National
Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility in Tumakuru
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Helicopter Factory at Tumakuru in Karnataka on February 06, 2023.
- He also laid the foundation stone of the Tumakuru Industrial Township and two Jal Jeevan Mission projects at Tiptur and Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumakuru.
- The Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the Helicopter Facility and Structure Hangar and unveiled the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).
» The factory is India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs).
- The LUH is an indigenously designed and developed three-ton class, single engine multipurpose utility helicopter with unique features of high manoeuvrability.
- Initially, this factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year and can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 per year in a phased manner. The first LUH has been flight tested and is ready for unveiling.
About HAL Helicopter Factory:
- The Greenfield Helicopter Factory, spread across 615 acres of land, is planned with a vision to become a one-stop solution for all helicopter requirements of the country.
- This is Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce Light Utility Helicopters (LUH).
- After initially producing LUHs, the factory will be augmented to produce other helicopters such as Light Combat Helicopters (LCHs) and Indian Multirole Helicopters (IMRHs).
- It will also be used for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul of LCH, LUH, Civil Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and IMRH in the future. Potential exports of civil LUH will also be catered to from this factory.
- The HAL plans to produce more than 1,000 helicopters in the range of 3-15 tonnes, with a total business of over Rs four lakh crores over a period of 20 years. This will result in providing employment for around 6000 people in the region.
- The proximity of the factory, with the existing HAL facilities in Bengaluru, will boost the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem in the region and support skill & infrastructure development such as schools, colleges and residential areas.
- With the establishment of facilities like Heli-Runway, Flight Hangar, Final Assembly Hangar, Structure Assembly Hangar, Air Traffic Control and various supporting service facilities, the factory is fully operational.
- This factory is being equipped with state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 standard tools and techniques for its operations.
- The foundation stone of the facility was laid by the Prime Minister in 2016.
- This factory will enable India to meet its entire requirement of helicopters without import and giving much needed fillip to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in helicopter design, development, and manufacture.
About Tumakuru Industrial Township:
» The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Tumakuru Industrial Township.
- Under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme, the development of the Industrial Township spread across 8484 acres in three phases in Tumakuru has been taken up as part of the Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor.
About two Jal Jeevan Mission projects:
» During the programme, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones of two Jal Jeevan Mission projects at Tiptur and Chikkanayakanahalli in Tumakuru.
- The Tiptur Multi-Village Drinking Water Supply Project will be built at a cost of over Rs 430 crores.
- The Multi-village water supply scheme to 147 habitations of Chikkanayakanahlli taluk will be built at a cost of around Rs 115 crores.
- The projects will facilitate the provision of clean drinking water for the people of the region.
5th unit of IFFCO Nano Urea Plant at Deoghar
⇒ Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah performed Bhumi Pujan and laid the foundation stone of the fifth unit of IFFCO Nano Urea Plant at Deoghar, Jharkhand on 04 February 2023.
In his address, Shri Amit Shah said Liquid urea is very important for the conservation of soil of our country. With the construction of Deoghar unit, about 6 crore liquid urea bottles will be manufactured here every year, which will reduce our dependence on the import of Urea and India will become self- reliant. This small bottle of 500 ml would become a substitute for a full bag of urea.
This factory of Liquid Nano Urea will be useful in increasing production in the fields of farmers not only in Jharkhand but also in Bihar, Odisha and Bengal.
‘Save Wetlands Campaign’ as a “whole of society” approach for wetlands conservation
⇒ Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched the ‘Save Wetlands Campaign’ in the presence of Chief Minister of Goa.
- This campaign is structured on a “whole of society” approach for wetlands conservation, enabling affirmative actions for wetlands conservation at all levels of the society and involving all strata of the society.
- This campaign over next one year will include sensitizing people of the value of wetlands, increasing the coverage of wetland mitras and building citizen partnerships for wetlands conservation.
On the occasion, two publications were also released:
- ‘India’s 75 Amrit Dharohar- India’s Ramsar Sites Factbook’
- ‘Managing Climate Risks in Wetlands – A Practitioner’s Guide
- The factbook is a one-stop resource of information on our 75 Ramsar Sites, including their values, threats they face and management arrangements.
- The practitioner’s Guide on Climate Risk Assessment provides step-wise guidance on assessing the site-level climate risks and integration of adaptation and mitigation responses into the wetland management plan.
» The national celebrations of World Wetlands Day which concluded 04 February 2023 saw the Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav, CM of Goa and other dignitaries visit Nanda Lake, Goa’s first Ramsar Site to oversee the conservation and management efforts.
- On this occasion the Union Environment Minister unfurled the National Flag and unveiled the signboard of Nanda Lake.
» India has designated 75 Wetlands of International Importance as Ramsar sites covering an area of 1.33 million ha across the country.
International
Second Meeting of G20 Employment Working Group
⇒ The 2nd Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting under India’s G20 Presidency took place in the city of Guwahati, Assam from April 03 to 05, 2023.
Nodal Ministry:
The Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), Government of India is the nodal ministry for the Employment Working Group under the Indian presidency of G20.
- The three-day event saw a gathering of over 74 delegates from over 19 G20 member countries, seven guest countries and five International Organisations.
The G20 EWG’s second meeting is a crucial step towards building consensus on the outcomes of the three key priority areas for EWG 2023 under the Indian Presidency, which are:
- Addressing Global Skill Gaps
- Gig and Platform Economy, and Social Protection
- Sustainable Financing of Social Protection
- The EWG has a mandate of addressing on priority labour, employment and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced, and job-rich growth for all.
Day 1:
» Addressing the inaugural session of the 2nd Employment Working Group meeting, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment and Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Rameshwar Teli called upon the G20 countries to move deliberations for EWG’s three priority areas further and translate them into clear strategies.
» The first day of the meeting comprised sessions focused on knowledge sharing on different priority areas by the Sustainable Finance Working Group, Digital Economy Working Group, Education Working Group, G20 Entrepreneurship Research Centre and the L20, and B20 Chairs.
- A session on the update on activities and accomplishments of the Entrepreneurship Research Centre (ERC) on G20 economies also took place.
- The ERC aims to be an institution with academic and policy influence and entrepreneurial and employment results.
Day 2:
» On the second day of the Employment Working Group (EWG) Meeting, Secretary, Labour & Employment Ms. Arti Ahuja, the G20 EWG Chair steered the discussions on Draft Ministerial Declaration covering the three priority areas taken up by the EWG.
- The second session focused on aspects of the Gig and Platform economy. Delegates also exchanged insightful dialogue on strengthening social protection in the sector.
Day 3:
» On the third day of the 2nd EWG meeting, the sessions addressed issues on crucial skill gaps and sustainable social protection financing.
- The meeting initiated detailed deliberations on sustainable financing of social protection in the employment sector.
- After this, the delegates deliberated on & addressed the skill gaps affecting the global workforce.
Ms Arti Ahuja, Secretary, Labour & Employment and G20 EWG Chair steered the discussions ensuring consensus is developed on the key elements of the Ministerial Declaration and Outcome Documents covering the three priority areas of the EWG under the Indian Presidency.