National
Padma Shri, Dr. (h.c) Deepa Malik becomes National Ambassador for TB Mukt Bharat Campaign
⇒ Padma Shri, Khel Ratna Arjuna Awardee, India’s First Woman Paralympic Medalist and President of the Paralympic Committee of India, Dr (h.c) Deepa Malik has pledged her support to the TB Mukt Bharat campaign by becoming its national ambassador and a Ni-Kshay Mitra.
- Dr. (h.c) Deepa Malik expressed her commitment to the TB Mukt Bharat campaign, launched by Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in March 2018; when she participated in TB awareness activities at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Pavilion at the 41st India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
- She has adopted 5 TB patients herself as a Ni-Kshay Mitra and encouraged people to enroll in this scheme as well.
Launch of ‘IKSHAK’ 3rd Ship of Survey Vessel (Large) Project
⇒ ‘Ikshak’, the third of the four Survey Vessels (Large) (SVL) Project, being built by GRSE/L&T for Indian Navy was launched on 26 November 2022 at Kattupalli, Chennai.
The ship has been named ‘Ikshak’ which means ‘Guide’. The ship has been named to signify the contribution of the Survey ships towards facilitating safe passage for Mariners at Sea.
About SVL Ships:
- SVL ships will replace the existing Sandhayak Class survey ships with new generation hydrographic equipment to collect oceanographic data.
- The Survey Vessel (Large) ships are 110 m long, 16 m wide with deep displacement of 3400 tons and a complement of 231 personnel.
- Propulsion system of the ship consists of two Main Engines in twin shaft configuration and is designed with cruise speed of 14 knots and maximum speed of 18 knots.
- Bow & Stern Thrusters have been catered for better manoeuvring at low speeds required during shallow water survey operations.
- The hull of these ships is made from indigenously developed DMR 249-A steel manufactured by Steel Authority of India Limited.
- With a capability to carry four Survey Motor Boats and an integral helicopter, the primary role of the ships would be to undertake full scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic surveys of Ports and navigational channels.
- The ships would also be deployed for collecting oceanographic and geophysical data for defence as well as civil applications. In their secondary role, the ships are capable of providing limited defence, besides serving as Hospital ships during emergencies.
» Despite challenges due to COVID-19 pandemic, L&T and GRSE have made substantial progress, and aim to deliver ‘Ikshak’ by October 2023.
Background:
- Contract for building four SVL ships was signed between Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 30 October 2018 for a total cost of Rs 2435 Cr.
- As per build strategy adopted by GRSE, first ship is being built at GRSE, Kolkata and construction of balance three ships (upto outfitting stage) has been sub-contracted to M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.
- The first of class ship ‘Sandhayak’ was launched on 05 December 2021 at M/s GRSE, Kolkata.
Sports
USIC International Railway Sports Association Table Tennis Championship 2022
⇒ USIC International Railway Sports Association Table Tennis Championship was organised by North Western Railway Sports Association under the aegis of Railway Sports Promotion Board from 21st November to 25th November 2022 at Jaipur, India.
Participants:
Total five teams -Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Switzerland and India participated in this prestigious Championship.
Performance of Indian players:
- Indian players won men’s and women’s singles, mixed doubles, doubles and team titles in USIC International Railway Sports Association Table Tennis Championship.
- Indian players made the country and Indian Railways proud by securing first position in men’s and women’s team event, doubles in men’s and women’s category, mixed doubles and first place in men’s and women’s singles competition.
Winners of USIC International Railway Sports Association Table Tennis Championship 2022:
- Ronit Bhanja of Indian Railways won gold, Siksha Jain silver and Anirban Ghosh bronze medal in men’s singles.
- Sutirtha Mukherjee of Indian Railways won gold, Dharna Sen silver and Poyamanti Vaishya bronze medal in women’s singles.
- Indian Railway players won gold, silver and bronze medals in mixed doubles events.
- In men’s doubles, the Indian team won gold, silver and France won bronze medals, similarly in women’s doubles, Indian team won gold, Czech Republic won silver and India and Czech Republic players won bronze medals.
- In the team event, Indian Railway’s men’s team won gold, France’s silver and Czech Republic won bronze medals and in the women’s section, India won gold, Czech Republic’s silver and France’s bronze medals.
Result Book of USIC Table Tennis Championship 2022
Important Day
National Milk Day 2022
⇒ National Milk Day is celebrated across India on November 26.
- Every year since 2014, Dr. Varghese Kurien birth anniversary has been observed as the National Milk Day.
Celebration:
The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying celebrated the “National Milk Day” to commemorate 101st birth anniversary of the Dr Verghese Kurien, as a part of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” on 26th November 2022 in Bengaluru.
- The “Father of the White Revolution in India”, Dr. Verghese Kurien is also known as the Milkman of India.
Key Activities:
National Gopal Ratna Awards 2022:
» During the ceremony, the Chief Guest Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India presented the National Gopal Ratna Awards 2022.
Foundation stone of Advanced Training Facility:
» Dr Sanjeev Balyan laid the foundation stone of Advanced Training Facility at Central Frozen Semen Production and Training Institute at Heseraghatta, Karnataka Virtually. He also launched the Bovine IVF-(Invitro-fertilization) activities at Central Cattle Breeding Farm, Hesaraghatta, Bangalore.
Book release:
» During the function, a book on the life of Varghese Kurian and a booklet on Milk Adulteration were also released by the Dignitaries.
Animal Quarantine Certification Services:
» Department of Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurated Animal Quarantine Certification Services as part of the celebrations in Hasserghata Bengaluru.
- The station was inaugurated by Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal husbandry & dairying.
About AQCS:
- AQCS, Bangalore was initiated in August 2009 and the station has been functioning from the airport satellite office at Alpha 3, Kempegowda International airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Since its inception the station has seen a substantial increase in its workload and movement of Livestock and Livestock products has increased manifold. However, in the absence of Quarantine facility, the Import of Live animals like Horses, Cattles, Sheep, Goats etc was not allowed to import in Bengaluru.
- Accordingly, the construction work started in the 10 acres area at Hessarghata, Bengaluru with the funding by Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, the work has been executed by CPWD, Bangalore. The station has come up with state-of-the-art building and infrastructure.
- This station will facilitate regions in the country especially the Southern States to import and export of livestock and livestock products and boost to the trade.
- The AQCS will be equipped with online clearance System for imports of livestock products and livestock in due course and be a game changer for local economy.
World Milk Day 2022:
» World Milk Day is celebrated every year on 1 June since 2001.
- World Milk Day has been established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to recognize the importance of milk as a global food.
Theme:
World Milk Day is celebrated with different themes each year. In 2022, this day followed the theme of achieving “Dairy Net Zero”. This means that the day aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the dairy industry over the next 30 years.