition in Hindi) has been written by Prof. Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Dr. Ram Naresh Tripathi.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival
⇒ The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav – North East Festival was celebrated from 28th April to 4th May 2022.
As a part of North East Festival, the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region & Government of Meghalaya in collaboration with North Eastern Council, Indian Institute of Management Shillong and Invest India organized a Conclave on ‘Investment Potential & Future Energy Needs of Northeast’. The conclave was organized at the NEC Auditorium in Shillong on 29th April, 2022.
Each of the seven days of North East Festival was based on separate themes, these include –
- Investment Potential and future energy needs of North East on 29th April’ at Shillong
- Welfare of Tribals and Border Management on 30th April at Itanagar
- The Smart City Revolution in the NE on 30th April at Gangtok
- Role of women in development of NE on 1st May at Agartala
- Eco-Tourism in NE on 2nd May at Aizwal
- Agri Horti and organic products potential of North East on 2nd May at Dimapur
- Sports Potential of the NE celebrated as a parallel Sports week has also been organized.
- The culmination was celebrated on 3rd May at Imphal Valedictory session was celebrated on 4th May at Guwahati.
» The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressed the valedictory function of North East Festival, organized by the Ministry of DoNER as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, at Guwahati, Assam on May 4, 2022.
International
JDI on Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force
⇒ Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy Shri R.K Singh and German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Change Dr. Robert Habeck signed a Joint declaration of Intent on Indo- German Hydrogen Task Force virtually on 02 May 2022.
- It is one of the deliverables of the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC).
Under the agreement, both countries will establish an Indo-German Green Hydrogen Task Force to strengthen mutual cooperation in production, utilization, storage and distribution of Green Hydrogen through building enabling frameworks for projects, regulations and standards, trade and joint research and development projects.
- India has launched the National Green Hydrogen Mission with the goal to make India the global hub of Green Hydrogen production and export.
- Germany also has developed an ambitious National Hydrogen Strategy with the aim to assume global leadership in hydrogen technologies.
» Trade of Green Hydrogen and/or its derivatives such as Green Ammonia/Green Methanol would form the cornerstone of the collaboration.
» India and Germany share the common goal to decarbonize their economies.
- The common long-term goal is to reduce emissions and protect the environment.
- This requires a global upscale of green hydrogen production and offtake.
- Both sides are convinced that common goals can be achieved better in close cooperation, building on individual strengths and capacities.
JDI on Forest Landscape Restoration
⇒ The Joint Declaration of Intent on Forest Landscape Restoration between India and Germany was signed virtually between Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav and Ms Steffi Lemke, Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection of Germany.
- It is one of the deliverables of the 6th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) held on 02 May 2022.
During the event, Shri Bhupender Yadav stated that:
- JDI will provide the platform to further advance our partnership and support in areas like conservation and restoration, climate protection and conservation of biodiversity.
- This Joint Declaration of Intent on Forest Landscape Restoration will also help in strengthening Indo-German Cooperation under the dynamic guidance of our Leaders.
- JDI will also enable us to successfully partner with each other and expand our bilateral cooperation in the areas of forest landscape restoration, environment and climate change.
Indo-German Science and Technology Centre
⇒ Union Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh held bilateral talks with German Minister for Education & Research Ms. Bettina Stark-Watzinger in Berlin in May 2022.
» India and Germany have agreed to work together with focus on Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) StartUps as well as AI research and its application in Sustainability and Health care.
- Indo-German Science and Technology Centre (IGSTC) is all set to propose a joint “Artificial Intelligence” (‘AI’) initiative on healthcare and sustainability.
Key points:
» Frontier areas like Electric Mobility, Cyber Physical System, Quantum Technologies, Future Manufacturing, Green Hydrogen Fuel, Deep Ocean research are emerging as new areas of partnership between India and Germany.
» Both of them agreed to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation between India and DFG in the form of funding research projects and to initiate and intensify long-term Indo-German cooperative relationships in research.
» They also agreed to consider initiating International Research Training Groups (IRTG) programs with other scientific departments.