National
Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023
⇒ Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal released the “Logistics Ease Across Different State (LEADS) 2023” report in New Delhi on 16th December 2023.
During the event two sessions were held:
- Leveraging Data and technologies to Ease Logistics
- Green and sustainable Logistics
About LEADS 2023:
» The 5th edition of the LEADS annual exercise – LEADS 2023 report, provides insights into improvement of logistics performance at State/UT level.
- It highlights an enhanced overall stakeholder perception and impact of various reforms, across States and UTs.
- This report, signalling a positive shift in States’ performance across the key pillars – Logistics Infrastructure, Logistics Services and Operating and Regulatory Environment, empowers the State/UT Governments by providing region specific insights for informed decision making and comprehensive growth.
Based on:
- This report is based on a pan-India primary survey, conducted between May and July 2023, covering over 7,300 responses across 36 States/UTs.
- Additionally, over 750 stakeholder consultations, facilitated by National, Regional, and State Associations, significantly contributed to this comprehensive evaluation.
Performance Highlights from LEADS 2023:
Coastal Group:
- Achievers: Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu
- Fast Movers: Kerala, Maharashtra
- Aspirers: Goa, Odisha, West Bengal
Landlocked Group:
- Achievers: Haryana, Punjab, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh
- Fast Movers: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
- Aspirers: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand
North-East Group:
- Achievers: Assam, Sikkim, Tripura
- Fast Movers: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland
- Aspirers: Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram
Union Territories:
- Achievers: Chandigarh, Delhi
- Fast Movers: Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Puducherry
- Aspirers: Daman & Diu/ Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh
» Efficient domestic logistics are pivotal for both national and international trade competitiveness. The integration of objective and perception-based data in LEADS 2023 ensures a holistic framework for evaluating logistics performance.
- The latest edition builds strengthening objectivity and precision in assessment by considering a wider spectrum of state initiatives, including the adoption of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan for project planning, aligning State Logistics Policies with National Logistics Policy, besides developing City Logistics plans, etc.
About LEADS:
- LEADS was conceived on the lines of Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of World Bank in 2018 and has evolved over time.
- While the LPI relies entirely on perception-based surveys, LEADS incorporates both perception as well as objectivity thereby enhancing the robustness and comprehensiveness of this exercise.
2nd Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023
⇒ Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the 2nd Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 at the Namo Ghat, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 17 December 2023.
Shri Modi also flagged off the Kanyakumari – Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train and launched multi language and braille translations of Thirukkural, Manimekalai and other classic Tamil literature on the occasion.
Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023:
The second phase of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam continued till 30th December 2023.
- Nearly 1400 (7 Groups of 200 persons each) people traveled from different parts of Tamil Nadu, representing varied walks of life.
- During the 15-day long event, various cultural groups from Tamil Nadu and Varanasi performed cultural programmes in Kashi.
These 7 groups mentioned below were named after seven sacred rivers of India.
- Students (Ganga)
- Teachers (Yamuna)
- Professionals (Godavari)
- Spiritual (Saraswati)
- Farmers and Artisans (Narmada)
- Writers (Sindhu)
- Traders and Businessmen (Kaveri)
Nodal agency:
The Ministry of Education, Government of India, was the nodal agency for this event with participation from the Ministries of Culture, Tourism, Railways, Textiles, Food Processing (ODOP), MSME, Information & Broadcasting, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, IRCTC and related departments of Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Implementing agency:
Leveraging the experience of the first phase and considering its reputation for research, IIT Madras acted as the implementing agency in Tamil Nadu and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh.
Objectives:
- Kashi Tamil Sangamam aims to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi – two of the country’s most important and ancient seats of learning.
- The overarching objective of this people-to-people connect programme is to revive the living bonds between Kashi and Tamil Nadu – two important centres of learning and culture in ancient India.
- It aims to bring these two traditions of knowledge and culture closer together while building an understanding of shared heritage and strengthening ties between the people of these two regions.
- The festival also has the objective of rediscovering and strengthening the ancient intellectual, cultural, spiritual and artisanal connect between the two cultures.
» Last year, the first phase of Kashi Tamil Sangamam was organized from 16th November to 16th December 2022.
PM lays foundation stone and dedicates to nation multiple development projects in Varanasi
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,150 crores in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on 18 December 2023.
Details of Important Projects:
» The Prime Minister inaugurated New Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar-New Bhaupur Dedicated Freight Corridor Project built at a cost of around Rs 10,900 crore.
» The Prime Minister flagged off the Varanasi-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express train.
- The Varanasi – New Delhi Vande Bharat Express is India’s 35th Vande Bharat Express train. This is the 2nd Vande Bharat Express train running between New Delhi-Varanasi route.
» He also flagged off Dohrighat-Mau MEMU train and a pair of Long-Haul goods trains at the newly inaugurated Dedicated Freight Corridor.
» He also flagged off the 10,000th locomotive made by Banaras Locomotive Works.
» The Prime Minister inaugurated green-field Shivpur-Phulwaria-Lahartara road along with two ROBs at a cost of more than Rs 370 crore.
» Under the Smart City Mission, a website for detailed tourist information and the Unified Tourist Pass System was launched by the Prime Minister.
- The unified pass will provide single platform ticket booking for Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, Ganga Cruise, and Sarnath’s light and sound show, offering integrated QR code services.
» The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs 6500 crore.
- In order to increase the production of non-renewable energy resources, the Prime Minister laid the foundation of an 800 MW solar park in Chitrakoot district at a cost of around Rs 4000 crores.
- To augment the petroleum supply chain, he laid the foundation for the construction of a new petroleum oil terminal at Mirzapur to be built at a cost of over Rs 1050 crores.
International
President of Egypt
⇒ Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in for his third term as President on 02 April 2024. He is set to remain president until 2030.
- Sisi had won the Presidential election with 89.6 percent of the vote in December 2023.
Other Points:
The oath also marked the inauguration of Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, located in the desert east of Cairo.