National
Made in India 'Akshar River Cruise' on Sabarmati Riverfront
⇒ Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah launched -Made in India ‘Akshar River Cruise’ on Sabarmati Riverfront developed by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited through video conferencing, on 02 July 2023.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that-
- This luxury river-cruise will be a new attraction for all the citizens of Ahmedabad.
- This cruise is developed under Public Private Partnership by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Limited.
- This cruise is the first passenger catamaran built in India under Make in India at a cost of Rs 15 crore with twin engines and it can safely travel for one and a half hours.
- This 30-meter cruise has a capacity of 165 passengers and also has a restaurant which will definitely attract the people.
- The cruise has been designed keeping in mind the convenience of the citizens and it is equipped with 180 life safety jackets, fire safety and emergency rescue boat.
Union Minister Shri Amit Shah virtually lays foundation stone of Sainik School at Boriyavi
⇒ Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of Shri Motibhai R Chaudhary Sagar Sainik School run by Dudhsagar Research and Development Association in Mehsana, Gujarat through video conferencing, on 04 July 2023.
Shri Amit Shah said that this Sainik School will work towards instilling the spirit of knowledge, security, bravery and patriotism and bring new light in the lives of many youths.
» On this occasion, the book “Shabd Moti” was also released.
The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that this book will prove helpful in understanding the life of Moti Bhai. He said that the life of Moti Bhai has always been a source of inspiration for the youth and adolescents.
International
International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) in New Delhi
⇒ Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy Shri R. K. Singh inaugurated the International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) in New Delhi on July 5, 2023.
International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023):
» The Government of India organized an International Conference on Green Hydrogen (ICGH-2023) from July 5 to 7, 2023 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Organized by:
The conference was organized by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, in partnership with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Office of Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
Aim:
The aim of the Conference was to explore how we can establish a Green Hydrogen ecosystem and foster a systemic approach for meeting the global goals for decarbonization through Green Hydrogen.
Participation:
- The conference brought together the global scientific, policy, academic and industrial leaders to discuss recent advances and emerging technologies in the entire green hydrogen value chain.
- Throughout the conference, which witnessed over three days of intense deliberations, with more than 2700 delegates, 135 speakers, seven plenary sessions, 16 technical sessions, and four panel discussions, experts focused on the green hydrogen ecosystem.
- It saw experts from across countries – including the US, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Africa, among others share their perspectives with India’s top Government officials, scientists, industry and other stakeholders, in order to define the best path forward for decarbonisation.
» The conference also featured demos, prototypes by PSUs, private companies and startups, as well as B2B and B2G meetings.
Discussion:
» Apart from domain-specific research interactions on hydrogen production, storage, distribution and downstream applications, the conference also discussed green financing, human resource upskilling and startup initiatives in this area.
- The objective of ICGH 2023 was to learn from the experiences of other countries leading the development and deployment of green hydrogen. The conference enabled the sector stakeholders to explore the evolving green hydrogen landscape and innovation-driven solutions in the sector, thus strengthening the sustainability ecosystem of the sector.
» Various plenary talks, expert panel discussions and technical deliberations held at the conference provided domestic and international participants from the industry and research communities an opportunity to dive deep into these national and global priorities, in line with the objectives embedded in India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission.
- National Green Hydrogen Mission is a mission launched by the Government of India to help achieve India’s target of Net Zero by the year 2070.
Day 1:
The opening day of the conference had sessions on Hydrogen Production-Electrolysis and Bio-Pathways; Hydrogen Storage, Distribution and Refuelling; Hydrogen Energy Ecosystems & Assessment; Fuel Cells & Electrolyzers: Key materials& components; Hydrogen Production – Thermochemical Nuclear and others; Hydrogen in Mobility; Integrated Hydrogen Systems; Hydrogen in Industries; and a panel discussion on Disruptive Science and Technology.
Day 2:
- The second day of the conference on July 6, had two plenary lectures, one presenting a Japanese and another an Australian perspective on the role of green hydrogen.
- The technical sessions for the day were on Pipeline Infra, and Compatibility; Hydrogen Economy – Logistics and Infrastructure; Codes, Standards and Regulations; Hydrogen Valleys/ Hubs / Clusters; Start-ups in Hydrogen; Hydrogen Strategies and Polices; Green Financing; Strengthening R&D Ecosystem.
- The day concluded with a panel discussion on Carbon Emissions associated with Green Hydrogen Production.
Day 3:
- The third and final day of the international conference featured a plenary lecture presenting a European perspective and a panel discussion among key industry stakeholders. The conference concluded with the valedictory session.
- The International Conference on Green Hydrogen and the associated mission have laid the foundation for a shared vision to accelerate the transition to a future of clean and green energy.
About National Green Hydrogen Mission:
» The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched by the Government of India on 4th January 2023, as part of its decarbonization strategy.
- The Mission places significant emphasis on R&D in green hydrogen and aims to make India a global hub of Green Hydrogen production, utilization, and export.
Key Points:
- The Mission will kickstart major interventions in policies and technology to develop a robust Green Hydrogen ecosystem in the country.
- It seeks to do this by creating demand, strengthening the supply side, and focusing on policy and regulatory frameworks, innovation and affordability.
- The Mission will encourage private investment in the sector and enable rapid scale-up, technology development, establish standards & regulatory framework and enable rapid cost reduction.
- R&D in green hydrogen not only fosters sustainable energy solutions but also opens opportunities for job creation and economic growth in India’s clean energy sector.
- By prioritizing R&D, India is poised to become a global leader in green hydrogen technology, paving the way for a cleaner and greener future.
Important Day
9th International Day of Yoga 2023
⇒ International Day of Yoga is celebrated every year on 21 June.
- The International Day of Yoga aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
Theme:
The theme of the International Day of Yoga 2023 (IDY 2023) was “Yoga for Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam” (Yoga for ‘The World is One Family’), which the indicates the Indian socio-cultural heritage.
Celebrations:
- The Permanent Mission of India to the UN, in collaboration with the UN Secretariat, organized the 9th International Day of Yoga at the North Lawn area of UN Headquarters.
- The global celebration of IDY 2023 was led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN Headquarters in New York, USA.
- In India, this year International Day of Yoga witnessed unique feature like Ocean Ring of Yoga, where Indian Navy and Merchant ships organized Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) demonstration at port/ vessels of the friendly countries in different oceans.
- In India, the National celebration of IDY 2023 was led by the Vice-President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
- The Ministry of Ayush, in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Ministry of External Affairs hosted a photography contest “Yoga My Pride” on MyGov.in platform.
Background:
- Yoga is universal — it can be practised anywhere, at any time, and by anyone irrespective of age, gender, culture or nationality. Yoga is a powerful tool for individuals, communities and countries to improve both mental and physical health.
- Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness.
- Yoga is practiced in various forms around the world and continues to grow in popularity.
- Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131.
- The first International Day of Yoga was celebrated on 21 June 2015.
- The draft resolution establishing the International Yoga Day was proposed by India and endorsed by a record 175 member countries. This proposal was first introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address during the opening of the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 27 September 2014.