National
Power ministry establishes UTPRERAK, a Centre of Excellence to Accelerate Adoption of Energy Efficient Technologies
⇒ The Ministry of Power, Government of India has set up a dedicated Centre of Excellence to accelerate industry adoption of clean technologies and thus scale up India’s contribution to the global energy transition.
- Named UTPRERAK, short for Unnat Takniki Pradarshan Kendra, the Centre of Excellence to Accelerate Adoption of Energy Efficient Technologies seeks to play a catalytic role in improving energy efficiency of Indian industry.
- The Centre, named otherwise as Advanced Industrial Technology Demonstration Centre (AITDC), has been set up by the Bureau of Energy efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, at the Badarpur, New Delhi campus of the National Power Training Institute (NPTI), Ministry of Power.
- Union Minister of State for Power, Shri Krishan Pal inaugurated the Centre at NPTI Badarpur, New Delhi on June 26, 2023.
About Centre:
- The Centre is mandated to become the key reference and resource institution on industrial energy-efficient technologies.
- As its name indicates, the Advanced Industrial Technology Demonstration Centre will demonstrate and showcase energy-efficient technologies in key industry sectors.
- It will act as an exhibition cum information centre and knowledge repository.
- It will be a knowledge exchange platform, where best practices from across various key sectors could be diffused among industry professionals through workshops and seminars.
List of Critical Minerals for India
⇒ Union Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi has unveiled the first ever report of the country on “Critical Minerals for India”, prepared by an expert team constituted by the Ministry of Mines, in a function on 28 June 2023.
The Government of India, through the Ministry of Mines, unveiled the first time “the list of Critical Minerals for India” to ensure reduced import dependencies, enhance supply chain resilience and support the country’s net zero objectives.
Key Points:
- The release of the Critical Minerals List marks a milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance and security in the domain of mineral resources.
- The meticulously compiled list is designed to identify and prioritize minerals that are essential for various industrial sectors such as high-tech electronics, telecommunications, transport and defence.
- The list will serve as a guiding framework for policy formulation, strategic planning and investment decisions in the mining sector.
- This initiative aligns with the larger vision of achieving ‘Net Zero’ target for India through Government’s commitment for creating a robust and resilient mineral sector.
Report on ‘List of Critical Minerals for India’ (Official Link)
International
G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi
⇒ The G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting under the India’s presidency was held on June 11th-13th, 2023 in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
With its initiation in 2021, Development Ministerial Mechanism is a platform within G20 for deliberations on global developmental challenges and ways to address them for achieving progress toward the (Sustainable Development Goals) SDGs.
The G20 Development Ministerial Meeting took place as a culmination of priorities, outcomes, discussions, and initiatives of the following four meetings of the Development Working Group (DWG):
» The Varanasi Development Ministers’ Meeting took place amidst mounting developmental challenges that have been further aggravated by the economic slowdown, debt distress, impacts of climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, growing poverty and inequality, food and energy insecurity, cost-of-living crisis, global supply-chain disruptions, and geo-political conflicts and tensions.
» The G20 Development Ministerial meeting was an opportunity to collectively agree on actions for accelerating the achievement of the (SDGs) and fostering synergies between the development, environment, and climate agendas while avoiding costly trade-offs that hold back progress for the developing countries.
» The meeting follows the Voice of the Global South Summit that was hosted by India in January 2023, and the decisions taken at the Varanasi meeting also contributed to the United Nations SDG Summit which took place in September in New York.
Day 1:
» Delegates and dignitaries witnessed the famous Ganga Aarti of Varanasi on the first day of the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting.
Day 2:
» On Day two, the Plenary sessions of the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting, Varanasi commenced with a special video message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The Prime Minister exhorted the G20 Development Ministers to study the 100 Aspirational Districts Development Model of India which has transformed these districts that have been pockets of underdevelopment into catalysts of growth in the country. He added this model can be relevant to achieving the “Agenda 2030”.
Further, the delegates continued important deliberations on addressing developmental challenges & accelerating progress toward the SDGs.
The agenda of the day was:
- Multilateralism: Collective Actions for Accelerating Progress towards SDGs.
- Green Development with LiFE Approach.
Moreover, G20 members at the G20 DMM unanimously adopted:
Day 3:
G20 India Presidency released the Outcome Document & Chair’s Summary for the G20 Development Ministers’ Meeting in Varanasi.
Important Day
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2023
⇒ The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, or World Drug Day, is marked on 26 June every year to strengthen action and cooperation in achieving a world free of drug abuse.
- The aim of this day is to raise awareness to fight against the substance abuse as well as the unlawful trade of drugs.
Theme:
The theme for International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2023 was “People first: stop stigma and discrimination, strengthen prevention”.
History:
By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.
But what exactly are drugs?
- Drugs are nothing but certain substances that changes your lifestyle by making you addicted to them. The change that comes in your living style is mostly negative.
- It works as an escape tool and it alters your reality in such a way that you forget your roots and become susceptible to succumbing to your bad habits.
- The main change is reflected into your mental wellbeing and physical appearance. This results in financial problems and negative effects on family relationships and even professional careers.
- The problem of drugs should not be taken lightly. They are something that is often taken lightly and are taken within but is soon found to be irreparable mistakes. Drug abuse is one of the most problematic causes of death in the world.