Home » Current Affairs Date: 23 November 2022

Current Affairs Date: 23 November 2022

National

India Energy Week (IEW) 2023

⇒ Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas unveiled the logo for India Energy Week (IEW) 2023 at an event held on 9th September 2022.

» The flagship event of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas will take place from 6th-8th February 2023 in Bengaluru, India.

Key Points:
    • India Energy Week is the pre-eminent platform for experts in the traditional and non-traditional energy industry from around the world and will embody India’s energy ambitions, showcasing it as a global powerhouse for energy transition and a hub that brings together the international energy industry.
    • The inaugural edition of IEW will convene leaders from the energy value chain, finance, government, think tanks and academia to address the challenges and opportunities presented by a responsible energy transition that balances security, affordability, access and sustainability.
    • As India accelerates its efforts to secure its energy and power by investing across infrastructure and exploration and production, India Energy Week provides a unique opportunity for key decision-makers to expedite synergies between stakeholders and identify new growth opportunities.
    • The event will provide an unprecedented opportunity for regional and international leaders and CEOs to come together for strategic policy and technical knowledge sharing for energy justice and energy transitions.

International

India-US Strategic Partnership Forum conference and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Ministerial meeting

⇒ The Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal visited San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States of America from 5th to 10th September 2022.

» During his visit, he attended the India-US Strategic Partnership Forum conference and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Ministerial meeting.

Key points:
    • The Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal launched the US Startup SETU – Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling programme in the Bay Area of San Francisco.
    • The Minister also launched the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) in 6 regions in the United States.
    • He also interacted with eminent business persons, US officials and industry leaders during the visit to fortify the partnership between the two nations and strengthen trade and economic ties.
    • The visit focused upon emphasizing the attractiveness of India as the most preferred investment destination with a number of government interventions such as Gati-shakti, Startup India, Investment Corridors, measures undertaken for ease of doing business and improving investment climate.
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal attended the first in-person Ministerial meeting of the India-Pacific Economic Forum (IPEF) in Los Angeles on 09 September 2022.
    • IPEF focused on opening opportunities for the member nations to work in partnership with each other to ensure that particularly during challenges and difficult times, supply chains remain open and business and people of countries don’t suffer because of chaotic conditions like covid and conflict.
    • The IPEF Ministerial discussions were focused on facilitating open trade, keeping supply chains open.
    • The meet focused on strengthening economic cooperation and enhancing resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness, economic growth, fairness, and competitiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • The Minister also held bilateral meetings with US Secretary of Commerce, USTR and Ministers from other IPEF partner countries on the sidelines of the IPEF Ministerial.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal addressed US-India Strategic Partnership Forum in Los Angeles on 10 September 2022.
    • Addressing the event, he reaffirmed the desire of both India and USA to continue to work towards strengthening economic relations & strategic partnership.
    • The US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) is committed to creating the most powerful partnership between the United States and India.
About IPEF:
    • The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was launched jointly by USA and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022 at Tokyo.
    • The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic engagement among partner countries with the goal of advancing growth, peace and prosperity in the region.
    • The framework is structured around four pillars relating to Trade (Pillar I); Supply Chains (Pillar II); Clean Economy (Pillar III); and Fair Economy (Pillar IV).
    • IPEF has fourteen member states including Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United States, & Vietnam.

US Startup SETU – ‘Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling’ programme

⇒ The Union Minister Shri Piyush Goyal launched the US Startup SETU – ‘Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling’ programme in the Bay Area of San Francisco.

    • The programme was launched at a luncheon interaction focused on specific issues related to start-up ecosystem in India. The meeting focused on ways to encourage domestic incorporation and mentorship of early-stage Indian startups by successful diaspora members in the Bay Area.

The Union Minister was on a foreign visit to San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States of America from 5th to 10th September 2022 to attend the India-US Strategic Partnership Forum conference and Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) Ministerial meeting.

About SETU:
    • SETU is designed to break the geographical barriers between mentors based in US that are willing to invest in entrepreneurship and sunrise startups in India.
    • The initiative would connect start-ups in India to US-based investors and start-up ecosystem leaders with mentorship and assistance in various areas including funding, market access and commercialization.
    • The interaction will be supported through the mentorship portal under the Startup India initiative MAARG, or the Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth program, which is a single-stop solution finder for startups in India.

        Mentorship portal:

    • The portal has been developed with the idea to be accessible from every corner of the country to connect with a mentor. A mentor will offer human intelligence in guiding the startups.
    • The core functions of MAARG are to improve ease of access, use Artificial Intelligence for Matchmaking, schedule meetings virtually, host masterclasses, provide a custom dashboard for relevant information, analytics, features, etc., host cohort-based programs that will allow startup ecosystem enablers to be become a part of the program and enable outcome driven activities.

Death

Legendary Telugu Actor and former Union Minister Krishnam Raju Garu

⇒ Legendary Telugu Actor and former Union Minister Krishnam Raju Garu passed away aged 83 on 11 September 2022 in Hyderabad.

He was elected to the Kakinada and Narasapuram constituencies in the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha for the BJP.

He also served as the Union Minister for State in various ministries in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government in the centre between 2000 and 2002.

Raju acted in more than 180 films and was also a recipient of five Filmfare south awards as well as three Nandi awards. His most famous works include Jeevana Tarangalu, Krishnaveni, and Bhakta Kannappa among others.

Source: PIB & Other News Reports

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