National
Food Processing Week
⇒ As a part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries observed ‘Food Processing Week’ from 6th to 12th September 2021, under which, the Ministry organized various programs.
Programs:
Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Shri Pashupati Kumar Paras and Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, virtually inaugurated five food processing projects in states of Assam, Gujarat and Karnataka.
The total cost of these five projects is about Rs.124.44 crores, and the Ministry has given a grant of Rs.28.02 crores for these projects.
These projects will also provide direct and indirect employment to about 820 people and benefit about 7700 farmers in the catchment areas.
There are Five Projects:
- M/s Phoenix Frozen, Anand, Gujarat
- M/s Athos Collagen, Surat, Gujarat
- M/a Vasant Masala, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- M/a Hain Future Natural Products, Tumkur, Karnataka
- M/s Graintech Foods, Nalbari, Assam
NAMASYA App
⇒ National Auminium Company Ltd (NALCO), a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Mines, has been playing a key role in empowering the Micro and Small Enterprises through providing a modern & innovative platform ‘NALCO Micro And Small enterprise Yogayog Application’ (NAMASYA).
NAMASYA, a bi-lingual App developed exclusively for the benefit of the Company’s MSE Vendors. The NAMASYA App provides a platform to highlight the Company’s efforts towards development of MSEs.
The App empowers MSEs with required information about vendor registration process, items which can be supplied by them with technical specification, vendor development and training programmes of NALCO.
Best Institute in South India 2021
⇒ National Institute of Technology (NIT) Andhra Pradesh has been recognized as the ‘Best Institute in South India 2021’ by the Centre for Education Growth and Research.
This award was presented to the Institute by Centre for Education Growth and Research, which is a New Delhi based Education Think Tank.
NIT Andhra Pradesh has received this award during the 15th Rashtriya Shiksha Gaurav Puraskar Ceremony held on 7th September 2021.
CMD of BPCL
⇒ Recently, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a ‘Maharatna’ company has appointed Arun Kumar Singh as the Chairman and Managing Director of the company.
India’s First MBA Programme in Agripreneurship and Value Chain Management, Offered by ISS
⇒ Recently, a Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between NITI Aayog and Gujarat University in the presence of Dr Rajiv Kumar, NITI Aayog, Vice Chairman to Promote Cooperation in Agriculture.
An MBA programme in agripreneurship and value chain management was also launched during the event by Dr. Rajiv Kumar.
Offered by Indian Institute of Sustainability, Gujarat University, the MBA programme in agripreneurship and value chain management is a uniquely designed course that will provide global exposure to students in understanding the agriculture ecosystem.
Objective:
The SoI focuses on technical collaboration between the two institutions to strengthen knowledge-sharing and policy development in India. The objective is to encourage and promote cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.
Three new heatwave hotspots in India
⇒ North-Western, Central, and further to south-central region of India have become the new hotspot of intense heatwave events over the past half-century. A study has said that there has been an increase in deadly Indian heat wave in recent years.
Heatwaves emerged as a deadly health hazard, claiming thousands of lives across the globe in recent decades, with episodes strengthening in frequency, intensity, and duration in the past half-century in India as well. This has caused severe impacts on health, agriculture, economy, and infrastructure.
Study:
A team of researchers led by Prof R K Mall from the Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India – Mahamana Centre of Excellence in Climate Change Research, Banaras Hindu University studied the change in spatial and temporal trends in Heatwaves and Severe heatwaves. The study has been done over the past seven decades in different meteorological subdivisions of India.
The study published in the journal “International Journal of Climatology” links the association of HW and SHW with mortality over India.
The study showed a shift in the Spatio-temporal trend of HW events from the eastern region of Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar to North-Western, Central and further to south-central region of India.
International
Africa Food Prize 2021
⇒ Hyderabad-based International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been awarded the Africa Food Prize 2021 for improving food security in sub-Saharan Africa.
The award was given away at the Africa Forum for Green Revolution (AGRF) 2021 Summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
ICRISAT got the award for the Tropical Legumes Project that has improved food security across 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tropical Legumes Project:
Between 2007 and 2019, ICRISAT led a collaboration of partners to deliver the Tropical Legumes Project.
The project developed 266 improved legume varieties and almost half a million tons of seed for a range of legume crops, including cowpeas, pigeon peas, chickpea, common bean, groundnut, and soybean. These new varieties have helped over 25 million smallholder farmers become more resilient to climate change, as well as pest and disease outbreaks.
About ICRISAT:
ICRISAT, a CGIAR Research Center, is a non-profit, non-political public international research organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world.
First India–Japan High Level Policy Dialogue
⇒ The First India–Japan High Level Policy Dialogue was held virtually on 7 September 2021 between Mr. Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India and Mr. KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment of Japan.
Discussion:
They discussed issues on Air Pollution, Sustainable Technologies and Transports, Climate Change, Marine Litter, Fluorocarbons, COP 26, etc.
In meeting, Mr. Bhupender Yadav acknowledged the importance of Indo-Japan bilateral cooperation on environment. He also stated India and Japan may explore strengthening bilateral cooperation especially on circular economy and resource efficiency, low carbon technology, green hydrogen, etc.
Mr KOIZUMI Shinjiro, Minister of the Environment of Japan mentioned that both countries can strengthen bilateral cooperation through the Joint Credit Mechanism, Coalition for Disaster Resilience Infrastructure and may also explore collaboration in areas endorsed by the G20, especially on climate, environment and energy.
Sports
Mentor of Team India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021
⇒ Recently, BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced that the Iconic former captain MS Dhoni has been appointed as mentor of Team India for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is being held in UAE and Oman from 17 October 2021.
Important Day
International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2021
⇒ The International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is observed every year on 7 September. The day aims to enhance international cooperation to attain clean air.
Theme:
The 2021 theme for the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies is “Healthy Air, Healthy Planet”.
The theme of the 2nd International Day of Clean Air for blue skies emphasizes the health aspects of air pollution, especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic.