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Category: Asia

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 42 Organizations publish 1459 write-ups under National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    42 Organizations publish 1459 write-ups under National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025

    Impressive participation of the retiring employees in the National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:04PM by PIB Delhi

    At the behest of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, ‘Anubhav portal’ [https://pensionersportal.gov.in/Anubhav/] was launched in March 2015 for the retiring/retired central government officials to submit their experiences while in Government.

    Thereafter, National Annual Awards Scheme was devised to incentivize and encourage the submission of the experiences. Till date, 104 Organizations have been registered on the portal and 59 Anubhav Awards and 19 Jury Certificates have been conferred to the outstanding write-ups.

    National Anubhav Awards Scheme, 2025 was notified with major revamp. For the first time, apart from the employees of Central Government, employees of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and Public Sector Banks (PSBs) were also covered under the scheme to acknowledge their contribution in the nation building. Also, an objective marking system was put in place. As per the notified scheme, write-ups published from 01.04.2024 to 31.03.2025 were to be considered.

    As on 22.01.2025, only 423 write-ups were published by 17 Ministries/Departments. To ensure maximum and widespread participation in the scheme, an outreach campaign was conducted by DOPPW from 23.01.2025 to 31.03.2025.

    In this series, a workshop for the Anubhav Nodal Officers of Ministries/Departments including 12 PSBs and CPSEs was conducted on 23.01.2025 under the chairmanship of Secretary (Pension). A dedicated cell was established to answer the queries about the provisions of the scheme and process of submission of the write-ups. An informative video was also released and put up on the Youtube channel of DOPPW. Moreover, e-mails and SMSs were sent to eligible retired officers/officials. Role of the Anubhav Nodal Officers of Ministries and Departments was crucial during the outreach campaign; therefore, fortnightly meetings were conducted with them to review the progress.

    These initiatives had a positive impact as the number of write-ups published on Anubhav portal increased steeply from 423 to 1,459 during the outreach campaign period.  It includes 124 write-ups from the senior officers from Level-13 and above. Further, due to outreach campaign, number of Ministries/Departments/Organizations whose employees have submitted their write-ups increased remarkably from 17 to 42, maximum in the history of Anubhav.

    1,459 published write-ups will now be evaluated through a 2-tier process for finalizing the outstanding write-ups for 05 Anubhav Awards and 10 Jury Certificates, to be conferred in the upcoming Annual Anubhav Awards Ceremony.   

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117920) Visitor Counter : 60

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Inaugurates Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Inaugurates Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025

    “Democracy Thrives on Constructive Conversations, Not Arguments” – Dr. Mandaviya

    Adopt Nation First Mindset, Dr. Mandaviya Inspires Youth to Shape India’s Future

    Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament is a Platform that Nurtures Future Young Leaders: Union Minister

    Day 1 Witnesses 105 State-level Winners from across Country Showcase their Ideas and Perspectives

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:58PM by PIB Delhi

    Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the National Round of the 2-day Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament Festival 2025 in New Delhi today. Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse was also present on the occasion. The journey to this grand event began when the District Youth Parliament was organized from 16th March 2025 to 27th March, 2025. The winners of the District Youth Parliament-2025 participated in the State Youth Parliament from 23rd – 31st March, 2025 which were organised in many State Legislative Assemblies. A total of 105 State-level winners from across the country earned their place at the national stage.

    Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, in his inaugural speech, highlighted that this year’s Youth Parliament has been integrated with the vision of Viksit Bharat. He emphasized the enthusiasm of the youth, noting that over 75,000 young individuals submitted one-minute videos to be part of this initiative. After rigorous selection at the district and state levels, the participants are finally gathered in the prestigious Parliament, a place where leaders and policymakers have shaped India’s present, he added.

    Dr. Mandaviya encouraged young participants to adopt a ‘Nation First’ mindset, regardless of their profession. He spoke about the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament as a platform that nurtures future leaders, allowing young individuals to engage in meaningful discussions. He emphasized that democracy thrives not on arguments but on winning the hearts of citizens through constructive conversations. 

    Union Minister praised India’s diversity, stating that despite its differences, the Parliament stands as a symbol of unity. Expressing hope for the future, he wished that many of the youth present today would return to Parliament as Members of Parliament or Ministers. He also underscored the strength of democracy, which provides equal opportunities to all, noting that in India, even a person from humble background can become the Prime Minister. 

    Dr. Mandaviya advised young people to focus on taking a pledge towards Viksit Bharat and moving forward without worrying about the results. Concluding his address, he encouraged the participants to remain open to learning, stating that these two days would be highly enriching for those willing to receive knowledge and experience.

    Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse highlighted that the dialogues led by these young minds during Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025 will pave the way for India’s future. She emphasized the significance of this year’s Youth Parliament, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of making India a Viksit Bharat, where the youth will not only contribute but also lead the nation toward progress. 

    In her welcome address, Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Smt. Meeta Rajivlochan emphasized that Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament 2025 represents our collective commitment to democracy and serves as a forum where young people from across the country can actively contribute to public policy.

    The day began with a powerful Inaugural Ceremony, followed by opening remarks by the participants, which was judged by a jury comprising of Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Sushri Shambhavi Chaudhary, Member of Parliament.

    The event proceeded with the two Question Hour sessions, which formed the heart of the Youth Parliament experience. Each Question Hour session featured 18 teams participating: 9 teams representing MPs and 9 teams representing Ministers. The youth MPs raised insightful, policy-based questions, and the ministers responded with structured and detailed answers.

    During Question Hour 1, teams discussed One Nation, One Election (ONOE), examining governance, administrative feasibility, political stability, and legal challenges, with insights from a distinguished jury, including Smt. Raksha Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, and Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, MP. Question Hour 2 focused on Viksit Bharat, where youth MPs debated youth empowerment, education, skill development, and sustainability, assessed by a jury comprising MPs Shri Satnam Singh Sandhu, Shri Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel, and Shri Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

    This was followed by an insightful master class on oratory skills by Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi, Member of Parliament. This master class provided participants with valuable insights into the art of effective public speaking, a crucial skill for leadership and parliamentary debates.

    The Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament on Day 1 was a resounding success, which concluded on an inspiring note, setting the stage for an engaging and impactful second day of discussions, debates, and policymaking exercises.

    The Day 2 will be followed with a visit to the new Parliament building, where they will witness live proceedings and experience the legislative process firsthand. This will be followed by a focused discussion on the One Nation, One Election, examining its potential implementation models, electoral dynamics, and implications for Centre-State relations. The agenda also includes a deliberation session led by a team representing the Ministry of Law and Justice, who will be initiating a motion in the house for voting. Later in the day, the National Youth Awards for the years 2021-22 and 2022-23 will be presented, celebrating exceptional contributions to youth leadership along with the Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament Awards, 2025.

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    Himanshu Pathak

     

    (Release ID: 2117909) Visitor Counter : 98

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: IMPACT OF LA NIÑA ON CLIMATE PATTERNS

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The Copernicus Climate Change Service report states that the global average surface air temperature during January 2025 was the hottest on record (0.79°C warmer than the 1991-2020) despite the development of La Niña conditions. However, the average temperature in the Indian region was the second highest since 1901 (0.98°C warmer than 1991-2020). The main reason for higher temperatures is global warming, which is closely linked to climate change. Global warming refers to the long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. This process releases greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which trap heat and cause the planet to warm up.

    In general, during the La Niña years, the Indian summer monsoon experiences above-average rainfall, which is beneficial for better crop production. However, currently, neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is prevailing over the equatorial Pacific Ocean with above-average sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the eastern and far western Pacific Ocean and below-average SSTs in the central Pacific Ocean. The latest Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and other global model forecasts indicate that neutral ENSO conditions are likely to continue during the southwest monsoon season of 2025. Thus, no La Niña impact is expected on the Indian monsoon during 2025. IMD will issue the first stage of the seasonal forecast for the 2025 Southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall by mid-April.

    Various organisations under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) have been conducting regular studies on monsoons and associated rainfall and temperature patterns in the country, including those during the El Niño and La Niña periods. The India Meteorological Department continuously monitors the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) changes globally, especially in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which have a significant impact on the Indian climate. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also prepares forecasts based on the Monsoon Mission Climate Forecasting System (MMCFS) and issues the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO)/ Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) bulletin every month (https://www.imdpune.gov.in/cmpg/Product/Enso.php). IMD also issues monthly and seasonal outlooks for rainfall and temperature with monthly updates, which helps to prepare for the impact of El Niño/La Niña-related weather variations. These forecasts are complimented by the extended range forecasts updated every week for the next four weeks. Additionally, the IMD issues agriculture-specific advisories to help farmers prepare for extreme weather events associated with El Niño and La Niña, such as heavy rains or droughts. These advisories are helpful for decision-making in various agriculture operations, such as crop selection, irrigation practices, pest and disease warnings, disaster management, preparedness, etc.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117835) Visitor Counter : 42

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: FUND ALLOCATED FOR INSAT-3DS

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Earth Sciences

    PARLIAMENT QUESTION: FUND ALLOCATED FOR INSAT-3DS

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:58PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Earth Sciences has allocated Rs. 480/- crore and billed for the launch of the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-3DS).

    Currently, INSTAT-3DS,along with INSAT-3DR, are in use for the operational weather services, and some of the important applications of satellite products are:      

    • Round-the-clock monitoring of severe weather conditions with rapid scan capability. Satellite images are generated every 5 minutes for the area of interest (where the severe weather is prevailing).
    • A satellite visualization tool known as Real-time Analysis of Products and Information Dissemination (RAPID) to visualize and analyze satellite images and derived products as per the user’s choice (https://rapid.imd.gov.in/r2v/).
    • Numerous satellite-derived products and imageries are generated at each 30-minute gap, which is very useful in real-time monitoring the cyclone activity and determination of cyclone track and intensity.
    • During pre-monsoon season thunderstorms and lightning season of March to May, various products like Outgoing Longwave Radiation, Quantitative Precipitation Estimate, Sea Surface Temperature, Insolation, winds, winds derived products, etc. and Temperature, Humidity profiles/Thermodynamic indices etc. are used for monitoring the movement of convective weather systems.
    • Satellite-derived products are also helpful in monitoring the onset, active, and withdrawal phases of southwest and northeast monsoons. It is also used to monitor and analyse the origin, movement, and possible impact of Western disturbance moving across North India.
    • Data Collection and Dissemination: The satellite’s data relay transponder facilitates efficient collection and distribution of meteorological, hydrological, and oceanographic data from various ground stations, supporting The India Meteorological Department (IMD).
    • Search and Rescue Operations: The satellite has a dedicated search and rescue payload that assists in locating and saving lives during maritime and aviation emergencies. These advancements in INSAT-3DS have strengthened India’s capacity to monitor and predict weather patterns, enabling better preparedness for extreme weather events and contributing to improving agricultural and water management decisions.
    • Meteorological data and products from both the INSATs are also useful in various sectors in real-time:
    • Aviation Meteorological services (root forecast, convection cloud development, movement, etc.)
    • Marine weather forecast (convection movements, high /low-pressure zones, winds convergence, divergence, etc.)
    • Power Sector ( clouds, convection, etc.)
    • Tourism sector (root, temperature, clouds, dry or moist areas, winds, circulation, etc.)
    • Monitoring severe weather phenomena like intense rainfall episodes, heatwave conditions, cold wave day and night fog, etc. are easily monitored over the Indian region/neighbouring countries by day and night (24-hour) coverage of satellite data.
    • Special sector images are generated for pilgrimage (Like Amarnathji yatra, Kumbh Mela, Kedarnath Jee yatra, etc.)
    • The accumulated snow-bound area images during winter time are generated for specially monitoring the fresh and old snow and its coverage.
    • Agriculture sector services. Satellite provides better guidance for agro meteorology with the help of many satellite-derived products (like Insolation, Land Surface Temperature, Evapotranspiration, etc.).
    • Renewable energy sector: Satellite-based Winds, clouds, Outgoing longwave radiation, etc., provide an important input to this sector for managing the resources efficiently.
    • Research and development activities. New algorithms and approaches (like AI/ML, deep learning, etc.) are also under development to further streamline the process.
    • Therefore, with the support of INSAT-3DS (which provides advanced imaging and sounding capabilities), weather monitoring service capabilities are enhanced. It offered detailed observations of land and ocean surfaces, real-time data on cloud cover, moisture content, temperature profiles, and other atmospheric parameter which are crucial for weather monitoring.

    The INSAT-3D has reached its end of life and has been replaced by the INSAT-3DS, whereas INSAT-3DR is operational in sensing and transmitting meteorological data.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117833)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: INSTALLATION OF NEW RADAR SYSTEM

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:57PM by PIB Delhi

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has planned new radars across the country. Tentative sites where the radars are planned to be installed are given below:

    • 12 no. of C-Band Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) tentatively at Raipur, Mangalore, Ranchi, Lakshadweep, Malda, Aurangabad, Balasore, Sambalpur, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Rupsi, & Port Blair.
    • 12 no. of X-Band DWRs tentatively at Pune, Kolkata, Purnea, Varanasi, Wayanad, Bhubaneswar, Dharwad, Lahaul &Spiti, Aligarh (GoUP), Azamgarh (GoUP), Jhansi (GoUP), Lucknow (GoUP).
    • 10 no. of X-Band DWRs for North East tentatively at Jorhat, Tezpur, Aizawl, Namsai, Silchar, Imphal, Dimapur, Mandala Top, Central Arunachal Pradesh, & Guwahati.
    • In addition, 53 radars (8 S-Band, 20 C-Band, and 25 X-Band) are also planned to be installed across the country under the Mission Mausam so that the entire country is brought under radar coverage.  

    The locations of the DWRs have been arrived upon considering the gap areas in the coverage of the existing DWR network.

    In addition to the proposed improvement in the radar coverage mentioned above, other observation systems like wind profilers, radio sonde/radio wind, microwave radiometers, etc., are also planned under the Mission Mausam. Along with the improvement in the observational network, deployment of high-performance computing infrastructure, advanced Earth system models, integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, etc, under the Mission Masuam will help improve in forecasts on various timescales, especially in location-specific nowcast (forecast up to a few hours) to short-range forecast up to 3 days. The implementation of the Mausam Mission is likely to help (i) in capturing and monitoring all the weather events happening in the country so that no weather system will go undetected (ii) improve the frequency of nowcasting extreme weather such as thunderstorms, lightening, strong winds, etc. from 3 hrs. to 1 hr. (iii) improve the short and medium range weather forecast accuracy by about 5-10% and (iv) improve air quality forecasts by about 5-10% in the major metro cities.

    The entire country will be under radar coverage within the next 2-3 years.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117832) Visitor Counter : 43

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION; THE HEAT MITIGATION STRATEGY

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:54PM by PIB Delhi

    Several parts of the country, including States like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, are likely to be severely impacted by heat, and as per the recent report by the World Bank, the rising temperatures are expected to cause India to lose up to 5% of its Gross Domestic Product by 2030. Heat is recognized as a severe threat, and the State Disaster Management Agencies of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have prepared State heat action plans in 2016 and 2019, respectively, to manage the heat stress. Also, the State Planning Commission has set up the heat action network to advance efforts for inter-departmental and intersectoral engagement toward heat mitigation.

    As per the State-wise statement of Climate Report-2023 published by,   (https://imdpune.gov.in/Reports/Statewise%20annual%20climate/statewise_annualclimate.html)   the India Meteorological Department (IMD)  a significant increasing trend of +0.68°C/100 years is observed in the Tamil Nadu State averaged annual mean temperature series for the period 1901-2023. The increasing trend is relatively higher in the case of maximum temperature (+0.84°C/100 years) compared to that in the case of minimum temperature (+0.51°C/100 years). The five warmest years on record for the state of  Tamil Nadu are 2019 (temperature anomaly of +0.848°C), 2016(+0.837°C), 2017(+0.624°C), 2020(+0.493°C) and 2023(+0.432°C). Under the changing climate, various parts of the country, including Tamil Nadu, are projected to experience increased heatwaves.

    Due to climate change, annual temperatures are increasing globally and the impact of the same is reflected in the rising frequency and intensity of heatwaves in various parts of the globe, including India. The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also reflects the same observations (https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/syr/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_SYR_SPM.pdf). Addressing the root causes of global climate change is essential to mitigate the impact of heat waves. This involves international cooperation to reduce green house gas emissions, transition to renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable practices across all sectors. Various initiatives have been undertaken by the Government of India with the help of States to reduce the impact of heatwaves in the coming years. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and State Action Plan on Climate Change (SAPCC) are one of the major initiatives in this direction. Additionally, India has taken a proactive role in fostering international collaborations through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure. India is committed to pursuing low-carbon strategies for development and is actively pursuing them, as per national circumstances.

    The India Meteorological Department, in coordination with various research centers across the country, has taken multiple steps to improve monitoring and early warning systems, which has helped minimize loss of life and property during extreme weather events, including heat waves. These include:  

    • Issuing seasonal and monthly outlooks, followed by extended-range forecasts of temperature and heatwave conditions. The early warning and forecast information are disseminated through the website,  various social media,etc., for timely public outreach.
    • District-wise heatwave vulnerability Atlas over India to help State Government authorities and disaster management agencies for timely planning.
    • The hot weather hazard analysis map over India includes daily temperature, winds, and humidity conditions.
    • Heat Action Plans (HAPs) in 23 States that are prone to heatwave conditions were jointly implemented by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with the State Governments.
    • A series of National and State-level heatwave preparedness meetings are conducted much before the start of the summer season, with regular review meetings from time to time during the season.

    IMD has launched seven of its services (Current Weather, Nowcast, City Forecast, Rainfall Information, Tourism Forecast, Warnings, and Cyclone) with the ‘UMANG’ Mobile App for use by the Public. Moreover, IMD has developed a mobile App, ‘MAUSAM’ for weather forecasting, ‘Meghdoot’ for Agromet advisory dissemination, and ‘Damini’ for lightning alerts. The common Alert Protocol (CAP) developed by the NDMA is also being implemented to disseminate extreme weather warnings by the IMD.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2117827) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools

    Source: Government of India

    Ministry of Education reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools

    Strengthening Inclusive Education: Block Resource Centres under Samagra Shiksha provides Essential Therapy Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 4:45PM by PIB Delhi

    On the occasion of World Autism Awareness Day (April 2, 2025), the Ministry of Education, Government of India reaffirms its commitment to inclusive education by strengthening support systems for children with autism spectrum disorder in schools.

    Through Block Resource Centres (BRCs), the government is ensuring that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) receive essential therapy services, specialized interventions, and learning support to help them reach their full potential.

    Supported under the centrally sponsored scheme- Samagra Shiksha, the BRCs serve as dedicated resource centers, offering essential therapy-based interventions to support the physical, cognitive, and communicative needs of CwSN.

    These include:

    • Occupational Therapy: Helps children develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and independence in daily activities.
    • Physiotherapy: Supports children with mobility challenges, improving posture, muscle strength, and physical coordination.
    • Speech and Communication Therapy: Supports children with delayed speech, difficulty in communication, or social interaction challenges, especially beneficial for children with autism.
    • Psychological & Behavioural Support: Provides emotional and behavioural counselling to enhance confidence, social interaction, and well-being.

    BRCs are staffed with trained resource persons, special educators, and therapists who work closely with parents, teachers, and caregivers to create personalized intervention plans for children.

    These centres also organize regular screening camps, parent counselling sessions, orientation/teacher training programs, assistive devices, appropriate Teaching-Learning Material (TLM), and aids & appliances etc. to ensure a holistic approach to inclusive education.

    As envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the government is continuously strengthening these inclusive learning environments by integrating therapy services with classroom learning and ensuring accessible infrastructure, assistive devices, and digital learning solutions for CwSN across the country.

    State and district education authorities are encouraged to maximize the utilization of Resource Centres and also collaborate with local health and social welfare departments to further expand support for children with diverse needs.

    On this World Autism Awareness Day, the Ministry appeals to schools, educators, and parents to optimally utilise the services of BRCs for CwSN and also work together to promote awareness, acceptance, and meaningful inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder.

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    MV/AK

    MOE/DoHE-DoSEL/2 April 2025/7

    (Release ID: 2117857) Visitor Counter : 29

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ14: Prevention and treatment of hepatitis

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    LCQ14: Prevention and treatment of hepatitis 
    Question:
     
         It is learnt that hepatitis is one of the common diseases in Hong Kong, and it is estimated that hundreds of thousands of people in Hong Kong are affected by hepatitis. Hepatitis may further develop into cirrhosis of the liver or even liver cancer if it is not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner, which will bring about a serious impact on the health and finances of patients and their families, and place a burden on the public healthcare system. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
     
    (1) in respect of education on the prevention of hepatitis, whether the Government has organised preventive educational programmes to promote the importance of keeping the liver healthy in schools and in the community in 2024; if so, of the relevant expenditure, the number of programmes organised, as well as the respective numbers of students or members of the community who have participated in such programmes; whether it will increase the relevant estimated expenditure for this year; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (2) in view of the Government’s commitment in the 2024 Policy Address to implement hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer, whether the Government has formulated the relevant implementation plan; if it has, of the budget and target number of people to be screened; whether it will accord priority to screening for high-risk persons, and introduce primary healthcare networks and the public-private partnership approach to expand the screening capacity, e.g. carrying out blood monitoring for liver cancer in high-risk groups; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;
     
    (3) whether it knows the respective numbers of new cases of liver cirrhosis diagnosed by the Hospital Authority (HA) and patients with liver cirrhosis who continued to receive treatment in public hospitals under HA in each of the past five years;
     
    (4) whether it knows the respective numbers of cases of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer among the oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy services provided in public hospitals in each of the past five years; whether the relevant data reflects the incidence trends of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer in Hong Kong; whether the Government has adjusted its prevention strategies on the basis of such data; and
     
    (5) in order to provide more treatment options for patients and effectively relieve the pressure on public hospitals, whether the Government will consider using the public-private partnership approach or expanding the scope of the “Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme” to arrange, under the risk-based principle, for low-risk patients to receive treatment at healthcare institutions in the Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

    Reply:
     
    President,
     
         Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can be classified into acute or chronic disease. Serious hepatitis cases will lead to liver failure, cirrhosis or liver cancer Hepatitis is the most commonly caused by the hepatitis virus infection worldwide. In Hong Kong, the major risk factor leading to liver diseases including liver cancer is chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. The Government is strongly committed to the prevention and treatment of hepatitis and liver cancer. Among which, in 2018, the Government established the Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Viral Hepatitis (SCVH) to provide advice on overall policy, targeted strategies and effective resource allocation related to prevention and control of viral hepatitis. In October 2020, the SCVH formulated the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2020 – 2024 and all the new initiatives outlined in the plan have been fully implemented.
     
         The Government has been adopting a series of effective and free-of-charge measures to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B virus (HBV) which may lead to CHB, including:
     
    (i) universal neonatal hepatitis B vaccination since 1988;
    (ii) universal antenatal screening for hepatitis B;
    (iii) administration of hepatitis B immunoglobulin for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B;
    (iv) using antivirals to further minimise the risk of MTCT of HBV among pregnant women with CHB and high viral load since August 2020 under the steer of the SCVH; and
    (v) post-vaccination serologic testing arranged for babies born to mothers with hepatitis B since January 2022. 
         The reply, in consultation with the DH, the Primary Healthcare Commission (PHC Commission) and the Hospital Authority (HA) to the question raised by the Hon Joephy Chan is as follows:
     
    (1) Viral Hepatitis Control Office (VHCO) of the DH co-ordinates the actions and programmes related to prevention and control of viral hepatitis, including health education, and surveillance and prevention of viral hepatitis, and provides secretariat support to the SCVH. The VHCO has been providing health education related to viral hepatitis for the public through various channels, including social media, health talks and themed exhibitions. The VHCO also collaborates with community partners to launch promotion activities. 
     
         Currently, the Maternal and Child Health Centres under the DH provide hepatitis B vaccination services for infants and young children from birth to five years old. For those primary school children who have not completed the hepatitis B vaccination, the School Immunisation Team under the Centre for Health Protection of the DH provides mop-up vaccination services to ensure that local school children are protected by the hepatitis B vaccine. The current vaccination rate for school children is 99 per cent while the prevalence of HBV infection among those under 35 years old is below 1 per cent. Hence, the health promotion efforts of the VHCO focus on reminding adults at higher risk of infection in the community to undergo early testing and treatment for hepatitis B, including those who have not been benefited from vaccination.
     
         In 2024, the VHCO conducted nine public health talks and 11 themed exhibitions, reaching over 7 000 attendances. Over 33 000 health education materials were distributed to community health promotion partners, healthcare institutions and the general public. The related expenditure cannot be separately identified given that they have been subsumed into the viral hepatitis control programmes provided by the DH.
     
         The Government will closely keep in view local and international situation of hepatitis B, promulgate the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025 – 2030 this year, and continue to enhance health promotion and educational activities.
     
         Meanwhile, District Health Centres and District Health Centres Expresses (collectively referred to as DHCs) in all 18 districts across the city are promoting the Life Course Preventive Care Plan along with family doctors to enhance citizens’ self-management ability. Family doctors and primary healthcare professionals will provide vaccination information and education (such as Hepatitis B vaccine), guidance on healthy lifestyles, as well as recommendations and services for chronic disease and cancer screening, according to personal factors like age, sex and family history. DHCs also organise talks on liver health, providing the public with related education and information.
     
    (2) The DH has been enhancing the focused risk-based testing service for viral hepatitis for people at a higher risk of HBV infection in its Services in recent years. With effect from April 2022, all men who have sex with men and sex workers attending Social Hygiene Clinics of the DH are offered with HBV screening as part of the comprehensive screening for sexually transmitted infections. With effect from July 2023, the DH has launched risk-based viral hepatitis screening services at its Elderly Health Service, Woman Health Service, Families Clinics and methadone clinics.
     
         As announced in the 2024 Policy Address, the Government will roll out a new programme to subsidise hepatitis B screening to prevent liver cancer. The PHC Commission will provide hepatitis B screening and continued management to groups with higher risk via DHCs and family doctors through strategic purchasing and co-payment model. The programme enables early detection of people infected with HBV in the community and early identification and treatment of CHB to reduce the risk of complications (such as cirrhosis and liver cancer). The PHC Commission will announce the programme details within 2025.
     
    (3) The number of in-patient and day-in-patient discharges and deaths with the principal diagnosis of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis at various hospitals under the HA in the past five years is set out as follows:
     

    Yeardischarges and deaths with the principal diagnosis of chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis(Provisional figures) 
    (4) Oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (commonly known as gastroscopy) is not a mandatory examination for the diagnosis, assessment, or treatment of liver cirrhosis or liver cancer. The HA provides appropriate examination and necessary treatment to liver cirrhosis or liver cancer patients based on clinical needs. The HA does not maintain statistics on the number of cases diagnosed with liver cancer or liver cirrhosis among those undergoing gastroscopy. The relevant data is not related to the trends of liver disease incidence in Hong Kong.
     
         According to data from the Hong Kong Cancer Registry, there were 1 612 new cases of liver cancer in 2022, accounting for 4.6 per cent of all new cancer cases in Hong Kong. Liver cancer ranks as the fifth most common types of cancer and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong. Based on the crude incidence rate, there are 22 new cases per 100 000 population in Hong Kong. Males are more susceptible to liver cancer than females, with a male-to-female incidence ratio of 2.7 to 1 in 2022. Compared with ten years ago, the number of new cases of liver cancer has dropped by about 10 per cent.
     
         The number of liver cancer cases diagnosed each year and its percentage in the total number of new cancer cases from 2012 to 2022 are set out below:
     

    Year     On prevention and control strategies, key measures of the Government include:
     
    (i) continuing to closely monitor the hepatitis situation locally and internationally;
    (ii) formulating the Hong Kong Viral Hepatitis Action Plan 2025-2030 within 2025;
    (iii) preparing for the launch of a pilot programme for hepatitis B in the community in a risk-based approach by the PHC Commission with reference to the screening strategy recommended by the SCVH; and
    (iv) apart from the three clusters currently piloting the collaborative service model for the management of hepatitis B, the HA will continue to pilot the service model concerned in the Medicine Specialist Out-patient Clinics and Family Medicine Specialist Clinics of other clusters, as well as collaborate with the DH and the PHC Commission to promote hepatitis B management to family doctors. Through the above measures, it is expected that the overall management capability for hepatitis B and service volume in Hong Kong will be further enhanced, thereby reducing the transmission of hepatitis B and its associated disease burden. 

         In addition, the Cancer Expert Working Group on Cancer Prevention and Screening (CEWG), established under the Cancer Coordinating Committee chaired by the Secretary for Health, regularly reviews local and international scientific evidence with a view to making recommendations to the Government on formulating evidence-based measures for cancer prevention and screening programmes applicable to the local population. Currently, the CEWG does not recommend routine liver cancer screening for asymptomatic individuals at average risk.
     
         Primary prevention (i.e. reducing exposure to cancer risk factors) is the most important strategy for reducing the risk of developing cancer. The DH has long been encouraging citizens to adopt healthy lifestyles, including avoidance of smoking and alcohol, healthy diet, regular physical activities and maintenance of a healthy body weight and waist circumference to reduce the risks of non-communicable diseases including cancer.
     
    (5) In terms of primary healthcare, the Government is establishing a “Family Doctor for All” system and a multidisciplinary public-private partnership model with DHCs as the hub through the Chronic Disease Co-Care Pilot Scheme (CDCC Pilot Scheme) to subsidise citizens in the diagnosis and management of chronic diseases in the private medical sector. As mentioned above, the Government is planning to implement a subsidised hepatitis B screening programme through family doctors and DHCs using the same multidisciplinary public-private partnership model to encourage citizens to understand their health status through early screening to achieve the goals of “early prevention, early detection, and early treatment”. The DH will also continue to strengthen the Government’s different vaccination programmes, such as exploring the best use of public-private partnership arrangement where appropriate.
     
         The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has been following the principles of complementarity and mutual benefits to enhance the cooperation with various cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), on the premise that the development of Hong Kong and the Mainland’s healthcare system will be benefited. This is to promote the medical professional standard in the region in general and provide convenience for Hong Kong citizens travelling to and from the Mainland in terms of choices of medical services. Among which, in collaboration with designated collaborating healthcare institutions in the Mainland cities of the GBA, the Government gradually launched the Pilot Scheme for Supporting Patients of the Hospital Authority in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme, the Pilot Scheme for Direct Cross-boundary Ambulance Transfer in Greater Bay Area, as well as the new functions under the five-year plan of eHealth+, which enables citizens to keep and use their personal medical records from within and outside Hong Kong across the boundary.
     
         As a member of the GBA, the HKSAR Government, in formulating cross-boundary healthcare measures, will not only focus on meeting the needs of Hong Kong citizens, but will also consider the potential impact of the policies on the social resources and livelihood of citizens on the Mainland. The healthcare resources and needs, relevant laws and regulations, as well as regulatory regimes for healthcare professions are different in Hong Kong and the Mainland. Upholding the important role of protecting the health of Hong Kong citizens, the HKSAR Government will continue to provide quality healthcare services to Hong Kong citizens, including the above-mentioned strategies and work in the prevention and treatment on hepatitis B. The Government will also explore cross-boundary healthcare measures under the premise that these measures are feasible and mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, the HKSAR Government is exploring the strategic purchase of healthcare services for Hong Kong citizens from suitable healthcare institutions in the GBA to alleviate the pressure on service demand of our public hospital services and shorten the waiting time of Hong Kong residents.
    Issued at HKT 19:58

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PARLIAMENT QUESTION: Tarang facility in India

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 5:00PM by PIB Delhi

    ‘TARANG’ is a 64-bit High Performance Computing (HPC) system, capable of supporting multi-tasking, multi-programming, multi-user and time-sharing environment, of a proven architecture with scalable processing elements, scalable high performance I/O, scalable interconnection network and a balanced design to have 99.5% uptime with adequate redundancies and to avoid single point of failure so as to meet the operational requirements. The HPC system is supported by technical support facilities such as transformers, diesel generators, UPS, batteries, multiple utility paths, lighting system, adequate number of earthing pits and cables.

    The compute capacity is about 1 Peta FLOPS, with 2 Peta Byte storage and 3 Peta Byte archival storage. Additionally, there is a dedicated standalone system for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) applications with a capacity of 15.5 Peta FLOPS.

    The HPC would help scientists to run advance operational models for providing Tsunami Early Warnings for India and other 25 countries on the Indian Ocean rim. Further, the new computational facility will also be used for next generation Ocean State Forecast system having more accurate representation of physical processes, non-hydrostatic dynamics, high resolution nests for local forecasts and advanced data assimilation techniques and augment the quality of the forecasts using the available GPU processors.

    This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

    ***

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Russian shadow fleet and oil imports – E-001226/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001226/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Siegbert Frank Droese (ESN)

    1. To what extent does the Commission rely on oil and gas tanker data from Vortexa regarding the so-called Russian shadow fleet?

    2. With regard to the sanctions against Russia and accusations of EU double standards, what does the Commission make of the fact that Russian oil is transported by ship to India, where it is processed, and then exported to the EU?

    Submitted: 24.3.2025

    Last updated: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom proclaims Autism Acceptance Month

    Source: US State of California 2

    Apr 2, 2025

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a proclamation declaring April 2025, as Autism Acceptance Month. 

    The text of the proclamation and a copy can be found below:

    PROCLAMATION

    This month, California joins communities around the world in recognizing April as Autism Acceptance Month. We celebrate the many ways autistic individuals add to the diversity and strength of our state, while raising awareness of the challenges faced by children, teens, and adults on the autism spectrum in living to their full potential.

    In California, one in 22 children have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Our state’s 21 regional centers provide community-based developmental services and supports to over 194,000 autistic individuals. We are proud to honor the many individuals with autism enriching our communities with their perspectives, talents, and achievements.

    This year, California’s Health and Human Services Agency released its Master Plan for Developmental Services, outlining recommendations that will impact the rapidly increasing regional center caseload of individuals with a diagnosis of autism. The Master Plan is shaped by the community itself, expressing a vision for how California supports people with disabilities like autism into the future, and recognizing the connections between the developmental disabilities services system to other employment, health, and social services systems. This vision will inform existing and future efforts to enhance state services in the days and years ahead, and reflects the state’s commitment to supporting, empowering, and celebrating people on the autism spectrum.

    This Autism Acceptance Month, we share our deep appreciation of individuals, families, and many others who are dedicated to uplifting the experiences of autistic people. We reaffirm our commitment to supporting and including individuals with autism in our schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Together, we will continue to build communities where everyone belongs.

    NOW THEREFORE I, GAVIN NEWSOM, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 2025, as “Autism Acceptance Month.”

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 1st day of April 2025.

    GAVIN NEWSOM
    Governor of California

    ATTEST:
    SHIRLEY N. WEBER, Ph.D.
    Secretary of State

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan: Sexual violence used as weapon of terror against women and girls

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Women

    Amid alarming reports of sexual violence being used as a weapon of terror across Sudan, UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, is warning that over 12 million women and girls – and increasingly men and boys – are estimated to be at risk.

    It is nearly two years since the brutal war between the forces of the military government in Khartoum and the Rapid Support Forces militia erupted, sparking one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

    Human rights abuses have been committed on both sides and more than 30.4 million Sudanese require urgent assistance, with millions displaced, and tens of thousands killed. Nearly 25 million people face acute hunger.

    According to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, there have been increasing and alarming reports of sexual violence being used to terrorise civilians.

    Layla’s story

    In late 2024, in the northern state of Sudan, armed men forced their way into Layla’s* home in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, while she was alone with her children. “They arrested my son and took me to a separate car. I noticed they were looking at my daughter in a disturbing way – she’s 18 years old. Probably they took me away to keep her alone.”, she told UNFPA.

    Layla’s fears for her daughter were a precursor of what she would later confront at an overcrowded prison, where she was held for nearly three weeks.

    © UNFPA Sudan

    A woman, who has fled conflict in Sudan, washes clothes.

    ‘Unimaginable horrors’

    Recounting that they brought her son back and started beating him in front of her, Layla added that they interrogated her, accused her of being a spy and claimed that her husband was working for the army.

    Although the Sudanese army has recently retaken strategic areas of Khartoum, at that time opposition paramilitary forces were in control. Layla described being strip-searched, beaten and detained without charge.

    “I witnessed unimaginable horrors,” she said. “When the officers left, the soldiers would begin raping prisoners. They would take young women out into the yard, and all night long we would hear the screams of girls and women.”

    Over 12 million women and girls – and increasingly men and boys – are estimated to be at risk of assault, an 80 per cent increase from the previous year.

    A growing health crisis

    Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, the situation has worsened dramatically, with almost 13 million people forcibly displaced – nearly one third of the population – and the health system all but obliterated.

    Across Sudan, UNFPA is providing reproductive health and protection services through 90 mobile health teams, more than 120 health facilities, and 51 safe spaces for survivors of sexual violence.

    This assistance includes clinical treatment and psychological counselling following rape, sexual abuse and assault, as well as referrals for legal assistance and awareness raising among communities of the risks of sexual violence, coercion and trafficking.

    At a UNFPA-supported safe space, Layla explained how she struggled to endure the ordeal in prison. “One day, a 16-year-old girl was brought back to the cell, bleeding heavily,” she recalled. “She came to me, hugged me, and we cried together for an entire day.”

    © UNFPA Sudan

    UNFPA is providing reproductive health and protection services in dozens of locations in Sudan.

    After nine days in prison, Layla stopped eating and drinking, hoping to die instead of being raped as well. Eventually becoming very sick, Layla was released.

    Although Layla and the young survivor were able to find physical and mental health support through the safe space, they are not among the majority.

    According to UNFPA, there have been more than 540 attacks on health facilities reported over the last two years, supplies and equipment are frequently looted, and health workers, patients and ambulances are targeted with violence and intimidation.

    ‘No longer safe havens’

    Maha Mahmoud, a social worker at a UNFPA-supported safe space in Dongola in Northern State, said health facilities are no longer safe havens.

    “I was informed that a young woman had been raped at a maternity hospital,” she told UNFPA. “She’s 18, divorced with one daughter and had been living with her family when opposition forces entered her area. They took her, along with many other women, and raped them.”

    “She lost consciousness. When she woke up, she found herself surrounded by other girls, all of whom had also been raped. They were then left in the street.”

    The woman would later discover she was pregnant. “She made her way to the safe space, where we provided her with psychological support and all the necessary medical care,” said Ms. Mahmoud, adding that the woman and her baby are slowly recovering. “Since then, we have continued to help her cope with the trauma.”

    Listen to an interview with UNFPA’s Representative ad interim in the country, Argentina Matavel Piccin: 

    Soundcloud

    Urgent appeal

    UNFPA is calling for $119.6 million for its work in Sudan and a further $26 million to assist refugees in the country. In the northern state, UNFPA’s sexual and reproductive health programmes and safe spaces operate with funding from Canada, the European Union, Japan, Norway and Sweden.

    Yet unprecedented funding cuts by many leading donors are throwing into jeopardy the health and lives of hundreds of thousands of women and girls.

    The United States has been a crucial supporter of the people of Sudan, but recent funding cuts will leave some 250,000 women without reproductive health services.

    Training for frontline medical workers has also been halted, and 10,000 women will lose access to safe spaces that provide medical, legal, and psychosocial support.

    * Name changed for privacy and protection.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah participates in the discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 9:38PM by PIB Delhi

    The opposition is spreading the misconception that this bill is an interference in the religious activities of Muslims and the property donated by them

    The opposition is trying to build its vote bank by scaring the minority community

    The government does not want to interfere in the religious activities of Muslim brothers and the trusts associated with their donations, i.e. Waqf

    Mutawali, Waqif, Waqf will all be Muslims, but it will definitely have to be seen whether the property of Waqf is being maintained properly or not

    No non-Islamic member will get a place in the Waqf Board’s work related to religious donations

    Work of non-Muslim members, appointed in the Waqf Board or its premises, will not be related to religious activities

    A person of any religion can become the Charity Commissioner, he will ensure that the board is run according to charity law, this is the administrative work, not religious

    The work of Waqf Board should be to catch and throw out those who sell Waqf properties

    The opposition wants the collusion that was going on in their rule to continue, but this will not happen now

    Had the Waqf law not been amended in 2013, there would have been no need to bring this bill

    In 2013, Waqf law was made extreme overnight for appeasement, due to which 123 VVIP properties of Lutyens zone in Delhi were given to Waqf

    Narendra Modi government runs on a very clear principle that we will not bring any law for vote bank because law is for justice and welfare of people

    Everyone has the right to follow their religion, but conversion cannot be done for greed, temptation and fear

    The amendment bill brought in 2013 was discussed for a total of 5 and a half hours in both the houses, while this bill is being discussed for 16 hours in both the houses

    We formed a joint committee, 38 meetings were held, 113 hours of discussion took place and 284 stakeholders were included and about one crore online suggestions came from all over the country from all these and after analyzing all these, this law was made and it cannot be rejected like this

    This is the law of the Government of India which is binding on everyone and everyone will have to accept it

    From 1913 to 2013, the total land of the Waqf Board was 18 lakh acres, in which from 2013 to 2025, a new 21 lakh acres of land was added

    There were 20 thousand properties given on lease, but according to the records, these properties became zero in 2025, these properties were sold

    This bill will provide protection to the land, someone’s land will not become Waqf by mere declaration

    Donation can be made only of one’s own property, hence Waqf will not be able to take personal property without ownership

    The right to declare Waqf property has been abolished and now this will have to be certified by the district collector

    Shri Amit Shah stressed that it has become a fashion to create fear among the people of the minority community

    Even during Ram Janmabhoomi, Triple Talaq and CAA, efforts were made to create fear among the people of the Muslim community, but the Muslim community also knows that there is nothing to fear

    It has been two years, no one has lost citizenship due to CAA, if anyone has lost citizenship due to CAA, then the opposition should put this information on the table of the House

    It is the resolve of the Modi government that no citizen of this country, irrespective of his religion, will be harmed

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today participated in the discussion in the Lok Sabha on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024.

    Participating in the discussion, Shri Amit Shah said that Waqf is an Arabic word, and its history is linked to the Hadiths. The way it is used today refers to a donation of property in the name of Allah or a donation of property for sacred religious purposes. He mentioned that the contemporary meaning of Waqf came into existence during the time of the second caliph of Islam, Hazrat Umar. In today’s language, Waqf is a type of Charitable Endowment, where a person donates property for religious or social welfare. He clarified that such donations can only be of private property, and government property or someone else’s property cannot be donated.

    Union Home Minister said that no non-Islamic member will be included in religious charity-related activities in the Waqf Board. He emphasized that there is no provision for involving non-Muslims in the administration of religious institutions, and they do not wish to create such provisions. Shri Shah further mentioned that the opposition is spreading misconceptions, claiming that this Bill is being introduced to interfere with the religious activities of Muslims and the properties they have donated. He asserted that the opposition is trying to create fear among the minority community to build its vote bank.

    Union Home Minister said that any non-Muslim members appointed in the Waqf Board or its premises will not be involved in religious activities. Their role will be solely to ensure that the administration of charity-related matters is being conducted in accordance with the regulations. He said that Waqf in India functions like a trust, where there are trustees and a managing trustee. In Waqf, there are Waqif (donor) and Mutawalli (administrator), who are followers of Islam. Shri Shah pointed out that the word Waqf itself comes from Islam, so only those who follow Islam can manage Waqf. He further clarified that while Waqf is a religious matter, the Waqf Board or Waqf properties themselves are not religious institutions. According to the law, a Charity Commissioner can be from any religion, as they are not managing a trust; their responsibility is to ensure that the Board operates in compliance with charity laws. Shri Shah emphasized that this is an administrative matter, not a religious one.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the primary role of the Waqf Board should be to identify and remove those who are exploiting Waqf properties. It should focus on individuals who have leased out properties in the name of Waqf at extremely low rates for hundreds of years. He mentioned that the income from Waqf is decreasing, whereas this money should be used for the development of the minority community and to strengthen the institutions of Islam. The main task of the Waqf Board and its premises should be to stop the theft of these funds. He further stated that the opposition wants to maintain the ongoing collusion during their rule, but now, that will no longer be the case.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that if the Waqf law had not been amended in 2013, this bill would not have been necessary. However, before the 2014 elections, in 2013, the Waqf law was drastically altered overnight for the sake of appeasement, which led to the allocation of 123 high-profile properties in the Lutyens’ Zone of Delhi to Waqf. The Delhi Waqf Board transferred the land of Northern Railways to Waqf. In Himachal Pradesh, land was illegally converted into Waqf property and used to build unauthorized mosques. In Tamil Nadu, 400 acres of land belonging to the 1500-year-old Tiruchendur temple were declared Waqf property. Shri Shah mentioned that according to a report from a committee in Karnataka, 29,000 acres of Waqf land were leased for commercial use. Between 2001 and 2012, Waqf properties worth ₹2 lakh crore were leased to private institutions for 100 years. He also stated that the High Court in Bengaluru had to intervene to stop the acquisition of 602 acres of land. In Honwad village, Vijaypur, Karnataka, 1500 acres of land was made controversial, and this land, worth ₹500 crore, was leased to a five-star hotel for just ₹12,000 per month.

    Shri Amit Shah said that all this money is meant for the welfare of poor Muslims, not for the plundering of the wealthy. In Karnataka, a claim was made on the Dattapeeth temple. In Taliparamba, an attempt was made to seize 600 acres of land based on a 75-year-old claim. Even properties belonging to the Christian community were seized. He mentioned that many churches in the country have opposed the Waqf Bill because they see it as a means to win the sympathy of the Muslim community. However, in four years, even the Muslim brothers will realize that this bill is actually in their benefit.

    Union Home Minister said that in Telangana, a claim was made on 1700 acres of land worth ₹66,000 crore. Similarly, in Assam, a claim was made on 134 acres of land in Morigaon district. Fourteen Marla land related to a Gurudwara in Haryana was handed over to Waqf, and the Chandrashekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj was also declared Waqf property. In Maharashtra, a claim was made on the Mahadev temple in Vadange village, and in Beed, the Waqf Board forcibly took 12 acres of land from Kankaleshwar.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the government has no intention of interfering in the religious activities of Muslim brothers or the trusts they have established, including Waqf. He clarified that the Mutawalli, Waqif, and Waqf will remain under their control, but it is essential to ensure that Waqf properties are being properly maintained and used lawfully, rather than for personal gain. He questioned the justification of leasing centuries-old donated property for a five-star hotel at a mere ₹12,000 per month. Instead, he emphasized that this money should be utilized for the welfare of poor Muslims, divorced women, orphaned children, and unemployed youth, helping them become self-sufficient and skilled. He further pointed out that while Waqf owns land worth lakhs of crores of rupees, its annual income is only ₹126 crore, raising concerns about mismanagement and misuse.

    Union Home Minister stated that when the 2013 amendment bill was introduced, senior leaders in the then government had advocated for stricter laws to prevent the misuse of Waqf property and ensure that the culprits were held accountable. Shri Amit Shah emphasized that the current bill aims to establish a transparent audit system for Waqf properties. He pointed out that the opposition had proposed an amendment stating that Waqf Board orders could not be challenged in court, whereas the truth is that the bill does allow legal challenges. He further clarified that this bill will not have retrospective effect, but the opposition is misleading and creating fear among Muslims regarding its implications.

    Regarding the role of the District Collector in the Waqf Bill, Shri Amit Shah stated that whenever land is purchased for a temple in the country, it is the Collector who determines its ownership. He questioned why there is opposition to the Collector investigating Waqf land, emphasizing that only the Collector has the authority to verify whether Waqf land belongs to the government or not.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Modi government follows a clear principle—no law will be made for vote-bank politics, as laws should serve the purpose of justice and public welfare. He highlighted that in this very House, the Modi government passed the law for 33% reservation for women and granted constitutional rights to backward classes. He further emphasized that while everyone has the right to practice their religion, religious conversion should not take place through greed, temptation, or fear.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the 2013 amendment bill was discussed for a total of 5.5 hours in both Houses, whereas the current bill is being debated for 16 hours. He emphasized that the government formed a joint committee, which held 38 meetings, engaged in 113 hours of discussion, and consulted 284 stakeholders. Additionally, one crore online suggestions were received from across the country, analyzed thoroughly before drafting this law. Therefore, it cannot be dismissed lightly. He further asserted that every member has the freedom to speak in the House. No single family holds control here. MPs are elected representatives of the people, not present in the House by anyone’s favor, and they will raise the voice of the public.

    Union Home Minister stated that this law has been enacted by the Parliament of India, making it binding on everyone, and thus, it must be accepted by all. He highlighted that from 1913 to 2013, the total land under the Waqf Board was 18 lakh acres. However, between 2013 and 2025, this land increased by 21 lakh acres, bringing the total to 39 lakh acres, with 21 lakh acres being added after 2013. Shri Amit Shah further revealed that while 20,000 properties were originally recorded as leased, official records in 2025 now show zero leased properties, indicating that these properties were sold off. He also mentioned that Catholic and Church organizations have extended their support to this law and have termed the 2013 amendment unjust.

    Shri Amit Shah said that this bill will safeguard land, ensuring that no land will become Waqf merely by declaration—it will be protected by law. He emphasized that land belonging to the Archaeological Department and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will be secured, and as per Schedules 5 and 6, tribal lands will also be protected. Additionally, the private property of ordinary citizens will remain safe under this bill. Shri Shah clarified that only one’s own property can be donated, meaning Waqf cannot acquire private property without ownership. To ensure transparency, the bill includes a mandatory information disclosure process in the Waqf Act.

    The Home Minister stated that the authority to declare a property as Waqf has been abolished, and now such declarations must be verified by the District Collector. Additionally, any new Waqf property will have to be registered through a transparent process. He further mentioned that Muslims now have the option to register their trusts under the Waqf Trust Act, making a separate Waqf law unnecessary for this purpose.

    Union Home Minister emphasized that it has become a trend to instill fear among the minority community. He pointed out that similar attempts were made during the discussions on the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, Triple Talaq, and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to create panic among Muslims. However, he asserted that the Muslim community is well aware that there is nothing to fear. He criticized the opposition, reminding them that they had falsely claimed that Muslims would lose their citizenship due to CAA, yet even after two years, not a single person has lost their citizenship. He challenged the opposition to present evidence in the House if anyone had been stripped of their citizenship due to CAA. Shri Amit Shah further stated that similar fear-mongering was attempted after the abrogation of Article 370, but today, Jammu & Kashmir has an elected government, terrorism has declined, development is progressing, and tourism is flourishing.

    Shri Amit Shah stated that the opposition party and its allies have sought to build their vote bank by intimidating the Muslim community. The Home Minister emphasized that the Modi government is firmly committed to ensuring that no citizen of this country, regardless of their religion, will be harmed.

    ****

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    (Release ID: 2118064) Visitor Counter : 61

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DoT Intensifies Action to Curb Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) Through Jan Bhagidari

    Source: Government of India

    DoT Intensifies Action to Curb Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) Through Jan Bhagidari

    Nearly 1.75 Lakh Unauthorized DID Numbers Disconnected in DoT’s Anti-Spam Drive

    DoT’s Chakshu Module of Sanchar Saathi Empowering Public Participation in fighting against Spam and Combatting Cyber Fraud

    DoT Urges Enterprises to Comply with Telecom Regulations to Avoid Strict Penalties

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:42PM by PIB Delhi

    As part of its ongoing efforts to combat spam calls and cyber fraud, DoT has disconnected approximately 1.75 lakh Direct Inward Dialing (DID)/landline telephone numbers that were found to be involved in unauthorized promotional activities and illegal activities.  

    Recently it has been observed that large number of spam calls are being originated from telecom identifiers like numbers starting from 0731, 079,080 etc by misusing PRIs, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, SIP and IPLC. Citizens, under the Jan Bhagidari , have been reporting such instances of Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) / spam / fraud call  on  Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi.

    DoT analyses this crowd sourced data to act against such telecom resources. Identified cases are forwarded to the DoT’s field offices Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) for detailed investigation. In instances where violations are confirmed, telecom services are suspended for those engaging in unauthorized promotional activities.

    Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have been advised to take immediate necessary steps to ensure the scruples  compliance of  Unified License conditions relating to the curbing the misuse of PRIs including SIP trunks, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, IPLC  etc. , and to regularly check for their bonafide use .

    Call to Action for Enterprises/Bulk customers:

    The DoT calls on Enterprises/Bulk customers/ Consumers to ensure their telecom services are used in compliance with established regulations, avoiding any misuse for unsolicited commercial communication. Violations could result in severe penalties, including disconnection of services.

    Additionally, the DoT encourages citizens to continue reporting spam calls through the Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi(www.sancharsaathi.gov.in), fostering a collaborative effort to make telecom services more secure and user-friendly. The Department remains dedicated to strict monitoring and prompt action against UCC violators to protect consumer interests.

    Citizens can use Sanchar Sathi App to report misuse of telecom resources in cybercrime and cyber frauds. The App can be downloaded from

    Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dot.app.sancharsaathi

    iOS: https://apps.apple.com/app/sanchar-saathi/id6739700695

    <><><>

     

    (Release ID: 2118007) Visitor Counter : 38

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP invokes 27-point action plan as per Stage-I of GRAP in the entire NCR

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:16PM by PIB Delhi

    Today, Delhi’s daily average Air Quality Index (AQI) clocked 217 (‘Poor’ category), as per the daily AQI Bulletin provided by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In wake of the average/ overall air quality of Delhi recording ‘Poor’ air quality category ranging between 201-300, the Sub-Committee for invoking actions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) of the Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM) met today to take stock of the current air quality scenario of Delhi-NCR. While comprehensively reviewing the air quality scenario in the region as well as the IMD/IITM forecasts and air quality index of Delhi, it was observed as under:

    • AQI of Delhi has shown increasing trend and has been recorded as 217 for 02.04.2025 (in ‘Poor’ category). Further, the forecast by IMD/IITM predicts AQI to remain in this range.

    As per the unanimous decision of the Sub-Committee on GRAP, all 27 actions as envisaged under Stage-I of GRAP – ‘POOR’ Air Quality (DELHI AQI ranging between 201-300), to be implemented in right earnest by all the agencies concerned in NCR, with immediate effect. Various agencies responsible for implementing measures under GRAP including Pollution Control Boards (PCBs) of NCR States and Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) have been addressed to ensure strict implementation of actions of Stage-I under GRAP during this period.

    Further, the Sub-Committee also urges the citizens of NCR to cooperate in implementing GRAP and follow the steps mentioned in the Citizen Charter of Stage I of GRAP as under:

    • Keep engines of your vehicles properly tuned.
    • Maintain proper tyre pressure in vehicles.
    • Keep PUC certificates of your vehicles up to date.
    • Do not idle your vehicle, also turn off the engine at red lights.
    • Prefer hybrid vehicles or EVs to control vehicular pollution.
    • Do not litter / dispose wastes, garbage in open spaces.
    • Report air polluting activities through 311 App, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App etc.
    • Plant more trees.
    • Celebrate festivals in an eco-friendly manner – avoid firecrackers.
    • Do not drive/ ply end of life/ 10/15 years old Diesel/ Petrol vehicles.

    A 27-point action plan as per Stage-I of GRAP is applicable with immediate effect, in the entire NCR. This 27-point action plan includes steps to be implemented/ ensured by various agencies including Pollution Control Boards of NCR States and DPCC. These steps are:

    1. Ensure proper implementation of Directions/ Rules/ guidelines on dust mitigation measures in Construction and Demolition (C&D) activities and sound environmental management of C&D waste.
    2. Ensure strict compliance of Direction Nos. 11-18 dated 11.06.2021 and do not permit C&D activities in respect of such projects with plot size equal to or more than 500 sqm which are not registered on the ‘web portal’ of the respective state / GNCTD and / or which do not fulfil the other requirements as per the above noted statutory directions, for remote monitoring of dust mitigation measures.
    3. Ensure regular lifting of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste, and Hazardous wastes from dedicated dump sites and ensure that no waste is dumped illegally in open land areas.
    4. Carry out periodic mechanized sweeping and water sprinkling on roads and ensure scientific disposal of the dust collected in designated sites/landfills.
    5. Ensure that C&D materials & waste are properly stored/ contained, duly covered in the premises.  Ensure transportation of C&D materials and C&D waste only through covered vehicles.
    6. Strictly enforce the Statutory directions and yardsticks for use of anti-smog guns at C&D sites, in proportion to the total built-up area of the project under construction.
    7. Intensify use of anti-smog guns, water sprinkling and dust suppression measures in road construction / widening / repair projects and maintenance activities.
    8. Stringently enforce prohibition on open burning of bio-mass and municipal solid waste. Impose maximum EC upon violations in accordance with Hon’ble NGT’s orders dated 04.12.2014 and 28.04.2015 in OA 21/2014.
    9. Strict vigil to ensure that there are no burning incidents in the landfill sites/ dumpsites.
    10. Deploy traffic police for smooth traffic flow at all identified corridors with heavy traffic and congestion prone intersections.
    11. Strict vigilance and enforcement of PUC norms for vehicles.
    12. No tolerance for visible emissions – Stop visibly polluting vehicles by impounding and/ or levying maximum penalty.
    13. Strictly enforce the Hon’ble Supreme Court order on diversion of non- destined truck traffic for Delhi, through Eastern and Western Peripheral Expressways.
    14. Strictly enforce NGT / Hon’ble SC’s order on overaged diesel / petrol vehicles and as per extant statutes.
    15. Ensure strict penal/ legal action against non-compliant and illegal industrial units.
    16. Stringently enforce all pollution control regulations in Industries, brick kilns and hot mix plants etc. – strict compliance of the prescribed standards of emissions.
    17. Ensure that only approved fuels are used by the industries in NCR including in brick kilns and hot mix plants and enforce closure in case of violations, if any.
    18. Stringently enforce emission norms in thermal power plants and strict actions be taken against non-compliance.
    19. Strictly enforce Hon’ble Courts / Tribunal orders regarding ban on firecrackers.
    20. Ensure regular lifting and proper disposal of industrial waste from industrial and                    non-development areas.
    21. DISCOMS to minimise power supply interruptions in NCR.
    22. Ensure that diesel generator sets are not used as regular source of power supply.
    23. Strictly enforce the extant ban on coal / firewood as fuel in Tandoors in Hotels, Restaurants and open eateries.
    24. Ensure hotels, restaurants and open eateries use only electricity / gas-based / clean fuel – based appliances.
    25. Information dissemination including through social media and bulk SMS etc. Mobile Apps to be used to inform people about the pollution levels, contact details of control room, enable them to report polluting activities / sources to the concerned authorities and inform them about actions that would be taken by Government.
    26. Ensure quick actions for redressal of complaints on 311 APP, Green Delhi App, SAMEER App and other such social media platforms to curb polluting activities.
    27. Encourage offices to start unified commute for employees to reduce traffic on road.

    All the agencies concerned are also required to take note of various actions and the targeted timelines as envisaged in the comprehensive policy issued by the Commission to curb air pollution in the NCR and take appropriate actions accordingly in the field, particularly the dust mitigation measures for C&D activities & Roads/Open areas, which becomes a pre-dominant factor in the coming months determining the air quality in Delhi-NCR.

    The Commission shall be keeping a close watch on the air quality scenario and review the situation from time to time for further appropriate decision depending upon the air quality in Delhi and forecast made by IMD/ IITM.

    The comprehensive schedule of GRAP is available on the Commission’s official website and may be accessed on https://caqm.nic.in

    *****

    VM/GS

    (Release ID: 2117937) Visitor Counter : 36

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Kisan Rail Facilitates Swift Transport of Perishables from Surplus Regions to Markets Across the Country

    Source: Government of India

    Kisan Rail Facilitates Swift Transport of Perishables from Surplus Regions to Markets Across the Country

    Since August 2020, Indian Railways Operated 2,364 Kisan Rail Services, Transporting 7.9 Lakh Tonnes of Perishables; 65 Services from Gujarat Transported 18,250 Tonnes to Different Parts of the Country

    Railways, Agriculture and other Ministry with States and other Stakeholders Identify Key Circuits for Efficient Movement of Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Perishables Across India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:41PM by PIB Delhi

    Kisan Rail enables movement of perishables including fruits and vegetables from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions in reasonable time.

    Since the launch of Kisan Rail service on 7th August 2020, Railways have operated around 2,364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables.  Out of these, 65 services have operated from Gujarat to different parts of the country, transporting 18,250 tonnes (approximately) of fruits and vegetables.

    Potential circuits for movement of vegetables, fruits and other perishables are identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/Animal Husbandry/Fisheries Departments of State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc., and services are planned on the basis of demands placed taking into consideration, operational feasibility.

    This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2118005) Visitor Counter : 40

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: INDO – U.S JOINT HADR AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISE

    Source: Government of India

    INDO – U.S JOINT HADR AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISE

    TIGER TRIUMPH OPENING CEREMONY JOINT STATEMENT

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:13PM by PIB Delhi

    The opening ceremony of the 4th edition of the bilateral joint Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) amphibious exercise between India and the U.S. – Tiger TRIUMPH 2025 was held onboard the Indian Navy’s INS Jalashwa (L41) on 01 Apr 25. The exercise reflects the deepening convergence of U.S.-India strategic maritime interests and the countries’ defense partnership. The present edition is aimed at further enhancement of interoperability and combined joint all-domain operations during large-scale HADR operations.

    The harbour phase of the exercise is being conducted at Visakhapatnam from 01-07 Apr 25, and involves a planning process for the execution of various training events at sea, as well as further refinement of procedures established in previous iterations of Tiger TRIUMPH. In addition, the harbour phase will include training and Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE) events on a range of professional subjects, such as special operations, emergency medical response procedures, and operations across the air, maritime, cyber and space domains. These exchanges will allow our forces to continue sharing Best Practices and building stronger bonds. Sports engagements and visits to sites of cultural importance will also be coordinated to nurture camaraderie and develop personal relationships.

    During the sea phase, which will take place from 08-12 Apr 25, the bilateral forces will work together to train for maritime, amphibious and HADR operations through a Joint Combined Command and Control Center. This phase will conclude with establishment of a joint combined humanitarian relief and medical response camp following an amphibious landing at Kakinada. Participating units from the Indian Navy include Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa with integral landing crafts and helicopters, the Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer INS Mumbai (D62), Magar-class amphibious assault ship, Deepak-class fleet tanker INS Shakti (A57) and PBI Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft, MH60R Helicopters and Hawk Aircraft. The Indian Army will be represented by an Infantry Battalion group, including Mechanised Forces, and Special Operations Forces from all the three services will also participate in the exercise. Cyber and Space specialists will also participate in the exercise. The Indian Air Force will demonstrate the capability of C130, Mi-17 V5 and showcase the air portable BHISMA medical equipment. The participating U.S. Task Force would comprise a U.S. Navy Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45), with embarked U.S. Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance battalion, as well as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) and a Navy P8A Poseidon aircraft. The U.S. Space Force and Air Force are supporting the exercise with subject matter experts and a C-130J aircraft, respectively. The U.S. Army will be represented by a platoon, medical platoon, Civil-Military Operations Center and Multi-Domain Task Force Combined Information Effects Fusion Cell.

    ******

    VM/SKY    

    (Release ID: 2117936) Visitor Counter : 45

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Indian Railways Achieves ₹2.56 Lakh Crore Revenue in 2023-24 with Net Profit of ₹3,260 Crore Amid Major Investments in Staff, Pension, and Energy

    Source: Government of India

    Indian Railways Achieves ₹2.56 Lakh Crore Revenue in 2023-24 with Net Profit of ₹3,260 Crore Amid Major Investments in Staff, Pension, and Energy

    Indian Railways Adopts Two-Pronged Strategy to Boost Profits by Increasing Revenue and Enhancing Operational Efficiency

    Freight Loading Surges 29% to 1,591 MT in 2023-24; Indian Railways Targets 1.6 Billion Tonnes in 2024-25 to Become World’s Third Largest Freight Carrier

    Railways Expands Freight Business with Private Investment in Terminals, Modern Wagons, Cargo Aggregation, and Competitive Tariff Policies

    Railways Strengthen Cost Management Through Electrification, Workforce Optimization, and Operational Efficiencies, Saving ₹4,700 Crore on Diesel in 2023-24

    Indian Railways Pioneers Green and Sustainable Initiatives with HOG Trains, Electrification, LED Adoption, Renewable Energy, and Hydrogen-Powered Trains

    Rail Network Speed Potential Expands to 80,000 km at 110 kmph, with 23,000 km Upgraded for 130 kmph Since 2014

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:39PM by PIB Delhi

    During 2023-24, the earning of Indian Railways (IR) was ₹2,56,093 cr and revenue expenditure was ₹2,52,834 cr. The net Revenue has improved to Rs 3,260 crore in 2023-24. Major expenditure is done on Staff cost, Pension, energy consumption etc.

    To increase the profit, Indian Railways (IR) has adopted two-pronged approach i.e. increase the revenue and bring efficiency in operational expenditure. 

    Due to implementation of several freight revenue initiatives, the freight carried by IR during 2020-21 was 1,233 million tonnes which increased to 1,591 million tonnes during 2023-24 i.e. a growth of 29%. IR is set to achieve 1.6 billion tonnes freight loading in the FY 2024-25 making it the third largest freight handling railway system in the world. Some of the important measures to improve the freight include-

    • Encouraging private sector to develop the modern rail freight terminals under ‘Gati Shakti Multi- Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT)’ policy and augmenting/ upgrading the infrastructure at railway owned goods sheds.
    • Implementing various schemes for private sector to invest in wagons including the commodity focused specialized wagons such as wagons for cement, oil, steel, fly-ash, automobiles etc.
    • Facilitating cargo aggregation and thereby, expand the commodity basket by the schemes including the policy of “Cargo Aggregator Transportation Product” and “Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Services”.
    • Implementing the several tariff related measures to enhance the rail share by making rail mode competitive with respect to road. These include Short Lead Concession for traffic upto 90 Km, Liberalized Automatic Freight Rebate scheme for traffic loaded in empty flow direction, discounts on loading of bagged consignment in open and flat wagon, discount in freight to Fly ash/Bed ash traffic, operation of Mini Rake for Container train, fixation of special haulage rate for Bulk Cement (cement in loose form) when transported in normal containers.

    IR has also undertaken many initiatives to increase non-fare revenue such as measures to increase the advertisement earnings, implementing the NINFRIS (New and Innovative Ideas and Concepts Scheme for Generation for Non-fare Revenue) policy to encourage innovative revenue-generating ideas. Some examples of NINFRIS Contracts are Nursing pods, luggage wrapping and sanitization, digital cloakrooms, disposal linen kiosks, imitation jewellery kiosks, Khadi selling kiosks, handicraft kiosks, Kiosks for online education platforms, facilities for electric charging facilities, oxygen parlours, etc. An e-auction policy has been implemented to expedite the bidding for assets such as leased parcel space, parking lots, ATMs etc.  The benefits of e-Auction module include – realization of true earning potential of each asset, reduction the time taken in finalization of Tenders and prevent revenue loss on this account, re-award of contract in quick time in case of failure in commencing by any contractor etc.

    IR has also undertaken steps to improve the earning from passenger segments such as running of special trains, augmentation of on-board capacity, and introduction of new trains with higher facilities on appropriate fare.

    Similarly, various measures are being regularly taken in railways to ensure optimum expenditure.  Some of the expenditure management on railways includes manpower management, electrification of Railway tracks etc.  Measures like electrification of Railway tracks has led to savings of more than Rs 4700 crore under Diesel traction in FY 2023-24.    

    Cleanliness is a continuous process and various measures have been taken for maintaining cleanliness at stations and trains which include integrated housekeeping contracts at major stations & trains, mechanized cleaning, bio-toilets in passenger coaches, On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) scheme in long distance trains, Clean Train Station (CTS) scheme for identified trains en-routed at nominated stations, dustbins for bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes etc.

    IR has taken various steps to promote environment friendly & sustainable practices. Some of them are as under: –

    • Conversion of End on Generation (EOG) trains into Head on Generation (HOG) trains to reduce noise, air pollution and diesel consumption.
    • Construction of Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs).
    • Procurement of renewable energy from different power procurement modes for its future energy requirements.
    • Provision of energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting in all Railway installations including stations, service buildings, residential quarters and coaches for reduction in electricity consumption.
    • Use of star rated appliances.
    • 98% of railway tracks have been electrified, resulting in saving in diesel consumption.
    • Harnessing hydrogen gas to drive train sets.
    • Green Certifications of railway establishments.
    • Proper waste management.

    Improvement/up-gradation of Rolling Stock to enhance safety and comfort of passengers is a continuous and ongoing process on IR. The initiatives include LHB coaches with operating speed of 160 Kmph, better riding index, improved aesthetics and safety features like Lightweight design, Anti-telescopic & Anti climbing features, Centre Buffer Coupler, Axle mounted disc brake system etc. as compared to the conventional ICF coaches of the 1960s.

    In its constant endeavor to provide faster service and better travel experience to the passengers, IR are introducing Vande Bharat trains and Namo Rapid Rail service, which have modern coaches, enhanced safety features and better amenities. Presently, 136 Vande Bharat services and 2 Namo Rapid Rail services are in operation on the IR network.

    IR have also introduced modern State-of the Art fully Non-AC Amrit Bharat trains. These trains have advanced features like Semi-Permanent couplers for jerk free travel, horizontal sliding windows, better aesthetics of Berths with enhanced look & feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper, improved crashworthiness in coaches, Emergency Talk Back Unit, improved LED Light fitting & Charging Sockets, foldable snack table and bottle holders, mobile holders etc. These trains comprise 12 Sleeper Class Coaches and 8 General Class coaches. Presently, 4 Amrit Bharat services are in operation.

    Besides the improvement in rolling stock, the following measures have been taken by IR to upgrade railway tracks:

    1. Using modern track components consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Pre-stressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with modern elastic fastenings.
    2. Laying of fan-shaped turnout on PSC sleepers with Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings.
    3. Providing Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges while carrying out primary track renewals.
    4. Using 130m/260m long rail panels for rail renewals to minimize weld- joints.
    5. Field-welding by mobile Flash Butt Welding Plant and advanced USFD Testing technique of Rail/ Welds by Phased array technology.
    6. Mechanization in Track renewal/ replacement using Track Relaying Trains, Points & Crossing Changing machines, Track laying Equipment etc.
    7. Deployment of Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) for comprehensive health assessment to project optimal maintenance requirements.
    8. Induction of advance modern machines for track maintenance i.e., high output tampers, high output Ballast Cleaning Machines and Rail Grinding machines etc.
    9. Adopting Self-propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing Car (SPURT) and Rail Cum Road Vehicle (RCRV) based USFD system for testing of rails/welds.
    10. Using web enabled Track Management System (TMS) for integration and data analytics of the track inspection records received through various sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.

    As a consequence of above measures, speed potential of 110 kmph has now been improved significantly to about 80,000 km at present which was only about 31,000 km in 2014. In addition, upgradation and improvement of about 23,000 km track has been done from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (up to Feb’25) for speed potential of 130 kmph. 

    IR strives to provide affordable services to all strata of the society. IR gave a subsidy of Rs. 56,993 crores on passenger tickets in 2022-23. This amounts to concession of 46% on an average, to every person, travelling on Railways. In other words, if the cost of providing service is Rs. 100, then the price of ticket is Rs. 54 only. This subsidy is continuing for all passengers. Further, concessions beyond this subsidy amount are continuing for many categories like 4 categories of Persons with disabilities (Divyangjans), 11 categories of patients and 8 categories of students.

    This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2118003) Visitor Counter : 42

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Auction of Coal Mines

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:11PM by PIB Delhi

    Since year 2020, a total of 109 coal mines have been allocated through commercial coal mine auction, of which 15 mines are operational. Additionally, during the same period, 392 non-coal major mineral blocks have been auctioned, of which 32 are operational.

    No coal/lignite mine has been allocated by Ministry of Coal through commercial coal mine auction in state of Rajasthan.

    Since the launch of Commercial coal mining in 2020 till January 2025, revenue of about Rs. 4149.76 crores has been realized in the form of Upfront amount and Monthly Payments (excluding royalty, cess, DMF, NMET etc.) to the State Govts. of coal/ lignite bearing areas for further utilization. State wise revenue generated from commercial mining in the form of Upfront amount and Monthly Payments (excluding royalty, cess, DMF, NMET etc.) is as under:

    S.No.

    State

    Revenue till Jan 2025 (Rs in Cr.)

    1

    Chhatisgarh

    1722.85

    2

    Jharkhand

    579.07

    3

    Maharashtra

    143.07

    4

    Madhya Pradesh

    549.21

    5

    Odisha

    1061.78

    6

    West Bengal

    93.60

    7

    Assam

    0.18

    Grand Total

    4149.76

    The Ministry of Coal is actively addressing delays in coal mine operationalization including from environmental clearances and land acquisition through several key measures. A Monitoring Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Coal) with Chief Secretaries from respective Host States, Secretary (MoEF& CC), Coal Controller Organization (CCO) & CMPDIL as members of the Committee to conduct regular reviews and to expedite the development of blocks.

    This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ****

    Sunil Kumar Tiwari

    (Release ID: 2117930) Visitor Counter : 61

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOIL delivers best financial year performance in FY’25, surpassing all previous records

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:06PM by PIB Delhi

    MOIL has recorded its best-ever financial year performance in FY’25, achieving remarkable milestones across key performance indicators:

    • Record manganese ore production: 18.02 lakh tonnes, 2.7% higher y-o-y.
    • Record manganese ore sales: 15.87 lakh tonnes, registering a growth of 3.3% y-o-y.
    • Record Ferro manganese production: 12000 MT, 18% higher y-o-y.
    • Exploratory core drilling: 1,07,530 meters, marking a 22% growth over CPLY. This extensive exploration will serve as the foundation for expanding production from existing mines and the development of new manganese mines across the country.

     

    Shri Ajit Kumar Saxena, CMD, MOIL, congratulated the entire MOIL workforce for this record performance and expressed confidence of higher growth momentum in the coming year.

    *********

    TPJ/NJ

    (Release ID: 2117975) Visitor Counter : 61

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Coal Production

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:11PM by PIB Delhi

    The production of coal in the country during the financial years 2013-14 and 2023-24 along with the contribution of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) is given below:

    (Figures in Million Tonnes)

    Year

    Country production

    SECL contribution

    2013-14

    565.765

    124.261

    2014-15

    609.179

    128.275

    2015-16

    639.230

    137.934

    2016-17

    657.868

    140.003

    2017-18

    675.400

    144.709

    2018-19

    728.718

    157.349

    2019-20

    730.874

    150.546

    2020-21

    716.083

    150.606

    2021-22

    778.210

    142.514

    2022-23

    893.191

    167.006

    2023-24

    997.826

    187.536

     

    The auction of commercial coal mines during the year 2020 has increased the coal production. The details of coal production is as under:

    (Figures in Million Tonnes)

    Sr No

    Coal Mine

    2021-22

    2022-23

    2023-24

    2024-25* (Till 24.03.2025)

    1

    Gare Palma- IV/1

    0.37

    6.00

    7.20

    6.82

    2

    Gare Palma- IV/7

    0.79

    1.20

    1.43

    1.68

    3&4

    Gotitoria (East & West)

    0

    0.02

    0.30

    0.25

    5

    Takli Jena Bellora

    0

    0

    0.09

    0.70

    6

    Gare Palma IV/6

    0

    0

    1.8

    3.93

    7

    Utkal C

    0

    0

    1.03

    3.36

    8 & 9

    Gare Palma IV/2 & IV/3

    0

    0

    0.71

    5.96

    10

    Rajhara (Central & Eastern)

    0

    0

    0

    0.01

    11

    Bhaskarpara

    0

    0.00

    0.00

    0.06

    Total

    1.16

    7.22

    12.56

    22.77

    *Provisional

    This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    ****

    Sunil Kumar Tiwari

    (Release ID: 2117932) Visitor Counter : 44

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Make in India and the Capital Goods Revolution

    Source: Government of India

    Make in India and the Capital Goods Revolution

    Catalyzing Domestic Production and Technological Innovation

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:52PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, heavy engineering and machine tools sector comprises of capital goods industry. India’s capital goods sector is experiencing significant attention due to its critical role in driving industrial growth and economic development. This sector encompasses industries such as electrical equipment, machinery, and construction, which are essential for the country’s infrastructure development. According to the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), the electrical equipment industry witnessed consistent double-digit growth in power equipment, particularly transmission equipment and transformers, driven by domestic demand and international market expansion.

    India is the third-largest market for construction equipment. Government initiatives have been instrumental in bolstering the capital goods sector. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has launched several policies to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. These initiatives are part of the broader Make in India campaign (launched in 2014), which seeks to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP, generate employment, and improve technological capabilities. The capital goods sector is crucial to India’s economic strategy, supporting large-scale manufacturing and infrastructure projects. With rapid urbanization, extensive infrastructure development, and strong government support, the sector is poised to drive sustainable industrial growth and elevate India’s position in the global market.

     

    Overview of the Heavy Industries and Engineering Sector

    As per the present estimates, the Capital Goods industry contributes about 1.9% of GDP.  The Heavy Engineering and Machine Tool sector (capital goods industry) consists of the following major sub-sectors: Dies, Moulds and Press Tools; Plastic Machinery; Earthmoving and Mining Machinery; Metallurgical Machinery; Textile Machinery; Process Plant Equipment; Printing Machinery; and Food Processing Machinery. Due to catalytic effect of Ministry of Heavy Industries intervention, the production of capital goods sector has increased from Rs 2,29,533 crore in 2014-15 to Rs.4,29,001 crore in 2023-24. Production (in crores) by the sub-sectors of capital goods industry since 2019-20 are presented in the table below:

     

    Exports (in crores) by the sub-sectors of capital goods industry since 2019-20 are presented in the table below:

     

     

    The policy environment for the capital goods sector includes:

    • No industrial license is required for the sector.
    • FDI up to 100% permitted on automatic route (through RBI) except from the countries having land borders with India.
    • Quantum of payment for technology transfer, design and drawing, royalty, etc. to the foreign collaborator is not restricted.
    • There is no restriction on imports and exports.

    The Union Budget 2025-26 proposes to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing to the list of exempted capital goods. This will boost domestic manufacture of lithium-ion battery, both for mobile phones and electric vehicles.

     

    National Capital Goods Policy (2016)

    The National Capital Goods Policy, formulated by the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, is a comprehensive framework aims at boosting the capital goods sector in India. policy envisions increasing the sector’s contribution to manufacturing activity from 12% (2016) to 20% by 2025. It seeks to make India one of the top capital goods producing nations, aiming to more than double production and increase exports to at least 40% of the total production. Furthermore, the policy aims to enhance the technology depth within the sector, moving from basic and intermediate levels to advanced levels.

    The major salient features of the policy are:

    1. To increase budgetary allocation and scope of the Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Capital Goods Sector adding components i.e. skills, capacity building, advanced manufacturing and cluster development.
    2. To launch a Technology Development Fund under PPP model to fund technology acquisition/ transfer, purchase of IPRs/ designs and drawings/ commercialization.
    3. To set up regional State-of-the-Art Greenfield Centre of Excellence for skill development.
    4. To modernize existing CG manufacturing units, especially SMEs by replacing with the modern, computer controlled and energy efficient machineries across capital goods sub-sectors.
    5. To upgrade/ develop, testing and certification infrastructure.

     

    The National Capital Goods Policy, 2016, inter alia, recommended increasing the budgetary allocation and scope of the Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness of Capital Goods which included setting up of Centers of Excellence, Common Engineering Facility Centers, Integrated Industrial Infrastructure Park and Technology Acquisition Fund Programme. These recommendations were incorporated in the Phase II of the scheme.

     

    Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase I

    In order to address the skill gaps, infrastructure development and technology needs for the capital goods sector, Phase I of the capital goods scheme was rolled out in November 2014 which had the total outlay of Rs 995.96 crores. Phase I of the scheme fostered partnerships between academia and industry for engendering technology development with government support. The outcome of the Scheme has proved the efficacy of the strategies deployed for technology and industrial infrastructure development.

     

    • Centre of Excellence (CoE): 8 CoEs have been established wherein 30 niche indigenous technologies have been successfully developed in the fields of machine tools, additive manufacturing, textile machinery, welding robots and alloys design, earth moving machinery, and sensor technologies at national research institutes of eminence such as Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) etc.
    • Common Engineering Facility Centres (CEFC) – 15 CEFCs including four Industry 4.0 SAMARTH centres and six Web-Based Technology Innovation Platforms (TIPs) have been setup. Industry 4.0 SAMARTH centres are at Indian Institute of Sciences at Bengaluru, Centre for Industry 4.0 (C4i4) lab at Pune, Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) at Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
    • The six web-based open manufacturing technology innovation platforms are helping in bringing all India’s technical resources and the concerned Industry on to one platform to kick start and facilitate identification of technology problems faced by Indian Industry and crowd source solutions for the same in a systematic manner so as to facilitate start-ups and angel funding of India innovations.
    • Over 76,000 students, experts, institutes, industries and labs have already registered on these platforms so far.
    • Technology Acquisition Fund Programme (TAFP) – Following 5 technologies have been acquired from abroad under TAFP:
    1. Development & Commercialization of Titanium Casting with Ceramic Shelling Technology;
    2. Manufacturing of Heavy-Duty High Reliability Electrical Specialized Power Cables;
    3. Development of Turn Mill Centre;
    4. Development of Four Guideway CNC Lathe;
    5. Cutting Edge Robotic Laser Cladding Technology.

     

    • Integrated Machine Tools Park, Tumakuru: An exclusive industrial park for machine tool industry has been developed across 530 acres at Tumkuru, Karnataka. So far, out of 336 acres of allottable land, 145 acres of land has been allotted to the machine tool manufacturers.

     

    Under Phase- I of the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector, 33 projects with budgetary support of Rs. 583.312 crore were sanctioned. After launching of the Capital Goods Scheme Phase II, The Phase I of the Capital Goods Scheme has been merged with Phase II of the Scheme.

     

    Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase II

    Ministry of Heavy Industries notified the Phase 2 of the Scheme on January 25, 2022, with an objective to expand and enlarge the impact created by Phase I of the capital goods scheme, thereby providing greater impetus through creation of a strong and globally competitive capital goods sector. The scheme has a financial outlay of Rs. 1207 crores with budgetary support of Rs. 975 crore and industry contribution of Rs. 232 crores. Under the Phase II, a total of 33 projects with project cost of Rs 1366.94 crores (due to higher contribution by Industry) and government contribution of Rs 963.19 crore have been sanctioned by August 2024. There are six components under the Phase II and the details of the projects sanctioned so far are:

     

    • Setting up of New Advanced Centres of Excellence and augmentation of Existing Centres of Excellence: To expedite R&D by utilizing academia of repute and private industry which is involved in research and development activities. A total of 9 projects with the budget of Rs. 478.87 have been sanctioned so far.
    • Setting up of Common Engineering Facility Centres (CEFCs) and augmentation of existing CEFCs: For creating demonstration & training, consultancy, hand holding and R & D services and awareness programmes to industrial units. A total of 5 projects with the budget of Rs. 357.07 have been sanctioned so far.
    • Promotion of skilling in Capital Goods Sector: Creation of Qualification packages for skill levels 6 and above- in association with Skill Councils for skills level 6 and above. A total of 3 projects with the budget of Rs. 7.59 have been sanctioned so far.
    • Augmentation of Existing Testing and Certification Centres: To address the needs of Capital Goods Sector & Auto sector for testing of machinery in terms of various properties relating to mechanical, electrical, chemical, structural, metallurgical, electronics aspects etc. A total of 7 projects with the budget of Rs. 195.99 have been sanctioned so far.
    • Setting up of Industry Accelerators for Technology Development: Aimed at development of targeted indigenous technologies, scaled to meet the requirements of selected industry segment, which till now has been dependent on imports. Selected Academic Institute/ Industry Body will act as an Accelerator for fostering the development of such technologies. A total of 8 projects with the budget of Rs. 325.32 have been sanctioned so far.
    • Identification of Technologies through Technology Innovation Portals: Six Web-based open manufacturing technology innovation platforms have been developed under CG Scheme Phase-I. These are being supported under CG Scheme Phase-II.

     

    The details of the funds allocated and its utilization under the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase- I and II is as given in the table below:

     

     

    Recent Achievements of the Capital Goods Scheme

     

    1. Sitarc, Coimbatore has indigenously developed a 6-inch BLDC submersible pump with a motor efficiency of 88% and a pump efficiency of 78% under the Capital Goods Scheme. This initiative promotes “Aatmanirbharta” by reducing the import of such pumps by 80%. This innovation was recognized as the best product in the pumps category by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
    2. CMTI has developed a high-speed rapier loom machine capable of weaving yarns upto 450 RPM. This machine was launched at ITMA 2023 in Milan, Italy.
    3. Under the SAMARTH centre at CMTI, Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technology has been implemented in Toyota Engine Manufacturing line controlling 64 machines for preventive maintenance.
    4. A testing facilities for battery and Battery Management System (BMS) has been established at ARAI, Pune for the first time in India under the aegis of Ministry of Heavy Industries.
    5. 6 Smart Technologies, 5 Smart Tools, 14 solutions have been developed in digital twin, virtual reality, robotics, inspection, sustainability, additive manufacturing etc. by I-4.0 India @ IISc, Bengaluru;
    6. Under Industry Accelerator at ARAI-Advanced Mobility Transformation & Innovation Foundation (AMTIF) a high-voltage motor controller developed, which enabled the industry partner Raptee Energy Private Limited to launch a high-voltage motorcycle with electric car DNA.
    7. Under Industry Accelerator at ARAI-Advanced Mobility Transformation & Innovation Foundation (AMTIF) thermally stable sodium-ion batteries developed.

     

    Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)

    BHEL is a major contributor towards engineering and manufacturing capacity building for the Country. The company is carrying out following initiatives with support from Ministry of Heavy industries under the Capital Goods Scheme Phase II:

    • BHEL has established a “Common Engineering Facility Centre (CEFC)” for skill development in Welding Technology at WRI Trichy along with its extension centers at Varanasi, Ranipet, Bhopal, Jhansi and Haridwar units of BHEL.

    •  BHEL is establishing a testing facility comprising both Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and Software in the Loop (SIL) functionalities in the area of Industrial, Naval and Aircraft related processes at its Corporate R&D Unit at Hyderabad with support from Ministry of Heavy Industries.

     

    Conclusion

    The ‘Make in India’ initiative has had a transformative impact on the heavy industries and engineering sector. By fostering technological advancements, increasing domestic production, enhancing competitiveness, and generating employment, the initiative has played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s industrial base. With sustained policy support and continued investment, the sector is poised for further growth in the coming years.

     

    References

    https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/capital-goods

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=2098364

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2085938

    https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2042179

    https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2039020

    https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/economicsurvey/doc/echapter.pdf

    https://heavyindustries.gov.in/heavy-engineering-and-machine-tool

    https://x.com/investindia/status/1302798627337723904?lang=ar-x-fm

    https://heavyindustries.gov.in/sites/default/files/2023-07/Capital-Goods-Policy-Final.pdf

    https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/184/AU1227_CBVr5x.pdf?source=pqals

    https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/182/AU1375_e9YzYN.pdf?source=pqals

    https://heavyindustries.gov.in/scheme-enhancement-competitiveness-indian-capital-goods-sector-phase-i

    https://heavyindustries.gov.in/scheme-enhancement-competitiveness-indian-capital-goods-sector-phase-ii

    https://heavyindustries.gov.in/sites/default/files/2025-02/heavy_annual_report_2024-25_final_27.02.2025_compressed.pdf

    Make in India and the Capital Goods Revolution

    ****

    Make in India (CG) | Explainer | 07

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan holds virtual meeting with South Indian Film Associations; urges technicians, producers and directors to join WAVES 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan holds virtual meeting with South Indian Film Associations; urges technicians, producers and directors to join WAVES 2025

    WAVES 2025 aims to unite all media segments under PM Modi’s vision; Union MoS Dr. L. Murugan calls for strong South Indian representation

    Dr. L. Murugan Calls for Exclusive Pavilion for South Indian Film Industry at WAVES 2025, Engages Leading Production Houses

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L. Murugan, conducted a virtual meeting with officials from Film Associations representing Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The meeting was also attended by Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Shri C. Senthil Rajan, Joint Secretary (IP) and Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan M.N, Joint Secretary (Films).                                    

    South Indian Film Industry Participation at WAVES 2025

    Key discussions focused on the progress of the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to take place from May 1st to 5th, 2025. The meeting emphasized the need for maximum participation from the South Indian film industry, including technicians, producers, directors and actors. It also explored the involvement of leading production houses and the establishment of a dedicated pavilion or booth at the WAVES Exhibition Space.

    Position India as a Global Creative Leader

    Concluding the meeting, Dr. L. Murugan highlighted that WAVES aims to unite all media segments under one umbrella, aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He reiterated that this initiative is a significant step toward positioning India as a global leader in the creative industry.

    About WAVES 2025

    The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.

    This historic summit will bring together global leaders, media professionals, artists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The digital age presents both challenges and opportunities. Artificial intelligence, streaming revolutions, intellectual property rights, misinformation, and media sustainability are key concerns. As the first-ever event of its kind, WAVES 2025 will address these issues by promoting cultural diversity, innovation, and equitable access to media platforms.

    By viewing the world through the prism of harmony, WAVES 2025 aspires to inspire meaningful connections, collaborative progress, and cultural unity. This session will be a crucial step in reinforcing the media and entertainment industry’s role as the biggest unifying factor between country to country, people to people and culture to culture in the digital age. WAVES 2025 emphasizes the power of unity by focusing on shared concerns, challenges faced by humanity, shared opportunities, collaborative growth and progress. This vision positions WAVES 2025 as a global platform for harmony, fostering meaningful dialogue and action that transcend borders.

    By hosting WAVES 2025 in Mumbai, the summit will provide a forum for thought leaders. They will discuss how the media industry can act as the biggest unifying factor in a rapidly changing world. The sector serves as a powerful catalyst for cultural diplomacy, bridging divides between people, cultures, and nations.

    * * *

     

    PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Dharmendra Tewari / Navin Sreejith | 85

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool temporarily closed

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Attention TV/radio announcers:

    Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

    Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

    The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 2) that Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool in Kwai Tsing District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.

    It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.

    The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal to inaugurate Startup Mahakumbh

    Source: Government of India

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal to inaugurate Startup Mahakumbh

    2nd edition of Startup Mahakumbh to be held from April 3-5 at Bharat Mandapam

    Over 45 Tribal entrepreneurs to participate in the event

    Event to witness representation from over 50 countries

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the second edition of Startup Mahakumbh, set to take place at Bharat Mandapam from April 3-5, 2025.The event  aims to contribute further to India’s economic growth and showcase to the world the unfolding story of Bharat. Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology,Shri Jitin Prasada, will deliver a special address during the inaugural event.

    The event’s unmatched scale and diversity of participants will provide an invaluable platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to come together, share ideas, and create lasting connections. With a strong focus on fostering innovation and collaboration, Startup Mahakumbh will lay the foundation for the next wave of entrepreneurial success. During this year’s edition Tribal entrepreneurs are also set to take the stage with participation from 45+ startups including those incubated at IIM Calcutta, IIM Kashipur, and IIT Bhilai.

    Explaining the theme of the event, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, “Startup Mahakumbh will be a true ‘sangam’ of startup and industry ‘MahaRathis’ from across the Indian districts and the world – Jile se Jagat tak. With representation from multiple districts of India and 50 countries, the event will be a great opportunity to connect and collaborate. While at one end we will have a flying taxi made in India on display, at the other we have countries like Korea setting up a pavilion of 11 startups and Nepal putting up the largest pavilion with one of its startups showcasing a 2-stage rocket powered by sustainable hybrid propulsion rocket engines. I am really excited and looking forward to the next three days of some pathbreaking ideas and enriching discussions.”

    The first edition of the flagship startup event attracted over 48,581 business visitors engaging with 1306 exhibitors including finest startups, soonicorns, and unicorns, from 26+ states and 14+ countries. It also hosted 300+ incubators and accelerators and 200+ leading angel investors, VCs, and family offices.

    Startup Mahakumbh brings together the entire startup ecosystem of India including entrepreneurs, investors, incubators and accelerators, and industry leaders from several sectors. The event is led by FICCI, ASSOCHAM, IVCA and Bootstrap Advisory & Foundation; and supported by SIDBI, GEM, ECGC, Meity and DPIIT Startup India.

    For more information, visit www.startupmahakumbh.org.

    ***

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Mozambique Delegation Explores India’s Decentralized Governance Framework

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:40PM by PIB Delhi

    On April 1, 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj hosted an interactive session on Decentralized Governance & Public Administration for a distinguished delegation from Mozambique. The delegation was hosted by Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), and Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR. The Mozambique delegation was headed by Prof. Benigna Zimba, Coordinator of Commission of Reflection on the Model of Decentralisation (CREMOD), established by the Government of Mozambique. This delegation is visiting India specifically to study the country’s decentralization framework and the Panchayati Raj system in India.

    During the interaction, Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, MoPR shared a comprehensive overview of the Panchayati Raj system in India.  He emphasized upon the constitutional framework that supports local self-governance in India and elaborated upon the journey of decentralization since the 73rdConstitutional Amendment. Shri Lohani also highlighted the significant role and representation of women in the Panchayati Raj system. He underlined the activities and transformative changes in the governance mechanism during the last ten years, which have brought about positive transformation at grassroots level.

    Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR shared his valuable insights on the operational aspects of Panchayati Raj Institutions and the various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to strengthen local governance across the country. He particularly emphasized on the role of digital transformation in enhancing transparency and efficiency in PRIs.

    Issues of Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of PRIs, good practices adopted by various States and Union Territories, e-Governance at the Panchayat level, digital governance, integration of e-GramSwaraj with Government e-Market place (GeM) were also elaborated upon. The session also emphasized how digital platforms have improved service delivery and reduced bureaucratic hurdles. Citizen Charter of PRIs was another focal point of the discussion, highlighting its significance in establishing clear expectations between citizens and PRIs.  Key themes like Own Source Revenue mobilization, Finance Commission Grants, localization of SDGs, and PESA Act etc. were also discussed during the session.

    Prof. Benigna Zimba and other members of the Mozambique delegation actively participated in the interactive session, sharing the distinct features of the Decentralized Governance model in Mozambique,  providing insights into their country’s governance structure, ongoing reforms, and future prospects. The delegation expressed particular interest in India’s digital governance initiatives and capacity-building programs, recognizing their potential applicability in the Mozambican context.

    The Mozambique delegation included Prof. Benigna Zimba (Member and Coordinator, CREMOD), Mr. Francisco Eliseu de Sousa (Member), Mr. Flavio Mulamdo (Secretariat), and Mr. Tuarique Abdala (Secretariat). Mr. Orlando Rodolfo, Minister Counsellor, High Commission of Mozambique, New Delhi.

    ***

    Aditi Agrawal

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Till Feb 2025, Indian Railways Installs 209 MW Solar Plants at 2,249 Stations and Service Buildings

    Source: Government of India

    Till Feb 2025, Indian Railways Installs 209 MW Solar Plants at 2,249 Stations and Service Buildings

    Indian Railways Solar Power Expansion Reaches 2249 Installations Units with 1489 Added in the Last Five Years, 2.3 Times More Than 628 in the Previous Five Years

    Rajasthan Leads in Solar Power Expansion with the Highest 275 Installations Units Among All States and UTs

    Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:45PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Railways is making all endeavors to promote solar energy in line with the Government policies to proliferate renewable energy, environmental sustainability and to achieve long-term financial savings. The transition to renewable energy is an ongoing process.

    Indian Railways has planned to progressively procure renewable energy through different power procurement modes for Round The Clock (RTC) power, which is hybrid solution for renewable power includes solar and wind etc. Most of the work of setting up of solar plants is undertaken by Railways through Power Purchase Agreement under developer mode.

    During implementation of solar energy, many challenges like regulatory constraints, power evacuation and connectivity issues were faced by the railways. To tackle these issues, State Governments and Transmission Utilities were pursued on regular basis.

    So far, about 209 MW of solar plants on 2249 Railway stations and service buildings across the country have been provided. State-wise and year-wise details are as under:

     

    S.No.

    State

    Railway Stations Provided with Solar Plants (in Nos.)

     2014-15 to 2019-20

    2020-21 to February, 2025

    Cumulative
    upto February, 2025

    1

    Rajasthan

    73

    200

    275

    2

    Maharashtra

    43

    213

    270

    3

    West Bengal

    12

    222

    237

    4

    Uttar Pradesh

    78

    93

    204

    5

    Andhra Pradesh

    33

    126

    198

    6

    Karnataka

    86

    60

    146

    7

    Madhya Pradesh

    49

    74

    134

    8

    Odisha

    30

    103

    133

    9

    Gujarat

    11

    96

    112

    10

    Telangana

    35

    60

    95

    11

    Bihar

    25

    42

    81

    12

    Assam

    27

    48

    78

    13

    Tamil Nadu

    42

    31

    73

    14

    Jharkhand

    10

    35

    47

    15

    Haryana

    9

    23

    36

    16

    Punjab

    19

    11

    30

    17

    Uttarakhand

    1

    17

    18

    18

    Himanchal Pradesh

    1

    16

    17

    19

    Tripura

    15

    1

    16

    20

    Chhattisgarh

    10

    5

    16

    21

    Kerala

    12

    1

    13

    22

    Delhi

    4

    3

    8

    23

    J & K

    2

    4

    6

    24

    Nagaland

    0

    2

    2

    25

    Meghalaya

    0

    1

    1

    26

    Manipur

    0

    1

    1

    27

    Chandigarh

    0

    1

    1

    28

    Puducherry

    1

    0

    1

     

    Total

    628

    1489

    2249

     

    This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

    *****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Local man & woman plead guilty to drug, money laundering crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A local man and woman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court here today to drug and money laundering crimes related to assisting two Chillicothe brothers traffic drugs from Mexico and Arizona. 

    Todd Michael Fulkerson, 42, of Columbus, admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

    In February 2024, Fulkerson traveled to Arizona at the request of Caleb Barillaro, 30, who was acquiring kilogram quantities of the drugs to resell through street-level drug dealers in Chillicothe and the surrounding areas. The men drove separate vehicles to Arizona, and Fulkerson accompanied Caleb on the trip to provide security. Fulkerson was recruited for this role based on his military experience.

    In Arizona, Caleb purchased two kilograms of fentanyl and five kilograms of cocaine for $94,000 in cash. Caleb put the drugs in a cooler and placed ice on top of the drugs to conceal them before putting the cooler in Fulkerson’s car.

    Law enforcement surveilled the two vehicles traveling in tandem back towards Ohio from Arizona.

    The two stopped at a gas station near the Indiana and Ohio border. Caleb discovered that the melting ice in the cooler had ruined some of the kilograms of drugs. He became upset and took the cooler to his car. Caleb feared he was being surveilled by law enforcement as he traveled from the gas station, and he discarded the drugs along the side of the road.

    Fulkerson faces up to 20 years in prison for his role in transporting the drugs.

    Lazae Lett, 24, of Chillicothe, admitted to laundering drug proceeds to Sinaloa, Mexico, to help Dillon Barillaro, 31, obtain more drugs through a source of supply there. She sent several approximately $2,000 money orders via Western Union money orders from Walmart and two Kroger locations in Chillicothe. 

    Dillon Barillaro provided the illicit money to Lett and instructed her on recipient names and payment amounts. Dillon Barillaro drove Lett to the Walmart and Kroger locations to conduct financial transactions in immediate succession.

    Lett faces up to 20 years in prison.

    The Barillaro brothers have each pleaded guilty to federal narcotics crimes punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison and await sentencing.

    Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit Field Office; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and Chillicothe Police Chief Ron Meyers announced the guilty pleas offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in the related cases.

    These investigations were originally designated as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven, Graham, Blumenthal Introduce Bill to Impose Tough Sanctions Against Russia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    04.01.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven (R-North Dakota) joined Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) and 49 bipartisan senators in introducing legislation to impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. These sanctions would go into effect if Russia refuses to engage in good faith negotiations for a lasting peace with Ukraine or initiates another effort, including military invasion, that undermines the sovereignty of Ukraine after peace is negotiated.
    “Our legislation sends a clear message that if Russia rejects peace or escalates its aggression, there will be serious repercussions,” said Hoeven. “The sanctions and tariffs on those supporting Russia’s actions aim to foster peace by holding all aggressors accountable.”
    Joining Senators Hoeven, Graham and Blumenthal in cosponsoring the legislation are Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Angus King (I-Maine), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), John Curtis (R-Utah), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Maggie Hassan (D-New Hampshire), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Peter Welch (D-Vermont), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), Chris Coons (D-Delaware), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Mark Kelly (D-Arizona), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Michael Bennet (D-Colorado), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona), John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Adam Schiff (D-California), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Steve Daines (R-Montana) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar quake: UN calls for urgent protection for vulnerable women and girls

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Humanitarian Aid

    Friday’s devastating earthquakes in Myanmar not only caused mass casualties and widespread destruction, they also deepened long-standing gender inequalities – leaving millions of women and girls at heightened risk, UN aid agencies warned on Wednesday.

    As emergency aid trickles in, women and girls who were already vulnerable due to years of conflict, displacement and economic instability, now face even greater risks from gender-based violence and exploitation, according to a UN-led coalition responding to the crisis.

    “Girls are particularly vulnerable, especially when separated from their families or living in overcrowded shelters without adequate privacy,” it warned, stressing the need for protection measures.

    “With many caregivers injured or killed, urgent efforts are needed to identify, protect and reunify unaccompanied and separated children.”

    The coalition, formally called the Gender in Humanitarian Action Working Group, is co-led by UN-Women and the UN reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

    Reports of temporary ceasefire

    News outlets are reporting on Wednesday that Myanmar’s military junta has announced a temporary ceasefire from 2 to 22 April to facilitate emergency relief and rescue operations.

    This follows an earlier ceasefire declaration by armed groups opposing the junta earlier this week.

    Myanmar remains engulfed in a deepening crisis since the Tatmadaw – as the military is known – overthrew the democratically elected government in 2021, imprisoning top leaders, including President Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.

    Pre-existing vulnerabilities

    While estimates indicate that up to 20 million people may be affected by the earthquakes, women and girls – who already made up more than half of the 10 million people in urgent need of aid before the disaster – face mounting challenges.

    More than 100,000 pregnant women have been caught up in the chaos across central Myanmar, with 12,250 expected to give birth in April.

    The destruction of health facilities and damage to roads and bridges have cut off access to essential reproductive health services, endangering pregnant women and survivors of gender-based violence who rely on medical support.

    “Prior to the earthquakes, women and girls in Myanmar were already facing significant mental health stress due to prolonged conflict, political instability, and economic challenges. The disaster has deepened this stress,” UN agencies added.

    © UNICEF/Nyan Zay Hte

    In Sagiang, destroyed buildings show the aftermath of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28 March.

    Prioritizing action

    “Women, especially from crisis-affected communities, must be actively involved in designing and implementing assessments to ensure their priorities are reflected,” UN humanitarians underscored.

    Women and girls need safe shelter, clean water, and enough food. Shelters should have locks, lights and private spaces. They need secure toilets and bathing areas, along with dignity kits and menstrual hygiene products.

    Adequate lighting near water points and toilets can reduce the risk of gender-based violence, especially after dark, with agencies also stressing the need to involve women-led organizations in the response.

    Many women-led NGOs “are on the ground and ready to provide support, drawing on their deep community ties and understanding of the context to effectively identify and respond to the specific needs of women and girls,” the UN agencies added.

    Limited funding undermines relief

    UN relief chief Tom Fletcher has issued an urgent appeal for increased funding to support the aid effort, warning that access to survivors is severely constrained.

    While $5 million has been allocated from the UN Central Emergency Respond Fund (CERF) the response “has been hampered by a lack of funding”, he said on Tuesday, alongside disruptions to communications and transport networks.

    “We are in contact with authorities on how the international community can do more. We must have unrestricted, safe access. All parties must uphold obligations to protect civilians,” he added.

    Meanwhile, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has mobilized $12 million in emergency funding, which is being allocated to partners for cash and food assistance, non-food items, shelter, water, sanitation, debris removal and healthcare, including mental health support.

    “We deliver assistance through our valued partners and are deeply grateful to our donors for their swift support, enabling this rapid response. We are prepared to scale up our support as the full extent of the damage becomes clear,” said Sara Netzer, UNOPS Director in Myanmar.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –