National
Cabinet approved continuation of National Apprenticeship Training Scheme
⇒ The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has accorded its approval for stipendiary support of Rs 3,054 crore to apprentices who undergo apprenticeship training under National Apprenticeship Training Scheme (NATS) of Ministry of Education for next five years.
Cabinet approved continuation of National Apprenticeship Training Scheme for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 (upto 31-03-2026).
- Approximately 9 lakhs apprentices will be trained by industry and commercial organisations.
- The apprentices who have completed graduate and diploma programme in Engineering, Humanities, Science and Commerce will be given stipend of Rs 9,000/- and Rs 8,000/- per month respectively.
About NATS:
NATS is a well-established scheme of Government of India which has demonstrated to enhance the employability of students who have successfully completed the apprenticeship training.
- The NATS will provide apprenticeship in the emerging areas under ‘Production Linked Incentive’ (PLI) such as Mobile manufacturing, Medical devices manufacturing, Pharma sector, Electronics/Technology products, Automobile sector etc.
39th edition of PRAGATI
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the meeting of 39th edition of PRAGATI, the ICT based multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, involving Centre and State governments on 24 November 2021.
In the meeting, nine agenda items were taken for review including eight projects and one scheme.
Among the eight projects, three projects were from the Ministry of Railways, two projects each were from the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and Ministry of Power and one project was from the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas.
These eight projects, having a cumulative cost of about Rs 20,000 crores, are concerning seven states viz., Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Introduction of theme-based tourist circuit trains
⇒ Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Railways, announced the introduction of theme-based tourist circuit trains Bharat Gaurav Trains on 23 November 2021.
- ‘Bharat Gaurav Trains’ will help realise the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to showcase India’s rich cultural heritage and magnificent historical places to the people of India and the world.
Scope:
- Service Provider would be free to decide theme like Guru Kripa trains for covering important places of Sikh culture, Ramayana trains for places connected with Lord Shri Ram etc.
- Service Provider to offer all-inclusive package to tourist including rail travel, hotel accommodation, sightseeing arrangement, visit to historical/heritage sites, tour guides etc.
- Full flexibility to decide package cost based on level of services being offered.
- Choice of coaches suiting the clientele, different segments like luxury, budget etc.
- Free to design/furnish interior of the coaches based on the theme.
- Branding and advertisement permitted both inside and outside of train.
- Train composition will be of 14 to 20 coaches including 2 SLRs (Guard Vans).
5th World Congress on Disaster Management
⇒ Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated the 5th World Congress on Disaster Management on November 24, 2021.
- The 5th World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM) was organized in New Delhi between November 24-27, 2021 at the campus of IIT Delhi.
Theme:
WCDM 2021 was organized on the overarching theme of ‘Technology, Finance and Capacity for Building Resilience to Disasters in the context of COVID-19’.
Organized by:
5th World Congress on Disaster Management was organized jointly by the Government of National Territory of Delhi, IIT Delhi and Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society Hyderabad, in collaboration with National Disaster Management Authority, National Institute of Disaster Management, DRDO and ICMR New Delhi.
About WCDM:
WCDM is an initiative of Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS) having its headquarter in Hyderabad to bring researchers, policy makers and practitioners from around the world on the same platform to discuss various challenging issues of disaster risk management.
The aim is to promote interaction of science, policy and practices to enhance understanding of risks and advance actions for reducing risks and building resilience to disasters.
International
"India-Bangladesh: Fifty Years of Friendship" Seminar
⇒ A Seminar titled “India-Bangladesh: Fifty Years of Friendship” was organised by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies at the India International Centre, on 24 November 2021.
The seminar was organised to commemorate 50 Years of India-Bangladesh Friendship as well as the decisive victory in the India- Pakistan War 1971.
The seminar cum webinar was focused on enhancement of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations.
- Measures like, tourism and common culture as soft power diplomatic tools, need for improved infrastructural connectivity and economic integration were deliberated upon.
Book:
A book titled “Bangladesh Liberation@50 Years: Bijoy’ with Synergy: India-Pakistan War 1971” was released during event.
- The book is a mixture of historical and anecdotal accounts of the 1971 War and comprises authors from both India and Bangladesh, many who actually fought the war.
Scholar Warrior Award:
During the event, Scholar Warrior Award was awarded by the COAS to Brigadier Narender Kumar (Visiting Fellow, CLAWS) for his outstanding contribution as a warrior and in the field of research.
Loan agreement between Government of India and Asian Development Bank
⇒ The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $300 million loan to strengthen and improve access to comprehensive primary health care in urban areas of 13 states on 23 November 2021.
- This will benefit over 256 million urban dwellers including 51 million from slum areas.
- Strengthening Comprehensive Primary Health Care and pandemic preparedness in Urban Areas Program- Supports the Government of India’s key health initiatives Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres and Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
Important Day
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021
⇒ World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated from 18 November to 24 November every year.
- The event’s major objective is to raise global awareness of antibiotic or antimicrobial resistance.
Theme:
The theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021 was Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance.
Background:
- To address AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance), the World Health Organization spearheaded the development of a Global Action Plan on AMR which was approved in 2015.
- In April 2017, India was amongst the first nations to have launched the National Action Plan for AMR for 2017 to 2021.
- WAAW aims to raise awareness of and commitment to tackling the emergence of AMR.