National
Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP)
⇒ Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari launched the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) in New Delhi on 22nd August 2023.
- This programme is a significant step forward in the Government’s commitment to improve road safety through raising the safety standards of motor vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes in India.
Aim:
The programme aims to provide a tool to the car customers to make a comparative assessment of crash safety of motor vehicles available in the market.
- Under this programme, car manufacturers can voluntarily offer their cars tested as per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
- Based on the performance of the car in the tests, car will be awarded star ratings for Adult Occupants (AOP) and Child Occupant (COP).
- Potential car customers can refer to these star ratings to compare the safety standards of different vehicles and accordingly make their purchase-decision.
Program aims to create ecosystem of competitive safety enhancements leading to increased awareness among consumers. Consumers can take an informed decision by making a comparative assessment on vehicle performance under crash test conditions.
Key Points:
- The Program is applicable to type approved motor vehicles of M1 category less than 3.5T GVW. This is a voluntary program in which the base variants of a given model shall be tested.
- The program is based on Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) 197.
- NCAP brings the opportunity to the OEMs to manufacture vehicles of global safety standards. The Program is anchored by Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT).
- This program has been commenced from 1st October 2023.
Former Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar honoured as ‘National Icon’ of Election Commission of India
⇒ Cricket legend and Bharat Ratna awardee Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar was recognised as the ‘National Icon’ for voter awareness and education for the Election Commission of India on 23 August 2023.
An MoU was signed with the legend for a period of 3 years at an event organized at Akashvani Rang Bhavan, New Delhi in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Shri Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioners Shri Anup Chandra Pandey and Shri Arun Goel.
Key Points:
- This collaboration marks a significant step towards leveraging Tendulkar’s unparalleled impact with the youth demographic for increasing voters’ participation in the forthcoming elections, especially in General Elections 2024.
- ECI through this partnership aims to bridge the gap between citizens, especially youth and urban populations and the electoral process thereby, trying to address the challenges of urban and youth apathy.
Last year, the Commission recognised famous actor Mr. Pankaj Tripathi as the National Icon. Earlier, during the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, stalwarts like M.S.Dhoni, Aamir Khan and Mary Kom had been the ECI National Icons.
International
‘Global Initiative on Digital Health – a WHO Managed Network’
⇒ Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya addressed on “Digital Health Innovation & Solutions to aid Universal Health Coverage and Improve Healthcare Service Delivery” at the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting on 19 August 2023.
During the session, Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya launched ‘Global Initiative on Digital Health – a WHO Managed Network’ in the presence of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organization.
About ‘Global Initiative on Digital Health – a WHO Managed Network’:
The Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) will consolidate the evidence and amplify recent and past gains in global digital health for health systems while strengthening mutual accountability to enhance the impact of future investments.
Foundational Pillars:
The GIDH will be a WHO Managed Network (“Network of Networks”) that will promote equitable access to digital health by addressing challenges such as duplication of efforts and “products-focused” digital health transformation through a focus on following four foundational pillars:
- Country Needs Tracker
- Country Resource Portal
- Transformation Toolbox
- Convening & Knowledge Exchange
Components of the GIDH:
» The key components of the GIDH will leverage existing evidence, tools and learnings and will be co- created through a transparent and inclusive process.
Through this evidence-based and comprehensive co-creation process, GIDH will ultimately aim to:
- ALIGN efforts to support the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025;
- SUPPORT qualityassured technical assistance to develop and strengthen standards-based and interoperable systems aligned to global best practices, norms and standards;
- FACILITATE the deliberate use of quality assured digital transformation tools that enable governments to manage their digital health transformation journey.
» The Global Strategy on Digital Health was endorsed by Member States in 2020 as a way to align actions and goals, while defining a roadmap towards digital health transformation.
- The GIDH will enable us to address over 70% of the proposed actions in the Global Strategy.
During the session, Dr Mandaviya also launched the World Bank’s Flagship Report on “Digital in Health – Unlocking Value for Everyone”.
- The report is intended to give countries confidence and practical guidance on where to start digital health implementation, regardless of the country’s stage of digital maturity or fiscal challenges.
20th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ Meeting
⇒ Shri Rajesh Agrawal, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry represented India in the 20th ASEAN-India Economic Ministers’ meeting held on 21st August 2023 in Semarang, Indonesia.
- Shri Rajesh Agrawal co-chaired the meeting with Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Trade, Indonesia.
Participation:
The Economic Ministers or their representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries viz. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam participated in the meeting.
- Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste also joined the Meeting as an observer.
Highlights:
The Ministers reviewed the bilateral trade and investment relations between India and ASEAN and underscored their commitment to strengthen and enhance the economic partnership between India and ASEAN to ensure that the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership delivers meaningful benefits for both sides, particularly in the post-pandemic era.
- India and ASEAN registered a bilateral trade of USD 131.5 billion in 2022-23. The trade with ASEAN accounted for 11.3% of India’s global trade in 2022-23.
» The main agenda of this year’s meeting was the timely review of ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) which was signed in 2009.
- The Economic Ministers’ meeting was preceded by AITIGA Joint Committee meeting, which deliberated the roadmap for the review and finalised the Term of Reference and the Work Plan of the AITIGA Review Negotiations.
- The review of the AITIGA was a long-standing demand of Indian businesses and the early commencement of the review would help in making the FTA trade facilitative and mutually beneficial.
- The Ministers agreed to follow a quarterly schedule of negotiations and conclude the review in 2025.
- The review of AITIGA is expected to enhance and diversify trade while addressing the current asymmetry in the bilateral trade.