National
‘Jal-Jan Abhiyan’ of Brahma Kumaris
⇒ The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the ‘Jal-Jan Abhiyan’ of Brahma Kumaris via video message on 16 February 2023.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed delight at getting the opportunity to become part of the launch of the Jal Jan Abhiyan by Brahma Kumaris and said that it is always a special experience to learn from them.
- The Prime Minister stressed that the Jal-Jan Abhiyan is being launched at a time when water scarcity is being seen as a future crisis all over the world. The 21st-century world is realizing the seriousness of limited water resources on earth and water security is a huge question for India due to its large population.
- “In the Amrit Kaal, India is looking towards water as the future. There will be a tomorrow if there is water”, the Prime Minister remarked and underlined that joint efforts have to be made starting today.
Organized by:
The ‘Jal-Jan Abhiyan’ was organised by the Brahma Kumaris, Mount Abu in collaboration with the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India.
Key Points:
» Jal-Jan Abhiyan, jointly run by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India and the Brahma Kumaris organization, is a positive initiative towards water conservation to save humans and humanity.
- The goal of water conservation can be achieved only by creating collective consciousness among the people towards conservation of water and nature. This campaign has been planned with this goal in mind.
Main Objectives:
- To create awareness among people about water conservation through various programs
- To motivate people to conserve water by ‘Rain Water Harvesting’
- To Deepen of ponds and to make water storage on drain or sloping lands
- To make farmers aware of water conservation through water conservation fairs
25th edition of International Engineering & Technology Fair (IETF 2023)
⇒ The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the International Engineering and Technology Fair (IETF) 2023 in New Delhi on February 16, 2023.
Noting that IETF-2023 covers 11 areas of emerging technologies which would have profound impact on our economy and society, the President said that there is no doubt that technology is going to change the way we live.
The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) organized the 25th edition of International Engineering & Technology Fair (IETF 2023) from 16-18 February 2023 at the New Halls at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India.
- IETF 2023 held special significance, as it was the Silver Jubilee (25th) edition of the event.
Participation from across the Globe:
Canada, Spain, China, Japan, Germany, South Korea, South Africa, USA, Italy, UK
IETF 2023 Concurrent Shows:
- AI India
- India Gaming Show
- Health Tech India 2023: 4th International Exhibition and Conference
The IETF 2023 showcased innovations through focused and concurrent shows in select industry sectors – advanced building technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), capital machinery, digital gaming, fluid power, factory & plant maintenance, healthcare, industrial automation & robotics, modern logistics solutions, metal and metallurgy, surface coating, and water & solid waste management – where companies from India and overseas displayed latest products and technologies in exclusive pavilions.
» The 26th edition of International Engineering & Technology Fair (IETF 2025) will be held on February 13 – 15, 2025 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
About IETF:
- IETF is a platform for buyer seller meets, international conferences and seminars, business networking, technology assessments, strategic partnerships, vendor development and is attended by visitors from around the globe.
- The categories of visitors include CEOs, decision makers, technical experts, sourcing personnel, diplomats, Trade & Government Delegations and media.
About CII:
- The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the development of India, partnering Industry, Government and civil society, through advisory and consultative processes.
- CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry-led and industry-managed organization, with around 9000 members from the private as well as public sectors.
State-Level Investor Awareness and Financial Literacy Conference in Aizawl
⇒ State-Level Investor Awareness and Financial Literacy Conference “Financial Literacy in Amrit Kaal – Empowering Investors” was held on 16 February 2023 at Aizawl, Mizoram.
Organised by
The State-Level Investor Awareness and Financial Literacy Conference was organised by the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA), in association with the Mizoram Tourism.
- The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Robert Romawia Royte, Minister, Tourism Sports & Youth Services, I&CT, Govt of Mizoram.
During the conference, the following major announcements were made to boost investor awareness:
» “Niveshak Sarathi”, an investor awareness van was flagged off in Aizawl covering major locations in Mizoram. This is an initiative by IEPFA to promote financial literacy among people in far-flung areas by spreading knowledge through dedicated audio-visual and print material through a specially designed van equipped with a TV display, public announcement system, internet connectivity etc.
» “75 dedicated IAPs” announced for the State of Mizoram to involve stakeholders of different segments of society in the caravan of Investor Awareness through Investor Awareness Programmes. Various districts of Mizoram have shown enthusiastic response for need of IAPs in their Districts.
» “Niveshak Didi” – Three female Gramin dak Sevaks from Mizoram were given certificates during the inaugural session of the event to conduct specialised programmes for the women. This initiative is being executed in association with India Post Payment Bank with the theme of financial education by the women for the women.
Other Points:
- An investor awareness bike rally with more than 50 bikers was also flagged off, carrying the message of financial awareness.
- The conference also had various technical sessions by experts from IEPF Authority, Department of Tourism, Government of Mizoram & Department of IC&T, Government of Mizoram on various topics related to financial budgeting, financial well-being, Cyber and Digital Securities and Sustainable Tourism.
- The programme witnessed participation of more than 1,200 people from all walks of life, including students, policemen, grameen dak sevaks, artisans, self-help groups, college students, professionals, experts, tourist operators and other citizens of the state of Mizoram.
International
2nd Agriculture Deputies Meeting (ADM)
⇒ The 2nd Agriculture Deputies Meeting (ADM) was held in Chandigarh, Punjab, from March 29-31, 2023.
- The 1st ADM was held in February 2023 in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. These meetings have been held under the aegis of the Agriculture Working Group (AWG) in the context of India’s G20 Presidency.
- The 2nd ADM registered the participation of delegates from 19 member countries, 10 invited countries, and 10 international organizations.
The AWG was established in the year 2011, at the sixth meeting of the G20 during the Cannes Summit in France to work in the area of agriculture and food security.
In the context of India’s G20 Presidency, and aligning with India’s G20 Presidency theme of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, the AWG aspires to enhance cooperation among G20 nations and aims to provide the member countries with an opportunity to coordinate at the policy level to work towards achieving global economic stability and sustainable growth.
Day 1:
The first day of the 2nd Agriculture Deputies Meeting of the G20 prioritized the establishment of a rapid response forum for the agriculture market information system, as well as determining the capacity-building requirements for the agriculture sector.
This day was marked by the following sessions:
- Session-1: Food Market Situation and Outlook
- Session-2: Status and Development in AMIS
- Session-3: Vision for the Future Evolution of the Initiative
- Session-4: Identifying Capacity Building Needs and Strategies
- Session-5: Special Topic: Asia’s Role in Regional and Global Food Security
- Session-6: The Impact of Financial Factors in Importing.
The first day witnessed discussions and deliberations on the aforementioned topics and highlighted India’s pioneering role in these areas related to agriculture and sustainable development.
Day 2:
During the second day of the meeting, member countries focused on drafting a Communiqué to address four thematic areas which are the following:
- Food security and nutrition
- Sustainable agriculture with a climate-smart approach
- Inclusive agricultural value chains and food systems
- Digitalization for agricultural transformation
The day continued with three consecutive sessions on collaboratively drafting the Communiqué with the member countries of G20, which witnessed engaging deliberations amongst the delegates on the various points that have been recommended for inclusion over the previous meetings.
Day 3:
The day continued with two consecutive sessions focused on drafting the Communiqué by the member countries of G20 and delegates from other invited countries and international organizations towards an inclusive discussion on the Communiqué drafting exercise.
- A bilateral meeting between India and Argentina was also held on the sidelines of the 2nd ADM Meeting of G20 at Chandigarh on March 30, 2023, to discuss cooperation in the area of Plant Protection between the two countries.
The 2nd ADM of AWG Meet concluded on a positive note, with G20 nations converging to discuss crucial areas of sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition.